M10R Life Expectancy

[MEC]

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Thanks everyone. Looks like the answer is 10-20 years or about 150k + actuations. Going to ride it into Valhalla (I say that now) then go full time on the M6 and Leica ii, which if any of you want a great film Leica that slips into your pocket, give it a try. It's around 1k for body and the 50/3.5 collapsible lens. 

Happy Holidays, Happy shooting. 

MC

[venom]

On 11/29/2023 at 2:42 AM, MEC said:

Thanks everyone. Looks like the answer is 10-20 years or about 150k + actuations. Going to ride it into Valhalla (I say that now) then go full time on the M6 and Leica ii, which if any of you want a great film Leica that slips into your pocket, give it a try. It's around 1k for body and the 50/3.5 collapsible lens. 

Happy Holidays, Happy shooting. 

MC

It’ll last as long as Leica has the parts to repair it. My friend just sent his M8 for repair. They had to put a new shutter on it. The shutter broke. I saw a photo of it and one of the blades was just hanging there. That camera came out nearly 20 years ago. Came back working perfectly  

I have the BP M10R. I just assume it will last me the rest of my natural life. If it ever breaks I’ll sent it for repair. In 20 years I’ll be nearly 70 years old. Not sure how many photos I’ll be taking then. It may be the shutter goes for 300,000 actuations or more. Who knows.  

Edited December 2, 2023 by venom

[dugby]

The life of an M10-R may rely on the availability of working batteries.....

[venom]

35 minutes ago, dugby said:

The life of an M10-R may rely on the availability of working batteries.....

Again, the M8/9 batteries are still available new in stock (and so are the chargers) and the M8 is nearly 20 years old. The entire M10 family uses the same batteries. They will be available for the reminder of my life I’m sure. 

Edited December 2, 2023 by venom

[newtoleica]

2 hours ago, venom said:

In 20 years I’ll be nearly 70 years old. Not sure how many photos I’ll be taking then. 

Don't be so ageist... There are many members here I'm sure in their 70s and more who are taking plenty of photos!

[venom]

2 hours ago, newtoleica said:

Don't be so ageist... There are many members here I'm sure in their 70s and more who are taking plenty of photos!

I just said I wasn’t sure how many photos I would be taking then. How is that ageist? Maybe I’ll be doing something else as a hobby. I don’t know. 

[MEC]

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All exciting to hear! Given the amount this camera cost (I traded in the doomed M9 for parts), I'm happy to hear it'll be clicking for a long, long time. 

Plugging the Leica ii again - it fits in the pocket and is completely mechanical.  

Have a great weekend everyone. 

[MEC]

6 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

I have it too. Bought brand new in 2021. It already has 50K+ actuations. I will get back in a few years when I hit 300K.

Love it. 

[pgk]

One of my client's used cameras in a 'conveyor' style system to photograph samples. As far as I can gather the cameras exceeded their intended shutter actuation expectancy by a factor of several times and were upgraded for other reasons. Cameras can last a very long time even digital ones. I still use a couple of M9s and will do so until they fail completely and are unrepairable. I do not see this being soon.

[MEC]

there was corrosion on the sensor of my M9 when I got it (used). Leica replaced everything inside for free because the corrosion was a widespread problem. Six years later, the M9 went back to the factory for an unrelated matter. They sent me an image of the sensor with corrosion. I decided to trade in for the M10R because it was only a matter of time before the corrosion ruined all my images. Glad you're having nice luck with yours. Loved that camera. 

[venom]

1 minute ago, MEC said:

there was corrosion on the sensor of my M9 when I got it (used). Leica replaced everything inside for free because the corrosion was a widespread problem. Six years later, the M9 went back to the factory for an unrelated matter. They sent me an image of the sensor with corrosion. I decided to trade in for the M10R because it was only a matter of time before the corrosion ruined all my images. Glad you're having nice luck with yours. Loved that camera. 

The best thing to do with M9’s that have the issue is send them to Kolarivision to have a glass put in that does not corrode. 

[venom]

22 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

I am holding a brand new aftermarket M8 battery in my hand for a long discontinued camera that came out in late 2006. No fear for the batteries.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

24 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

I have it too. Bought brand new in 2021. It already has 50K+ actuations. I will get back in a few years when I hit 300K.

