M8 froze and won't restart. Pls HELP!

[rageon09]

Calling all Leica gurus and users, pls help me. My used Leica M8 froze just now and nothing I do can fix it. I will try to describe what happened as detailed as possible. If anyone out there has encountered before or have any ideas, pls let me know...

camera history: Bought in late 2008, sent to Solms for M8.2 upgrade in March 2009. Came back with new 3 year warranty. Condition is mint and is running firmware 2.004. I bought this second-hand from the US and I just got it today!

what happened: I only played with the camera for about an hour. I took maybe 15 jpgs and dngs (separately, not dng+jpg) and everything was fine and good. Then my finger itchy wanted to try continuous mode. So switched to "C" and pressed down the shutter. The camera fired off 3 shots and stopped. The red light at the back blinked on and off for a few seconds, then stopped. Screen was blank. None of the buttons worked. Pressing the shutter activates the red light at the back, which goes off after a few seconds.

The shutter was set on "standard" mode, "A" setting on the shutter speed dial. Auto white balance, ISO 160. My card is a 8GB Toshiba Class 4 SDHC card, have not been reformatted with the camera. Battery is original battery that was about 2/3 full. I only have 1 so cannot try a different one. I tried to reformat the SD card on my mac and put it in, still same thing. The 3 pictures that the camera took before freezing was actually saved in the card.

what I tried to do: I tried everything I can think off. Take out battery and SD card for 15mins, put back, same thing. I left the battery and SD card inside with camera off for 15mins, same thing. I tried switching the camera on with battery but no SD card, red light comes on, beep sound, all other buttons still unresponsive and screen still blank. Tried a different SD card also same. Pls help!

I've heard that freezing is common and can be fixed by simply taking the battery out for a while and put it back in. Not in my case. Any help you can render is deeply appreciated!

Excuse me while I go cry in the corner now... :cry:

 

[ZoomP]

Have you try to recharge your battery and put in again? Is there a return policy when your US source? If so, you may want to liaise with them about returning.

 

[rageon09]

Have you try to recharge your battery and put in again? Is there a return policy when your US source? If so, you may want to liaise with them about returning.

Charging the battery right now. *fingers crossed* I am really liking this camera! So frustrating. Yes, I can return to them if I want. But I'm trying to avoid that.

 

[Hlkwee]

Wow, good luck on your rectification. Just received mine today as well (from Arizona through ebay). Comes with a 1 year warranty and runs on firmware 2.004 as well. Will try firing at 'C' and keep my fingers crossed. Charging the battery is a good option I guess as it will allow the microprocessor to reset (imho). Good luck...........

 

[third3rdwheel]

Have you try to recharge your battery and put in again? Is there a return policy when your US source? If so, you may want to liaise with them about returning.

"Freezing" is common in the M8? Is that true Bro?

 

[lokewl]

I have a similar experience with my M8, what I did is to replace the battery with a fully charge spare battery that I've got and camera comes back to live. Hope yours can be resolve this way.

 

[rageon09]

Wow, good luck on your rectification. Just received mine today as well (from Arizona through ebay). Comes with a 1 year warranty and runs on firmware 2.004 as well. Will try firing at 'C' and keep my fingers crossed. Charging the battery is a good option I guess as it will allow the microprocessor to reset (imho). Good luck...........

Good luck with your camera. I'm sure it'll be fine. I'm going to call the local Schimdt Marketing office to see if they can test my camera and honour the leica warranty. They should be able to send it to Solms to get it fixed under warranty since they don't do repairs locally anyway ( I think ).

"Freezing" is common in the M8? Is that true Bro?

yeah, quite common bro. But most people just have to take out battery and put it back in and no prob after that. Some have the dreaded "sudden death syndrome" which means a trip to Solms for the camera for repairs or a replacement. I am hoping mine is not that serious. This is what I've been able to gather from other forums.

I have a similar experience with my M8, what I did is to replace the battery with a fully charge spare battery that I've got and camera comes back to live. Hope yours can be resolve this way.

Problem is I don't have spare batt to test. I don't mind buying a new batt but I can't be 100% sure that will solve the problem. Hopefully Schmidt can test it for me on Monday. I suspect it might be a battery prob cos after charging in the charger for 4 hours the yellow charge light is still on and the batt is not warm to touch. Dead batt perhaps? Hope this is the case cos otherwise that'll mean it's a serious camera prob. Do you happen to know if the local Schimdt offcie will honour the Leica warranty issue by Solms after they upgraded the camera? I hope they won't say it's not bought locally and they won't don't anything for me.

 

[ZoomP]

"Freezing" is common in the M8? Is that true Bro?

If it's not problem-free, guess it's not a M8? Haha... Touch-wood, mine so far so good. I did have issue when I switched on, it didn't turn on though.

 

[rageon09]

If it's not problem-free, guess it's not a M8? Haha... Touch-wood, mine so far so good. I did have issue when I switched on, it didn't turn on though.

Didn't turn on? How did you ractify the problem?

 

[ZoomP]

Didn't turn on? How did you ractify the problem?

Just keep trying and then it worked. Taking off battery is another option. Bro, suggest u meet up some of the M8 bros here and try their battery on your M8. Let me know if you need my help but can only meet in the west.

 

[third3rdwheel]

If it's not problem-free, guess it's not a M8? Haha... Touch-wood, mine so far so good. I did have issue when I switched on, it didn't turn on though.

I guess this can happen to electronic items.....but the M8 is an expensive electronic item....If you have to turn on until it works, it suggests that the camera needs to be checked. Just guessing, since I don't own one.

 

[ZoomP]

I guess this can happen to electronic items.....but the M8 is an expensive electronic item....If you have to turn on until it works, it suggests that the camera needs to be checked. Just guessing, since I don't own one.

