Jump to content

Leica Ends Free Sensor Replacement for M9/Monochrom Bodies


Roberto Watson

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I originally sent my email to repair@leicacamerausa.com but I just realized there was another address on the page that talks about sensor corrosion -- customer.care@leica-camera.com, so I also sent an email there. I downloaded that form (from Leicausa I think) and filled it out, though I'm not sure if that is used only with the New Jersey location. If it turns out I need to send it to Germany, maybe there is a different form? Hopefully they will tell me.

Anyway, I don't feel like I have too much hope for being under 5 years, but it's not impossible. Like I said before, since I registered my M10 and it worked (which means the former owner didn't register) but it didn't work for the M9, I know it was registered, so they will have the date. I guess I can hope, but I suspect I'm in for a big bill here. If they don't get back to me by Monday, I will call them on the phone (probably Germany first at the number on the webpage) and then New Jersey to see what they say. All I have to do is to wrap it up if it comes to that. 

I guess I don't feel too bad about buying used since even had I had the warranty, I'd be in the same situation now.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I  still haven't been gotten back to by either the repair email in New Jersey or the customer service email address shown on the sensor corrosion page. Do you think I should call them and if so, which one? It's only been a couple of days, I'm just worried I'll end up just over some kind of deadline, though I can't really tell that from Leica's webpage. I certainly don't want to go over the 5 year point by 1 day or something.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok, got word back from Leica (thank you Leica). I still don't know if I've over 5 years, and my picture (as shown above) was not looked at to diagnose whether I actually have sensor corrosion yet. I'm including a CD with the actual raw files for Leica to look at.  BUT, I was told where to send the camera (Leica Camera, Inc., Attn: Repair, 1 Pearl Court, Unit A, Allendale, NJ  07401). Furthermore I was given an estimate that seems to be less than I thought it might be (if I'm not within the 5 year limit --$960 plus tax and presumably shipping/insurance) and I was given my upgrade options if I want to trade in instead.

Now there are some things I don't know, like if the 240 has any issues I'm not aware of. But the options include 240, M-P240, 246, M10, SL, and Q with prices that are pretty high. I had no idea there were so many different options. I'm happy to see that. Options are always good.

The 240 cost to upgrade is more than buying a used 240 in the leica website used store. Ditto on the MP240. I suspect the same for the Monochrome based on used prices in other locations. The M10 is slightly under what I paid for my M10 used at Tamarkin (so a pretty good deal). The SL I'm not sure of, and the Q upgrade price seems to be significantly under what I could buy a Q for used  (which means it's a pretty good price when you forget that you're also giving up a M9). That deal values the unrepaired M9 at about $900. That really isn't super far off really. Note that I'm not criticizing here, I admire Leica for giving me the options and I think their price if I am liable for is something of a relief.

So if I WERE to use the trade-in, I'm getting about $600-700'ish for the unrepaired M9 for the M10 deal and about $900 for the M9 for the Q deal. The others I'd be better off just buying the M240 or MP240 and then repairing the M9 (or not repairing it).

Does anyone think I should upgrade and if so to what, and what is your reasoning? 

I kind of think I'd rather end up with a M240, but if I want to go that route, I'd just as soon just buy the camera outright from Tamarkin or Leica's website for less money AND get the M9 fixed. Broken cameras make me sad even it they are expensive to fix. Character flaw I guess. I have to admit I'm tempted by the Q a little. I'm not sure I'm willing to spend another $5450 so I can end up with 2 M10s. Kind of an embarrassment of riches and a lot of money. So what do you think?

I feel like I'm being fairly treated so far and given lots of options. I can afford to fix the M9 and have a couple of other viable options. But it doesn't hurt to have some advice.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

I used a 240 for about eight months and found it a very decent camera.  Color rendition, usable ISO range and metering are somewhat different from my m-9. Being old and set in my ways  I still am more comfortable with the M-9 although I now miss the extended ISO ability of the 240 (when compared to the m9).  If my M-9, for one reason or another, died today I would probably buy a 240 at the relative bargain price they sell for.  I really liked the long battery usage between charges on the 240 - however, not being able to use my o/h M8/9 batteries was a pain. Hope this is of some help. Regards, ron

Edited by Ronazle
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Ron.

