Purchased a MINT M8 that's been in storage for 10 years... Firmware?

[jaques]

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I was just very fortunate to purchase a MINT m8 that's been in storage for a decade. When it was put away the camera had only fired a few hundred frames apparently. She came to me fitted with an ASPH 35mm Summilux (pre FLE)- basically what I paid for both was less than the value of the lens... Needless to say I am chuffed with my good luck....  I charged the battery and the camera fired up perfectly. I had an issue with installing a memory card: two cards came up with 'Card Full' message. I tried formatting both but same message came up and format light only flashed for a few seconds. Then  I locked a card- inserted it- turned on the camera- then off- removed the card- unlocked- and then was able to format the card and get the camera working. The date is set at 01.01. 1970- which is kinda funny and impossible...

 

Is there anything I should be aware of in taking the camera from storage after such a long period and then using it? All functions are seemingly working fine now. The firmware is 2.014 which dates back to 2011... should I update? What's the latest firmware for the m8?

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[a.noctilux]

Hello,

Two things to do first :

- the internal clock battery needs to be charged, so leave the M8 "off", with battery fully charged inside for 10-14 hours.

- then if you can change the time/date, you are lucky

...

after that only, you can do firmware update.

I don't bother with latest firmware (if any I hadn't checked) as it only added some new released lenses that I will not buy.

My M8 has version 2.024 and it works, so  I just leave it there.

 

Edited December 8, 2021 by a.noctilux

[Graham (G4FUJ)]

Pretty sure 2.024 is the latest firmware.  Mine is at 2.014, the newer firmware only added a couple of newer lenses as far as I know.

Several users reported problems after going to 2.024 and wanted to revert to 2.014.  A search here (or with Google) for Leica M8 Firmware should provide that information.

[Steven Robert]

You could try downloading a SD card formatter and with that it cleans out the cards, and I could use 

a lot more cards now than before, it use to say the same "Card Full".

Edited December 8, 2021 by Steven Robert

[jaques]

the card issue resolved itself for now- and the clock setting has held- so fingers crossed all is good, thanks everyone. camera appears to be working perfectly. Summilux is sharp wide open:

 

 

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Edited December 9, 2021 by jaques

[chris_livsey]

 

Leica released updated firmware, 2.024 for the M8, in November 2014, this was for all digital M camera models from the M8 to, the at the time, M-P (Typ 240), to support the Summarit -M lenses, as noted above no other changes in firmware were noted for the release.

The previous version you have, 2.014, did have processing updates, as noted above 2.024 had issues with some bodies of M8, not factory 8.2 models, restricted to early body serials but no range was ever disclosed AFAIK, as usual a Leica secret ( I suspect they can't tell as serials were allocated randomly on the line and no records match serials to motherboards etc). It would be sensible to stay as you are with the stable version and enjoy the camera. My M8 owned from new, with 8.2 updates on the Leica "updated forever" program, which in real life meant buy the M9, still turns out files every bit as satisfying as the day she was new, enjoy.

Edited December 11, 2021 by chris_livsey