Need help with M8 issue

[carstenw]

Is this the Heliar 75 you have?

http://i.pbase.com/u26/lensman99/upload/31631338.Voigt75a.jpg

It looks like it doesn't really stick into the body at all. Perhaps the adapter does a bit, but not beyond the mount flanges I guess?

The problem with lenses which stick deep into the body is that they can interfere with the lightflow to the sensor. Normal and tele lenses don't usually have problems like this.

 

[thinkfloyd]

Yep, That's my Heliar. None of my enses stick deep into the body so interference by the lens can be ruled out... argh. I am so frustrated now

 

[robsteve]

It could be a problem with the metering cells. In the R8/R9 when the cells went you lost proper exposure at one end of the scale. Sounds familiar to the M8 problem.

Robert

 

[cdnguyen]

I would take the camera back and give the guy his money back. You made a living with the camera shooting wedding ? I'll write it off on expenses if I were you.

 

[fotografz]

I would take the camera back and give the guy his money back. You made a living with the camera shooting wedding ? I'll write it off on expenses if I were you.

Thanks, but that wasn't the advice I asked for. I shot one wedding with it ... just before selling it for a M9. It was my personal camera, and worked fine before shipping.

I've already offered any number of scenarios for a refund or fixing it. We just want to make sure it wasn't something stupid we were overlooking.

Either way, it'll go back to Leica for repair, and then it'll be fine.

Thanks for the input everyone.

-Marc

 

[Chris C]

.... it'll go back to Leica for repair....

Marc - I followed this thread [and it's cousin in 'another place'] with some puzzlement. When you have a resolution will you please let us know in this thread?

............. Chris

 

[oc garza]

My compliments on how this problem is being solved; good communications between buyer and seller and bringing in some "outside help" to check the obvious. This is the way all problems should be worked out.

Anyway, I never use any of the Leica features available via the menu, but is there even the faintest chance that some slow shutter speed/automatic noise reducing software has gone haywire? Have you tried resetting all settings to "default"? Then reload the most recent firmware. If that doesn't work, it may be time for a quick repair trip to Solms :^) Best of luck on a happy solution to this dilemma.

 

[fotografz]

My compliments on how this problem is being solved; good communications between buyer and seller and bringing in some "outside help" to check the obvious. This is the way all problems should be worked out.

Anyway, I never use any of the Leica features available via the menu, but is there even the faintest chance that some slow shutter speed/automatic noise reducing software has gone haywire? Have you tried resetting all settings to "default"? Then reload the most recent firmware. If that doesn't work, it may be time for a quick repair trip to Solms :^) Best of luck on a happy solution to this dilemma.

Thanks for the input. Yes we reloaded the firmware twice. We also reset the camera to factory defaults. The camera has been sent to Leica Hong Kong.

 

[johnkuo]

I think I have a similar experience with my M8 and it's caused by reaching the lower limit of the metering range. Once it crosses over this limit, the camera simply chooses 32 sec which is the max. My theory is based on the fact that all M lenses use closed down metering, and the smaller aperture that's set on the lens, the less light hitting the sensor. I can reproduce it by using 50/1.4 pointing at a relatively dark scene. At f/1.4, it chooses 1/8 sec at ISO 160. Now, without moving the camera, I close down to f/2.0. Now the reading is 1/3 sec, which is still within limit. Then I close down to f/2.8. All of a sudden the metering shows 6 sec, which is way overexposure. By the time I reach f/3.4, 32 sec is shown.

The M8 spec states its metering range is EV0-EV20 at aperture 1.0, ISO 160. EV0 is f/1 and 1sec. So when f/1.4 lens is mounted, I assume the range starts at EV1 (f/1.4, 1sec). Anything lower than that will be met with 32sec. This seems to be fairly close to what I described above. My M8 works perfectly in daylight. So I'm leaning towards thinking this is normal behavior. For SLR, metering is always done with aperture wide open, but we should keep in mind the rangefinder lenses with its stopped down metering.

I hope this makes sense. Your comments are welcome.

 

[thinkfloyd]

Just got word from Leica Hong Kong, when I asked what happened, all they said was the meter was misadjusted. They adjusted it and I'm hoping to receive it within the week. Hope all is well now