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Here's the story of a photographer who thought Leica was a serious camera company who cares about their trustful customers. My name is Kaïs, french photographer based in Paris, France. I started my Leica journey with a M9, ten years ago, sold and upgraded with a M9-P A Monochrom (version 1) quickly followed him all of them bought brand new. Wanting to get my hands on a "real Leica", I bought a M6 Titanium set with its Summicron 35/1.4. The medium lust was too hard to resist: a S2 with a Summarit 70 joined my stable. Let's add a wide angle to my S system: a brand new Summarit 35. Time has past, I added a M7 (0.58 finder), a Q Titanium, a Monochrom version 2, a M5, an Elmarit 90/2.0, a Summicron 50, a Summarit 35/2.4... We are talking about minimum 44 500€ (including the S007)!!!!! Then, the problems begun: both my M9-P and Monochrom I had a sensor failure (cracked sensor). How come a "pro" camera could have a sensor cracked? During my carreer, I owned a 5DmkII, a D3x, a Df, a 5DmkIV (I'm still using today) that NEVER failed me, NEVER. Anyways, Leica has been kind enough to replace both sensors for free. When the S007 came out, I was tempted to upgrade my aging S2. At my usual Leica dealer, they kindly checked my S2 before it goes on sale and discovered a corroded sensor! Come on! A third failure from a so serious comapany? I must be the unluckiest photographer on earth then. Still, I upgraded to a reconditioned mint grade SOO7, checked by Leica with a one year guarantee. During my second shooting, the 70 started to rattle from time to time, missing focus lock. Of course, my poker face never let any worries showed to my clients. Back home, I uploaded the photos into Capture One and got struck by what I have discovered (picture attached). I thought my memory card failed (I exclusively use hi-speed Sandisk Extreme and Extreme Pro SD). I tried with different cards, same problem. The DNGs are available if requested. I met the people of Leica at Paris Salon de la photo (photoshow) and, after hours of friendly chat, they acknowledged that there was a video card failure. Wait a second. Are we talking about Leica's flagship camera here? The one that is supposed to compete with a Hasselblad HD6-50 or a PhaseOne XF??? A failure after less than 2000 photos taken? Is this german so-called excellence? Since November 8th, 2018 my SOO7 is at the customer service (I hope) and I have NO NEWS from them!!! How come a pro photographer can trust such miserable products????? How come my 2400€ 5DmkIV works like a charm after litteraly thousands and thousands of photos??? How come it takes 10 days max to Canon to fix and upgrade the firmware of their pro camera when I have been waiting 6+ months to get any information from Wetzlar??? I'm over with this overrated brand. Keep on releasing limited edition for rich Qataris and Russians and let the pros (Canon, Nikon, Hasselblad, Fuji, to name a few) run the photography business. SHAME ON YOU Leica to ignore and disrespect your loyal customers!!! We made you, never forget that. I sent them a letter and I know the drill: they will send me apologies. But I'm not paying for apologies!!! I don't need them!!! I'm paying for equipment that pays my bills and feed me! Today, I'm waiting to get my hands back on my S007 to trade it for a Hasselblad H6D-50c. I am so disappointed by Leica... www.kaisdebali.com

Hallo, ich habe heute einen SF20 an die CCD Monochrom gesetzt. Nur auslösen will der nicht. Hat jemand eine Erklärung für mich?

Hi everyone! I know that there are already discussions on this subject and I followed them to do the vertical alignment procedure on my m9, but I saw that nobody had my problems, so I ask you some advice, maybe someone has had my same experience and can help me. This is what I did: I removed the red Leica dot, I dropped a drop of acetone on the adjustment mechanism of the vertical alignment and after a while I inserted the special tool into the hole trying to pivot and move the mechanism. I have not seen any drops of glue on the mechanism or anything that looks like glue. However, I noticed that the instrument was not gripped at any point and therefore, rotating the instrument, the vertical alignment mechanism did not seem to move in any direction. After some time applying more force I noticed a great vertical misalignment. Trying to recover, I could not move the patch anymore. I ask you if it ever happened to you or if I did something wrong. thank you Marco

I just recently sold my M8 to "upgrade". I bought a used Q and am having feelings of loss of my M8 which I loved and had a more emotional attachment to than the Q. I bought the Q for the benefit of the option of autofocus in a full frame leica and better performance in low light with a lens that I could never afford to buy on its own and attach to an M. But I prefer the build quality on the 8 as well as the look of the files I just can't pinpoint over the Q. While better on paper in every way from a tech stat standpoint, the Q seems more clinical and images do not seem as buttery and the color rendition is different. I'm not looking for super sharp. I am not looking to document an exact copy of what I see in front of me. I am won over by the feel of images. The leica M8 just seemed to produce more artful dreamy images. Now I have been thinking about an M9 instead as I am reading that the differences I am describing are common with the newer sensors in all Leica. Am I crazy? Should I learn to love my Q and explore ways to replicate what the 8 had that the q seems to be missing?

'Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood When blackness was a virtue the road was full of mud I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form Come in, she said I'll give ya shelter from the storm And if I pass this way again, you can rest assured I'll always do my best for her, on that I give my word… [ 384 more words ] https://msvphoto.wordpress.com/2018/12/17/come-in-she-said/ Ph. © Massimo S. Volonté Fotografo M9, 35'cron IV

Hi all, I am an M9 user but of late I have been seriously thinking of getting an M240 (M-P) to use for landscapes. I am not concerned with the differences in file output but what I am interested in is any advice you can give with regard to using filters. With my M9s I find filter use (Grads, Polarisers) at best inconvenient at worst downright annoying I am thinking that with the Live View on the M240 it will be easy to judge effect of filters I'm even thinking of adding the EVF for more convenience. So any advice/comments on your experiences on the use of filters with the M240 would be greatly appreciated. I should add that for "serious" Landscapes I do have the Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format system the 240 would be for when I travel light but still want to be able to do landscapes as well as travel style.

