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One thread for the blinking LED concerns


scott kirkpatrick

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Let's see if this one can be nailed (or will go away). In the very long 1.16 thread, several owners reported seeing seeing the red LED flash on the back of the camera when they pressed the shutter, even though the camera should have been off. One person indicated that he thought his camera wasn't shutting down properly as evidenced by the battery running down. Let's see if those who have this problem can present a way of producing it, on their cameras at least, so that it can be addressed.

 

I can't reproduce it on an M9 or on three M8's (late model classic, early M8, now upgraded, and M8.2), but here's what I tried.

 

Pick up camera after an hour or more on the shelf, switched off.

Press shutter button

Switch on, review last image, press info, switch off.

Press shutter button multiple times during the next 10-20 seconds.

 

No blinking LEDs in response to a shutter press in all of this.

 

What do others see?

 

scott

 

I do get blinking red led.

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I'm one of those who reported being able to activate the red LED even with the camera off. Strangely, the problem seems to have gotten "worse" for me in the last week: instead of the LED blinking once when pressing the shutter button with the switch set to "OFF", now the red LED remains lit as long as the shutter button is pressed down.

 

Leica USA just confirmed today that the LED should NEVER turn on if the camera is off, but they have not said whether they believe this is a hardware issue or due to the new firmware (as I originally reported in another thread, I only noticed this behaviour after I updated the camera's firmware). In fact, the person at Leica said they had not received reports of this behaviour so I'm guessing my M9 will have to make a trip to the shop to get sorted out.

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My M8 did this. Even the menu buttons would work occasionally. Worse yet, the shutter could work too. The display would come on and everything. The camera went back to NJ three times for repair and they couldn't solve it after 6 months of trying. Finally they replaced it. Zero issues with the replacement.

 

Leica replaced circuit boards and various buttons to no avail. Each time Leica replaced the same parts, so I feel like they were looking in the wrong place. I think it was a grounding fault because my hand had to be touching the metal case and the shutter button - as if completing a circuit. I tested the theory with a volt meter found there was current. So if Leica held it one way, nothing would happen. But if it was held and completed circuit, the fault was 100% reproducible at will.

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So, my M9 arrived yesterday in Solms and today I received a copy of its "Service order". Here is Leica's diagnosis:

 

general condition of product

• traces of use

• bottom plate scratched

 

Labour costs

• repair/replace electronics

• adjust mask / mask carrier

• adjust range finder

• adjustment of all parts

• cleaning and end control

 

Neccessary parts

• flexible board

• mask carrier

 

I had reported three issues, namely:

 

• Image Field Selector and Bright-line View don't work correctly

• M9 switch is OFF, when subsequently pressed down red LED in back blinks.

• Slight front focus on brand new 50 lux ASPH shot wide open and at close focus.

 

I wonder which of the above items might be related to the blinking red LED?

I better ask them and find out for sure.

Of course, repair is under warranty and apparently free of charge.

 

So far, so good. Thanks Leica, K-H.

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"mask carrier" relates to the viewfinder problems.

 

"flexible board" is the electronic circuit board (or one of them) and relates to the blinking LED, i.e. the camera's confusion over whether it's on or off.

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"mask carrier" relates to the viewfinder problems.

"flexible board" is the electronic circuit board (or one of them) and relates to the blinking LED, i.e. the camera's confusion over whether it's on or off.

 

Howard, Many thanks for your explanations, K-H.

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I think this thread has been useful. It seems the blinking LED when the camera should be off is a real effect seen in some out-of-spec units, not a firmware bug. And it can be dealt with at the factory. If any of you choose to send in an M9 to fix this particular bug (as well as whatever other funky behavior may go along with it), please reference this thread so that you don't get the "never heard of this" reaction.

 

scott

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  • 3 weeks later...

Yesterday I got my M9 back from Solms. Despite the Icelandic volcano ash, it left Leipzig/Germany on Monday and made it to my house via Cincinnati, Phoenix, and Albuquerque with DHL in one day. Just amazing.

 

Well, there is some good news and some not so good.

 

Good:

• Image Field Selector and Bright-line View work correctly now for all my lenses.

 

Not so good:

Red LED still blinks (for old or new FW).

• Sensor now dirtier than when I sent it off.

 

Also, the M9 came back with the old FW installed although I sent it to Solms with new FW. No big deal. Maybe the old FW was on the replacement electronics board. I installed the new FW without any problems.

 

My 50 lux ASPH more or less still shows the same front focus on the M9. However, infinity focus seems to be fine for all of my lenses and close focus wide open appears good for most of them. I probably should send in the new 50 lux ASPH to have it checked.

 

K-H.

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...

 

• Sensor now dirtier than when I sent it off.

 

Also, the M9 came back with the old FW installed although I sent it to Solms with new FW. No big deal. ...

 

A) I'm glad it's back. Got pretty touchy there for a while, what with having to learn Icelandic. :p

 

B) They must be really busy to leave those two problems.

 

 

I think Leica has said that any camera that goes in for repair is supposed to get a sensor cleaning before it leaves the house.

 

I'm almost certain that Leica has said that any camera that goes in for repair will be returned with the latest firmware.

 

I can understand how the sensor might have missed a cleaning, but I don't understand how a camera can be returned with older firmware.

 

As you say, it's no big deal; but it's a surprise.

 

At least the known problems were corrected.

 

Seems as if some cameras exhibit the blinking LED and some don't; I don't know that that behavior has been identified as a problem.

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Seems as if some cameras exhibit the blinking LED and some don't; I don't know that that behavior has been identified as a problem.

 

Howard,

 

Thanks for your feedback.

 

I will try to solicit an official statement out of Leica whether they regard the blinking red LED a problem that needs to be corrected or not.

 

Cheers, K-H.

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Oh dear, blinking red LED here as well now, very odd as it started just recently.

My list of defects :eek: so far :

 

1) broken sensor glass (solved: 1st trip to solms)

2) front focussing (solved: 2nd trip to solms)

3) jumping images while zoomed in (open)

4) black frame (open)

5) blinking led (open)

6) what's next ... (3rd trip to solms ?)

 

But apart from all that, I'm still happy, I think ... :rolleyes:

 

All the best :D

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Bart,

 

I hear you. A lot of frustration. You have been through quite a bit.

So far, the blinking red LED hasn't stopped me from taking pictures.

 

I have sent Solms an email on 4/22 inquiring about the issue. Another on 4/26.

Answering email doesn't seem to be a great priority for them.

 

I will call 'em up in a few days and maybe find out some pertinent information.

 

Better luck to you and your M9 in the future.

 

Best Regards, K-H.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I got a second M9 yesterday (3839...). Its red light blinks when I press the shutter button all the way down with the camera switched off. The first time I noticed this, it blinked several tunes for a single press, but subsequently only once. My other M9 and the M8s I've known don't do this.

 

scott

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