mitchell baum Posted October 31, 2008 Share #1 Posted October 31, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Help, I know this topic has been gone over ad nauseum, and I've looked some for the same problem in Search without luck so far. I think it might just be easier to ask. My M8 with the recent firmware stopped working. I put it on Off, and took off the base plate. Immediately there was a beep and the warning that the baseplate is off. I've removed and replaced the battery. As soon as I put in the new battery, there is again a beep, and the warning that the bottom cover is off. But, when the cover is replaced, the camera is dead. This happens repeatedly. I shot outside this morning starting at dawn, around freezing temperature. Replaced a battery after a lot of shots. No problems. Came inside, shot a lot and quickly, going into the buffer. Replaced a card, and secured bottom plate with half turn of fastener. Got message bottom plate not on. I had not fitted it correctly. Put plate on properly. No problems. Shot more shoots with some quick series. Maybe 50 more shots. Camera dies. Any suggestions? I think I remember some having success with keeping battery out of camera overnight. Or does this mean a trip to New Jersy or horrors Solms? Thanks for any help. Best, Mitchell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 31, 2008 Posted October 31, 2008 Hi mitchell baum, Take a look here Camera Locked. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Shootist Posted October 31, 2008 Share #2 Posted October 31, 2008 Make sure you turn the camera to the OFF position then take the battery out. Then turn the camer ON on press the shutter release for 20-30 seconds. Let sit for a short while, 30m- 1 hour then with the switch in the OFF position put the battery back in. If you immediately get the beep that the bottom plate is off then it might need a vacation at Leica service. But you could try leaving the battery out over night. Question: Have you tried a different SD card? Could be the card that is now in the camera is corrupted in some way causing the camera to hang. The camera does access the card as soon as it's turned on and if you have a bad card in the camera it could make the whole camera hang. Good luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wparsonsgisnet Posted October 31, 2008 Share #3 Posted October 31, 2008 Mitchell, Two things occur to me. One is that the battery in question is not putting out enuf voltage or the camera isn't getting it. I would fully charge a battery, make sure this one goes thru a recalibration, and see if the M8's contacts need cleaning. Use the fully charged battery. The second is that the bottom plate got twisted or something else happened to keep the cover switch from being depressed enuf. I would see if I could get the "bottom off" message to go away by pushing the switch in when the cover is off. Shootist got some good suggestions in while I was writing. Try 'em all. Good luck, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfokevin Posted October 31, 2008 Share #4 Posted October 31, 2008 You seem to have multiple batteries... Are they all Leica batteries that you paid full price for?... the non Leica (knockoff) batteries do not seem to register their charge state as full - even though they have been fully charged... and your camera may have thought the non Leica battery was not charged... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted October 31, 2008 Share #5 Posted October 31, 2008 You seem to have multiple batteries... Are they all Leica batteries that you paid full price for?... the non Leica (knockoff) batteries do not seem to register their charge state as full - even though they have been fully charged... and your camera may have thought the non Leica battery was not charged... Actually aftermarket battery work fine in the M8 but you must drain them fully before you recharge them for the M8 to see that they are fully charged. I have 2 of them and do use them from time to time. Never had a problem with them as long as once they are ready to be recharged I leave them in the camera with it turned on to fully drain them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfokevin Posted October 31, 2008 Share #6 Posted October 31, 2008 Actually aftermarket battery work fine in the M8 but you must drain them fully before you recharge them for the M8 to see that they are fully charged.I have 2 of them and do use them from time to time. Never had a problem with them as long as once they are ready to be recharged I leave them in the camera with it turned on to fully drain them. You are correct... but vitally important (and a pain in the ass) is the requirement to fully drain the battery for it to register a full charge state... If you don't fully drain and just charge it the charge state remains at where you were when you removed it from the camera... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted October 31, 2008 Share #7 Posted October 31, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) You are correct... but vitally important (and a pain in the ass) is the requirement to fully drain the battery for it to register a full charge state... If you don't fully drain and just charge it the charge state remains at where you were when you removed it from the camera... Correct Correct. That is why I only use them sometimes. More then likely I'll be using one if not both tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchell Posted October 31, 2008 Share #8 Posted October 31, 2008 Thanks for the responses. Yes all Leica batteries. How do I recalibrate a battery? I've tried everything else suggested except holding shutter down for 30 seconds, and leaving without battery overnight which I will now do. Hope I can avoid a trip to Leica. When it rains it pours. I'm now in the phone to Lightroom tech support. 