My Leica M8 range finder died
The Leica M. For me personally, the pinnacle of photography. Analog photography excluded. Digital, meaning for me, Leica M. The last vestige of mechanical photography in the digital age. Even a Hasselblad XD2 100C, with its EVF, isn't first-class for me. I came to know and appreciate the M-Experience with the M8.
Always being able to focus cleanly and quickly. Through an element that doesn't get in the way. A small window in the center of the viewfinder. An optical viewfinder. Focusing with the help of the rangefinder. You're looking through glass. Not at a digital screen. The EVF. It's like with a book. I appreciate reading it on printed, real paper. The same principle applies to me in photography. If I have the choice, then real glass over an EVF. DSLR users understand this too. With them, you're looking at the world through a mirror.
It's just a shame that the rangefinder on my M8 broke today. The roller is scratching, jamming, and won't return to the zero position on its own. That's probably the truth with old mechanical cameras. They're prone to failure.
So what does that mean in a general context? Well, the M-system is expensive. You have to be able to afford it. I like to always have a backup camera on hand. Currently, that's my F-X-Pro 2 with an M-adapter. The defective M8 will first go back to the MPB shop, and then I'll look into the warranty options. Repair it? Then hope that this M8 will last? Or go for the Leica Q2 Monochrom and know that this mechanical problem can't occur? But then I won't be able to work with the M-system anymore? Well, I don't know yet.
Another idea is to have the M8 repaired so that you can continue working with an M camera. If the M8 then breaks down again after the warranty expires, you can still work effectively using Zone Focusing. The only thing is, you won't be able to take sharp pictures in the bokeh area. For that, you simply need a function to precisely determine the focus.
You really need the money to be able to buy several M cameras. And ideally, the latest model. In 2026, that would be the M11 Monochrom, which costs €9,500. And you'd need two of them.
Or, you could force yourself to shoot with the Q2 Monochrom like you would with an M? That is, (of course, without autofocus) using only the EVF. Working without the LCD back display and without Live View. Seeing the image in the EVF. Taking just one photo. Checking the image briefly to see if it turned out as you envisioned. Even if that's actually too modern for purists. Just take a look at the image. Leica M-D purists know what I mean. After all, the M-D doesn't have an LCD back screen.
With the Q2 Monochrom, you'd have a camera with many advantages. Its 47 MP makes it future-proof. Even today, in 2026, 24 MP is still the gold standard. The Q2M is relatively weather-resistant. For my style (shooting a lot on cold and wet days, including in industrial areas), it's a good choice. The Q2M is also robust. Many professionals, like Siegfried Hansen, work with the Leica Q.
Well. The only major drawback of the Q2M is the EVF. I don't yet know how I'll decide. Should I shoot with the Q2M like I would with an M? That makes the most economic sense for me at the moment. So it depends on what MPB will offer. If the old M8 can be credited towards the purchase, then it will be the Q2M with the EVF. That's better than hoping that the range finder on another M8 won't fail either.
One thing is certain: if you have the money, the answer is simple. The M is the top class with its range finder. But you have to be able to afford it.
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