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Question about M9-P strategy


stray cat

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Leica was generous to me.  I had just exceeded the 5-year period since purchase.  But despite the 4 month wait for the sensor, they replaced it for me at no cast.  I just got it back this week and am very grateful and happy.

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Does anyone have any advice as to which would be the best way to go, or whether there are any other options? I have not yet rung the local Leica repairers for an estimate of the sensor replacement cost (he is yet to forward me the camera), but have seen costs of between $1,000 and $2,000 USD mentioned, plus a long wait time.

 

Any advice would be hugely appreciated.

 

I got a price for sensor replacement from Leica Germany this morning: EUR 825.00 + tax (MwSt/VAT) no mention about turnaround time. I'm going to send mine in (I had a complete sensor failure).

A used Leica M9 with a replaced sensor on eBay goes up from about US $3,300.00 at the moment and M10s are starting at twice that. With a flock of Leica M lenses, I think repair is my best option - and I do like the M9 a lot! In the meantime I go back to shooting film and iPhone.

Good luck with your decision - whatever it may be.

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P. S.: my sensor had close to 15.5K actuations and no corrosion issues.

Well done. However I don't think the number of actuation's is a factor in the corrosion issue.

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Really sorry to hear that, Paul, and I don't actually accept that, at the prices Leica charge for gear, you should be saddled with anything that is "No big thing I accept but an annoyance". Surely, surely - they either test the gear properly (ie exhaustively) before it is released to consumers, or they fall over backwards in supporting it if and when things go wrong. How can there be a middle ground? Especially as they have had faulty sensors or other problems with their digital cameras before - this therefore becomes serial negligence on their part.

 

It was interesting to read Humble's post (above) where he said that Leica replaced his sensor at no cost, even though he'd exceeded the stipulated 5-year ownership ceiling. The Leica complaints manager who contacted me said there would be "absolutely no exceptions" to their rulings, so Humble's experience would appear to be inconsistent with that. I actually thought (hoped) that there would be some consideration by Leica for their customers, but it seems that, too, is applied inconsistently.

 

Anyway, Tim's camera arrived here yesterday so I'll take it up to Nikki at the Camera Clinic on Wednesday. Tim has decided he's going to keep the camera and so has to lump for the $1,500 replacement sensor cost. He's spoken with Nikki about it and I know they'll look after him. By the way, Tim estimated he "may have had 400" actuations on his M9-P.

 

Sincere thanks to all of you who have taken the time and effort to respond.

Edited by stray cat
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Having invested a small fortune and  bought a M9 and 2xM9P's, a ME and Monochrom all of which are showing some corrosion to a greater or lesser extent, I was given the impression that Leica would honour it's initial pledge and replace the sensors and stand by their product. I did not initially send any camera back to Leica as the number they were receiving meant that the turnaround time of months was unrealistic - so I considered that I would let the flow die down and then send them back once things were quieter.

 

The upshot is that I have now got a clutch of cameras whose images all need cloning in Photoshop. No big thing I accept but an annoyance.

 

Anyway to me I have lost faith in Leica and I will never again buy another Leica product. I realise this is irrelevant to Leica as they have buyers queuing up but they will never get one more penny of mine - they have blown it as far as I am concerned.

 

 

Paul, you are a daily visitor on the forum. It is inconceivable that you did not know about the cut-off date.

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Having invested a small fortune and  bought a M9 and 2xM9P's, a ME and Monochrom all of which are showing some corrosion to a greater or lesser extent, I was given the impression that Leica would honour it's initial pledge and replace the sensors and stand by their product. I did not initially send any camera back to Leica as the number they were receiving meant that the turnaround time of months was unrealistic - so I considered that I would let the flow die down and then send them back once things were quieter.

 

The upshot is that I have now got a clutch of cameras whose images all need cloning in Photoshop. No big thing I accept but an annoyance.

 

Anyway to me I have lost faith in Leica and I will never again buy another Leica product. I realise this is irrelevant to Leica as they have buyers queuing up but they will never get one more penny of mine - they have blown it as far as I am concerned.

 

I agree and think that it is a disgrace. Leica should have contacted all registered owners of these cameras. Leica has admitted it has sold a product with a potentially faulty component. Have you checked to see if your national consumer laws offer you protection? If so, you may have recourse against the local distributors and/or the company who sold you the camera to make it good.

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So, seating on cameras with sensors due to replacement, knowing what free program will end and not sending three from five is somehow Leica fault?

I have just one and not having it while in service was not a problem. 

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Maybe but there is more to this than time or the ability to get them repaired.

 

What is at stake here is a lack of trust or faith in the brand - that's it, it's gone and it will never come back.

 

I have Nikons that have never repeat NEVER had an issue - they just work.

Differently...

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Paul, you have aired your grievance here, and I/we hear you. That is not much help.

 

I suggest you take your substantial case of camera (pun intended) problems to your supplier, or more directly to Leica. Five dodgy cameras is a bad look for them as well as you. Politely but firmly tell them that and invite them to look after you, as a professional photographer as well as a significant customer. Nothing to lose by trying. I have always found Leica service to be better than their 'word', which is somewhat Germanic, of course.

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  • 2 months later...

I got a price for sensor replacement from Leica Germany this morning: EUR 825.00 + tax (MwSt/VAT) no mention about turnaround time. I'm going to send mine in (I had a complete sensor failure).

A used Leica M9 with a replaced sensor on eBay goes up from about US $3,300.00 at the moment and M10s are starting at twice that. With a flock of Leica M lenses, I think repair is my best option - and I do like the M9 a lot! In the meantime I go back to shooting film and iPhone.

Good luck with your decision - whatever it may be.

 

Update: I decided not to send the camera to Leica, Wetzlar from the US, but to take it and send it in from Germany. A week after I mailed it I got a confirmation that Leica has received the camera. Now I'm waiting to hear about initial test results. Nice: You can track the progress on line.

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