Yes, it's a little odd to see M240 used prices at pretty close to the used price of the M9s (with sensor updated) and not THAT far above M9s with original sensors. It seems like they should be going for a bigger boost over the M9s. Yeah you can't use the old M9 batteries on the 240, but the ones you do use last a bunch longer because they are huge. They last longer and have more power than the ones I use in my M10.  

Link to post
Share on other sites

I was amazed at how the value of the 262 has dropped since I traded up from the M9 last April. I just traded the 262, an M6, plus some $ for the M10 (used), which I think is absolutely fabulous. Since you already have the M10 and its high ISO capability, it comes down to if you want the 240's video (and some clunkiness).... or the M9's je ne sais quoi, despite its more film-like ISOs, while saving a bunch of money.... plus you get to keep using the batteries.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Maybe the 240 is being thought of a little like the M5 was. Great camera, but perhaps a little too untraditional, with the new CMOS sensor and the video capability and the digital framelines? But then the M9 is also depressed because of the sensor corrosion. Of course they're both great cameras. 

My M9 is on its way to the mother ship in New Jersey VIA UPS, as well packed and protected as I could make it. I'm kind of leaning toward just repairing it. While I would prefer the 240, the trade-in deal is effectively me paying Leica $750 to take it. I'd do better financially just buying the m240 right out from the Leica used store and leaving the M9 in a drawer, but that would make me feel bad and I don't need 3 cameras. The Q deal is a pretty decent deal, but the Q, good as it is, can't mount my lenses (though it does have image stabilization) and 28mm isn't my favorite focal length. The M10 deal is quite decent too, but I can't really afford another $5.5K and I don't really need another M10 right now. So I think just repair is the right choice. Though I may still buy something smaller to carry around. I think the X 113 Chrome is the prettiest of the ones I'm considering, but the new D-Lux 7 is probably the better choice.

Link to post
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, carbon_dragon said:

Maybe the 240 is being thought of a little like the M5 was. Great camera, but perhaps a little too untraditional, with the new CMOS sensor and the video capability and the digital framelines? But then the M9 is also depressed because of the sensor corrosion. Of course they're both great cameras. 

My M9 is on its way to the mother ship in New Jersey VIA UPS, as well packed and protected as I could make it. I'm kind of leaning toward just repairing it. While I would prefer the 240, the trade-in deal is effectively me paying Leica $750 to take it. I'd do better financially just buying the m240 right out from the Leica used store and leaving the M9 in a drawer, but that would make me feel bad and I don't need 3 cameras. The Q deal is a pretty decent deal, but the Q, good as it is, can't mount my lenses (though it does have image stabilization) and 28mm isn't my favorite focal length. The M10 deal is quite decent too, but I can't really afford another $5.5K and I don't really need another M10 right now. So I think just repair is the right choice. Though I may still buy something smaller to carry around. I think the X 113 Chrome is the prettiest of the ones I'm considering, but the new D-Lux 7 is probably the better choice.

They are not digital framelines.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok, maybe I'm not explaining it right. On my M10 (and I thought on the M240 as well), the frame lines aren't lit up in the display when the camera is turned off. When I turn the camera on, they appear. My M9 on the other hand has the frame line illuminated at all times, regardless of power. Frankly, much as I love the M10, that annoys me a fair bit.

Link to post
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, carbon_dragon said:

Ok, maybe I'm not explaining it right. On my M10 (and I thought on the M240 as well), the frame lines aren't lit up in the display when the camera is turned off. When I turn the camera on, they appear. My M9 on the other hand has the frame line illuminated at all times, regardless of power. Frankly, much as I love the M10, that annoys me a fair bit.

