Jump to content

M8 upgrade - prices from Leica's website


stunsworth

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I just got the US prices and upgrade table from Leica outlining what can and cannot be upgraded. Hope this helps.

 

David

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!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Replies 87
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

US prices now listed...

 

M8 upgrade option MSP

 

Shutter & Sapphire Glass $ 1,450.00

Shutter Only $ 1,025.00

Sapphire Glass Only $ 950.00

Personal engraving on top plate $ 260.00

Signature engraving on top plate $ 425.00

Vulcanite leatherette body $ 330.00

 

Full details at:

 

Leica Camera AG - Starting October 1, 2008-J.

 

That is not updated, it has been there awhile. By updated, it would have to reflect the upgrades done by Solms, such as new frame lines, etc.

 

***edit****, see table above, it is updated now.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Seriously guys can some one tell me how they figure the new shutter is worth while if the re cocking will be the same???? Is a grand really worth having perhaps a 1/4 stop or so of better hand held shots. If the re-cocking was included I would be all over this. But if you do the math and assume you can get approx $3500 for a used M8 add up all the upgrades that still don't equal a M8.2 you might as well sell and buy the new one. Its way more cost effective than a half way upgrade path... I guess Leica knows that...

 

I am disappointed

Link to post
Share on other sites

Seriously guys can some one tell me how they figure the new shutter is worth while if the re cocking will be the same???? Is a grand really worth having perhaps a 1/4 stop or so of better hand held shots. If the re-cocking was included I would be all over this. But if you do the math and assume you can get approx $3500 for a used M8 add up all the upgrades that still don't equal a M8.2 you might as well sell and buy the new one. Its way more cost effective than a half way upgrade path... I guess Leica knows that...

 

I am disappointed

 

Well, I am either going to pay $1,275 for the features I really want from the M8.2 or I am going to sell the M8 for $3,200-$3,600 and pay about $2,700-$3,000 and get the M8.2.

 

If you need the re-cocking shutter and all the other jazz, then go for it, but if you only really want certain features, then at least Leica is trying to be fair to current M8 owners.

 

The M8.2 is $1,600 more than I paid for my current M8, but the UV problem still exists, hard to quantify I guess.

 

If I do the upgrade, I get a warranty that goes until August of 2010, about the time the M9 might be in the scope.

 

It's all a big hairy gamble with Leica. Nikon's new camera could change my mind as well.

 

I figured I can get in line now and change my mind later if I want to.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Seriously guys can some one tell me how they figure the new shutter is worth while if the re cocking will be the same???? Is a grand really worth having perhaps a 1/4 stop or so of better hand held shots. If the re-cocking was included I would be all over this. But if you do the math and assume you can get approx $3500 for a used M8 add up all the upgrades that still don't equal a M8.2 you might as well sell and buy the new one. Its way more cost effective than a half way upgrade path... I guess Leica knows that...

 

I am disappointed

 

Having followed Leica for more than a while, maybe the M8.2 has got just a "starting" price, "low" to invite more and more customers to "jump on board" suddenly after Photokina.

Then, the M8.2 could cost even more, and so you may justify the differences in costs and performances between an M8, an M8.1 (or M8.N as they say) and an M8.2.

IMHO

Link to post
Share on other sites

How Leica can justify charging $330 to change the stick on body covering is beyond me. It really takes about 15 minutes to do and the materials aren't expensive. Everything else I can justify as normal expensive Leica prices, but that one seems absurd.

Because they don't really want to do it. They would rather you buy a covering from Camera Leather (dot) COM and do it yourself. So if you insist on having Leica do it they will and you'll pay.

Even CL charges what I think is a lot of money to replace it, $75 for standard M (Not sure if that includes the back door) and $90 for the M8. Then you have shipping to and from.

But with both Leica & CL they will warranty the cover so if Leica has to remove it to work on your camera CL and Leica will replace it free.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The triple combo looks nice... I'll take the shutter/sapphire/bright-line frames seriously into consideration.

I'm already convinced about the shutter, but the triplet looks really attractive!

My camera is in the labs at Solms for a repair, it's a pity that still they couldn't put the new shutter on my camera (I asked for that), not because of the shutter availability, but just because the software to control it is still missing (or not complete as well), and that's gonna be ready after October 1 2008 (this is the explanation that I received today by the Leica Customer Service, they were really kind!).

 

 

So what Leica is really saying is that the new firmware for any/all M8's won't be out until October. That figures.

But then again we might have a case of one hand has NO idea what the other is doing.

Link to post
Share on other sites

So what Leica is really saying is that the new firmware for any/all M8's won't be out until October. That figures.

But then again we might have a case of one hand has NO idea what the other is doing.

 

It may be just for the old M8, since the main board could be different in the M8.2, I guess (and this is just my personal opinion) that they need to write some code more to use it with the "vintage" M8.

 

Or this may be just a strategy to give no more information until Photokina as well.

The upgrade program, as I've been told by the Customer Care, will begin October the 1st.

You can bet, they know what they're doing. But then again this may be just a move to avoid my camera to come back before October 1 2008 with the new shutter and the new firmware already on!

Link to post
Share on other sites

It may be just for the old M8, since the main board could be different in the M8.2, I guess (and this is just my personal opinion) that they need to write some code more to use it with the "vintage" M8.

 

Or this may be just a strategy to give no more information until Photokina as well.

The upgrade program, as I've been told by the Customer Care, will begin October the 1st.