I’m now shooting single mode all the time. Not sure how long until I hit 300,000. 

you can get original new Leica M8 batteries and chargers still. 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/461931-REG/Leica_14464_Rechargeable_Lithium_Ion_Battery_f.html

[mujk]

8 hours ago, venom said:

It’ll last as long as Leica has the parts to repair it. My friend just sent his M8 for repair. They had to put a new shutter on it. The shutter broke. I saw a photo of it and one of the blades was just hanging there. That camera came out nearly 20 years ago. Came back working perfectly  

I have the BP M10R. I just assume it will last me the rest of my natural life. If it ever breaks I’ll sent it for repair. In 20 years I’ll be nearly 70 years old. Not sure how many photos I’ll be taking then. It may be the shutter goes for 300,000 actuations or more. Who knows.  

Yes, the limiting factor is the availability of spare parts, particularly the electronic circuit boards and the integrated circuits used on them. Many components simply go out of production and also vendors disappear. Even if Leica has circuit boards in stock they will not be able to buy new ones. Eventually they will run out of boards, in some cases earlier than expected due to high demand. This happened e.g. with the M9 sensor. But also the electronics boards for film Ms, like the original M6, M6TTL and M7, are no longer available (my M6TTL is manufactured about 20 years ago).

[venom]

54 minutes ago, mujk said:

Yes, the limiting factor is the availability of spare parts, particularly the electronic circuit boards and the integrated circuits used on them. Many components simply go out of production and also vendors disappear. Even if Leica has circuit boards in stock they will not be able to buy new ones. Eventually they will run out of boards, in some cases earlier than expected due to high demand. This happened e.g. with the M9 sensor. But also the electronics boards for film Ms, like the original M6, M6TTL and M7, are no longer available (my M6TTL is manufactured about 20 years ago).

The M9 being an exception now handled by Kolari, I am unaware of any digital Leica that if sent to Leica today they can’t repair, including the M8 which is nearly 20 years old. 

There are plenty of M6 cameras still working and chugging along and they’re 40 years old. So after 40 years they run out of circuit boards for an 80’s film camera  

It’s just the fact about electronics devices in general. 

So, except a total catastrophic failure that Leica can’t repair when I’m 90 years of age (if I live another 40 years), I’m pretty sure my M10R will last me as long as I’m taking photos. 

Edited December 2, 2023 by venom

[newtoleica]

23 hours ago, venom said:

I just said I wasn’t sure how many photos I would be taking then. How is that ageist? Maybe I’ll be doing something else as a hobby. I don’t know. 

Sorry, misinterpreted you. For me photography isn't a 'hobby' - its a passion that I've been doing for 45 years alongside my main profession.

[venom]

5 minutes ago, newtoleica said:

Sorry, misinterpreted you. For me photography isn't a 'hobby' - its a passion that I've been doing for 45 years alongside my main profession.

So a hobby then. 😀

Elliott Erwitt described photography as being his hobby as well as his profession. So you think he wasn’t passionate about it? Why can’t people be passionate about their hobby?

Edited December 3, 2023 by venom

[newtoleica]

1 hour ago, venom said:

So a hobby then. 😀

Elliott Erwitt described photography as being his hobby as well as his profession. So you think he wasn’t passionate about it? Why can’t people be passionate about their hobby?

I just dislike the word as applied here… I play guitar as a hobby, meaning I’d never give enough time to it to play in a band. My photography I take as seriously as enything in my life, I just choose not to make money from it. 

[84bravo]

In twenty years the M10 may still be working fine, but good luck with batteries. There are no aftermarket alternatives like for the M8. We're left to the mercy of Leica to keep producing M10 batteries. The M8 is 17 years old and batteries are still available, but new original Leica M8 batteries are new old stock at this point.

 

[fotografr]

On 11/24/2023 at 5:00 AM, jaapv said:

Leica will service cameras far beyond ten years provided the relevant parts are still available. 

In ten years the wait time for servicing will be.....another ten years. 

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Hallo,

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[jaapv]

On 12/5/2023 at 1:45 PM, 84bravo said:

In twenty years the M10 may still be working fine, but good luck with batteries. There are no aftermarket alternatives like for the M8. We're left to the mercy of Leica to keep producing M10 batteries. The M8 is 17 years old and batteries are still available, but new original Leica M8 batteries are new old stock at this point.

 

No we are not; there are plenty of battery refurbishing businesses and in a pinch you can replace the cells yourself. Batteries bought now are of recent manufacture. Leica will recycle unsold batteries. I have three M8 batteries from 2006/2007. They are still fine with only minimal degradation.