Jamie Roberts Posted March 9, 2008 Share #21 Posted March 9, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Yes, I've been very lucky with my M8; I know Riccis uses his without too much worry either. Sean Reid also shoots weddings with his too, though I don't know what his shooting style or settings are like. The only other thing I can think of that might cause a simple electrical problem (not something in the firmware) if the battery is full (and not, perhaps, used up like Guy's!) are the contacts. They're kind of small on the battery, and even my Canon 1 series bodies needed the contacts cleaned every 8 or 9 months. So again, if you have an unreliable M8, it should get fixed. I know it's a drag, but when they work, they work fine. Having said all that, the camera should still behave better if the power goes out. Hard to do, I guess, if there isn't enough juice to write to the card... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 9, 2008 Posted March 9, 2008 Hi Jamie Roberts, Take a look here M8 'Back to reality'. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Dantist Posted March 9, 2008 Share #22 Posted March 9, 2008 Hi Andy, I experienced this misunterstanding of M8 only once since almost 6 months. The temperature was rather cold, the battery was not full loaded, and after 6 shots, it "died". Now, I know that my lovely tool needs some kindness, respect and attention. This is not anymore like the camera brought by photographers during WWII or in Vietnam. And I feel encountering the twirling concepts of mechanics vs. electronics, cannons vs. computers : they don't show their results on the same way Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riccis Posted March 9, 2008 Share #23 Posted March 9, 2008 Yes, I've been very lucky with my M8; I know Riccis uses his without too much worry either. I shot around 15 weddings in all all types of climate (from a very hot Cabo San Lucas in August to a somewhat cold and rainy Finland) last year. I only had one case of SDS and was fixed by removing the battery and reinserting it... Jamie may be onto something here since that camera did not take firmware 1.09 and had to send to NJ, but ever since coming back it has been working flawlessly. Cheers, Riccis Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym911 Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share #24 Posted March 9, 2008 I do realise that many have used and still are using the camera with good reliability. I however just am not prepared to always carry two batteries, 2 cards, just in case. In this particular instance a 2nd battery would not have helped anyway..no time to change. It is just not acceptable IMO that a piece of kit costing what an M8 does, remains so flaky. I'm not knocking in any way the IQ of the camera, just its consistency to perform in everyday situations like most other cameras. It's ok....time to move on and use other stuff that works, even if the files may fall short, any shot it better than no shot. andy Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 9, 2008 Share #25 Posted March 9, 2008 It is not a good idea to leave the house without a spare battery for ANY battery-dependent camera imo.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym911 Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share #26 Posted March 9, 2008 Jaap... I disagree....I never have spare battery for a couple hours shoot with my 30d, my cellphone, my ricoh, my M6, my M7.. For longer photo trips for sure......common sense. Anyway what would that have helped me here when the 'shoot' was only a few seconds? It is n ot a battery issue, it is a product issue. andy Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philippe D. Posted March 9, 2008 Share #27 Posted March 9, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Were you using DNG + jpg ? If so it could have been a buffer overflow, which seems to be a high risk zone for camera freeze up. I agree with this suggestion: buffer overflow. I did had camera freeze too, when shooting too many pictures in continuous mode. However, i only shoot RAW (DNG). Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym911 Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share #28 Posted March 9, 2008 as noted earlier..I was only shooting RAW,,,,no JPG.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted March 9, 2008 Share #29 Posted March 9, 2008 You can hit the buffer in 6 shots Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHAG Posted March 9, 2008 Share #30 Posted March 9, 2008 Jaap...I disagree....I never have spare battery for a couple hours shoot with my 30d, my cellphone, my ricoh, my M6, my M7.. For longer photo trips for sure......common sense. Anyway what would that have helped me here when the 'shoot' was only a few seconds? It is n ot a battery issue, it is a product issue. andy I'm sorry for you, I know how it's frustrating. But I disagree with your battery/card policy. I always have fresh batteries/cards for all my cameras, even for a couple of hours. Two years ago, I went early by the sea to shoot a series on the workers cleaning the place in the first morning. M7 battery was down. Why ? I changed it one week before. In fact, I had forgotten to switch off the camera, in the bag, the Abrahamson shutter release was accidentally depressed and battery runned down (so I suppose). There was plenty of light, of course, so I shot without power — 60/125°. But since then, I always have another couple of batteries, even for the M7… That said, I shot several times with the M8 and an alsmost empty battery, to drain it fully, and never had a problem. So Jamie might be right — even if it's : send it back to Solms. Good luck for the future running shots of your champ daughter. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym911 Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share #31 Posted March 9, 2008 Dear all, Lets not this get into a 'you should have done this thread'......it just didn't do what it was supposed to do...end of story. It works for some and not for others, as we have seen often on this forum. It will go up for sale next week as mentioned and that's fine....at the end of the day cameras (at least for me) are there to record images and events and emotions, and they need to work. On a positive note last week I had a farewell dinner to my management team after our company was acquired by a big multinational. On the evening I only took a $500 camera and got a, for me, a memorable photograph,800 asa and no spare batteries required andy 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! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/47387-m8-back-to-reality/?do=findComment&comment=505454'>More sharing options...
