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Space Shuttle Launch: My M8 Really Let Me Down


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Sorry about the M8 failing - nothing is worse than for a camera to fail to shoot at such an important event!

 

I have both an M8 and a Nikon D200 - and I have the same problem with both, albeit more often with the M8 - i.e. the shutter fails to fire -

for both cameras, the fix is the same - remove the battery and put it back in and it has always worked for both.

 

It is interesting that the M8 isn't the only digital camera with this problem - M8 owners have paid a lot for their M8, correctly expect more and are more exacting. Yet Leica is a less experienced digital company.

 

Anyway, it was something of a relief to find out that Leica isn't alone with this problem.

 

I aslo still enjoy shooting with a rangefinder much more than a DSLR.

 

Steve

 

Thanks for the clear words about the D200...:rolleyes: ...normally only Leica gets the problems of the electronic as a fact of incompetence of the firm...

 

I'm sure that it is not a problem of quality of the parts, it is mostly a problem of the software!...and some times of the "Power" ..battery...!....

 

I do not have a M8 but I use the DMR as a professional photographer and I can feel how it is to miss a great picture!

 

regards,

 

Jan

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Hi, sorry to read about your disapponting experience. Seeing a launch must be magical.

I hope you don't mind me shortening your text here.

You are saying that the camera stopped working with that battery, but worked again when you replaced it with another battery?

These are original Leica batteries?

Was the first one used all day without fail and then for the testing before trying for your important shot and when was it fully charged and fresh as you described?

Did you mean it was fully charged and put in the camera after the day's shooting and then the testing?

Did it charge normally afterwards and work in the camera again later?

Not trying to be difficult, but I read your post as the first battery being flat after a days use and then the testing. Easy for that to happen as we all know. Using a cable release could possibly mean that the meter was inadvertently on for an extended period before your shot too?...

Just some thoughts, it may be that I mis-read your post.

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...In the end, what really bothers me is I've read dozens of similar accounts in this forum. After a year and a half, this sort of sudden death syndrome seems to continue. Why can't Leica come up with a fix for it? Do they know what to do about it? I have been a great fan of the M8, but now I guess I need to run out and get a Canon G9 (all I can afford at the moment) or similar camera to have available as a backup--after spending more than $10,000 for my M8, batteries, lenses, etc. That doesn't feel right.

 

It sure doesn't. After being in denial for a while because I really like this camera and I guess like us all I put down a lot of money for it, I have to admit I've had this problem a few times. At first I put it down to my accidentally having left the camera switched on and drained the battery and so on. But now in spite of being careful with the battery I have still faced the occasional dead camera. Once removing the battery and inserting it back again fixes the problem and another time leaving it alone for a few hours and coming back to it I found it to be work again. I can't get a fix on a pattern and that's almost as disturbing as these sporadic faliures. Never had as big a let down as you have though once landing up at a big family wedding where I was meeting some people after 15 to 20 years comes close!

 

- Vikas

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So, I pressed the plunger on my cable release. Held it 45 seconds, and released. Instead of seeing the red LED announce that my newly captured image was in process, other than hearing the shutter close again, nothing happened. I was so disappointed I can't put it into words.

 

So sorry to hear this happened. Complete empathy here. Thanks for sharing. -Will

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I have been a fan of Leica since the early 60’s. I started with a m2 and my last leica was an m6. I saved for two years to get the M8. I had five of my lenses converted to the 6bit thing. I was very disappointed when I got an M8 last week. The thing was bad right out of the box. Stuck battery. The lens did not seem to go on very smoothly. The picture quality was disappointing. The build quality was disappointing. After 10 shots, the M8 is off to leica for warranty. I would think Leica will have an unsure future if this is what they are going to be producing. At $5500 plus now they want $2300 to fix the shutter. This whole thing is a joke.

 

Jim

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I have been a fan of Leica since the early 60’s. I started with a m2 and my last leica was an m6. I saved for two years to get the M8. I had five of my lenses converted to the 6bit thing. I was very disappointed when I got an M8 last week. The thing was bad right out of the box. Stuck battery. The lens did not seem to go on very smoothly. The picture quality was disappointing. The build quality was disappointing. After 10 shots, the M8 is off to leica for warranty. I would think Leica will have an unsure future if this is what they are going to be producing. At $5500 plus now they want $2300 to fix the shutter. This whole thing is a joke.