2.1 didn't install properly though it said it did. I waited 15 minutes for them to answer. Then the guy said he had to switch me over to a Mac guy. I said I hoped that wouldn't take long. He said Oh no 2 or 3 seconds. That was 15 minutes ago, still no answer. So lucky I don't have real problems like living in a war zone. !:^) Thanks, Mitchell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfokevin Posted October 31, 2008 Share #9 Posted October 31, 2008 Thanks for the responses. Yes all Leica batteries. How do I recalibrate a battery? I've tried everything else suggested except holding shutter down for 30 seconds, and leaving without battery overnight which I will now do. Hope I can avoid a trip to Leica. When it rains it pours. I'm now in the phone to Lightroom tech support. 2.1 didn't install properly though it said it did. I waited 15 minutes for them to answer. Then the guy said he had to switch me over to a Mac guy. I said I hoped that wouldn't take long. He said Oh no 2 or 3 seconds. That was 15 minutes ago, still no answer. So lucky I don't have real problems like living in a war zone. !:^) Thanks, Mitchell A pattern seems to be emerging here... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wparsonsgisnet Posted October 31, 2008 Share #10 Posted October 31, 2008 Mitchell, recalibrating involves discharging the battery in the camera by leaving it on until the battery runs down. I guess this will be hard to do if you can't power up. But is you're getting error messages, just leave it on until it dies. Do the battery segments show on the top? After discharge, recharge the battery. The battery's smarts now know what the battery power limits are and can talk to the camera about them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchell baum Posted November 1, 2008 Author Share #11 Posted November 1, 2008 No joy this morning. My M8 spent the night without a battery. This morning, as soon as I put in any of my 3 fully charged batteries, there is a beep, the red LED, and the missing bottom plate message flash once, and the camera goes dead. Bill, Thanks for the explanation. I had one of my batteries die yesterday as I was shooting, and I've recharged it, so I guess that means it's calibrated. I don't think I can exhaust the charge in a battery now with the camera dead. So unless I hear any more suggestions, it's off to New Jersey on Monday. I hope it will not be long! I don't feel like ranting against Leica. But, she is my go-to camera and I'm lost without her!! What will I do? !:^) I love what computers and digital cameras can do, but it bugs the hell out of me that they are soooo complex and I don't have a clue what's going on with them. Best, Mitchell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted November 1, 2008 Share #12 Posted November 1, 2008 Did you try a different SD card? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
t024484 Posted November 1, 2008 Share #13 Posted November 1, 2008 When you switch the camera on, and the red led on the back goes on and never goes off, you camera has to be repaired. If your camera is still responding in some way with messages on the back, you should reload update 2.000. Hans Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchell baum Posted November 1, 2008 Author Share #14 Posted November 1, 2008 "Did you try a different SD card?" Yes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchell baum Posted November 1, 2008 Author Share #15 Posted November 1, 2008 "When you switch the camera on, and the red led on the back goes on and never goes off, you camera has to be repaired. If your camera is still responding in some way with messages on the back, you should reload update 2.000." Hans The red LED flashes once and then goes off. Is it possible to reload firmware when the camera is non-responsive immediately after the bottom plate off message? Thanks, Mitchell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfokevin Posted November 1, 2008 Share #16 Posted November 1, 2008 Also... I would look at the little actuator inside that senses whether the bottom plate is on/off... make sure that it goes up and down and there is not anything lodged in there... And then look at the bottom plate itself... make sure there is a little square block on it that corresponds to where the actuator is on the camera (You may have damaged one of these components when you initially said you put the plate on incorrectly...) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_h Posted November 1, 2008 Share #17 Posted November 1, 2008 Mitchell Before you send it off, can you try a different charger? You may find that the chargers faulty. ------------- James Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_h Posted November 1, 2008 Share #18 Posted November 1, 2008 Perhaps this thread may give you some clues.. http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/34741-quick-m8-questions.html Check Jaap's comments I don't think that the cover plate is the problem. You say you shot outside in the cold and then replaced the battery. Was the battery stored in a warm place before you put in the camera? Good luck & here's to hoping you don't have to send it in.. regards James Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtZ Posted November 1, 2008 Share #19 Posted November 1, 2008 Mitchell, If I were you I will send it to the "Leica Hospital". What happens to your M8 is not normal and if there's a problem with batteries, Leica will replace them. But if you just want to be sure, just call Leica Customer Service and ask them... I'm sure you'll get an honest answer. Good luck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchell baum Posted November 4, 2008 Author Share #20 Posted November 4, 2008 Thanks everyone. I spoke to Leica Service in New Jersey, and I'm sending the M8 off with it's 3 batteries today. They said they most likely could repair it there and the turnaround time should be about 2 weeks. So it could be a lot worse. Best, Mitchell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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