I went into the purchase of M8 with eyes wide-open knowing the history of this model. As long as it's already updated with the latest firmware and that was done in Solm, and it doesn't complete die, I will live with the imperfection. Even my Canon sometimes can go coo-coo but less so of course.

This is a great camera even with the imperfection stated. Same with a BMW car, German engineering and also the "famous" German electronics.

 

[third3rdwheel]

I went into the purchase of M8 with eyes wide-open knowing the history of this model. As long as it's already updated with the latest firmware and that was done in Solm, and it doesn't complete die, I will live with the imperfection. Even my Canon sometimes can go coo-coo but less so of course.

This is a great camera even with the imperfection stated. Same with a BMW car, German engineering and also the "famous" German electronics.

Ok, expressing that view more out of concern. :bsmilie: If I ever buy the M9, I hope it does not happen at that price bracket.

 

[lokewl]

Good luck with your camera. I'm sure it'll be fine. I'm going to call the local Schimdt Marketing office to see if they can test my camera and honour the leica warranty. They should be able to send it to Solms to get it fixed under warranty since they don't do repairs locally anyway ( I think ).



yeah, quite common bro. But most people just have to take out battery and put it back in and no prob after that. Some have the dreaded "sudden death syndrome" which means a trip to Solms for the camera for repairs or a replacement. I am hoping mine is not that serious. This is what I've been able to gather from other forums.



Problem is I don't have spare batt to test. I don't mind buying a new batt but I can't be 100% sure that will solve the problem. Hopefully Schmidt can test it for me on Monday. I suspect it might be a battery prob cos after charging in the charger for 4 hours the yellow charge light is still on and the batt is not warm to touch. Dead batt perhaps? Hope this is the case cos otherwise that'll mean it's a serious camera prob. Do you happen to know if the local Schimdt offcie will honour the Leica warranty issue by Solms after they upgraded the camera? I hope they won't say it's not bought locally and they won't don't anything for me.

If you stay up North, you can drop by my place to test the M8 as I have extra Leica and third-party batteries.

 

[third3rdwheel]

[Rageon09

Problem is I don't have spare batt to test. I don't mind buying a new batt but I can't be 100% sure that will solve the problem. Hopefully Schmidt can test it for me on Monday. I suspect it might be a battery prob cos after charging in the charger for 4 hours the yellow charge light is still on and the batt is not warm to touch. Dead batt perhaps? Hope this is the case cos otherwise that'll mean it's a serious camera prob. Do you happen to know if the local Schimdt offcie will honour the Leica warranty issue by Solms after they upgraded the camera? I hope they won't say it's not bought locally and they won't don't anything for me.[/QUOTE]

They will help you so long as it is a Leica camera, but I recall someone saying that if not bought locally, Schmidt will charge you for shipping and handling....

 

[rageon09]

If you stay up North, you can drop by my place to test the M8 as I have extra Leica and third-party batteries.

Thanks bro, going up up north to KL to visit some friends this this afternoon so I guess I'll just leave the camera to sit for next 36hrs and see what happens on monday when I come back. I was looking forward to bringing the camera there, but oh well....

They will help you so long as it is a Leica camera, but I recall someone saying that if not bought locally, Schmidt will charge you for shipping and handling....

Thanks for the info. That's what I recall reading somewhere too. Sigh more money down the drain.

New thoughts: I am seriously suspecting battery problems. The charger indicates battery charging (constant yellow light) for the last 8 hrs. I am thinking its either charger not working or more likely battery died thats why can power up the camera. *cross fingers* this is the prob cos then just replace batt and charger can liao! No need to send to Solms for a month! Xmas and NYE around the corner some more. :sweat:

 

[ZoomP]

Ok, expressing that view more out of concern. :bsmilie: If I ever buy the M9, I hope it does not happen at that price bracket.

I know bro... Thanks for the concern. Let's hope the M9 as reliable as any Canon or Nikon.

 

[ZoomP]

Thanks bro, going up up north to KL to visit some friends this this afternoon so I guess I'll just leave the camera to sit for next 36hrs and see what happens on monday when I come back. I was looking forward to bringing the camera there, but oh well....



Thanks for the info. That's what I recall reading somewhere too. Sigh more money down the drain.

New thoughts: I am seriously suspecting battery problems. The charger indicates battery charging (constant yellow light) for the last 8 hrs. I am thinking its either charger not working or more likely battery died thats why can power up the camera. *cross fingers* this is the prob cos then just replace batt and charger can liao! No need to send to Solms for a month! Xmas and NYE around the corner some more. :sweat:

Bro, why wait? Go buy a new Leica M8 battery, charge it up and try. If you're committed in using the M8, then you'll eventually want to buy a spare battery right?

 

[rageon09]

Bro, why wait? Go buy a new Leica M8 battery, charge it up and try. If you're committed in using the M8, then you'll eventually want to buy a spare battery right?

I know. But going KL now. Dont really have to go buy a spare batt. And also don't want to bring all my gear along if it's not gonna work! I'll bring my other camera instead. My rd-1s picture quality not as good I know but it has never failed on me. Ever. I'll update this thread once I get back on Monday. Thanks for all the concern guys! Let's see what happens next.

 

[rageon09]

Just to update everyone who have been so helpful. The problem has finally been solved! It was a charger issue. The original battery was dead flat so the camera wouldn't switch on. Why it was showing 2/3 full just before it went flat is still a mystery. Will monitor for that. I went to buy a new battery to test with the original charger and that didn't work. Went to buy a new charger today, the new compact one... very much better the original brick! Now everything is fine. The US seller has refunded me part of the cost of the charger cos I bought the compact one instead of the old M8 one so all is good. Happy happy now.