virpolo Posted December 23, 2009 Share #1  Posted December 23, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I'm a pro fot. from switzerland, and I got a new m9 a few weeks ago. Sorry for my english. I'll give you a feedback about the m9, as it seems to me to be of some importance if you are looking for a professional use of the m9. First tests of my m9 have revealed 2 types of BIG problems: 1. the 4 lens I use the most ( 28/2 asph, 35/2 asph, 50/2 lastv., 90/2.8 lv), coded by Leica-CH 1 year before for use with my two m8.2 (Leica-CH changed my fisrt m8.2 three month after for a lot of electronic defects), where inacurate on the m9 (but perfect on the m8.2). The 35 was the worse of all (blur, irregularly, in the 4 corner, but like if the image was moved, even closed to 16, on tripod, at 1000e, etc). Leica CH has recalibrated (dismount, remount, check on optical bank etc. = 3 people and 1 day of work) for free this 4 lenses, and since that, they are perfectly acurate again on my m9 (but I've sold my m8.2, can't compare anymore). Leica CH said to me, without any doubt, that at this point of precision (=fullframe etc.) a perfect adjustment between THIS lens and THIS body is inevitable (meaning: you will not get the best of your lenses if you change them from one body to another. Btw, ALPA nows that since ten years - I'm also using an alpa 12 swa: 1 lens adjsuted for 1 digital back adjusted on 1 body, thats the only rule if you want to get the best of your gear). Leica also told me that using the same lenses on m8.2 and m9 wont be a good idea: they cannot calibrate the lens perfectly for the 2 bodys, so I will have to choose: a perfect calibration for my m9, a perfect one for my m8.2, or a middle-way calibration for the 2 bodys. Meaning also that if you are using two m9, or one m8 and one m9... just buy yourself 2 lens of each length? The technicians were absolutly clear: when Leica.com says that you can use any lens from 1954 til today, it's true... only if you don't care about quality.  2. The second BIG problem I encounter is a dead line of blue pixels on the 640iso and more on about every shoots. It is always situated on the first 1/5 of the image, at left, from top to bottom (I post here a portion of 100% pix, without developement, 640 iso, left top corner of the image). I know I've read something about that on some forums before geting my m9 but cannot find it again. Leica-CH says that they have knowledge of this problem, and they claim that it is probably (????) a: a. firmware problem b. processor in the m9 problem c. postreatment in the m9 problem d. sensor problem They also reassure me that they will correct that for free... anytime... no idea when... january 2010? June 2011? By changing the firmware, or changing the processor, or changing the postreatment, or changing... the sensor! If so, the lenses should be one more time adjusted...  I have to say that technicians and representative at Leica-CH are very helpful and very nice people. They really do what they can. They helped me so far with all their knowledge. This message is nothing like a way to disminish them or Leica. I've worked since 1978 with m3, m6 and m7 with an absolute confidence and top results. I only try to go digital... not for my pleasure, but for economic reasons. If you're interested in the following of that story, let me know! I'm also speaking of that with Erwin Puts. All the best, Leica lovers! 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/107569-dead-pixels-line-on-m9-lens-ajustment/?do=findComment&comment=1161446'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 23, 2009 Posted December 23, 2009 Hi virpolo, Take a look here dead pixels line on m9 + lens ajustment. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted December 23, 2009 Share #2 Â Posted December 23, 2009 It is a known problem and it is a sensor defect, the camera needs to be returned to Leica or exchanged. The RF calibration will be corrected at the same time. Basically the M9 is less demanding than the M8, so it should be OK, unless you got your lenses adjusted to your M8. It is not true that body and lens must be matched- both lenses and body should be in tolerance, meaning the lenses will be perfect on another well-adjusted body too and vica-versa. Actually they should be using a reference body and a reference lens to adjust. The lens corners - well, on the M8 they get cut off, so you would not see the optical aberrations there Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eleskin Posted December 23, 2009 Share #3 Â Posted December 23, 2009 Boy, all of this talk of lenses not working properly on the M8 when they are adjusted for the M9 scares me. I am planning on buying an M9 next year and using my M8 as a backup as well as a camera that I still use (even with the M9, there are some things I like about the M8 files vs. the M9). My Nocilux was sent to Germany earlier this year and it is dead on in focus with my M8. I really hope that if my lenses work well with my M8, i should not have a problem with the M9. For $7,000 USD, I should not have any problem! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted December 23, 2009 Share #4 Â Posted December 23, 2009 2 M8 bodies, one M9 body, about ten lenses - perfect focus of all lenses on all bodies - They won't fit my R8 though Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
