Is it still worth keeping an M8? Is it serviceable?

[boojum]

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I'm not sure what will happen to my M8.2. But at my age I do not worry so much about how long the camera will last but how long I will last.  That said, I will happily use the M8.2

for as long as I can.  Then I will stop.

[84bravo]

3 hours ago, DaveSee said:

Greets!

Dunno for digital M innards, but these two have serviced my film Ms, including lens calibration & swapping out a fogged viewfinder (M6).

http://www.dagcamera.com/

http://www.sherrykrauter.com/
Maybe best to check with Miami first

hopes you & yours are, and remain healthy,
Dave

Sherry Krauter doesn't work on digital cameras. She also is up front about not working on lenses that you intend to use with digital cameras. I know Sherry and she kept my film cameras working in fine order when I was using them hard as a professional photojournalist. She's top notch if you need any work done on film cameras, though. Unfortunately, digital just isn't in her wheelhouse.

Sherry is good people, as we say in Appalachia. She's a character, and although we come from different parts of the country, we speak the same no BS language,. Some people have a hard time with that. Take that for what it's worth.

 

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[Guest]

What some older fellows write here about the M8 as their last camera will probably apply to the M10-P for me.
To finance this camera, which was extremely expensive for me, I had to sell among other Leica stuff an M8.2, which had already completed about 80,000 shutter releases.
Maybe I would have kept it as a backup camera if the batteries had been compatible.
Basically, I always try to take only one but the most suitable camera with me on my photo excursions and the M10-P is vastly superior to my earlier M8.2.

[Herr Barnack]

On 10/2/2020 at 9:04 AM, jaapv said:

My M8 from 2006 is still going strong in the hands of my brother. My M9 and MM1 from 2009 and 2012 are still current cameras. We would not dream of selling.

That's impressive! 

Sometimes I think about selling my M-P 240 Safari set and upgrading to an M10R, mainly for the much quieter shutter and the high ISO capability.  Reading about a 14 year old M8 that can still haul the mail makes me realize that when people call a 3 year old digital camera "obsolete," they are spouting hogwash.  🐷

Edited November 25, 2020 by Herr Barnack

[lct]

My M8.2 is hard to beat IQ wise. Only problem is noise. Shutter noise, or rather motor noise, and digital noise above 640 iso.

[Jman95]

On 10/2/2020 at 6:41 PM, rivi1969 said:

Most members at DPR Forums sign in just for trolling and discouraging other people to enjoy their gear. But there are nice, experienced people like JDLaing too. Just separate the wheat and enjoy your camera! I will never sell mine.  

Honestly I’m not too sure why some do that, but thank you! I will continue to enjoy the M8!

[Guest]

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Am 25.11.2020 um 15:20 schrieb lct:

My M8.2 is hard to beat IQ wise. Only problem is noise. Shutter noise, or rather motor noise, and digital noise above 640 iso.

Since I like to take pictures with an M-camera but without a tripod at night, at dawn, dusk and generally in the dark months and in dark surroundings, I am glad to have replaced the M8.2 with an M10-P.

[Jman95]

On 11/2/2020 at 4:17 AM, oudjunk said:

I just bought it last month (October 2020) and the cosmetic is great with fully box and accessories. 

Thanks for the ex-owner keep it best. I understood you. 

if you have only one camera and you concerned about that. i recommend to sell it. 

We won't know the future. 

Thanks for the reply, I ended up actually selling the M8 I originally posted about. I have since purchased another M8 in silver mint condition, I wasn’t ready to part just yet with Leica. This time around I’ve set aside the money incase anything happens. 
 

happy shooting!

[nwphil]

On 11/25/2020 at 6:20 AM, lct said:

My M8.2 is hard to beat IQ wise. Only problem is noise. Shutter noise, or rather motor noise, and digital noise above 640 iso.

probably you can call me weirdo, or full of nonsense, but I actually enjoyed the M8 shutter noise - yes, not a quiet one, but I have been shooting with an 1Dx - made it unique

The iso grain, I took it as a trade-off (was not really) for the IR -iesh abilities

..and yes, sold mine, with some regret, due to fearing old electronics collapse and needed LV and better viewfinder options for my lenses 

[boojum]

4 hours ago, nwphil said:

<snip>

..and yes, sold mine, with some regret, due to fearing old electronics collapse and needed LV and better viewfinder options for my lenses 

I would rather wear it out using the camera than pass it on to some other person to wear it out.  Why shouldn't I get that goodness of that CCD sensor?  It is a personal choice, I understand, and I understand why you sold it.  But I really like the images of the M8/M8.2 and will carry the burden of the none-too-reliable electronics as a part of the deal I must make with the Devil.  While it is running it is a nice camera.

