balifoods Posted July 27, 2013 Share #1 Posted July 27, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) Last Sunday July 21 I finally received the M 240 as you all know a very long wait. Years we have been waiting for this camera. Best professional camera 2013 in my hands. When I received the camera which I purchased through Hong Kong I immediately attached the 50/1.4. Then finally three days later last Thursday July 25 I found some time to take out the camera for some shooting. Feels terrific and the low light ability does not seem to be an issue any longer. Then after 24 hours out in the open I anxiously set down and uploaded the images on the computer. Big apple, big screen on Lightroom. Wau what appeared blew me away in every sense. Colors are fantastic and the white balance seems to be only slightly off. I took about 200 shots and for a very short time I felled like I was in heaven. But then my marriage with Leica broke, possible for ever. Spots and lots of it. Spots every where. The sensors is covered in them. Today I found a little time and checked them out. There is a function in the menus allowing you to check for dust and spots. And guess what the sensor is covered. I then took some shots with closed aperture on white back ground and printed them out. A quick count revealed at least 60 spots and this only quickly. With other words that hand made presses son tool made in Germany is totally useless. Believe me I am upset after waiting such a long time and spending US$10000. I own a lot of Leic gear. R8. Digital back. Lots of R lenses. M8.2 M9 and various lenses. Beside all this several small ones. What really gets me is the fact that I had exactly the same problem with the M9. It took Leica a whole year before I received a replacement model. Then the new M9 also showed spots after a few weeks and within a year the sensor needed to be changed. This I had done through the service center in Singapore which took an enourmes 6 months. To me the only acceptable answer from Leica would be if the camera is replaced with a brand new model immediately. Unfortunately I live in Bali in Indonesia and now have to get the camera back to Hong Kong. Then in Hong Kong to Schmit marketing. From there back to Germany and by the time I have an answer I might be several times grand father, Something is not right and I need to share my total and absolute frustration with the supporters of Leica. I will tomorrow write a personal letter to the president of Leica which I guess will be a waist of time. Similar a waist was spending $10000 on something which does not work. I love live and the island of Gods Heinz von Holzen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 27, 2013 Posted July 27, 2013 Hi balifoods, Take a look here Leica M 240 what is going on. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
M9reno Posted July 27, 2013 Share #2 Posted July 27, 2013 I would advise cleaning the sensor yourself, which is not difficult, and saving yourself a lot of grief. Good luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
viramati Posted July 27, 2013 Share #3 Posted July 27, 2013 Sorry are you just talking about dust if so I know it is annoying but a quick clean with a blower, arctic butterfly etc should get most of it off. Anyway remember the problem with new M9's which sprayed oil all over the sensor after a few weeks use!!! Anyway I think we will have to get used to more dust issues if one use LV a lot. If possible I always blow out the chamber when changing lenses. Shame that they can't fit an auto sensor clean into the M but I presume it is a question of space with such a small sized FF camera Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedaes Posted July 27, 2013 Share #4 Posted July 27, 2013 Accept it should not be like that, but it is no big deal and as has been said would only take 10 minutes to clean with a Arctic Butterfly static brush or similar. With the other digital M's you have you are probably set up for sensor cleaning. Did the camera come previously unopened or is there a chance sensor may have been exposed in shop. For what its worth I did test as this is new feature just to try it, and it showed one speck on edge that I can't see on images. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted July 27, 2013 Share #5 Posted July 27, 2013 If you send the camera to Leica, they will clean it but it will come back with a note to the effect that the sensor can become contaminated after it leaves their hands. Sensor dust is a fact of life and some of the stickier stuff - like pollen - will hold on against even the strongest blast from a blower. The only solution is to learn to clean it yourself, use a blower first, use a sensor loupe to show very clearly what's left and then wet clean. It's an expense of course but nothing compared to shipping the camera around the place. At the same time, wash your lens caps and dry using a lint-free cloth and vacuum the inside of your camera bag. FWIW, the Leica sensor is much more accessible than the one in the deep recesses of a FF DSLR. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted July 27, 2013 Share #6 Posted July 27, 2013 You bought the camera in Hong Kong? It's probably been picked up more than a Wan Chai hostess. No wonder the sensor is covered in dust. Don't blame Leica for something that isn't their fault. If you don't like cleaning your sensor then the M240 and every other Leica digital M is probably not for you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photoskeptic Posted July 27, 2013 Share #7 Posted July 27, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) Stephen, the OP stated he had an M8.2 and M9 so surely he is familiar with a few dust spots. Lets face it, 60 spots is a LOT. But those who suggested he clean the sensor himself are correct - it shouldn't be a big deal unless they are oil spots which can be problematic (just ask a D600 owner). My M8 was a horrible dust magnet, but nothing that couldn't be taken care of by me with a blower or a Lens Pen. My M8.2 has been great at not having dust on the sensor (can't really say why). My M9-P just returned from a CLA by Leica with a spot on the sensor. You just never know. My first response would not be to go screaming to Leica - I would try to fix it myself or find a camera shop with an experienced tech - if that didn't work then go screaming to Leica . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guido Posted July 27, 2013 Share #8 Posted July 27, 2013 You must be a very important person, used to making direct calls to presidents of companies and countries on a regular basis when something is not to your liking. You probably should post your concerns in the Leica VIP forum, were they most certainly will be heard and understood. Here, you'll probably just get lots of stupid answers such as mine and "clean the thing yourself" recommendations. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted July 27, 2013 Share #9 Posted July 27, 2013 Issue 1 - the check for dust tool is possibly not doing Leica that many favours as I find it's uber sensitive / pessimistic regarding the level of dust on the sensor. What you see is often a great deal more than what you get (if you see what I mean). Issue 2 - if the OP is really used to working with Leica digital Ms I'm surprised he's having such a hissy fit over the level of dust on the sensor on a new camera. It can get there for so many reasons, and it's SO easy to get rid of. Ah well - folk are strange. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