You can bet, they know what they're doing. But then again this may be just a move to avoid my camera to come back before October 1 2008 with the new shutter and the new firmware already on!

Well I'd call them back and tell them to keep it until the NEW shutter is available and ask them what it will cost to replace the DEFECTIVE shutter with the new style.

This is just total BULL.

If either of my M8's get this same shutter failure I will ask, really demand, that it gets replace with the newer shutter at a reduced cost.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well I'd call them back and tell them to keep it until the NEW shutter is available and ask them what it will cost to replace the DEFECTIVE shutter with the new style.

This is just total BULL.

If either of my M8's get this same shutter failure I will ask, really demand, that it gets replace with the newer shutter at a reduced cost.

 

...unless you don't need the camera back to complete a shooting session, and that's my case. I need my camera back before October 4!

They repaired the shutter, but why the hell should someone ever get the new shutter (the 1/4000 to be precise) at no cost or at a lower cost just because the old one was broken?

They have to replace the part to make the camera work, and that's exactly what they're doing. I can't see where the bull... is!

Guarantee can't include an upgrade until the parts are still available.

 

Matter of fact, Mrs. Frankl asked me to leave the camera in their labs until the upgrade was done, but I couldn't wait since I don't have an M8 body as backup and I need that camera to complete my set. That's all.

Why are you angry (it seems to me) and shouting? Frankly I can't understand.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Because they don't really want to do it. They would rather you buy a covering from Camera Leather (dot) COM and do it yourself. So if you insist on having Leica do it they will and you'll pay.

Even CL charges what I think is a lot of money to replace it, $75 for standard M (Not sure if that includes the back door) and $90 for the M8. Then you have shipping to and from.

But with both Leica & CL they will warranty the cover so if Leica has to remove it to work on your camera CL and Leica will replace it free.

 

The M8 would be easy, it is the old M3's that are a serious pain. I did mine and getting the old leatherette off is tedious at best. But hey, it came out darn nice.

 

I would definitely like a better surface on the M8...

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well I'd call them back and tell them to keep it until the NEW shutter is available and ask them what it will cost to replace the DEFECTIVE shutter with the new style.

This is just total BULL.

If either of my M8's get this same shutter failure I will ask, really demand, that it gets replace with the newer shutter at a reduced cost.

 

And now you know the reason why I bad mouth Leica at all my friend. No one knows for sure just how many defective shutters there are in the first version of the M8, but there have been several on this forum, so they happen.

 

It does not give a pro a warm fuzzy, you know? I mean...if they went to the trouble of making this an "upgrade" before the M8.2 was even announced, well to me that is guilty by association in my book.

 

But what can you do? We are bailing out Leica out of a fiscal mess as much as the share holders are at this point.

 

This is why I bang my f___ing head against the wall in either selling the M8 or keeping it and spending yet more money on it.

 

It's a pain and it is widely known as such and thus hurts Leica's image in the full scope of things.

Link to post
Share on other sites

...unless you don't need the camera back to complete a shooting session, and that's my case. I need my camera back before October 4!

They repaired the shutter, but why the hell should someone ever get the new shutter (the 1/4000 to be precise) at no cost or at a lower cost just because the old one was broken?

They have to replace the part to make the camera work, and that's exactly what they're doing. I can't see where the bull... is!

Guarantee can't include an upgrade until the parts are still available.

 

Matter of fact, Mrs. Frankl asked me to leave the camera in their labs until the upgrade was done, but I couldn't wait since I don't have an M8 body as backup and I need that camera to complete my set. That's all.

Why are you angry (it seems to me) and shouting? Frankly I can't understand.

 

I'm not angry at all. The bull is if you have a M8 that is still under warranty and the shutter fails why would it be OK to have leica replace that shutter with an original model when you really want the newer quieter slower shutter and then have to ship the camera back and pay the full price for the newer shutter.

I didn't know you needed it before 10/4.

It just seems counter productive and overly expensive to have a failed shutter replaced with one that you are going to change out anyway. If you don't plan on doing the shutter upgrade then OK but I will probably have one of mine upgraded with the screen cover and shutter, the framelines I want the same on both good or bad, a personal point of view, and I'm use to them.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Stop banging your head against the wall, it doesn't work I know I've tried it many time.

What you need to do is look at it in a sensible way. Do you like using the camera? Does it do what you want? Can you afford to keep it or is whatever you can get for it better off in the bank?

If you answer yes to 2 of the above then just stop thinking about whatever it isn't or whatever you thought it would be, and isn't in your mind, and just enjoy using it.

If you answer no to 2 of the above questions then sell it.

 

You'll notice that I never asked, "do you feel it's dependable". Nothing is dependable, everything breaks.

For me it is the camera I always wanted and I honestly couldn't think of another camera I'd like to use as much even with all the %^&*$ it may have.

 

And now you know the reason why I bad mouth Leica at all my friend. No one knows for sure just how many defective shutters there are in the first version of the M8, but there have been several on this forum, so they happen.

 

It does not give a pro a warm fuzzy, you know? I mean...if they went to the trouble of making this an "upgrade" before the M8.2 was even announced, well to me that is guilty by association in my book.

 

But what can you do? We are bailing out Leica out of a fiscal mess as much as the share holders are at this point.

 

This is why I bang my f___ing head against the wall in either selling the M8 or keeping it and spending yet more money on it.

 

It's a pain and it is widely known as such and thus hurts Leica's image in the full scope of things.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...