 

Jim

Why would you have to send a brand new M8 in for warranty ? Somebody should have a returned camera? You do realize if you bought it with a credit card you have some rights.
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I have been a fan of Leica since the early 60’s. I started with a m2 and my last leica was an m6. I saved for two years to get the M8. I had five of my lenses converted to the 6bit thing. I was very disappointed when I got an M8 last week. The thing was bad right out of the box. Stuck battery. The lens did not seem to go on very smoothly. The picture quality was disappointing. The build quality was disappointing. After 10 shots, the M8 is off to leica for warranty. I would think Leica will have an unsure future if this is what they are going to be producing. At $5500 plus now they want $2300 to fix the shutter. This whole thing is a joke.

 

Jim

 

Hi Jim, sorry to hear that you have been disappointed. I just got my M8 after only a couple of years with M3's, M6's and an M7. I am thrilled with the quality that it captures from my Leica glass. Did you have five lenses converted before you even had the M8 for ten shots?

What was the battery problem when you say it was stuck? Wouldn't fit in the camera?!! You presumably got your stuck battery working enough to be able to take 10 shots?

What were the actual build quality issues that disappointed you?, finish? control operation or what? Did all of those lenses not go on smoothly (you mean stiffer to mount than on your M2 or M6)? Presumably they would be well used if you have been using Leica Ms since the 60's? My M8 is smoother in that respect than my very late M3.

As to picture quality, I am very surprised that you are disappointed. Can you post some pictures to show us?

I'm just starting out with the M8 but the files both on screen and in print are easily the best I have ever seen, comparing them to scans from Fuji pro slide film for example.

Leica does not want you to pay more to 'fix' the shutter. Leica is offering an option to change the standard and perfectly functional shutter to a quieter version for people that would like that. This is partly because people in this forum for example, commented that they thought the standard shutter was too noisy.

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I have been a fan of Leica since the early 60’s. I started with a m2 and my last leica was an m6. I saved for two years to get the M8. I had five of my lenses converted to the 6bit thing. I was very disappointed when I got an M8 last week. The thing was bad right out of the box. Stuck battery. The lens did not seem to go on very smoothly. The picture quality was disappointing. The build quality was disappointing. After 10 shots, the M8 is off to leica for warranty. I would think Leica will have an unsure future if this is what they are going to be producing. At $5500 plus now they want $2300 to fix the shutter. This whole thing is a joke.

 

Jim

:confused:What is a stuck battery? Picture quality disappointing? That really must be a lemon, because you are the first in 20.000 to complain about that. What was wrong with the shutter that requires such a fix? That price is for a slower, albeit more silent shutter. An option, like leather seats in your car. And off for warranty? Any decent dealer would exchange such a rotten camera for a good one.

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Hi, sorry to read about your disapponting experience. Seeing a launch must be magical.

 

Hoppy, thanks for the good questions. I am posting answers beneath each one. Here goes:

 

I hope you don't mind me shortening your text here.

 

--No problem.

 

You are saying that the camera stopped working with that battery, but worked again when you replaced it with another battery?

 

--Yes.

 

These are original Leica batteries?

 

--Yes, both original Leica batteries.

 

Was the first one used all day without fail and then for the testing before trying for your important shot and when was it fully charged and fresh as you described?

 

--The first one--that failed--had been freshly recharged that morning. A few minutes before the launch, the battery indicated that it was fully charged. The only use it had had was the four test exposures of approx. 45 secs. each.

 

Did you mean it was fully charged and put in the camera after the day's shooting and then the testing?

 

--Yes, that's right.

Did it charge normally afterwards and work in the camera again later?

 

--I recharged it after the failure (5 days ago), and used it successfully today without problems. I shot 188 exposures today, recorded on a 4GB SD card, and the indicators shows that it is still about 2/3's full.

 

Not trying to be difficult, but I read your post as the first battery being flat after a days use and then the testing. Easy for that to happen as we all know. Using a cable release could possibly mean that the meter was inadvertently on for an extended period before your shot too?...

 

--Possibly, but while the shutter fired perfectly, it was if the electronic processing phase in the process just didn't happen. As soon as I didn't see the red LCD blinking at the end of the exposure, it was pretty clear that it had failed.