And neither your  M10 or the M(240) before it have the window that illuminates the framelines. I guess if they were drawing power to be permantly illuminated the battery drain would be of consequence. The advantage is of course there visibility in low light (on the M240/M10).

Link to post
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, carbon_dragon said:

My M9 on the other hand has the frame line illuminated at all times, regardless of power. Frankly, much as I love the M10, that annoys me a fair bit.

Look at the front of the M9. It has an extra window which illuminates the frame lines using ambient light. The M10 has an LED to do the same when power is on.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, carbon_dragon said:

Ok, maybe I'm not explaining it right. On my M10 (and I thought on the M240 as well), the frame lines aren't lit up in the display when the camera is turned off. When I turn the camera on, they appear. My M9 on the other hand has the frame line illuminated at all times, regardless of power. Frankly, much as I love the M10, that annoys me a fair bit.

Mechanical frame lines are the same as those shown here inside the M8...

The M240 and M10 lines are illuminated by LED rather than by prior window using natural light.

Jeff

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well in my speculation on why the M240 prices might be depressed, given that there are (as far as I know) nothing similar to the sensor corrosion problem of the M9, I was speculating that maybe there were a few things about the 240 which led people to skip the 240 and that one of those might be the frame lines. For me, the main reason was that I had a little more money to spend and I REALLY wanted the high ISO performance of the M10. And I didn't care about video. Otherwise by this point I would kind of expect that the M240 would be selling for more like $4000 instead of about $3000'ish, maybe a bit more. Which is not to cast aspersions on the M240 which is a fine camera. 

P.S. That frame illuminator seems like the opposite of elegant. Cool, but clunky.

Edited by carbon_dragon
Link to post
Share on other sites

I see nothing wrong with M240. It just not boutique to coffee shop living style camera,  but badass , stray dog camera.

Not only weather-sealed , but large battery.

My M-E is not for drizzle, nor for frozzle camera. Then it is really cold, M-E battery quits in no time. Second battery is not helping. And I don't think M10 battery will last as long and M240 battery in real winter hike. I mean, then it is cold and you have to dig out spare battery under your clothes and have your hands exposed to the frost bite. I dropped spare battery into the snow and in the dark, because my hands were getting numb and dealing with bottom plate in addition to it is not adding anything good in this experience. 

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

The M10 battery is smaller and even supposing some power efficiency savings, I would expect the M240 to last longer in any temperature. Battery size in the M10 was sacrificed a bit for the sake of reducing the thinness of the body. I would have upgraded the M9 to a M240 but the upgrade price was $3850 and the used price of 240s in the Leica used store was $3100. It’s a great camera.

Link to post
Share on other sites

They still sell the M8 on their used store. So I suspect they'll still sell the M240 in their used store when the M20 is here! And they're ALL insanely robust cameras. When the M8 came out I wondered if that was worthwhile. I mean my M2s from the 50s work great and probably will work for decades more, BUT I have my doubts about the electronics. I have Contax RTSs (I and a II) which are no longer repairable as far as I can tell. I finally managed to get my RTS III repaired and it's still working. Those early electronics can't be replicated and spare parts can be non-existant depending on make. Is it worth making a camera that can last 50 years from a build standpoint but will probably become doorstops because it is no longer possible to replace or service the electronics? 

Now maybe Leica has a vast store of spare parts or maintains the ability to repair any of it's Ms so maybe it's immune to this, but even if this is true, and even though the M8 is now 12 years old, it's 10.1MP image is still reasonably effective, though of course I'd rather use my current M10 and my M9 (once it's back from sensor corrosion replacement). But generally digitals are expected to have a shorter working life as their electronics are obsoleted by later models. I'll bet more people are using M8s than are using 12 year old cameras from other digital camera makers, but there are limits. Will anyone be using an M8 in 2056? Yet the body can probably be expected to last that long. Course they're wonderful to use, so maybe it's not the longevity but the experience.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...