Why? no video simplicity of use The fun of relearning the art of taking a better photograph. Summary; I’m not distracted by the complexity of other over elaborate digital cameras. I take about a tenth of the photos with each project. As a result I have better photographs and more time in the post processing.

Hi All, Does any one have any information on the below engraving on a M9 body ? "LCS-Property" What does LCS stands for? Looking at the the engraving it seems to be original. See attachment. - John.

https://msvphoto.wordpress.com/2018/08/28/city-sickness-436/ 2011 © Massimo S. Volonté Fotografo​ M9, 35'cron

One April morning in 2013, my nephew Jasper and I took a hot air balloon flight out here in Albuquerque. M9. 40mm Summicron. —S

Dear All I wonder if anyone can give me some advice or help. We were burgled last week from north west London and all of my precious cameras have been taken. I don't have the reference numbers for the whole stash, but what was taken included an M2, son-1085967 with a 40mm/ f2 Summicron lens in a brown leather case an M8 body, fabrication number 3196666, VK number 10702 an M9 body body number 0384,with 35mm/ 2.8 summaron lens , son-2081257 There was also a 50mm/ f2 Summicron and a 90mm / f28 Elmarit as well as a Hasselblad 500C/M with an f/2.8 80mm and a f/3.5 100mm lens and my old Nikon FM2 with a 24 mm, a 35mm, a 50mm and an 80mm lens and a Canon 5D mk 2 body a Polaroid SX-70 an old battered Mamiya 645 in a metal case I'm devastated, not least by the M2/ 35mm which was the first Leica I bought, and which after a particularly terrible time working in DRC was the only thing that was evacuated with me. I wonder if anyone has been through the same devastating experience and can offer any advice? The police have done forensics/opened a case but is that all I can do? I’d be hugely thankful for any help/ lead in this All best Miriam

https://msvphoto.wordpress.com/2018/06/18/beautiful-catastrophe-072/ Italy, April 2015 © Massimo S. Volonté Fotografo​

or - why there will always be a 135 in my M system

There are certain Leica Summilux 35 1.4 non ASPH lenses that are incompatible with the M8 or M9. I have one that is made in Canada. I looked everywhere to find clues on how to fix the issue. I found little pieces of information and I wanted to do everyone else a favor by taking a video of how I resolved the issue. First, to test if you have a problem - Set the focus to 3 feet (not to infinity). Mount the lens into your M8 or M9. Move the focus ring toward infinity GENTLY. If you feel resistance before infinity - stop. You have the issue. Now, to unmount, backup your focus ring to 3 feet again and then dismount. If you have the issue, do not try to mount the lens while focus is set to infinity. Bad. The problem - There is a shroud that sticks out (a black piece of aluminum highlighted in my video) at the back of the lens. This shroud increases in height as you move to infinity. The M8 and M9 body is preventing that shroud to further stick out while moving to infinity. I have highlighted in the video exactly which part of the shroud is hitting. I also show how I've done the job myself of shaving 1mm off the shroud to allow the focus to get to infinity without obstruction. There are illustrations that say measure 7mm from the bottom of the ring to measure exactly how much to shave, but my video shows what I've done and it works for me. I'm now a happy camper. Happy enough to share what I did. PS: I did not show it but I did tape the lens glass to protect it while I was grinding the shroud with my dremel tool. Here is the video for future adventurers: https://vimeo.com/275145377 Ronnie

Massimiliano Loizzi​, Author and Actor. https://msvphoto.wordpress.com/2018/06/11/faces-027/ 2013 © Massimo S. Volonté Fotografo​ M9, 50'luxPreasph

Shanklin old village Isle of Wight

The Big Apple Circus shot at 640ISO, M9p and a 35mm Summilux. 1/350th at F1.4.

Niton, Isle of Wight. Vignette added

https://msvphoto.wordpress.com/2018/04/25/city-sickness-422/ 2014 © Max S. Volonté​ M9, 35'cron

https://msvphoto.wordpress.com/2018/04/11/city-sickness-420/ 2014 © Massimo S. Volonté Fotografo​ M9, 35'cron

Hello, I am a long time Leica user, having owned two M3's, M6, R7, and various Digiluxes. Currently I use a X Vario. I am being offered a M9 at USD 3400. The seller will supply documentation proving the sensor has been replaced. Shutter count is approx 13000 (I checked by converting the Unique ID Hex number). By checking online via the serial number, it seems the camera is a late 2011, or 2012 model. I tested the camera with my own SD card, taking about 50 photos with a 50 Summarit, and a 35 Summiux. As far as I can tell, the camera in a perfect mechanical condition. The rangefinder is accurate, the shutter release is excellent, and metering is good. Cosmetically, the bottom edges are brassed, but the factory plastic covering on the bottom plate is still on so the rest of the bottom plate should be fine. There is light scruffing/brassing on other parts of the camera. My question is, should I buy this camera, which with a new 50 Summarit would cost USD 5200, or buy, at USD 5500, the M 262 Oberwerth Set (if I can get one) which consists of a M 262 + 50 Summarit + Oberwerth bag? The common sense says buy the M 262 Set, but I love the look of the photos from the M9, they are gorgeous! Simultaneously with the M9, I also took photos with a MP-240, and while the files from the 240 are excellent, I think the files from the M9 are special. I will not be using the M9 much at high ISO, so that is not a concern. Nor is the lesser buffer or writing speed a concern. I would very much appreciate your opinions on this. Thank you in advance. Firoze