[nwphil]

14 minutes ago, boojum said:

I would rather wear it out using the camera than pass it on to some other person to wear it out.  Why shouldn't I get that goodness of that CCD sensor?  It is a personal choice, I understand, and I understand why you sold it.  But I really like the images of the M8/M8.2 and will carry the burden of the none-too-reliable electronics as a part of the deal I must make with the Devil.  While it is running it is a nice camera.

I bought it used, and enjoyed it for a good 2-3 years. It was in very good shape, calibrated, and not showing any signs of corrosion or any other issues.

Yes, the color output is unique, and in my view, the b&w images were also great - not to mention the IR "abilities" it had. That's i am saying somewhat regret, but previous year of being sold, was sitting out, stored away with little use.

I have more than enough cameras,  likewise lenses...split thru 3 systems. I rather keep the lenses in the end, unless they get replaced by similar and end not being used much.

Speciality lenses like a Canon TS-E, it's a different story, but cameras are more of disposable item to me. 

While it's running is indeed a nice camera

[Ernstk]

12 hours ago, mnutzer said:

Since I like to take pictures with an M-camera but without a tripod at night, at dawn, dusk and generally in the dark months and in dark surroundings, I am glad to have replaced the M8.2 with an M10-P.

Hi Bernd

How do you find the difference in image quality, especially black and white?

Ernst

[Guest]

vor einer Stunde schrieb Ernstk:

Hi Bernd

How do you find the difference in image quality, especially black and white?

Ernst

Hi Ernst,

I think the much higher usable ISO values of the M10-P make it possible to still take pictures out of hand in dark situations, where a lot of noise had to be accepted with the M8.2.
Even by careful consideration, now 3200 and 6400 ISO are usable, where the M8.2 was limited to only 160 or 320 ISO because of noise.
That gives more freedom when taking pictures:
Shorter shutter speeds to prevent blurring and smaller aperture values for more depth of field.

On the M8.2 I have often used the factory mode RAW + JPG, which first had to be converted into DNGs using the special "m8raw2dng droplet" process.
With this factory mode underexposed images up to three apertures were possible, which later could be compensated by an image processing program.
But instead one dealt with the inconvenience of the time-delayed 'button dance' before each image sequence and the lack of control due to the much too dark display.
And despite these tricks, the noise of the M8.2 made many photos unusable.

The larger amount of data in the images from the M10-P enables finer processing, for example for perspective corrections or especially for black and white images by controlling the gray values through targeted use of the various color regulators.
Not to mention the better options for image composition and control by live view, EVP, focus peaking, spirit levels, bracketing and more.

Of course, the M10-P also has its limits, but they have been pushed up significantly compared to the M8.2.
"Il meglio è l'inimico del bene" quotes Voltaire.🙂
 

[Ernstk]

14 hours ago, mnutzer said:

Hi Ernst,

I think the much higher usable ISO values of the M10-P make it possible to still take pictures out of hand in dark situations, where a lot of noise had to be accepted with the M8.2.
Even by careful consideration, now 3200 and 6400 ISO are usable, where the M8.2 was limited to only 160 or 320 ISO because of noise.
That gives more freedom when taking pictures:
Shorter shutter speeds to prevent blurring and smaller aperture values for more depth of field.

On the M8.2 I have often used the factory mode RAW + JPG, which first had to be converted into DNGs using the special "m8raw2dng droplet" process.
With this factory mode underexposed images up to three apertures were possible, which later could be compensated by an image processing program.
But instead one dealt with the inconvenience of the time-delayed 'button dance' before each image sequence and the lack of control due to the much too dark display.
And despite these tricks, the noise of the M8.2 made many photos unusable.

