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DMR - Dead...So do I throw it away ?


Tim Aston

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After many years of service, and having owned the DMR since day one.

 

Today I saw the "Error Code 2"

 

Sad, because over the years this device has rewarded me with some outstanding work.

 

I used it to shoot Formula 1 in the early days and had great success with lots of published work.

 

Is there a solution to Error Code 2 ?

 

Cheers.

 

-Tim

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That's awful but don't throw it away until you contact Leica and hear back from them.

 

Meanwhile you can disassemble your DMR and clean all of the gold contacts on both the DMR and R8/9 and put it back together with a freshly charged battery.

It may not help but it's better than doing nothing.

 

I really hope it works out for the best but worse case scenario you may be able to sell it faulty for a decent price.

There are people out there (on eBay) that will buy them faulty and having all of the parts and boxes helps.

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Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

Nice to hear from you again Charlie.

 

Not sure if you remember, we met a couple of times, you photographed your Son in my motorcycle gear at the Hill Climb.

 

I live in rural Western Australia now.

 

Cheers.

 

-Tim

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Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

Nice to hear from you again Charlie.

 

Not sure if you remember, we met a couple of times, you photographed your Son in my motorcycle gear at the Hill Climb.

 

I live in rural Western Australia now.

 

Cheers.

 

-Tim

 

Tim,

 

Yes I do. You were in Tewkesbury then. Hope you find a fix for the DMR

 

Best wishes,

 

Charlie

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  • 2 weeks later...
Official response from Leica UK.....

 

Germany can no longer repair the DMR if it is the main motherboard.

 

They will however look at the unit if I send it....

 

That's excellent customer service IMO... At least they're willing to have a go at fixing it.

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Well, nine years is a good run though the travails of the First Generation digitals are depressing (see M8: no new rear LCD's to be had anymore and rumor has that the sensors are scarce as well).

 

Does give one pause paying out so much for these digital creations and having an uncertain future. That Canon, Panasonic or Nikon would run out of essential parts, is less troubling as the expectations are limited from the get-go. After all, Leica still can repair a 60 year-old film RF so it's puzzling that these relatively new items revert to paperweights so soon because no provisions were made ahead of time.

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Well, nine years is a good run though the travails of the First Generation digitals are depressing (see M8: no new rear LCD's to be had anymore and rumor has that the sensors are scarce as well).

 

Does give one pause paying out so much for these digital creations and having an uncertain future. That Canon, Panasonic or Nikon would run out of essential parts, is less troubling as the expectations are limited from the get-go. After all, Leica still can repair a 60 year-old film RF so it's puzzling that these relatively new items revert to paperweights so soon because no provisions were made ahead of time.

 

Please bear in mind that the DMR was developed in conjunction with and manufactured by Imacon. Imacon are now owned by Hasselblad and thus offer no assistance to Leica in servicing the DMR.

Leica offer an upgrade policy to M240+R-Adapter if the DMR is returned with an R8/R9. If that appeals to Tim I suggest he contacts his local Leica subsidiary or dealer.

 

The M8 is now 8 years old and due to economies of scale they cannot manufacture the LCD's or fabricate the sensors themselves. Part of the reason we love them is that they aren't a lumbering behemoth who make everything including the kitchen sink.

Edited by thrice
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You can always replace the DMR with the film back and use film.

As for returning the DMR and the R8/9 back to Solms for Leica M240, I have never heard of that one.

if you still want to use your R lenses you are better off with something else.

 

Welcome to the world of Electronic Imaging, here today, gone tomorrow.

 

 

REMEMBER ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY.

 

Ken.

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Leica offer an upgrade policy to M240+R-Adapter if the DMR is returned with an R8/R9. If that appeals to Tim I suggest he contacts his local Leica subsidiary or dealer.

 

I wonder what sort of discount they provide in these instances. In any event, shooting a rangefinder with a barely adequate EVF is a far cry form the R8/9 and you lose a great film camera in the process.

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Yes... Film, It still works :D

 

Peter.

 

Both my R8 and R9 still work perfectly since I bought them.

I Remember that I got my R9 and the 28-90 specifically for the DMR, however when the DMR arrived it

Was faulty, changed my mind, kept the R9 and 28-90 and just use film with it.

 

So I thought, I will get the R10 instead, YES I AM STILL WAITING.......LOL.

 

Ken

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I wonder what sort of discount they provide in these instances. In any event, shooting a rangefinder with a barely adequate EVF is a far cry form the R8/9 and you lose a great film camera in the process.

 

Couldn't agree more James.

 

I love my Leica M system, but love the Leica R more, I just feel more comfortable with it.

Nevertheless wouldn't part with my M7.

 

Ken.

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Yes... Film, It still works :D

 

Not Kodachrome, E-6 only with much effort, and no color film ever looked as good as the DMR at the same ISO.

 

 

Welcome to the world of Electronic Imaging, here today, gone tomorrow.

 

 

REMEMBER ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY.

 

If my DMR had depreciated to zero (it hasn't) it would still be far more economical to use over the 8 years I've had it than an equivalent amount of film, and it has been far more productive. The R8 has required far more costly repair than the DMR has, and my backup R8 with a dead spot meter is now likely uneconomical to repair.

Edited by wildlightphoto
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