This question is for people who've put a lot of film through their R8. A while back on the (I guess now defunct) R mailing list there were several people who experienced scratches on the rear (not emulsion)side of the film after a substantial (like 150+ rolls)amount of use, and traced it to wearing of the plastic cover plate next to the pressure plate on the back door (this is the flat plastic piece held by 2 screws which covers the little axle with rubber wheels at either end that turns the film-winding indicator seen through the window on the back). I didn't have my R8 long enough to notice any wear or scratching, but I've a friend who wants to buy an R8 and I thought I'd poll the users here. Perhaps those who have put lots of film through their R8 could take a really close look at that little plate? The place that wears (someone e-mailed me macro photos of it)is near the pressure-plate end of the piece, not near the rubber wheels. Thanks very much.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), August 07, 2001

Answers

Jay,

"experienced scratches on the rear of the film" "...& traced it to wearing of the plastic cover plate"

I've owned my R8 (SN 229xxxx)since March of "97" & have shot well over 150 rolls of film through it. I've been lucky (knock on virtual wood)so far in that I've not experienced any problems with film being scratched.

However,per Leica service folks themselves, the problem does exist in about 10% of the R8 cameras. However,a new plastic cover plate with better tolerances replaces the troublesome part when needed.

How do I know this....I called them this morning! Don't forget I'm planning to buy another R8; and I hope the newer R8s have the upgrade ;-)!

Tom D.

-- Thomas Donovan (75674.3465@compuserve.com), August 07, 2001.

My follow-up call yielded a slight further clarification, in that there is no new (as in upgraded) part, just replacement of the existing part with an identical one. They would not commit definitively as to whether the part wears out or a certain % were out of tolerance to begin with. We all know some R8s get used once a year on vacation and maybe 2-3 times the rest of the year; some get used regularly but at even an average 2 rolls/month it would take more than 6 years to hit 150 rolls and the R8's only been in production 5 years. If they're saying 10% of all the R8s sold thus far have the problem, couldn't that conceivably be only those that have seen heavy use, and so couldn't the problem potentially affect a much larger percentage? The good thing is, it seems to be an inexpensive part, and one which someone careful and good with small tools might be able to replace by themselves. The biggest problem is, I guess, not knowing when or if it'll start ruining your film.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), August 07, 2001.

Have this problem on one R8 and not my other one. Both get 100 or so rolls per month. When I noticed the scratches I traced it down pretty quickly to that part. I covered it with Scotch tape and it cured the problem. Not very elegant, but a quick confirmation that the part was the problem and now it is repaired. I just can't part with one of my favorite cameras long enough to have it replaced. As I said though, it struck one but not the other.

Kirk

-- kirk r. tuck (kirktuck@kirktuck.com), August 07, 2001.

Why do you say the R mailing list is now defunct?

Regards,

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), August 08, 2001.

I said " *I guess* now defunct" because I haven't received any mail from the list in more than a month. Maybe something happened to my subscription? The R board on Yahoo doesn't pull up, either.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), August 08, 2001.

Ahh! You're referring to the Leica R club in Yahoo. (I was afraid you were referring to the Lecia Reflex Forum (LRF) in Topica.) Now I understand! Yes, I terminated that Yahoo club at the end of June, as I announced, because it was inactive. I gave people notice and suggested that they join the LRF instead. Nobody objected so I closed it down.

Regards,

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), August 08, 2001.