andybarton Posted August 24, 2008 Share #1 Posted August 24, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) It's only two years since my R8 was last there, but unfortunately, the metering has all gone completely to pot now, so it's another trip back home, I'm afraid. I'll send the DMR too, so that they can fix the battery read out problem that's been there since Day 1. The only way I could get anything approaching a correct exposure was to "dial-in" -2.0 or even -3.0 stops. Not very happy today. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 24, 2008 Posted August 24, 2008 Hi andybarton, Take a look here R8/DMR on their way back to Solms. Again.. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
masjah Posted August 24, 2008 Share #2 Posted August 24, 2008 Andy That's very sad news - my sincere comiserations! So now it's not just the spot metering, but the other two metering modes as well? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted August 24, 2008 Author Share #3 Posted August 24, 2008 'Fraid so. Thank goodness for the M2... I'll try the R8 with my manual meter tomorrow, just to confirm that is the problem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitnaros Posted August 24, 2008 Share #4 Posted August 24, 2008 Bad luck, Andy. What caused the first trip to Solms? Are there typical failure points for R8/R9-DMR? I bought a mint DMR last week; still waiting for arrival. Just bought a R9, feels sooo great - but still waiting for a 35-lux R, so can't shoot neither film, nor DMR as of now :-( Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted August 24, 2008 Author Share #5 Posted August 24, 2008 a Manfrotto tripod screw was long enough to damage the shutter wind on mechanism. Leica did a CLA, firmware update and adjusted the meter at the same time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topoxforddoc Posted August 24, 2008 Share #6 Posted August 24, 2008 Andy, It looks like it's keeping my spare DMR company in Solms. I bought it recently second hand from a dealer in the UK with a R8. The contacts need updating etc. Bless 'em (the dealer that is), as they're paying the upgrade and service fees at Solms. Good luck Charlie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsteve Posted August 24, 2008 Share #7 Posted August 24, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Andy: The metering cells go in some of the R8/R9. I had it happen to my R9. It was a quick, but not inexpensive fix. The cells are in the mirror box module, so they just replace the whole mirror box. Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted August 24, 2008 Author Share #8 Posted August 24, 2008 if that's the case Rob, I'll buy a new one. They are only £400 these days. More landfill... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
psquared Posted August 24, 2008 Share #9 Posted August 24, 2008 My R9 is in NJ to replace the photocell for the 3rd time in less than 30 months. I'm wondering if there's some electronic problem with the DMR causing the photocell to go so quickly, so I sent the DMR to be checked out, too. I wonder if the frequency of photocell problems in film-only R8/R9 is as high as DMR-coupled R8/R9. Fortunately, all of my photocell replacements have been under warranty. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildlightphoto Posted August 24, 2008 Share #10 Posted August 24, 2008 I wonder if the frequency of photocell problems in film-only R8/R9 is as high as DMR-coupled R8/R9. I don't know about relative frequency, but my DMR has been on my R8 for the last 2.5 years w/o any problems. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted August 24, 2008 Share #11 Posted August 24, 2008 if that's the case Rob, I'll buy a new one. They are only £400 these days. Not if you buy from this seller who's offering an R9 for 1300 Euros. Full Leica R system and lenses for sale. Does anybody think that the prices are a little ... ummm ... 'optimistic'? Sorry to hear about your loss, Andy. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsteve Posted August 24, 2008 Share #12 Posted August 24, 2008 I don't know about relative frequency, but my DMR has been on my R8 for the last 2.5 years w/o any problems. I am suspecting it only affects later R8 and the R9. I had a very early R8 that never had the problem. My R9 was out of warranty when it happened. I think it was about $750 including taxes and shipping. Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overgaard Posted August 25, 2008 Share #13 Posted August 25, 2008 Same problem here. My R9/DMR was way off on spotmetering which didn't concern me that much as I never use spotmeter. But then few days ago the whole metering went off. Goes from 1/8 to 1/2000 measurement on the same object. It anyway need an adjustment for backfocusing so I guess it will have to go there now. Have an R8 for backup but that implies same backfocusing issue, though less off, as well as some weird "humming" when the DMR is attached (currently stands with a motor attached). Leica Denmark said two weeks for pro service. I guess I can get it back faster if sent directly via DHL. Will use the time while my DMR is away to test the Nikon D3. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share #14 Posted August 25, 2008 Not if you buy from this seller who's offering an R9 for 1300 Euros. Full Leica R system and lenses for sale. Does anybody think that the prices are a little ... ummm ... 'optimistic'? Sorry to hear about your loss, Andy. Pete. It's no loss, Pete. No one died. If I send it to Leica, they'll fix it for me (that'll be my only "loss"). My M7 really ought to go back too (to the dealer), as it eats batteries and has the old DX coding problem. So, both my usual cameras could be out of action for a while. I would expect to have them both back by Christmas. As I am not in Denmark, and have no idea how to get "pro service", I will have to wait in the queue, I'm afraid, Thorsten. Mine is an early example. So, time to bring out the R4 and the M2. BTW, ffordes have two R9s at £750 and loads of R8 from £450. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuny Posted August 25, 2008 Share #15 Posted August 25, 2008 Andy – Towards the end of our spring trip to Borneo I began having metering problems with my R8/DMR. It continued to deteriorate, forcing me to always use it in fully manual exposure mode, and eventually it stopped working altogether. I took the R8 and the DMR to Leica NJ. Leica did a free CLA of the DMR and undisclosed replacements and adjustments to the R8 (bought new in December 1999), all for about USD230. they promised it back within six weeks from my dropping it off and it arrived at my doorstep exactly five weeks later, in spite of losing more than a week for them to send the estimate and receive my approval and payment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share #16 Posted August 25, 2008 Stuart Seems to be a bit of a recurring issue... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsteve Posted August 25, 2008 Share #17 Posted August 25, 2008 My turnaround was three days including shipping. I had the Canadian service agent, Kindermann, do the repair and they had all the parts in stock. Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted August 25, 2008 Author Share #18 Posted August 25, 2008 All R8s and R9s have to go to Solms, which will mean it will end up in a pile of work. Leica UK can only repair film Ms, unfortunately. It usually takes a couple of weeks just to get a quotation for the repair. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsteve Posted August 25, 2008 Share #19 Posted August 25, 2008 Andy: Kindermann in Canada still has all the Leica test equipment for the R8/R9 from when they were the distributor in Canada. They also had a lot of the parts. In my case, I asked them to tune the metering down 1/3 stop for all metering modes. They are able to do this when they have the camera plugged into the diagnostic computer. I now shoot most things without exposure compensation and get near perfect exposure results with the DMR. Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ns_ng Posted August 25, 2008 Share #20 Posted August 25, 2008 Andy, I have an early R8, but so far it has been working fine. But I had the DMR function selector dial came loose, not once but twice. The most recent case, was a couple of months ago when I was in Western Australia. Fortunately, the Leica agent in Singapore was able to replace it without having to send the DMR back to Solms. The first time it happened about 2 years ago, it had to be sent back to Solms and it was there for nearly 2.5 months. I am thinking of getting another R8 or 9 in case Leica decide to drop the R series. N.S. Ng Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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