The larger amount of data in the images from the M10-P enables finer processing, for example for perspective corrections or especially for black and white images by controlling the gray values through targeted use of the various color regulators.
Not to mention the better options for image composition and control by live view, EVP, focus peaking, spirit levels, bracketing and more.

Of course, the M10-P also has its limits, but they have been pushed up significantly compared to the M8.2.
"Il meglio è l'inimico del bene" quotes Voltaire.🙂
 

Thanks Bernd for your very detailed answer.

I'm glad you're enjoying the M10-P.

And I agree with Voltaire!

Ernst

[boojum]

14 hours ago, mnutzer said:

Hi Ernst,

<snip>

On the M8.2 I have often used the factory mode RAW + JPG, which first had to be converted into DNGs using the special "m8raw2dng droplet" process.

<snip>

"Il meglio è l'inimico del bene" quotes Voltaire.🙂
 

With agreement to that wily Swiss, I wonder if I am missing something about the Leica raw files.  Maybe because I am in Linux and use Linux software I can "read" the raw files with no conversion process.  When I go into RawTherapee to pull in the DNG it works fine and I can edit it there.  Otherwise I can also read and edit it in showFoto.  Can something like this not be done in the Windows and Mac sides of the house?  And, BTW, RawTherapee is available in Windows and Mac versions.   Of course, maybe you just don't like it.

Sign me "Perplexed in Peoria"

[Guest]

vor 1 Stunde schrieb boojum:

With agreement to that wily Swiss, I wonder if I am missing something about the Leica raw files.  Maybe because I am in Linux and use Linux software I can "read" the raw files with no conversion process.  When I go into RawTherapee to pull in the DNG it works fine and I can edit it there.  Otherwise I can also read and edit it in showFoto.  Can something like this not be done in the Windows and Mac sides of the house?  And, BTW, RawTherapee is available in Windows and Mac versions. ...

Just to be precise: More details about the mostly unknown factory program "RAW + JPG Fine" of the M8 and M8.2, which was hidden by Leica and whose use was only set up internally for service measurements, can also be found here on the forum under M8raw2dng - Tool to convert Leica M8 RAW files to DNG.
This 5th factory program "RAW + JPG Fine" can only be switched on in the M8 and M8.2 using a special key combination, jokingly called the 'button dance'.
Then the camera does not save 8-bit compressed DNGs, but generates 14-bit uncompressed RAWs parallel to JPGs.
Light Room, Photoshop, Capture One and I think also RAW Therapee can only read and edit these RAWs, if they are first converted into DNGs together with the parallel JPGs using the special software "M8raw2dng", which website for downloads and further informations is now only available on archive.org. 
It wasn't until the M9 that Leica decided to use uncompressed DNGs.
With the M 8 and M 8.2, the storage times would have been too long and would have required too much storage space on the memory cards that were much smaller at the time.

[epand56]

On 10/3/2020 at 12:41 AM, rivi1969 said:

I will never sell mine.

Neither do I. They'll have to take it from my cold dead hands.

[cobbu2]

My M8 isn’t the only excellent camera I have with limited or no repair options (my Bronica RF645 is another). My thought has been to not worry about a “maybe some time in the future” failure... if it fails, it fails, deal with it if or when it happens. Stop worrying and just enjoy the camera.

[rpsawin]

On 10/2/2020 at 5:07 AM, jaapv said:

There is no way to tell whether anything will stop functioning in the near future, including ourselves, but chances are that it will keep working for many years. Would you give away your dog because you fear that it might die tomorrow?

My wife uses a similar argument about me...

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Hallo,

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[ellegant]

Its been awhile since anyone replied, but.... I bought my m8.2 in 2012 as a present to myself for a significant birthday. About six years later the LCD developed "bar code" like stripes. I could not use the menu, etc. Fortunately it seemed stuck on b&w and ISO 320 (I love b&w and used to shoot Tri-X with my m4) I finally tucked the m8.2 in the closet. I kept searching ebay for replacement LCDs. In December 2020 I found one at a camera and electronics repair shop! I bought it, the shop installed it and I am again enjoying my m8.2. Moral? Don't know if there is one (:-) except to enjoy what you have while you have it!