What should I do with my M9 now?

[Beresford]

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There have been other threads about the rights and wrongs of Leica and their inability to replace the sensor. Now I have to acknowledge that my M9 is no longer a reliable camera. What should I do? I am not hugely attracted to the trade-in offers—I can't really afford to take them up, and I don't really want another camera which will become unrepairable some years down the line. Now that I am retired my film Ms give me pleasure.

So, do I just put my M9 on eBay and take what I can? Would any dealer take it in part exchange for, say, another lens?

Or do I just use it to keep the door ajar on windy days?

[antigallican]

If you have the most modern version of the sensor in it I don't see why it's any more likely than a Canon or Nikon to fail. All machines fail eventually. I have a lovely film Konica at home. Something's gone wrong with the power switch and it is just good for nothing. Unfixable.

Edited August 15, 2020 by antigallican

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[Beresford]

Ah! I don't think I expressed myself clearly: My M9 is beginning to show signs of corrosion. Would anyone want it?

[antigallican]

1 minute ago, Beresford said:

Ah! I don't think I expressed myself clearly: My M9 is beginning to show signs of corrosion. Would anyone want it?

Sorry to hear that. Can't advise, I'm afraid.

 

[pedaes]

4 minutes ago, Beresford said:

Would anyone want it?

Maybe - at the right price. Why not just use it until it gets so bad that it is impractical to clone out in LR or whatever you use? Or buy a used M9 with the final  sensor upgrade that has excellent life expectancy.

[Jeff S]

If at any point one of my Leica cameras failed to operate, and Leica deemed it not repairable, I’d contact my insurance company and get full replacement value (as specified in my policy) to put toward a newer model.

Jeff

[Gobert]

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@Jeff S
 

Really, that is quite unusual. That is not where insurance policies are meant for.

Edited August 15, 2020 by Gobert

[earleygallery]

48 minutes ago, Beresford said:

Ah! I don't think I expressed myself clearly: My M9 is beginning to show signs of corrosion. Would anyone want it?

No, you didn't express yourself clearly - you didn't mention that your M9 was faulty at all!

How bad is the corrsion? Presumably not so bad that you haven't stopped using the camera yet?

Personally I would consider a trade in - just take it to a couple of dealers and see what they offer - or sell on ebay and include a photo which will show the extent of any current corrosion in the listing.

The only other option is to use it until it becomes unusable, and then it can make a novel door stop.

[Beresford]

1 minute ago, earleygallery said:

No, you didn't express yourself clearly - you didn't mention that your M9 was faulty at all!

I am sorry. You are quite right. It is easy (for me) to become so self obsessed that you think everyone else knows what you really meant.

Your advice is straightforward - and helps me to move forward. That you.

[rivi1969]

1 hour ago, Beresford said:

There have been other threads about the rights and wrongs of Leica and their inability to replace the sensor. Now I have to acknowledge that my M9 is no longer a reliable camera. What should I do? I am not hugely attracted to the trade-in offers—I can't really afford to take them up, and I don't really want another camera which will become unrepairable some years down the line. Now that I am retired my film Ms give me pleasure.

So, do I just put my M9 on eBay and take what I can? Would any dealer take it in part exchange for, say, another lens?

Or do I just use it to keep the door ajar on windy days?

Only you could decide what's best for you. Some will take the deal, others will sell their cameras for parts and take their money somewhere else. 

[pedaes]

1 hour ago, Jeff S said:

If at any point one of my Leica cameras failed to operate, and Leica deemed it not repairable, I’d contact my insurance company and get full replacement value (as specified in my policy) to put toward a newer model.

Jeff

How much do you pay for such a Policy? I have never seen this option for cover in the UK - but I guess the old adage is you can insure for anything, at a price. 

[jdlaing]

Insurance is money spent. Make a claim pay a higher premium. 

[Jeff S]

4 minutes ago, jdlaing said:

Make a claim pay a higher premium. 

Never happened with my collections policy, including a five figure claim for a damaged vintage silver print during a home relocation.  Policies and individual circumstances vary greatly.  
 