anta Posted July 27, 2013 Share #10 Posted July 27, 2013 ..... Spots and lots of it. Spots every where. The sensors is covered in them. Today I found a little time and checked them out. There is a function in the menus allowing you to check for dust and spots. And guess what the sensor is covered. I then took some shots with closed aperture on white back ground and printed them out. A quick count revealed at least 60 spots and this only quickly. .... ....What really gets me is the fact that I had exactly the same problem with the M9. It took Leica a whole year before I received a replacement model. Then the new M9 also showed spots after a few weeks and within a year the sensor needed to be changed. ... When frustration kicks in, it is sometimes difficult to expose facts clearly. Are you talking about dust, like everyone is assuming, or other spots (dead pixels or whatever)? You say you had exactly the same problem with your M9. But I don't see how you could possibly get a replacement model if the problem was nothing but dust on the sensor. And then again, also the new sensor needed changing? That can't have been dust then. On my (ex) M9, I had up to 25 - 30 dust spots, and while I did not manage to remove some of them (perhaps pollen or oil droplets), a quick and cheap pit stop at a service lab made the sensor look like new. Now that was dust / dirt, and no sensor or camera would be replaced because of it. If this is your problem, you can surely remove most spots by yourself as others suggest or get cleaning help like I did. However, if you only took 200 shots with one single lens, it is strange that your sensor collected that much dust that quickly, it might be that the dust was already there when you got your new camera (did they sell you a demo model without telling you??). If it is NOT dust or dirt, then you have reason to be irritated at Leica and contact them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted July 27, 2013 Share #11 Posted July 27, 2013 You bought the camera in Hong Kong? It's probably been picked up more than a Wan Chai hostess. No wonder the sensor is covered in dust. Count the number of files (pictures) you have done, then check the in-camera count. You might find that it is a used camera. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggriswold Posted July 27, 2013 Share #12 Posted July 27, 2013 Is the in camera count in EXIF, or on the info menu? I think one can be reset, the other not. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted July 27, 2013 Share #13 Posted July 27, 2013 My first M240 had a filthy sensor when it arrived. Not just on the dust detector but visible with a loupe, the sensor was covered with blobs of something. I wet cleaned, then used an Eyelead sticky pad and finally another wet clean before I was happy with the results. My replacement M240 was much cleaner but is now due another sensor clean. I think the Eyelead will work well once I am past the initial stage of gooey blobs. I believe it is what Leica use themselves. Hopefully the new factory in Wetzlar will have superior clean room conditions for assembly. I was surprised to see workers assembling M8's in Solms without gloves on. Human sweat is very inimicable to electronics and PCB's. When I visited Kyocera a number of years ago, all the workers were wearing white gloves. Sensor cleaning as others have said, is an integral part of digital M life. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted July 27, 2013 Share #14 Posted July 27, 2013 Count the number of files (pictures) you have done, then check the in-camera count. You might find that it is a used camera. You can't on the M240. Each file has a unique non-sequential id and the metadata contains nothing that indicates the number of shutter actuations... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted July 27, 2013 Share #15 Posted July 27, 2013 Hopefully the new factory in Wetzlar will have superior clean room conditions for assembly. I was surprised to see workers assembling M8's in Solms without gloves What is Leica thinking!? Humans shed skin bit constantly! Hair nets, masks, gloves should be mandatory. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted July 27, 2013 Share #16 Posted July 27, 2013 You can't on the M240. Each file has a unique non-sequential id and the metadata contains nothing that indicates the number of shutter actuations... I have to believe the actuation count is in the Maker Notes - unless Leica has gone senile. Tell me it is not true. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted July 27, 2013 Share #17 Posted July 27, 2013 I have to believe the actuation count is in the Maker Notes - unless Leica has gone senile. Tell me it is not true. Pico If it is, nobody has been able to break the code yet. Don't know anyone at the NSA do you? Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted July 27, 2013 Share #18 Posted July 27, 2013 Pico If it is, nobody has been able to break the code yet. Don't know anyone at the NSA do you? Wilson It is simply irresponsible for Leica to obscure activation counts. It is also negligent for them to leave M9 and M-E firmware in dire straits. Where is their head? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
balifoods Posted July 27, 2013 Author Share #19 Posted July 27, 2013 Stephen, the OP stated he had an M8.2 and M9 so surely he is familiar with a few dust spots. Lets face it, 60 spots is a LOT. But those who suggested he clean the sensor himself are correct - it shouldn't be a big deal unless they are oil spots which can be problematic (just ask a D600 owner). My M8 was a horrible dust magnet, but nothing that couldn't be taken care of by me with a blower or a Lens Pen. My M8.2 has been great at not having dust on the sensor (can't really say why). My M9-P just returned from a CLA by Leica with a spot on the sensor. You just never know. My first response would not be to go screaming to Leica - I would try to fix it myself or find a camera shop with an experienced tech - if that didn't work then go screaming to Leica . Thanks for this note. Just as yourself I hade hardly ever an issue with the 8.2 It is against my will to clean especially if you consider that the spots appeared only after 1 shoot and no lens change. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted July 27, 2013 Share #20 Posted July 27, 2013 It is against my will to wash my car - I will return it to the dealer... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.