eziomi Posted July 12, 2011 Share #1 Posted July 12, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) My Leica M9-P Chrome arrived last friday. I was ready to go out on Saturday and Sunday to take first pics but, while I was setting the options on the menu, I discovered that there is a misalignment of the LCD. Practically the image of the LCD is not aligned with the window but rotated a little clockwise as you can see on the attached photo (even if is not a good one) I took back the camera to my dealer (who said he never saw something like that) and they returned it to the Italian distributor. I'm waiting for a new one. Anyone found the same kind of unacceptable problem on a 6.000 EURO camera, which is supposed to go through a lot of quality checks before leave the factory ? Best regards, EM Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/156724-m9-p-with-lcd-misalignment/?do=findComment&comment=1732026'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 12, 2011 Posted July 12, 2011 Hi eziomi, Take a look here M9-P with LCD misalignment. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
marknorton Posted July 12, 2011 Share #2 Posted July 12, 2011 It's unfortunate that the camera is made is Portugal which simply does not have the same track record of precision products as does Germany. It may be an OK place to take a vacation but I wouldn't willingly buy anything made there, though I did buy a Portuguese straw hat once. The mice in my barn ate it. That said, a minimal amount of final assembly/adjustment is carried out in Solms so that they can claim it's "Made in Germany" and the misalignment should have been caught by whoever "worked" on this camera. Truth is, Leica is much better at making lenses than cameras and they should subcontract out camera production to someone who can do it properly, like Panasonic. I agree though. Do I get misaligned LCDs on a Nikon? No I don't, and neither should you on a Leica M9. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erg Posted July 12, 2011 Share #3 Posted July 12, 2011 As far as I know, film M Leicas were assembled in Portugal long before the M8. I'd not blame the portuguese production site for this mishap in general. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted July 12, 2011 Share #4 Posted July 12, 2011 All (real) Leica cameras have been made in Portugal for years. The fault here doesn't lie in Portugal. It lies in the final check at Solms. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted July 12, 2011 Share #5 Posted July 12, 2011 They were indeed when Portugal was the equivalent of a low-cost off-shore production site. Since then, they've joined the EU, their costs have increased and are nearly bankrupt. The best place to make M9s is Germany, let's say at a lower cost place like Jena and leave Portugal to make bins. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted July 12, 2011 Share #6 Posted July 12, 2011 All (real) Leica cameras have been made in Portugal for years. The fault here doesn't lie in Portugal. It lies in the final check at Solms. Come now Andy, the person who put the back together in Portugal should have got it right in the first place, though I accept the person in Solms was asleep on the job. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted July 12, 2011 Share #7 Posted July 12, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) It is exactly 1.5 degrees off clockwise. Amazing how sensitive we are to right-angle alignments, eh? Best of luck with the repair. In my singular experience with an extensive restoration of a smashed M9, it came back better than new. Wishing you the same good luck. Best, Pico Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted July 12, 2011 Share #8 Posted July 12, 2011 Come now Andy, the person who put the back together in Portugal should have got it right in the first place, though I accept the person in Solms was asleep on the job. True enough, but these things happen with hand made things. It should have been picked up on th final line. I'd like to know how it is possible to misalign the installation in the first place. Don't these things have locating lugs or something? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayewing Posted July 12, 2011 Share #9 Posted July 12, 2011 All (real) Leica cameras have been made in Portugal for years. The fault here doesn't lie in Portugal. It lies in the final check at Solms. Then why has my M9 got "made in Germany" engraved on the back? Or are the parts made in Germany and assembled in Portugal? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted July 12, 2011 Share #10 Posted July 12, 2011 No - Portugal makes the bodyshells. The tops and complete assembly are done in Solms. The sensor is by Kodak and made somewhere, probably in Asia. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Thompson Posted July 13, 2011 Share #11 Posted July 13, 2011 I'm surprised that nobody caught this during the final check. Maybe Solms is overwhelmed by the increased demand for their lenses and bodies but this is unacceptable for a camera of this quality, especially a Leica. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
daleeman Posted July 13, 2011 Share #12 Posted July 13, 2011 I'm surprised that nobody caught this during the final check. Maybe Solms is overwhelmed by the increased demand for their lenses and bodies but this is unacceptable for a camera of this quality, especially a Leica. Maybe the did catch it, but decided to release it to make quota. Money is tight for Leica compared to say Canon or Nikon, but a certain amount of borderline units come out of each, because of the bottom line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanG Posted July 13, 2011 Share #13 Posted July 13, 2011 True enough, but these things happen with hand made things. It should have been picked up on th final line. I'd like to know how it is possible to misalign the installation in the first place. Don't these things have locating lugs or something? I always wonder what someone means by the term "hand made" with respect to cameras and other objects. It isn't as if a jeweler is hand making the metal top plates of Leicas one at a time. Don't all complex cameras have numerous machine made parts and sub-assemblies that are somewhat or mostly assembled into a camera by hand? I'm sure some companies or models use more automation in assembly than others. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
akiralx Posted July 13, 2011 Share #14 Posted July 13, 2011 They were indeed when Portugal was the equivalent of a low-cost off-shore production site. Since then, they've joined the EU, their costs have increased and are nearly bankrupt. The best place to make M9s is Germany, let's say at a lower cost place like Jena and leave Portugal to make bins. Your posts in this thread rather smack of racism. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiwing Posted July 13, 2011 Share #15 Posted July 13, 2011 This misalignment is a surprise. Apparently it is an issue no matter where it was made. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted July 13, 2011 Share #16 Posted July 13, 2011 Everyone here seems ready to burn the Leica assemblers and QA people at the stake, when in fact nobody knows what has happened here. Yes, it's unfortunate that the LCD is not properly aligned, but I seriously doubt it got through final QA like this. A screw or a shim could have come loose, the package could have been dropped during shipment, or one of numerous other possibilities. Unfortunate, yes. Placing blame, hard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted July 13, 2011 Share #17 Posted July 13, 2011 I'm sure some companies or models use more automation in assembly than others. Find us a video of one of your Canons being assembled and then we can judge the difference. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hx911 Posted July 13, 2011 Share #18 Posted July 13, 2011 I think this thread is getting off track (like so many). Fact is, one pays for a premium product, and is disappointed when things are not 'perfect'. When we buy a car for example, we can take it back to the dealer, who liaises with the importer or manufacturer, and generally it gets fixed (cosmetic or functional problems) pretty much locally, at a reasonable time frame. Depending on the make you get a loan car in the meantime. M9's are scarce, and generally don't get fixed on the spot or locally - and the only worthy loaner is another M9 - so this is where we get put in the situation: want it fixed, ok, you be without it and without a replacement for weeks (moths?) don't like that, well, live with .... whatever, it may be only cosmetic. THAT is the big difference. That's why we would like to see the best quality control possible. At least this is how I feel .... and I am happy my M9 has not given me the need to choose. (hope this post makes sense, not sure if it is readable enough) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted July 13, 2011 Share #19 Posted July 13, 2011 What I can't believe is that the designer specified enough leeway to make the fitting of the LCD a matter of opinion for a technician to get right or wrong. Surely it should just slot in to mounting points and that no adjustment is necessary? I mean, its not like hanging a picture on a wall is it, this is a mass produced camera. Which makes me think its physically broken, something that could manifest after QC. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted July 13, 2011 Share #20 Posted July 13, 2011 What's the point of buying expensive stuff to an authorised dealer if the latter doesn't simply check if it works normally? None of mine would simply think of presenting me a body that they've not checked out previously. At least i hope so . They know that i'm expecting this though. Perhaps some buyers prefer being the first ones to open the box? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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