My M8 has automatic film rewinder!

[hammam]

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I was taking a few pics this afternoon, and after the 5th or 6th my M8 started doing a whirring and clicking sound right after firing, exactly as if it was rewinding the film. I was startled, but I strangely felt calm for two seconds since this was a sound I had heard thousands of times before, and I felt like I was shooting film. Then it occured to me that this was not a film camera. Duh.

 

Now, what could be the cause of this? The conditions were this: Elmarit 90 with IR filter, lens detection on with filter (though there is no coding on the lens), DNG, ISO 160, A or manual mode, WB daylight, firmware 1.07 (recently installed.) And the battery symbol showed full charge. Once it started, it happened every time I clicked the shutter: whir-whir-whir-clunk-whir-whir-whir-clunk-whir-whir... etc... It lasted somewhere around 5-10 seconds. Sometimes, shutting the camera off stopped the noise. Sometimes not. Sometimes, it started upon turning the camera on. Removing the battery for a few seconds didn't help. Then I got back home, turned the camera on, and got the noise. Only this time there was no way to stop it by shutting the camera off. Only by removing the battery did it stop. Then I changed the battery and the lens (from Elmarit 90 to CV Ultron 28/1.9), and the noise stopped. I put back the 90. No more noise. I put back the first battery back in, no noise.

 

Looks to me like something with the re-cocking of the shutter. I am baffled, and worried. Any idea? Thanks a lot.

[dpattinson]

I recall this problem being mentioned on the forum before, it has something to do with the shutter not fully re-cocking on the first 'whirr'. If it happens regularly, then you're probably looking at a repair job.

[hammam]

Thanks for your reply. I must add this: the camera was carried in a padded pouch, along with two additional lenses, in a motorcycle rear top case. The trip took around 30 minutes. Can the vibrations (from the big parallel twin cylinder engine) or just the shocks on the very bad road surface have caused some movements at the shutter motor level?

[marknorton]

We've covered this before:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/23410-m8-shutter-recocking.html#post337361

[hammam]

Thanks for the info and the link, Mark. However, cant his be just a one-off circumstance, or does it show an actual definite problem with the shutter lock? In other words, should I bring it in for repair immediately, or should I wait until, and if, the problem re-occurs?

[marknorton]

Thanks for the info and the link, Mark. However, cant his be just a one-off circumstance, or does it show an actual definite problem with the shutter lock? In other words, should I bring it in for repair immediately, or should I wait until, and if, the problem re-surfaces?

 

The shutter is only "ready" when the shutter lock is in the locked position, so that the camera will try repeatedly to re-cock the shutter if the sensors are not telling it the shutter is locked.

 

If it's a one-off, I wouldn't worry about it. If it happens repeatedly, the camera needs to be fixed.

[JT07]

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I had the same problem.

Happened once and I ignored it thinking it was a one time thing, but then it happened two more times within a few days.

I brought it in and they sent it up to Allendale for repair.

Two and a half weeks later it was back and it appears the problem is gone.

I shot about 140 images Saturday afternoon and about 100 last weekend with no problem.

Hopefully that's it.

I'd say you're probably better off sending it in and getting it repaired before it gets worse or happens in the middle of an important shoot.

Obviously, it was covered under warranty so no cost...

Hope this helps, JT