A Perfect Leica M8

[Fotomiguel]

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Just one problem. I'm addicted to my M8. Almost one year and no other problems.

Cheers

[chris_tribble]

Which turned out to be self correcting.. So one is 13 months old and troublefree, and one 11 months old and troublefree, over 5000 shots on each.

I had a battery break down, now that I think about it.

 

Japp - good news re the stuck frameline - hooray!

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[jdos2]

So far, after about 7,000 frames, mine's okay. I've had stripes, mad scrolling, and have lost a picture or two (corruption on the card) but...

 

Actually, the biggest trouble I've had with the camera system has been the CV lenses. Some are great, some are horrible, with focusing troubles, falling apart, &c.

 

I'm happy. Pictures out of the camera are good.

[toyfel]

Have had it for about three months. Only one issue, misaligned rangefinder out of the box which of course can and will be fixed. Bought it as a demo though. Great camera. Dont like the shutter noise, but can live with it. Didn´t like the price either, but got over that, too

[fotografr]

Mine has been ok since day one (and it was really day one) except for the banding recall.

I bought another one in January for a friend, 2nd batch and it worked flawlessly since then.

 

Pascal,

 

Do you need another friend?

 

Cheers,

Brent

[fotografr]

My M8 came in March as a replacement for a faulty one. Any malfunctions have been so minor that I would consider it to be trouble free. I've had more problems with my Canon 5D's than with my current M8.

[ken_tanaka]

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What is a sleepy power issue? One of my M8's does nothing when I turn the power switch on, and will only come to life when I depress the shutter slightly. Is that it, and if so, does anyone know how to fix this small but annoying problem?

 

That's it, Ian. Apparently (like nearly every other M8 problem) it's an issue that only German elves can fix in the Fatherland. I suggest considering it a "safety feature" and ignoring it.

[zeitz]

My M8, purchased 22 Dec 2007, has been used extensively and has been totally trouble free.

[bradreiman]

My M8, purchased 22 Dec 2007, has been used extensively and has been totally trouble free.

 

that would be expected in a camera that is negative 13 days old

[Val B]

Got mine in Jan. '07. No problems though I am not a heavy user.

[bradreiman]

all kidding aside-me and steph have two m8s. mine is in the first 1500 sold and has some quirks with the scroll wheel-it has not been sent in for sensor board upgrade...yet. stephs has no problems whatsoever after a couple months. so two m8 that both make pictures flawlessly-reviewing pictures on one is quirky.

[farnz]

My M8, purchased 22 Dec 2007, has been used extensively and has been totally trouble free.

Any chance of borrowing your time-machine, Don? I'm in London on 9th December 2007 so if you email me after that date with details of where it is I'll return it to that date and time. Honest.

 

Pete.

[etrigan63]

Mine has been a very well behaved camera. Only had a bad battery which the dealer swapped out, no questions asked.

[JumpStart]

No issues with mine.

 

It's about 5 weeks old, and a few hundred shots. It is with me in my bag constantly.

 

DBK

[Artorius]

Art - Congratulations! How often do you use your M8 though?

 

I use my M8 every day. I am retired and rebuilding my house after a fire burned it to the ground last year. I keep photographs to record the progress of the re-building phase. So with only those pics, I normally shoot 10-30 images daily. Then if the the days is nice(ie:dry), I will go to the waterfront and shoot at least equal to a roll of film a day.(I also shoot a roll or more of real film about every 3 days), so yes, the M8 does get used, as well as my M2, and M4-P on a daily basis.

And I do feel really lucky after reading the stories on the boards. Knocks on wood again.

[pascal_meheut]

Pascal,

 

Do you need another friend?

 

Cheers,

Brent

 

Once I've known you for 30 years and if your family is willing to participate, I'll offer you an M8 with great pleasure.

Oh, let's not be petty: in 30 years, I'll offer you an M8 anywway

[Speenth]

I recently bought the technically superb Archos 605 wifi. Its died already. I have a Nikon 5700 fun camera - it died last week (sensor, I think). My expensive Toshiba laptop lasted only two years before it failed 'beyond economic repair'. My fridge rattles and leaks and my Sony telly buzzes irritatingly when the soundtrack contains low frequencies (i.e. frequently). I have an ancient Fiat barchetta - its so plagued with afflictions its a wonder it doesn't die, but somehow it keeps going and I love it despite its foibles. I feel much the same about the M8.

 

Please can we stop all this rubbish about the M8's reliability. The Internet (especially this forum) has the affect of amplifying the negative. The truth is out there and the M8 is not the most reliable bit of kit in the World - but then neither is a Mercedes. Both are magnificent in their own way and discerning customers buy them for one of two reasons - kudos or because they do the job. For me its is definitely the latter. I wanted a highly portable and versatile camera capable of the highest quality digital imaging. The M8 meets this spec' and despite some early (minor) problems, it has served me very well so far.

 

The only camera I've ever owned (and used extensively throughout its life until recent years) which has been faultlessly reliable has been my 1968 Pentax Spotmatic. I bet there are enough gloom and doomers out there who could 'prove' the Pentax is a piece of junk. The silent majority will know otherwise.

 

This Rangefinder poll (M8 Problems Poll - Rangefinderforum.com) is interesting (its a small sample - only 26 voters, including me so far) but it presents facts rather than conjecture) - 77% of owners report their M8s are reliable, 15% have had a one-off problem and 8% have suffered multiple problems. These are pretty poor reliability figures - but would Aston Martin poll better?

[erg]

Mine has been ok since day one (and it was really day one) except for the banding recall.

I bought another one in January for a friend, 2nd batch and it worked flawlessly since then.

 

Hi Pascal,I can remember reading your posting at day one. I received mine at day two. My M8 also worked flawless, and I'm using it almost everyday. Banding recall went without problems.

[danielt]

First body, one year old, 7000 shoots: no problems

Second body : 6 months old - 2000 shoots : problems

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[papimuzo]

Just perhaps to participate to the statistics, mine (four months old) is working without any trouble with the exception of the well known "sleepy state" cured by the battery out/in.

As I said in an old thread I can produce the sleep of the M8 at will by switching it on-off-on quickly, which indicate a probable weakness of the voltage survey circuit?

The M8 makes me very happy anyway:)