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Summicron 50 abberation?


gkolluri

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Hello forum members, I have been learning a lot about leica and this is my first thread and unfortunately its a problem.

 

Bought an new M9 last month and just got a lens via Ebay a summicron 50 mm (current version). The camera is great as well as the images and have been taking many pictures in the past few days and finally noticed an abberation - two curvilinear lines - one white and a black one distal to that.

 

They are in every photo, in the same place, blurry when the lens is open and sharper when the lens is stopped down (f16). I think this is a problems with the lens. I cleaned it, took off the filter and remounted it. Same problem.

 

I need the lens for a trip overseas in December and am afraid to send it in for repair as it may not return in time for my trip. Attached is the example, the lines are in the top right corner.

 

Certainly would appreciate and comments and recommendations and thank you in advance

 

Glenn

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Hi Glenn,

 

what a frustrating start to 'the wonderful world of Leica'[ATTACH]274265[/ATTACH]

 

I'm sure that others in the forum would have a better idea than me regarding the cause of this. However, to start with take a photograph with the lens OFF the camera and see if the lines are still present. Then you will know where the fault lies. Please post the image.

 

That they appears to be in reasonable focus makes me wonder whether it is the fault of the camera, or specifically the sensor, although I stand to be corrected.

 

Regardless, this is clearly not normal so if it's still present with the lens off, take the camera back to the dealer ASAP. If it's in the lens (joys of eBay) then you will need to get it serviced unless the eBay seller will attend to the problem.

 

Good luck and let us know how it is resolved.

 

Regards

Mark

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Bad news I'm afraid - a crack in the cover glass over the sensor. The camera (not the lens) will require warranty repair. (EDIT: from Florida a repair will likely not take more than 6 weeks - well before December. I might even predict a shorter turnaround, except that this is August, and thus vacation time in Germany/Europe)

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-forum/108712-ir-absorbing-cover-glass-broken.html

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The cracked sensor problem was generally limited to an early batch of serial numbers, so I wonder if your camera was secondhand? If the crack appears on all your images then it was already cracked when you got the camera. There is no doubt that Leica will repair it but it will mean time away.

 

Steve

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Glenn--

You'll be able to see the cracked coverglass by looking into the mouth of the camera with the shutter open. The crack will be at bottom left.

 

Do be sure to enter your serial number in the thread http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-forum/133186-cracked-sensor-serial-numbers-only.html.

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If you have photoshop, make a copy of the original layer and then apply Filter - Other - High Pass and give it a value of 0.2 and those cracks should disappear. You can isolate that area with a selection, invert selection, hit Delete to reveal the good part on first layer, although in my experience it is not always necessary.

 

Of course this is a temporary fix to existing shots.

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Thanks to everyone for their insight. I did contact my dealer with the photos and they agree it is a cracked glass on the sensor. They seemed to be aware about it and said the repair should take about a month.

 

I bought the camera from Dale Photo in South Florida about 18 days ago. It was listed as a "Demo". As it was explained to me, it came as a demo from Germany and may have been used in a promotion, display or other. Then they sent it to Dales to sell. They get a few of these a year. The camera had 259 Actuations on it and I got it for 10% off. So it was a good deal. It was not owned by anyone else and had a full warranty and Lightroom.

 

I only got a lens a few days ago and then finally started taking pictures, thats when I saw the lines in the top right corner.

 

Thanks again for everyones insight

 

Glenn

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The camera had 259 Actuations on it and I got it for 10% off.

 

I would just check this yourself if you haven't already. I'm naturally suspicious of a demonstrator having a low shutter count, many brand new cameras have a similar low figure of 259 actuations because of in house testing, so yours appears to be basically unused. Find the first image you made, look in the EXIF file for the 'Image Unique ID' and put that figure into a hexadecimal converter, whatever it comes out as in decimal is the true shutter count :)

 

Steve

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I did contact my dealer with the photos and they agree it is a cracked glass on the sensor. They seemed to be aware about it and said the repair should take about a month.

 

I bought the camera from Dale Photo in South Florida about 18 days ago.

 

Less than 3 weeks? Did they offer to locate another demo to replace yours right away, or at least offer you the use of a loaner? Call me self-entitled if you want, but if I had a defect show up in under 30 days I would be livid if the only option a dealer presented me with was being without it for a month-long repair.

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I would just check this yourself if you haven't already. I'm naturally suspicious of a demonstrator having a low shutter count, many brand new cameras have a similar low figure of 259 actuations because of in house testing, so yours appears to be basically unused.

 

This is consistent with the 'demos' that dealers get direct from Leica Solms. My understanding is that they are often items that have been displayed behind glass at trade shows and press launches. I bought a current 35 Summilux in July that was sold to me with a 10% discount. It was bought by my dealer in a batch of stuff that Leica had shown at the Paris launch of the M9-P. It was boxed as new and I'd be surprised if it had actually been handled by anyone let alone mounted on a camera.

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It should be noted that dealers also get "demo" cameras (Code U) from Leica at the 10% discount. We pass the savings directly along to customers. The dealer would have to eat the difference to replace a demo with a brand-new camera.

 

And Code U cameras only appear, well, when they appear - they are not "stocked up" like new cameras. The Leica rep calls out of the blue and says "I have a Code U M9 (or 90 Summarit, or 28 Summicron) available." and the dealer has about an hour or so to say "I'll take it," or the rep calls the next store on his/her list. At least in the U.S. retail chain.

 

The OP could possibly hold out for a replacement "Demo" camera - it might be 1 week, or 3 months, before Leica has another available.

 

I speak as both an employee at a retail Leica dealer, and purchaser of a Code U M9 last month (with about 895 actuations recorded (but file naming reset to zero), and fortunately no crack - yet). I understood the (slight) risk - you don't pay full price, you don't get full support. It is not really any different than buying any other "used" equipment - there is a commitment for warranty service, not replacement.

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Less than 3 weeks? Did they offer to locate another demo to replace yours right away, or at least offer you the use of a loaner? Call me self-entitled if you want, but if I had a defect show up in under 30 days I would be livid if the only option a dealer presented me with was being without it for a month-long repair.

 

I really didn't ask for another demo or loan. I'm "OK" with the repair time frame, disappointed that it happened but happy it is fixable under warranty.

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It should be noted that dealers also get "demo" cameras (Code U) from Leica at the 10% discount. We pass the savings directly along to customers. The dealer would have to eat the difference to replace a demo with a brand-new camera.

 

The only thing i noticed on the box is a small red dot on the label. And on the warrenty card in the box

 

Glenn

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