How many M8 users without shutter failure?

[Jman95]

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Hi everyone!

 

I recently bought an M8, my first Leica. It has 26,000 actuations on it and I was wondering if I should be worried about early shutter failure? I’ve read some people’s M8’s have failed quite early after production. Also is the M8 shutter still serviceable today? And how much is it usually? 

[jaapv]

The vast majority have no problem whatever. 

[Jman95]

32 minutes ago, jaapv said:

The vast majority have no problem whatever. 

Hey Jaap I’ve seen your username before on the forums, you know your stuff so I was hoping you would reply. I’m glad to hear it though. What’s this shutter upgrade for M8 that I’m hearing about? Something about it reducing the speed to 1/4000 sec and being more silent?

[jdlaing]

The original M8 had a max shutter speed of 8000. The M8.2 reduced it to 4000. When an M8 was sent in to upgrade to the M8.2 standards it was reduces to the 4000 speed.

[J.Nordvik]

My M8 have 50000 actuations and uses the original battery from week 14 2007.

(I bought it used in 2011, former owner(s) might have had a spare battery)

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[zeitz]

I have, and still use, an M8 from Batch 2 (Dec 2006).  It has never had a problem and has never been opened.  Not even a single lockup.  I doubt I ever used 1/8000th of a second.  One of my original batteries did just die though after almost 14 years.  That battery lived far longer than the batteries for my Nikon D2x.  My other M8 battery is still going strong.

[farnz]

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Just to clarify, it makes no difference to the life of a shutter whether a shutter was used at 1/8000th or not because the shutter blades/curtains move at the same speed for all except slow speeds and only the gap between the first and second shutter differs to give the desired interval during which light can reach the sensor.  So the stress on the shutter is the same at all except slow speeds.

Pete.

[jaapv]

Even at slow speeds the velocity of the shutter blades is the same. But the second curtain pauses before it starts moving. 

[jensthoes]

...my M8 is from the very first batch (by serial number the 71th one - #3100071) - 30.000+ actuations.

Works always flawless.

Best,

Jens

Edited September 27, 2020 by jensthoes

[Jman95]

On 9/25/2020 at 10:46 AM, jdlaing said:

The original M8 had a max shutter speed of 8000. The M8.2 reduced it to 4000. When an M8 was sent in to upgrade to the M8.2 standards it was reduces to the 4000 speed.

Ohh okay that makes sense, I noticed the M9 doesn’t reach 1/8000.

Edited September 29, 2020 by Jman95

[Jman95]

On 9/27/2020 at 4:58 PM, jensthoes said:

...my M8 is from the very first batch (by serial number the 71th one - #3100071) - 30.000+ actuations.

Works always flawless.

Best,

Jens

Glad to hear it’s still going strong! Mine is from the same batch as well.

[84bravo]

I have more than 30k clicks on one of my M8.2 bodies and about 15k clicks on an M8. So far no shutter problems.

[tommonego@gmail.com]

My M8 319XXXX is working fine but on the low end of shutter clicks with 4500 going by frame numbers.

[mike_j]

Well my third shutter is still working. Camera has about 16000 actuations

[Jman95]

Thanks for the replies, it seems like many of you still have an M8 in good working condition. Does Leica still service the M8?

[BrianS]

On 9/30/2020 at 1:32 PM, tommonego@gmail.com said:

My M8 319XXXX is working fine but on the low end of shutter clicks with 4500 going by frame numbers.

Same batch as mine- I'm about 25K clicks. I bought mine used in Jan 2010, was originally sold in Oct 2009. I paid $2500, came with 2 batteries and the fitted case. I will not sell it- but if I did, would probably end up with 50% of what it cost me almost 11 years ago. How many digital cameras do that?

No shutter problems, no bad lines on the CCD, no LCD problems, no problems at all. I like the 1/8000th top shutter speed. The half case dampens the sound a bit, if it bothers anyone. 

Edited November 20, 2020 by BrianS

[boojum]

I am at 13850 with my M8.2.  I do not know what this means or how long the camera will work.  But it is working today.  SN 3559430, it's a honey.

[Maarten]

I decided to upgrade my shutter to the more quiet variant (with 1/4000 s as max speed). This shutter is not only noticeably more silent, more importantly it gives a lot less vibration.

I did the upgrade in 2011 (still in Solms!) and got a my camera back better than new! At the time the shutter upgrade costed € 750,-

[david strachan]

After a couple years of my first digital Leica, M8 black bought second hand 2013, now with over 26,000 pics (less than 4,000 when bought). Then bought another in chrome, i loved the cam so much, and wanted to future-proof.  Now have about 7,000 shots.

Both M8's have been tough and reliable...couple small issues with gunk in mechanism causing spasmodic playback fixed with electronic cleaner.

 

But what a camera...fun, easy.  Great B&W (just repeating mantra here..i process my own B&W's), and good for IR.  And the sensor size and required filters are a pleasure...yes, a pleasure.

All hail the M8...🤣

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[robert_parker]

I have an M8,2 which I have owned form virtually new (bought after 250 actuations and only a couple of months old by someone who had used it as a second body for a project) which has the later type shutter, operating at 1/4000s.  The camera has not given me any trouble to date; prior to that I owned an M8 for several years.

The main differences in the shutter that I observe are that it is both quieter and smoother but that it also has a 'stealth mode' which allows the shutter to be fired without actuating the rewind / cocking mechanism; this means that it can not only be used discretely but based on my own tests, offers a method of firing the shutter with minimal vibration.  I tested the camera in this mode with the camera mounted on a tripod and using a cable release, using a 75 and 135mm lens and found that there was a noticeable improvement in IQ when compared to the standard mode, which I can only put down a reduction in vibration, as described by Maarten in his post.

The other thing I notice about the M8 and the M8,2 is that they are, for me at least, quite easy to focus, which I don't always find to be the case with my M240.

Probably the only bugbears are 1) The crop factor (although for me this can be a bugbear if I accidentally crop part of someone out of a grabbed shot, or a blessing, as it in effect gives me a slightly longer lens with full aperture and depth of field when shooting street); 2) That it is generally wise to use an IR Cut / Hot Mirror filter on lenses when using the M8 / M8,2 as it is a bit more IR sensitive than most cameras; again the blessing is that it is great with IR shots and also B+W; 3) High ISO performance is not spectacular but is more than satisfactory with wide aperture lenses.

I also have original batteries which are fine and work perfectly when I remember to bring them.

The camera is increasing in value to enthusiasts and the only long term problem that I can see might be maintenance; that being said there are many cottage industries springing up that might offer service or ways round this, which is in any event a problem that exists for most digital cameras. 

Examples:

Image 1 Is a high ISO shot using Pete's 35mm 1,2 VC lens during the Seville One Challenge, featuring Satijntje, Farnz and Tom MacMaster

Image 2 Shows the influence of IR on certain black fabrics (see the blouson/jacket) when no UV/IR filter is used (tomb of Edith Piaf, Père Lachaise, Paris)

Image 3 Uses stealth mode to steady the shot (taken on the grating above Blanche Metro, Paris,  using 50mm + UV/IR)

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Edited November 29, 2020 by robert_parker