 

Just some thoughts, it may be that I mis-read your post.

 

--Thanks again.

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--Thanks again.

Hi thanks for following up. There is always something to learn. Your description makes it clear that you had a correct and fully charged battery for your shot. you must have been infuriated to miss such a shot for any reason! I wonder if this had anything to do with using the cable release or the 'B' setting. I have no experience there with my M8. Maybe someone can shed some light on this?

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Hi thanks for following up. There is always something to learn. Your description makes it clear that you had a correct and fully charged battery for your shot. you must have been infuriated to miss such a shot for any reason! I wonder if this had anything to do with using the cable release or the 'B' setting. I have no experience there with my M8. Maybe someone can shed some light on this?

 

I use a cable release with the M8 all the time at Kennedy Space center and sometimes on B... with no problems.

But after shooting at Kennedy Space Center for more than 18 years, things happen,

The only thing to do is to try it again if you get the chance.

It is easier to try with a day launch. ( I posted this image one before and I do it againg just for illustration) Shot with a cable release on continuos mode. This was the launch just before the night launch.

M8 & 135 f4

The next launch is scheduled no earlier than May 2008.

Gary

Gary I. Rothstein, Photography

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Hi Jim, sorry to hear that you have been disappointed. I just got my M8 after only a couple of years with M3's, M6's and an M7. I am thrilled with the quality that it captures from my Leica glass. Did you have five lenses converted before you even had the M8 for ten shots?

What was the battery problem when you say it was stuck? Wouldn't fit in the camera?!! You presumably got your stuck battery working enough to be able to take 10 shots?

What were the actual build quality issues that disappointed you?, finish? control operation or what? Did all of those lenses not go on smoothly (you mean stiffer to mount than on your M2 or M6)? Presumably they would be well used if you have been using Leica Ms since the 60's? My M8 is smoother in that respect than my very late M3.

As to picture quality, I am very surprised that you are disappointed. Can you post some pictures to show us?

I'm just starting out with the M8 but the files both on screen and in print are easily the best I have ever seen, comparing them to scans from Fuji pro slide film for example.

Leica does not want you to pay more to 'fix' the shutter. Leica is offering an option to change the standard and perfectly functional shutter to a quieter version for people that would like that. This is partly because people in this forum for example, commented that they thought the standard shutter was too noisy.

Well, I am disappointed that I am disappointed. Firstly, I purchased the M8 on Ebay from someone that said they got it as a gift. I could have returned it to them but I do want this camera. It was unused and had a Leica US warranty. So I decided to keep it and have Leica fix it. Leica in NJ verified the warranty and now has the M8. The battery would not come out of the slot. I read on this site that others have had the same problem. Others are saying it is something in the body and not the battery. When the battery was pushed in, it was too tight for the spring to push it out. I used tape on the top of the battery to get it out. I would think this sort of thing would be checked before leaving the plant. Yes I had the 6 bit thing done last year. The lenses are a 50/2.0, 50/1.0, 35,1.4 asph, tri 28-35-50and a 90/2.0ASPH. I use to use the tri and the 35/1.4 the most. I found the 50/1.0 just to heavy. Anyway I hope Leica will get this back to me in quick order and that I will have better times with M8 in the future.

Jim Rivers

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  • 2 months later...
Guest s.m.e.p.
Sorry about the M8 failing - nothing is worse than for a camera to fail to shoot at such an important event!

 

I have both an M8 and a Nikon D200 - and I have the same problem with both, albeit more often with the M8 - i.e. the shutter fails to fire -

for both cameras, the fix is the same - remove the battery and put it back in and it has always worked for both.

 

It is interesting that the M8 isn't the only digital camera with this problem - M8 owners have paid a lot for their M8, correctly expect more and are more exacting. Yet Leica is a less experienced digital company.

 

Anyway, it was something of a relief to find out that Leica isn't alone with this problem.

 

I aslo still enjoy shooting with a rangefinder much more than a DSLR.

 

Steve

 

I never had a single problem with my D200.

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I never had a single problem with my D200.

 

Sorry SMEP but I don't see the relevance of that observation. It only relates to one unit.

 

I could say the same about my M8 (one of them), but all that proves or demonstrates, is that one unit is faultless, so far.:confused:

 

As man made machines, they are ALL destined to fail. The only intangible is "when".

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