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Regret Purchase of M9 after 2nd service.


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Does the scratch show up on images? Can you check your files to see when it first appeared?

 

A friend of mine with a faulty M9 told me this:

 

Some dust/scratch problems are due to a bad assembly run, and Leica has to replace the whole sensor. It is not normal dust and it cannot be cleaned. The dealers are asked to return any faulty camera to Solms. It seems to affect a run of cameras shipped in January-March 2011.

 

So if you have a strange dust/scratch problem, this may be the reason. Check the problem with your dealer or Solms, by providing your serial number and purchase date and location.

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How could you sell a body with a scratched sensor to some naiive buyer with more money than sense for (near) retail with a clear conscience? Or do you mean you'd knock the price down from full retail by the $4,200 I was charged for a sensor replacement? In which case why not just return it for a refund? I don't have a problem with a Leica dealer having to take it on the chin for selling an M9.
I still think if you were charged something between double and triple the going rate for a sensor replacement that should be the thing to complain about - and not specifically here, but with Leica Solms. I am sure there are rules that their dealers and importers have to adhere to and price-gouging is nearly certain to fall under tose rules.
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I still think if you were charged something between double and triple the going rate for a sensor replacement that should be the thing to complain about - and not specifically here, but with Leica Solms. I am sure there are rules that their dealers and importers have to adhere to and price-gouging is nearly certain to fall under tose rules.

 

Hi Jaap

 

Based on the estimates Leica Customer Service gave over the phone the NZ distributor charged at least double the cost of repair (Leica estimated between 1100 and 1300 euros). I did send an email to Leica about it but that's where the matter ended; by then I'd paid the NZ distributor.

 

Mentioning it here is just to warn others about my experience. At the time all this happened I searched for information on the typical cost of sensor replacement; I should have called Leica myself but hindsight is always 20 20.

 

So I hope the information is helpful to someone else. Of course the estimate is only what Leica told me over the phone, not a written quote.

 

Regards - Cam

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I have no regrets purchasing my M9, but I have been unfortunate with focusing issues. Since November last year it is now in Solms for the third time. This time I sent all three lenses and attached a nicely put letter stating the exact faults to be looked at.

My dealer (I guess the same as yours Christopher) has been nothing but understanding and serviceminded. Let's just hope that when it all comes back to daddy, it works spot on :) Should it not work this time around, then I probably will get grumpy! I believe in third time lucky :D

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I have no regrets purchasing my M9, but I have been unfortunate with focusing issues. Since November last year it is now in Solms for the third time. This time I sent all three lenses and attached a nicely put letter stating the exact faults to be looked at.

My dealer (I guess the same as yours Christopher) has been nothing but understanding and serviceminded. Let's just hope that when it all comes back to daddy, it works spot on :) Should it not work this time around, then I probably will get grumpy! I believe in third time lucky :D

 

Dan, I know, this is not helping you, nor anyone with a similar issue and could be understood as "trolling" by some.

I am sure, I will be corrected quickly by a few people, jumping in for the manufacturers rescue.

 

Your post clearly left my mouth open - it cannot take any camera manufacturer 6 month (s i x), to adjust 3 lenses and one body for focus issues.

Such a time frame is simply unacceptable.

 

If the production capacity of a manufacturer completely used for a high level of orders, one has to outsource work to external suppliers, to prevent such things from happening.

There are worldwide quite a few very capable repair shops, who specialize in Leica.

Instead of investing in Leica flagship stores all around the planet in the finest possible places in town, it would possibly have been reasonable, to invest in training, equipment and subsiding in existing external repair facilities, to extend into stores with adequate repair capacities.

 

There is no excuse for a 6 months timeframe, it is not reasonable by any account, not for a USD 100,- product, nor for a product in Leica expenses.

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@ menos | M6: you missunderstod slightly....I wrote that it is now in "for the third time" since november. First time was last year and it took 4 weeks to have it back. Second time for the trip was april this year with a quite quick turnaround of two weeks. Now is the third time and it has been away for a week.

