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M9 - advice before I buy


cviviani

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Dear All

 

yesterday I visited my local Leica dealer (of very good reputation). He offered to me an M9 in excellent external conditions, but he was unable to say whether the sensor was replaced or not, or to tell me the number of actuations. He did tell me the previous owner was a collector, and this seems to be confirmed by how the camera looks. The price was 2700 euro, with six-month warranty.

 

What do you think?

 

Best

 

Carlo

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We don't do valuations here. Just check with Leica whether the sensor was replaced, otherwise get the dealer to have the camera looked over by Leica. They don't sound very expert. Checking the number of actuations is a two-minute job on an M9.

You can judge the price against  realized sales on eBay and offerings by other dealers. Oh-and insist on a good guaranty and return policy.

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Sensor: even if not already changed this will not cost you any euro more. Leica offers this service FOC, the only bad side of this is that the substitution requires the camera sent to Wetzlar and about six weeks to have it back.

Agree also with other comments: are there no other dealers around you?

 

 

Sent using iPhone, sorry for typos

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Sensor: even if not already changed this will not cost you any euro more. Leica offers this service FOC, the only bad side of this is that the substitution requires the camera sent to Wetzlar and about six weeks to have it back.

Agree also with other comments: are there no other dealers around you?

 

 

Sent using iPhone, sorry for typos

Another good point about sensor replacement is that they'll CLA the camera for you at the time. They often replace the top plates etc. You basically get a new camera.

 

www.robertpoolephotography.com

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Carlo, if you look around you will find that there are many M9s available at around the price you are quoting. I had a glance a Red Dot Cameras (one of the sponsors of this forum and highly reputable) website and they have one which has had the sensor replaced and is shown as having only 2300 shutter actuations and carries a 6 month warranty. They would no doubt be able to tell you a lot more about it too. Other reputable dealers will be able to supply similar cameras and with similar amounts of information and with similar warranties. Personally I would say that if you are buying such a camera you need a dealer who is conversant with it and able to offer help and advice - these days email minimises distance problems considerably - and is reputable enough to deal with any problems which might arise properly.

 

And FWIW I am sure that our Italian members will be more than willing to point you towards reputable dealers in Italy - I've had good service from New Old Cameras in Milan myself. Hope you find your camera.

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If the firmware is 1.204, then the sensor has been replaced. BUT if the firmware is 1.210 it is possible that the sensor has not been replaced. Any other version and you know for sure that the sensor has not been replaced (not under the corrosion issue goodwill program anyway).

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If the firmware is 1.204, then the sensor has been replaced. BUT if the firmware is 1.210 it is possible that the sensor has not been replaced. Any other version and you know for sure that the sensor has not been replaced (not under the corrosion issue goodwill program anyway).

It could have been replaced but with the old sensor (as mine was) and have the old firmware

 

www.robertpoolephotography.com

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Was your sensor replaced because of corrosion ? Surely they didn't replace a corroded sensor with one known to be at risk of further problems in a few years.

 

I added the "not under the corrosion issue goodwill program anyway" because I also had the sensor replaced twice before the corrosion issue and of course there was no specific FW for those.

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Was your sensor replaced because of corrosion ? Surely they didn't replace a corroded sensor with one known to be at risk of further problems in a few years.

 

I added the "not under the corrosion issue goodwill program anyway" because I also had the sensor replaced twice before the corrosion issue and of course there was no specific FW for those.

As far as I know it was replaced for corrosion with an at risk sensor. From what I understand that's what they did until they recently brought out the new corrosion resistant sensor. I have a line of dead pixels so will be sending it off at some point soon and get the new sensor.

 

www.robertpoolephotography.com

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Ah, sorry, I had no idea they did that.

 

More info for the OP, to get the exposure total:

 

Be careful doing this !!!!!!! Don't play around in those menus !

Turn M9 on, press delete, up up, down down down down, left left left, right right, info. In the "Body Debug Data" screen, check "NumExposures"

 

Another way is to take a photo and check with M9Info available here http://www.soens.de/downloads/

 

​A third way is to check the exif. Get the value of "Image Unique ID" and convert this to decimal. (online converter here http://www.binaryhexconverter.com/hex-to-decimal-converter)

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Was your sensor replaced because of corrosion ? Surely they didn't replace a corroded sensor with one known to be at risk of further problems in a few years.