virpolo Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share #5 Â Posted December 23, 2009 jaapv. you feel confident and that good for you. I'm working since 1978 with Leica's and in close relation to the technical staff in Switzerland, wich is one of the best in Europe. What they have said to me is reliable. Leica has exchange some m9 body for that problem in the first runs. They do not anymore, as the problem also appears on new (exchanged) bodys! Smart. They believe that they will find a way within the app. system. But if you have more information related to that (real exchange of m9 body in the last weeks), please let us know. Â For the lenses, saying that there is no problem is great but wont help the one who encounters the problem. The fact that the tolerance SHOULD permit any exchange between lenses and body do not garantee it. My lenses are not old, they are regularly checked by the Leica staff, and they have been coded without my m8.2's (on the tolerance scale, as you know). But Leica technicians have said to me that the tolerances are too big to avoid in any case the problems I'm talking about. I believe they are in the good place to make this assertion. Shure, you can have the chance that everything is on line between you bodys and your lenses. I did not had this chance... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eleskin Posted December 23, 2009 Share #6 Â Posted December 23, 2009 jaapv: Â Now that is what I wanted to hear. Now all I have to do is find the $7,000 USD for my M9 (I will have to wait till after Tax season here in the USA after April, but that is probably good in that Leica would have had more time to produce M9's without any issues and I will not have the wait others now do. If I am lucky, maybe by that time we will see a real chrome version!). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted December 23, 2009 Share #7 Â Posted December 23, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) jaapv. you feel confident and that good for you. I'm working since 1978 with Leica's and in close relation to the technical staff in Switzerland, wich is one of the best in Europe. What they have said to me is reliable. Leica has exchange some m9 body for that problem in the first runs. They do not anymore, as the problem also appears on new (exchanged) bodys! Smart. They believe that they will find a way within the app. system. But if you have more information related to that (real exchange of m9 body in the last weeks), please let us know. Â For the lenses, saying that there is no problem is great but wont help the one who encounters the problem. The fact that the tolerance SHOULD permit any exchange between lenses and body do not garantee it. My lenses are not old, they are regularly checked by the Leica staff, and they have been coded without my m8.2's (on the tolerance scale, as you know). But Leica technicians have said to me that the tolerances are too big to avoid in any case the problems I'm talking about. I believe they are in the good place to make this assertion. Shure, you can have the chance that everything is on line between you bodys and your lenses. I did not had this chance... What you say about tolerances is essentially true. That is exactly what my technician tells me. And then he adjusts the bodies and lenses within a smaller tolerance and all is well. Not that my bodies needed it, Solms did it perfectly, and from the lenses only my Summilux 50 asph, Apo90 asph and TE 135 needed to be put in the middle of the tolerance span. And yes - my early M9 body ran out of focus and had to be readjusted by Solms - on an amazingly speedy turnaround. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
virpolo Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share #8 Â Posted December 23, 2009 chrom is nothing - but ask for a saphir glass ! ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Googaliser Posted December 26, 2009 Share #9  Posted December 26, 2009 Dear Virpolo, I had the same column defect on my new M9 a couple of months back. My dealer swapped the body out for me, the thread is here:  http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-forum/102092-new-m9-column-defect.html  Although it is likely a sensor defect, such issues could be masked via the camera's software (at least that's what other manufacturers do since this is quite a common CCD issue). It sounds like this may be Leica's prefered solution now rather than replacing the sensor.  The only lens compatibility issue I have encountered is with my 35mm Summicron. Infinity falls ever so slightly short of infinity in the viewfinder. The resulting images are fine, but it is a bit annoying and will likely need to be sent off.  Rgds Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
virpolo Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share #10 Â Posted December 26, 2009 many thanks for this direct and simple answer, and the link. I'm still waiting for a solution, as I need the body every days and Leica CH do not have enough m9 to give me one at this time... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELCAN Posted December 26, 2009 Share #11  Posted December 26, 2009 2 M8 bodies, one M9 body, about ten lenses - perfect focus of all lenses on all bodies - They won't fit my R8 though  You are a really LUCKY boy  M8.2 and M9, lot of lens, no time to try all, but the 75 Lux works Ok in the m8.2 and backfocus in the M9... Same whit the Noctilux... and so Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted December 26, 2009 Share #12  Posted December 26, 2009 2 M9s - lenses tested and working well on both: 21 pre-asph 28 cron asph 35 cron pre-asph IV 50 lux asph 90 cron apo 135 apo telyt  ... though this is not to say that you can have problems! I had the dead pixel line problem on one M8 body - Leica fixed this for free and quickly.  Hope you can get your problem sorted quickly ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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