Jeff

[Jeff S]

1 hour ago, pedaes said:

How much do you pay for such a Policy? I have never seen this option for cover in the UK - but I guess the old adage is you can insure for anything, at a price. 

Not very expensive (in US) as a separate rider to my premium home policy.  Terms vary greatly by policy, location and individual circumstances.  Companies like Chubb and AIG offer plans with full replacement value, no deductible, worldwide.  I insure collectibles as well as camera gear.

Jeff

[pedaes]

31 minutes ago, Jeff S said:

Not very expensive (in US) as a separate rider to my premium home policy.  Terms vary greatly by policy, location and individual circumstances.  Companies like Chubb and AIG offer plans with full replacement value, no deductible, worldwide.  I insure collectibles as well as camera gear.

Jeff

I also have all my cameras and lenses insured through the home policy by stipulated value as much cheaper than 'specialist' cover. It covers loss and accidental damage, but not a failure like a corroded sensor. You have quite a policy there.

[stephen.w]

40 minutes ago, Jeff S said:

Never happened with my collections policy, including a five figure claim for a damaged vintage silver print during a home relocation.  Policies and individual circumstances vary greatly.  
 

Jeff

It didn't affect your premiums, really? Who is your insurer? My (rather more negative) impression of insurers is that the house always wins. So better not to insure things you can replace out of hand.

[Guest BlackBarn]

From Leica’s promotional campaign their intent for the M9 was that it would provide ‘decades of use’.  A problem occurred outside of their control but their attempt to put things right falls short and they now expect the owners/customers to carry the cost of that.  This is wrong and it’s a pity that - if there was an Leica ‘M9 owners club’ a coordinated representation could be made. Although understanding the difficulties of this I do not prescribe to the ‘roll over and take the loss’ advice.

Leica and their dealers made money out of selling this ‘over decades’ M9 and they along with Leica should accept the responsibility of finding a better solution for their customers and not leaving them hanging out to dry. 

I own a ‘last a lifetime ‘ M10M and would have liked to have purchased a MM1 so how Leica and their Dealers support their ‘Life time ‘ statement matters to all Leica digital camera owners not just our M9 colleagues. They make sales out of this promotion and they need to live up to their intent.

Leicas M9 promotional blurb: ‘At just 139 × 37 × 80mm, the LEICA M9 maintains the compact size of the LEICA M8, despite the considerably larger sensor. The robust, one-piece, full metal housing, made from a high-strength magnesium alloy, combined with a solid brass top and bottom plate, provide perfect protection for the camera in all photographic situations. For photographers, this all adds up to absolute reliability over decades of use.‘

[Jeff S]

3 minutes ago, stephen.w said:

It didn't affect your premiums, really? Who is your insurer? My (rather more negative) impression of insurers is that the house always wins. So better not to insure things you can replace out of hand.

I mentioned two companies, both of which I’ve used.  These are premium policies, including standards for net worth, etc.  Many clients of theirs insure multi-million dollar collectibles; my agent looks at my holdings as peanuts in comparison.  Accessories like bags, tripods, etc are not even listed, but would be covered for theft or loss of other significant gear. It’s all relative.

Jeff 

[Jean-Michel]

I purchased my M9 in 2011; Leica replace the sensor, at no cost to me, twice, once with a first generation one and later with the new one. The camera works fine and probably will do so for some years to come. My M-P (240: will presumably last for some years too but both cameras are destined to become non-working  historical artefacts. They will become obsolete, as any other electronic or digital appliance does inevitably: is you VCR still working, do you care? Today, you can still mechanically repair an old M or ltm lens, although there is probably no need for that; not quite so for an autofocus or stabilized lens. I had a Canon EF lens fail just a few short year after buying it, the repair cost about 25% of the original purchase cost,  but it is just the cost of business or pleasure. All this to say that Leica’s offer for a trade allowance to anyone still with a first generation sensor that is failing is quite fair. 

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[farnz]

3 hours ago, BlackBarn said:

so how Leica and their Dealers support their ‘Life time ‘ statement matters to all Leica digital camera owners not just our M9 colleagues

Simple: a 'contractor' from Leica's Marketing Promises Division will knock on your front door one day, you'll answer it, and your camera will have outlived you.

Pete.