 

Now, obviously it is not something I like, but I do understand that things go wrong and IF it comes back this time in perfect working order - then I am satisfied with customerservice on all accounts.

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@ menos | M6: you missunderstod slightly....I wrote that it is now in "for the third time" since november. First time was last year and it took 4 weeks to have it back. Second time for the trip was april this year with a quite quick turnaround of two weeks. Now is the third time and it has been away for a week.

 

Now, obviously it is not something I like, but I do understand that things go wrong and IF it comes back this time in perfect working order - then I am satisfied with customerservice on all accounts.

 

Dan, than I apologize.

Although, it is bothersome you had several trips of the goods necessary, turnaround time seems reasonable then.

 

@Mark2

Unfortunately, the D3s shares the same 2 fatal flaws, as the D3, which I still use:

 

- how hard you try, it won't let you mount Leica M glass!

- there is no Noctilux for the Nikon F mount

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ByBrett:

 

Sorry for slow reply. It was a good suggestion you made, thanks! I did check it out and

the scratch mark shows up 2 months before it'd been serviced. So it was something I

did, though as I mentioned before, I can't imagine what.

 

Edit: It's important to note that I never tried to suggest Leica was to blame for the sensor

being scratched, only that it was an issue they knew about that I did not and should've

been on the (first) service report.

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Well, I do hope the readers of this thread read posts #31 and 34#.

This thread really shows how rumors get into the world, and apologies and corrections - however welcome and well meant - are often overlooked!

People read what they want to read, and good news is usually not what they are looking for :o

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I have, but it's no Noctilux, I am afraid with todays DSLRs being it's limitations, not the lens itself ;-)

Your not happy with your Noct-Nikkor on D3, what is the problem?

It's an outstanding performer in all regards on the D3 and very close to the 'look and feel' of the Noctilux lenses on Leica M... IMHO

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To explain further, the sensor scratch is very small and

was mistaken on my part for dust on the sensor. You can't see it wider than 5.6 on

most lenses.

 

I guess the question at this point becomes whether it's worth 900 Euros for you not to have to clone it out whenever it does show. That probably depends on your shooting volume. For mine I'd just go the clone route.

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personally I think a strap lug failure is totally unacceptable. Imagine if you had a Noctilux on the camera? One faulty lug could easily cause over 10K in damage to lens and camera. And I don't understand how they could refuse to fix the lens because it had been serviced before... If it was a voigtlander lens would they refuse any compensation?

 

I have heard of several of these lug failures. The lugs should be super sturdy- anything else is unacceptable. I would kick up one hell of a stink if this happened to me- and if Leica didn't sort things out I would post so on this forum and elsewhere.

 

I must say: I am quite disappointed by the apologists who seem to think Solms can do no wrong. Leica cameras are great: but at the price we pay the service should also be exceptional- no excuses.

 

And in case anyone is wondering I own an M9 and have had no issues to date- just perfect. I wish I could say the same for my M8...

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... I don't understand how they could refuse to fix the lens because it had been serviced before....

Jaques, if you ran your car into a fire hydrant, would you expect the dealer to service the grill and radiator under warranty?

 

The only way to tell a lens has been serviced elsewhere is that the perpetrator left signs of his entry--i.e., it was clearly handled by someone with less than the necessary expertise. There's no way Leica can repair under warranty what was mis-done by a third party. Same goes for a free checkup. Leica knows how it left the factory, but they can already see that this lens needs more than just the usual checkout.

 

If Joe Blow messed up the lens, have him fix it for free. The problem, of course, is that Joe Blow doesn't know what he's doing--but that's not Leica's fault. :rolleyes:

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It is never a question of either owning an M9 or - some DSLR-system. Most M-photographers I know have both. They use Leica M for 'people close up, landscape and street scenes among people - etc. And they use DLSR-systems for tele work like wildlife, bird photography, sports etc. It is enthusiasts that use Leica M. Enthusiasts with several angels to photography.

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