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Leica M9 Corrosion - Sensor Replacement Starts Now!


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My M9-P has also developed sensor corrosion. I sent a file to customer care and very quickly they asked me to send my camera via the Leica dealer of my city. It's my only camera so I do hope they have sensors and the turnaround is not too long.

 

I believe that eventually all M9s will develop this fault. I had never wet-cleaned the sensor and weather here is quite dry...

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My M9 went off to Leica Germany last week. I was asked to complete a pdf form stating whether I wanted repair or replacement with M240, M-P240 or MM246. Prices were upwards from €3300 for upgrades so I went for repair.

 

When the label came through from DHL to attach to the parcel, I noted it was addressed f.a.o. Herr Mandler at Wetzlar!

 

I actually came to this thread to see if anyone could say what the turnaround time is at Leica Park, but it seems mostly to cover experiences from Leica NJ

 

Anyone now how long Wetzlar is taking with these at present?

 

Jim

Thanks Jim - my ME sensor has a severe of corrosion - stuck with it for a for a while but those dots are starting to join together!  I worked out that selling a second-hand ME (with the new replacement sensor) and buying a new M-P240 (with the £500 cash back offer) would be around £2,000 difference. So if they are offering an upgrade from £2340 (at current exchange rates) thats not such a bad deal - assuming of course you want to move into CMOS land!

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

Anyone now how long Wetzlar is taking with these at present?

 

 

 

Well, I can answer my own question: my M9 got back yesterday, with its new sensor. And a very quick service it was, by Leica in Wetzlar.

 

The full story is as follows: 

 

I contacted Leica in Mayfair, London back in June and sent them on request some sample shots. They  said they thought it looked like corrosion, and told me that Leica would be in touch when my turn came on the waiting list. I said let it wait until I get back from Italy, mid-October. 

 

Oct 20th I got notice that they were ready to work on my camera, and we agreed a pick-up date of Friday Oct 30th.

 

Nov 4th camera arrived Wetzlar

 

Nov 12th received shipping notification from UPS

 

Nov 17th M9 arrived here, in the north of Scotland, 11am

 

Pretty damn good, I say!

 

:)  :)  :)

 

Jim

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Well, I can answer my own question: my M9 got back yesterday, with its new sensor. And a very quick service it was, by Leica in Wetzlar.

 

The full story is as follows: 

 

I contacted Leica in Mayfair, London back in June and sent them on request some sample shots. They  said they thought it looked like corrosion, and told me that Leica would be in touch when my turn came on the waiting list. I said let it wait until I get back from Italy, mid-October. 

 

Oct 20th I got notice that they were ready to work on my camera, and we agreed a pick-up date of Friday Oct 30th.

 

Nov 4th camera arrived Wetzlar

 

Nov 12th received shipping notification from UPS

 

Nov 17th M9 arrived here, in the north of Scotland, 11am

 

Pretty damn good, I say!

 

:)  :)  :)

 

Jim

Hello,

 

Could you be so kind to let me know if you arrange the pick up of the camera from  Wetzlar  or they choose the courier company to send the camera, because I did not understand that from what you wrote down. I would appreciate your answer. Mihai

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  • 2 weeks later...

How do i know if my sensor is bad?

 

 

The problem has been documented at length in previous forum posts - the forum search facility can be used to find the links to the posts.

 

Enter 'M9 sensor corrosion' and similar phrases in the search facility. 

 

dunk

Edited by dkCambridgeshire
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To be able to detect a corroded sensor you have to be able to do a thorough clean of your sensor first. If you don't feel confident of doing this, arrange to take your M9 to either your dealer or a Leica service centre for cleaning. After cleaning they will be able to tell you if your sensor is corroded. Basically if you take a picture, with a clean sensor, of a featureless sky or a blank image using an Expodisc, if you see spots on the image which have a halo round them or alternatively what looks like worm tracks across the image, your have a corroded sensor cover glass. Once it is really bad you can see them on direct inspection of the sensor with an illuminated loupe, as a series of milky looking spots. 

 

Wilson

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Hello,

 

Could you be so kind to let me know if you arrange the pick up of the camera from  Wetzlar  or they choose the courier company to send the camera, because I did not understand that from what you wrote down. I would appreciate your answer. Mihai

 

Hi Mihai - apologies for slow response, been in hospital...

 

The answer to your question is that shipping both ways was by UPS, and was arranged by Leica Germany

 

Jim

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Just want to share my positive experience: my M9 had corrosion problems and 2 vertical lines at high ISOs, arranged with Leica Germany to have it serviced, sent it via the Portuguese official distributor and it took 1 month and a half to get it back with a new sensor at zero cost for me including shipping. I am very impressed with the service and both the Portuguese distributor and also Leica Germany were very helpful and quick to give me information about the ongoing process whenever I asked about it. Even though no one promised a specific date to have the camera repaired, I must confess I was counting on 2 months plus, because I imagine many people with problems have been waiting for the new sensors to be ready and must be sending their cameras in since September. So I am quite happy to get it back in just 48 days, just in time for my birthday and for christmas! Thank you Leica for being so serious about your customers' satisfaction. 

Edited by mca
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Ah, service from Leica in the US (New Jersey) is so much worse it seems than the service in Europe. This is my experience:

 

- Terrible communication: emails go unanswered, calls go unreturned, instructions wrt the repair order are ignored (snail mail communication instead of email).

 

- Cross-grade offers to the M or MP (240) are offered but all responses and questions are ignored.

 

- Time for sensor replacement is now and unapologetically 3 months.

 

- No offer of a loaner camera.

 

- No offer to have my local Leica boutique send my M9-P in for me, paid that out of pocket myself via UPS ($150).

 

I'm not active on the forum but am a 15+year Leica customer (M2, M6, M7, M8, M8.2, M9-P, 21 Elmarit, 28 cron, 35 lux, 50 cron, 50 lux, 75 APO, etc, etc, etc.) and I think I'm finally done with them. Very jealous of you Europeans who appear to get prompt and professional service.

 

Bob

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Not to be contrary, but I have a macro for Photoshop that fixes my sensor corrosion spots.

It ain't no big deal.

 

In fact, as I've posted before, the spots on the originals are small, do not disrupt the image and serve as a unique water mark.

.

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In Sweden it took about 6 veeks, I send my M9 to Mattssons Leica Boutique Lund Sweden ffs to Leica Factory 2015 Okt 19 for change of corroded sensor.

 

And got it back 2015 Dec 03, new sensor, cleand and adjust, firmware 1.204.

 

Everything Ok.

 

Sten-S

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