 

I added the "not under the corrosion issue goodwill program anyway" because I also had the sensor replaced twice before the corrosion issue and of course there was no specific FW for those.

Surely they did ;) It took a while to develop the new sensor coating, in the meantime the corroded sensors were replaced by the old type in the knowledge that a percentage might have to be replaced a second time.

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one thing to consider is time off.

if you have the issue of corrosion then cameras goes to a trip which could last months if the time is not right.

thus you need to be prepared for this...

same for dead pixels and same for any other one of many little glitches.

 

As far as I have seen, every single MM or M9 which I have used or from friends have gone for a trip al least once...

Some even twice and one, my M9P, three times for a number of various issues until sensor replacement.

 

The fact that cameras go to factory is basically normal.

 

If you are ok with it, then you will not be upset later.

BTW the Leica service is good, in EU, and I found them always very accommodating, kind and willing to help.

Just there are times in which too many cameras go back to base and waiting time is long...

 

G.

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And FWIW I am sure that our Italian members will be more than willing to point you towards reputable dealers in Italy - I've had good service from New Old Cameras in Milan myself. Hope you find your camera.

 

 

Why are dealers in Italy ? The OP is in Brussels according to what is displayed under his avatar. This *could* be an issue though if the sensor is faulty, or indeed if the camera needs to be returned so Leica for any reason, as from what I was told about six weeks ago, there is no official Belgian Leica importer at the moment. Other channels would need to be used.

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I'd be interested to know why they seemingly can't say how many actuations numerous ways of doing so and a dealer should know!

 

Regarding the sensor Leica will look after you, the turn around on my M9-P was 5 weeks and I could have taken a loaner camera, regarding software and if you have the later sensor I'm afraid the number doesn't really help my camera came back with 1.210, and not anything unusual

 

Price is easy to check, but the number of actuations and condition will be key, search the Internet and you'like soon get to understand if the price is fair. Buying from a dealer does offer the advantage of a stronger more supportive relationship and that will be your call

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I'd be interested to know why they seemingly can't say how many actuations numerous ways of doing so and a dealer should know!

 

maybe, they know a little more, than we do? maybe, the shuttercounter, might have been reset during a former Service and the reading of the counter in the described ways can only give an idea about how many acutations happened since the last service but does give no clue at all about the overall amount of acutations of this camera??

 

talking about the sensor: why would you care, if it is old or new? Leica replaces it, whenever corrosion makes it necessary. so don't bother. maybe Leica replaced a coroded sensor by one of the older kind. this happened, while corrosion was already a problem but the new sensow wasn available yet.  in that case, corrosion might happen again. the knowledge about the former changing of the sensor would not give you any kind of idea about the risk of cathing corrosion again.

 

if you trust your dealer: do so and get the camera. if you dont: find a dealer, you want to trust.

 

for marketprices please consult the electric bay and add 15% to 25% for cameras sold by authorized dealers and their warranty.

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  • 2 months later...

Sorry to bounce an old thread...

 

But is there an easy to check what FW version is installed on an M9?

 

Seems like an easy way to confirm sensor replacement or not?

 

Also, just in a no doubt futile attempt to be helpful... wasn't there 2 corroded sensor fixes,

 

Firstly the new cover glass (which didn't get the FW update), the whole new sensor which did get yhe FW update?

 

Hence why some of you have had your M9s fixed and not got the FW?

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hit menu and scroll up. 

 

BTW, if there is no sign of corrosion and you live in dry area, the old coverglass does have the better curves and transmission. I'm still using it, as are many others. S8612 is excellent, but noted to be susceptible to environment by Schott. 

 

Buying a camera, I would ask for a lower price on the original, not because it performs worse, but most want the new, and if the old one does show corrosion you are without the camera for at least a month if not two. 

 

But, corrosion does appear slowly, so you can call and arrange a repair in advance, with some centers. 

Edited by uhoh7
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