Leica Monochrom: The next level of malfunctions

[dkmoore]

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I have posted this before - so apologies for repeating myself. Airplanes vibrate at very high frequencies from the gas turbine engines. Many times this can knock the rangefinder out of adjustment. You can feel it by simply touching the seat support in flight

 

I ruined my rangefinder adjustment on an M3 on flight to Switzerland. As Jaapv says - newer models are more robust.

 

My solution - keep my camera on my lap during flight takung care not to let camera rest on armrest. Probably overkill and definitely a pain. However - rangefinder has stayed ialigned for several years...

 

Thankfully I haven't experienced this with either M240 or M10 models but I did in fact experience with M9 years ago. I fly a fair amount. I had a security agent fiddling with my camera throw the range finder out! That was very annoying. 

[pico]

I have posted this before - so apologies for repeating myself. Airplanes vibrate at very high frequencies from the gas turbine engines.

 

With respect I am skeptical. I have flown in some brutal USAF troop aircraft and never found such an issue.  Regardless, I will maintain an open mind.

[dkmoore]

I think it’s more about luggage getting banged, bumped, etc, rather than vibrations.

[colint544]

I dropped my M Monochrom mk1 onto a concrete pavement in 2014, and the rangefinder was knocked out of alignment. More recently, a strap split ring worked its way loose and the camera hit the pavement again, but this time it tumbled. Rangefinder, and everything else was fine. Very slight dent in the brass hood of the 50mm Summilux ASPH black chrome that was attached at the time.

 

My conclusion is that it's a pretty tough camera, but the rangefinder is its weak spot in terms of solidity. However, it's easily enough readjusted. Me, I'm prepared to live with this, since an M is such a superb photographic instrument.

Edited September 2, 2018 by colint544

[jonnyboy]

I love the camera as well, it doesn't give me any reason to look up for an upgrade or a different system, is perfect to me.
Is just very hard to swallow those high bills - as I mentioned is not only the rangefinder which us off but they said the sensor too.

I just like to bring the camera everywhere I go with me, I look after everything but I don't like to wrap things up in cases or screen protectors or all sort of things. I like to have the camera ready to shoot.

[mickjazz]

@Jeffs, that's 1.5% of insured value per year ? Would that be State Farm?

 

Thx -M

Edited September 24, 2018 by mickjazz

[brill64]

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I truly feel like is one of those one where it always goes wrong. Never had a single problem with my M8....

 

Would it be a good move to repair it and sell it? I mean, I love the Monochrom I wouldn't change it with no other camera but I need something functional!

 

If a camera gets damaged by staying in a backpack it make me raise few questions...

Personally speaking,, I'd pay to have the monochrom repaired & try it again from there. Additionally, I think that if I was told categorically that it was dropped when I knew that was not the case, I'd feel pretty angry too. I've had my ccd monochrom for a number of years from new & apart from corroded sensor swap out & a subsequent dead pixel, it's been really fine. I use it & travel with it a lot without issue. Whilst other cameras come & go, the monochrom stays..

[JDFlood]

I remember the term lemon from the 1950 - 1970’s automobile. Sounds like you got one. You are clearly having a uniquely bad experience... maybe there is an flaw with the internal structure somewhere that ties the problems together. Was it built on a Monday during Octoberfest? I would do the least expensive way to trade in for a different unit. This is not normal.

[jonnyboy]

This was resolved few days ago, luckly, Leica quite understood my level of frustration and thanfully it got sorted on a positive note. Now the Monochrom is back...and I'm genuinely wondering if I should sell it and get another one....

[Charl]

I know its a bit late in the day to add to this post, but I must say Leica quality and/or design is starting to become a problem. I shoot with Nikon, Hasselblad and Leica, in film and digital. I have flown with cameras of all sorts all over the world for the past 35 years, and have never seen damage to a camera from a flight, never mind rough overland travel. Of course dropping a camera is another story. I own two M6‘s, which have lasted me for years, never seen a workshop. I am on my 3rd digital having had a M8, M9-P and now a M10. All three have been back to Leica in Germany, for various reasons. Shockingly I also missed the cut off date for the M9-P corroded sensor free replacement, I was living in Switzerland at the time. My dealer maintained that a mail was sent to me for the recall. I never received anything. This was a month after the expiration of the free recall. Leica kept to that position and I could not prove that I did not get the memo! They did not even apologise for the fact that the sensor was defective. So I exchanged my M9-P for a very paltry sum to the dealer, as the sensor was defective and paid up for a new M10. Today, after not so many years, if you think its a Leica, I discovered that the range finder control arm of my M10 is malfunctioning. I now live in Ireland, further away from Leica service centres and furthermore handicapped by import and export regulations on repairs. So I am just blowing off steam. I love Leica, have invested a lot, also in lenses, but frankly, of all my cameras the Leica digital ones are the least reliable, despite the good protection and care they receive. Maybe I have, like some others, become a part of the Leica quality myth! Just saying…..

[jaapv]

Any Leica-competent third-party service can adjust/repair a roller arm in a short turnaround. 

[ramarren]

On 8/31/2018 at 3:02 AM, jonnyboy said:

I'm from the opinion that if the shock was so strong it should show (at least) some signs. It may have been in on the plane or in the backpack....but let's be honest...do I need to stop travel with my Leica because is too delicate? Or everytimeI travel I need to have in mind is going to cost £500 extra to carry probably some Leica repairs. I think is not on. I had 2X Sony A7s II, plenty of lenses, Leica and Ricoh...I just the Monochrom came out shattered.

I think Leica should be aware they out a product out there which didnd't meet their standard. I'm not talking about only this recent problem but overall in general the Monochrom was a failure. You cannot sell a product which develop so many faults out of the box (jamming, corrosion, etc). is just not on. A customer is buying into the craftmanship and precision of this product. Imagine if the same thing would happen with Rolex...

It may be a case of bac luck but I feel Leica could do more to aknowledgetheir customer rather than dig straight into the pockets as soon as the warranty ends.

I dunno. My experience, using Leica M cameras since 1971 or so, is that they have proven to be about as rugged and reliable as any other camera I've owned. Only two have needed a rangefinder service (they were out of whack when I bought them, used; one was the M4-2 I bought in 2012, the other was the M10-R I bought last year...), and the M9 developed the infamous sensor corrosion sickness after three years use which Leica USA supported by offering a full trade in value towards an M-P typ 240, which I took and worked out splendidly. 

You've had a run of bad luck. Don't let it twist your mind into general condemnation of a company or the good people who work there. Leica makes good equipment, but even the best equipment can have problems from time to time. 

G

[Jeff S]

Six year old post.

Jeff

[ramarren]

@Jeff: And your point was? 

G

[Jeff S]

That it’s a 6 year old comment you quoted, as if he just made it.
 

Jeff

[ramarren]

His comment and my response remain just as viable six years later. 
 

G

[a.noctilux]

Lemon can be the cause or luck or ex-owner/user "faults".

I use one original Monochrom (sensor replaced), nothing to complain.

However, I must admit that M246 is more "robust and modern" but as photo results, I can not tell if M246 is better than M9M or the other way.