JHAG Posted March 9, 2008 Share #32 Posted March 9, 2008 Nice place Nice people Nice shot Sometimes, less is more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym911 Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share #33 Posted March 9, 2008 Nice placeNice people Nice shot Sometimes, less is more. Thanks...my sentiments entirely:) andy Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ridder Cornelius Posted March 9, 2008 Share #34 Posted March 9, 2008 Judging by the size of the management team.... was it IBM perhaps ? :-) Just kidding, sorry About the M8, I have been using it for 4 weeks now without any problems but I do want to be able rely on it, swince joining this forum I have read multiple threads of non-functioning M8's doesn't make me feel confident, as for all the "should of done this, that or the other" I agree with you, you shouldn't have to worry shooting with a mega-buck camera. I probably would do the same and sell it if this happended to me more than once.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Roberts Posted March 9, 2008 Share #35 Posted March 9, 2008 Dear all,Lets not this get into a 'you should have done this thread'......it just didn't do what it was supposed to do...end of story. {snipped} Andy, You have a defective M8. Get it fixed by Leica, and you won't have these problems. Sell it if you like, but do not kid yourself or others on the forum: your M8 is broken, and needs to be fixed. Lots of things don't do what they're supposed to do. If you've never had a cell phone die on you due to a faulty battery or contact, then you've used up all your luck right there. Of course a mechanical camera like an M6 doesn't require a battery--unless you want to meter with it So really... go ahead and sell. But make sure you tell the buyer you're selling a defective M8. IMO you shouldn't let Leica off the hook like this. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riccis Posted March 9, 2008 Share #36 Posted March 9, 2008 I do realise that many have used and still are using the camera with good reliability.I however just am not prepared to always carry two batteries, 2 cards, just in case. Andy: In my case, it is a requirement to have multiple cameras, lenses and batteries regardless of what system I am using. Whenever I have the M8 on me for my personal use, I never bring an extra battery as long as the one in the camera is fully charged and can shoot for a whole day without issues... Of course, I don't chimp or use the LCD unless I have to change the ISO. But even bringing a spare M8 battery should not be a burden due to its size... heck my iPhone is larger than that Best, Riccis Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrism Posted March 9, 2008 Share #37 Posted March 9, 2008 I've not had a problem yet in the last 15 months with my M8, but have now discharged one battery completely and am recharging it, whilst the other is currently being discharged - after reading this thread it seems like a good idea!. Perhaps a full discharge/recharge cycle should be the norm (just as Apple recommend for all their laptops when new) to avoid some of these problems? Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ridder Cornelius Posted March 9, 2008 Share #38 Posted March 9, 2008 Why is everybody so sure it's a battery problem ? (for future reference) Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
neelin Posted March 9, 2008 Share #39 Posted March 9, 2008 On a positive note last week I had a farewell dinner to my management team after our company was acquired by a big multinational You'll have to change your code-words now the Canucks are taking over. A table full of booze doth not make "dinner". Canadian rules require a bit of food on the table cheer's Robert Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rweisz Posted March 9, 2008 Share #40 Posted March 9, 2008 It's either a battery problem or a problem in that specific camera. If you want to sell your M8 as a result of this, that's your decision. But a lot of people haven't had such a problem. A lot of people have had other problems (like shutters giving up the ghost, as happened to me recently). You want a battery-operated complicated computer/electronical/mechanical camera to work flawlessly with no chance it will conk out during a shoot? Join the club, so do we all. I've had top-model Nikon and Canon (before and since digital) hiccup and pass out in the middle of shooting too. Battery problems, camera problems, card problems now with digital. Cost of the camera has nothing to do with it. The days of dropping your Nikon F in a river and drying it out with a hairdryer and keep on shooting are long gone, and even then, only an idiot would not have a backup and expect Murphy's Law to leave him be. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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