Leica Ends Free Sensor Replacement for M9/Monochrom Bodies

[pico]

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The relevant point particularly to those Leica CCD M users blithely shooting away unaware of the ticking time bomb of a potentially destructive degradation of their camera sensors [is] due to a fundamental flaw in the materials used

 

Edited breathless sentence.

[jaapv]

The relevant point particularly to those Leica CCD M users blithely shooting away unaware of the ticking time bomb of a potentially destructive degradation of their camera sensors due to a fundamental flaw in the materials used in the cover glass of this most crucial of components. It is not to do with random inconsistencies in the manufacturing process, or the manner in which the equipment is used, or 'just one of those things' covered by warranty. On the evidence so far there appears to be a consistent inevitability of the exact same physical fault manifesting itself in this series of M camera bodies whether early or later on in their working lives. This problem may be inbuilt into every camera body with original sensor and not related to ageing electronics or wear and tear. Simply put Leica have been selling a high end, high price product range with an embedded critical defect which they themselves acknowledged - 'In December 2014, Leica officially acknowledged the CCD sensor corrosion issue present on many M9, M9-P, M Monochrom and M-E camera bodies'.

Therefore I am of the opinion that for the company to maintain its reputation and for its customers' perception of integrity the cutoff date could have been 5 years on from this announcement date to at least give those innocent owners who paid a substantial sum to buy into the Leica legend some chance of redress when they experience the rude awakening!

"Buying into the legend" seems to me to be a rather wobbly reason to shell out a fair amount of money for a piece of hardware. Tools should be bought because they fit the purpose, not for the sticker on the box...

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[M9reno]

It's a manufacturing issue, regardless of why one buys the item.

[jdlaing]

"Buying into the legend" seems to me to be a rather wobbly reason to shell out a fair amount of money for a piece of hardware. Tools should be bought because they fit the purpose, not for the sticker on the box...

Marketing will remove you from the Christmas List for saying that.

[Sspector15]

Greetings. I don't know what sort of note this is....part eulogy to my M9, part rant, part attempt to see it from Leica's perspective....

 

I sent my M9 to New Jersey a couple of weeks ago for a new sensor. I bought the camera early on, in 2010. It had a sensor replaced in May 2015 and I noticed corrosion spots in February 2018, although I found pictures with them starting from November 2017. I assumed that when the first replacement was still the faulty kind of sensor, that Leica would replace it, under warranty,  when the new reliable sensors were available.

 

While I'm glad the initial short-term fix got my camera back within two or three weeks, Leica should also have backed the possible return of cameras with a new case of corrosion without a time limit.

 

So, this time I was looking at $925 for the repair/overhaul......and a undetermined wait (perhaps 9 months). My pre-owned Monochrome is also there for a second sensor replacement (which I purchased last year from a dealer, so hopefully it is covered).

 

I opted to upgrade from the M9 to a 262 (I'll patiently wait for the Monochrome to get fixed). The main factor for choosing the upgrade is the 9 month wait; I'd have paid for the repair if it could have been done right away (and complain to Wetzlar for a credit).

 

On the one hand, the M9 was old, though loved--any other full-frame camera (like a Nikon D700) would have been replaced long ago. But those of us with M3s or M6s or even IIIGs expect them to keep working through the years. Presumably the new sensor will keep the M9-class cameras working, too.

 

From Leica's perspective, perhaps getting a new generation camera is not unreasonable, but from the user perspective it feels like we are FORCED into it. A similar issue with an automobile would not be subject to changing policies if the repair was only a temporary one because the faulty part was still replaced by a faulty part.

 

That said, customer service for the upgrade was excellent...my new camera is due in today. But I'm sorry to say goodbye to my M9. 

[onelensman]

Well after many months of procrastination on the issue of what do with an M9 suffering sensor corrosion outside of the magic five year period, I have today walked into a Leica Camera UK dealership and minutes later came out with a new M10 body as part of the M9 delamination upgrade scheme.

This might be encouraging news to those M9/ME shooters who are not eligible for free sensor replacement but are open to upgrading to the latest M type body.

I had not seen any official announcement but the dealer informed me prior to my visit that the M10 is now part of the preferential upgrade program.

The whole process was dealt with commendable courtesy and efficiency.

[erl]

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Just got my M9-P back with it's 5th new sensor. The last three were courtesy of Leica because of corrosion. Camera Clinic in Melbourne (Oz) did the work, as usual, with a fast turn around time , about 3-4 weeks as I recall. Very happy.

 

Now I am about to do my usual pre use testing and then back to 'happy snapping'.

[david strachan]

Just got my M9-P back with it's 5th new sensor. The last three were courtesy of Leica because of corrosion. Camera Clinic in Melbourne (Oz) did the work, as usual, with a fast turn around time , about 3-4 weeks as I recall. Very happy.

 

Now I am about to do my usual pre use testing and then back to 'happy snapping'.

Wow! Fifth sensor.

 

A bit off topic John...i know you love your M9...how many pics do you reckon with that camera? Just out of interest...

Cheers

Edited June 28, 2018 by david strachan

[erl]

I'll have to google 'how to count first. Then I will post the answer.

[erl]

Got it!

26,339 today.

 

At one stage, the whole camera was rebuilt by Leica (sort of) a new camera all over. I don't know if the shutter count would have started again. Possibly so. I think only the body shell is original. Even the top and bottom plates are new.

[david strachan]

Cheers, thanks John.

A good run, but probably expected.

 

I have 25,000 on one of my M8's and hopefully many more...no hiccups...except for some CRC Contact cleaner...marvelous stuff.

 

All best...

Edited June 28, 2018 by david strachan

[low325]

My sensor was replaced in 2017 according to the Leica paperwork. I don’t mind paying a future failure as long as Leica has the parts.

[lhotse]

Hi all,

 

I'm hoping for a little advice re my Leica ME. Please note this is not an attempt to complain - I know that some of my choices have put me in this situation.

 

- I purchased my ME from a friend not long after he bought it in March 2013 (he returned to his Nikon gear). I loved the camera.

 

- In September 2015 it suffered a pixel defect whereby the images showed a vertical line, I returned it to my local dealer in Australia - camera clinic - who after sending it to Solms reported that it was also suffering from sensor corrosion. Leica replaced the sensor free of charge.

 

- Not long after it was returned I bought a Type 262 which became my primary shooter. I loved the camera. 

 

- The ME sat in my dry cabinet and was only shot 2-3 times as a back up over the next couple of years. I then traded the 262 for an M-D. I love (present tense) the camera.

 

- Fast forward to the start of this year - I moved to the UK and last month sent the ME to Ffordes to trade toward some new lenses.

 

- On receiving the camera Ffordes informed me that the new sensor had also corroded, but they would send it to Solms to be looked at. 

 

- Today FFordes contacted me to tell me that Solms will replace the sensor for £1193 

 

As it stands, I see a couple of options....

 

Option A: Pay for the repair then trade the camera for the £1300 FFordes are offering - hence getting £113 for the ME

Option B: Get the ME back without repair and run it into the ground  until corrosion becomes so bad that it needs to be thrown away (or better yet, give it to a friend - telling them about the sensor obviously).

 

I am currently leaning towards option B - but am I missing something here?

Any suggestions / thoughts greatly appreciated.  

 

Thanks for looking   

Edited July 30, 2018 by lhotse

[Alistairm]

What a bugger.

 

I would write to Leica first. Maybe your friend can get involved and claim as the original purchaser? If they won’t help, option B all the way.

Edited July 30, 2018 by Alistairm

[lhotse]

What a bugger.

 

I would write to Leica first. Maybe your friend can get involved and claim as the original purchaser? If they won’t help, option B all the way.

 

Thanks for your reply 

 

By my reading getting the original owner involved won't help as it's now over 5 years old - but still might be worth a try. 

 

Who would you write to at Leica? Should I wait for FFordes to return the camera to me from Solms - or should I somehow try to interject into the current process? 

 

Thoughts?

[Frase]

Or C stick it on ebay for £500, or if you never noticed it keep using it. Even for spares its worth more than £113, have a look at how much just the bottom plate would cost on ebay.

 

Good luck.

 

 

Ps. I've found that Mpb in the UK will offer more in most cases compared to other dealers.

[silverchrome]

Hi all,

 

I'm hoping for a little advice re my Leica ME. Please note this is not an attempt to complain - I know that some of my choices have put me in this situation.

 

- I purchased my ME from a friend not long after he bought it in March 2013 (he returned to his Nikon gear). I loved the camera.

 

- In September 2015 it suffered a pixel defect whereby the images showed a vertical line, I returned it to my local dealer in Australia - camera clinic - who after sending it to Solms reported that it was also suffering from sensor corrosion. Leica replaced the sensor free of charge.

 

- Not long after it was returned I bought a Type 262 which became my primary shooter. I loved the camera. 

 

- The ME sat in my dry cabinet and was only shot 2-3 times as a back up over the next couple of years. I then traded the 262 for an M-D. I love (present tense) the camera.

 

- Fast forward to the start of this year - I moved to the UK and last month sent the ME to Ffordes to trade toward some new lenses.

 

- On receiving the camera Ffordes informed me that the new sensor had also corroded, but they would send it to Solms to be looked at. 

 

- Today FFordes contacted me to tell me that Solms will replace the sensor for £1193 

 

As it stands, I see a couple of options....

 

Option A: Pay for the repair then trade the camera for the £1300 FFordes are offering - hence getting £113 for the ME

Option B: Get the ME back without repair and run it into the ground  until corrosion becomes so bad that it needs to be thrown away (or better yet, give it to a friend - telling them about the sensor obviously).

 

I am currently leaning towards option B - but am I missing something here?

Any suggestions / thoughts greatly appreciated.  

 

Thanks for looking

 

Why are you being quoted a figure of nearly £1200 to replace the sensor? It should be no more than £900.

[Sspector15]

My experience has to do with my M9 (original owner; 1 sensor replacement) and an M-Monochrome (2nd owner; 1 sensor replacement). I noticed sensor spots in the Monochrome, first; this was a month before the 1 year warranty on previously owned equipment - Leica-DC kindly sent it to NJ and after 6 months I got it back with the modern (hopefully non-defect) sensor.

 

In February, a month after the MM went for repair, I noticed the M9 had spots. Actually, it had gotten the spots a few months earlier, I just hadn't noticed....and hadn't shot at high apertures. It was out of warranty, it was going to cost $900, and it would be gone a long time. I went for the upgrade to the 262. 

 

It is a dilemma. One can look at it as:

 

A) an opportunity to upgrade for $3K (but you already unloaded a 262).... or,

 

to get a virtually new camera for $900+, if you have the time.

 

The key factor is time.

 

If my MM had been home, I'd have gotten the M9 fixed. While I waited for word about the M9, I dusted off the M6, shot a roll....and was completely embarrassed (digital has spoiled us; shooting film requires relearning our fundamentals).

 

Good luck.

 

 

[Ko.Fe.]

1500+ Euro from  December 1st 2018.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[carbon_dragon]

Wow, well I haven't noticed anything with my M9 but maybe someone should tell me what to look for just in case it's in early stages. What are the symptoms?