Dreaded "SD Card Locked" Error - now my camera is junk :(

[dhc905]

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I got the SD card locked error randomly after putting in the same SD card I've always used with my M9.  I looked here for DIY fixes, tried everything from new battery, on/offs, air spraying the SD card socket, ordering new SD cards.  Nothing worked. 

 

I then took it to the Leica store, and the great service associate there plugged in her personal card and voila, it seemed to magically fix everything.  I immediately bought the same SD card, plugged it in, and it again didn't work.  A few battery/SD card swaps later it had reverted back to SD Card Locked no matter what we did.  Camera was off to New York. 

 

Received notice today that "The Main Circuit Board" needs to be replaced and is NLA.  Would love to retain my camera (last time it was in service I got the latest and greatest M as a loaner and appreciated the functionality, but I still loved my camera) if there's anyway...

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[dhc905]

Well now hard decisions - looks like Leica is offering me about $1,900 in terms of trade-in towards a new camera which seems reasonable, but I'm just not sure I want to commit to another body right now.  Curious if anyone has an idea of part-out or whole body value?  It has the new sensor installed by Leica a couple years back and everything (except, apparently the main circuit board!) works.  

Edited January 26 by dhc905

[Jean-Michel]

The US $1900 works out to Canadian $2,400. I understand, from my Leica dealer, that I might get no more than $3,000 CDN, or $2,300 US for my perfectly working M9 (with new sensor). So I doubt that you could get anywhere near the $1900 in the open market for an unusable camera. I would hate to be in your situation and having to spend $$$ on a new body, but that occasionally happens. Not quite the same situation, but two years ago I had to buy a new 24 inch printer just because the previous one developed some clogs and the repair cost would have been about the same as buying the new model!

[dhc905]

18 minutes ago, Jean-Michel said:

The US $1900 works out to Canadian $2,400. I understand, from my Leica dealer, that I might get no more than $3,000 CDN, or $2,300 US for my perfectly working M9 (with new sensor). So I doubt that you could get anywhere near the $1900 in the open market for an unusable camera. I would hate to be in your situation and having to spend $$$ on a new body, but that occasionally happens. Not quite the same situation, but two years ago I had to buy a new 24 inch printer just because the previous one developed some clogs and the repair cost would have been about the same as buying the new model!

Yeah for sure - it's a good offer and I really think Leica is trying to do right by me, but it also comes with coughing up another $6K to get an M10.  While under normal circumstances I would never think that was throwing good money after bad, I'm in the process of buying a house that's going to need some work and a new camera is pretty darn low on my list of priorities, so it sort of feels that way. 

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Check on eBay for "M9 for parts, not working" sold (only sold) listings. You'll find out the real market cost.

I'm sure it will be enough in addition to 1.900 to get used M240. Paying 6000 for M10 which is far from flawless camera...

I know person who could afford M10 and has no shortage of cash. He went from troubled M9 to M240 and has no intention to get M10.

[Herr Barnack]

7 hours ago, dhc905 said:

Yeah for sure - it's a good offer and I really think Leica is trying to do right by me, but it also comes with coughing up another $6K to get an M10.  While under normal circumstances I would never think that was throwing good money after bad, I'm in the process of buying a house that's going to need some work and a new camera is pretty darn low on my list of priorities, so it sort of feels that way. 

 

Here's an idea:  Take the $1900 credit Leica is offering you and apply it toward the purchase of a Q2 or perhaps a CL kit with the 18mm f/2.8 lens. 

After you are moved in, get your house repairs accomplished and finances settle down, then get an M-P 240 or M10 to replace your terminally ill M9.

Another possibility:  Take the $1900 credit and have your Leica dealer treat it as a store credit on their books (get a written credit receipt) until you are ready to buy a new digital M camera.

[Ray Vonn]

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7 minutes ago, Ko.Fe. said:

Check on eBay for "M9 for parts, not working" sold (only sold) listings. You'll find out the real market cost.

I'm sure it will be enough in addition to 1.900 to get used M240. Paying 6000 for M10 which is far from flawless camera...

I know person who could afford M10 and has no shortage of cash. He went from troubled M9 to M240 and has no intention to get M10.

Worthy of separate thread that is, where we M9 owners go after our camera finally crashes.  At the moment I'm thinking 246 or 262 based on lack of gizmo features and rendering which in some small way might be related to the M9 (with the right lens).

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[dhc905]

17 minutes ago, Herr Barnack said:

Here's an idea:  Take the $1900 credit Leica is offering you and apply it toward the purchase of a Q2 or perhaps a CL kit with the 18mm f/2.8 lens. 

After you are moved in, get your house repairs accomplished and finances settle down, then get an M-P 240 or M10 to replace your terminally ill M9.

Another possibility:  Take the $1900 credit and have your Leica dealer treat it as a store credit on their books (get a written credit receipt) until you are ready to buy a new digital M camera.

Yeah actually to be fair they gave me the whole price list of options:

Upgrade to M10-P $5,895

Upgrade to M10-R $6,595

Upgrade to M10-Monochrom $6,595

Upgrade to CL Body $1,825

Upgrade to Q2 $3,845

Upgrade to SL2 Body with M to L Adapter $4,995

 

I asked if they could dig into their archives and pull out a main circuit board from one of the (I would guess) hundreds of M9s that are going to the graveyard right now.  Kind of a sad outcome as I'm sure they spent a ton replacing the sensor a few years back and now are giving me a break on a new camera.  I have 3 lenses and a bunch of accessories for my M9 which was why I was tending towards the M10, but damn, shelling out $6K right now for a M10-P just doesn't seem wise.  

 

Also, very good idea on the credit idea.  I've been eying one of the Leica spotters or binoculars which I think would be much more used right now than another camera body. 

Edited January 27 by dhc905

[Ko.Fe.]

7 minutes ago, Ray Vonn said:

Worthy of separate thread that is, where we M9 owners go after our camera finally crashes.  At the moment I'm thinking 246 or 262 based on lack of gizmo features and rendering which in some small way might be related to the M9 (with the right lens).

Depends how soon it will happen. Leica ditched M9 series owners with no sensors, no boards after this line was finished in late 2015. Way too soon comparing to Canon for example.

Who knows...M240 series might loose support from Leica fairly soon as well.

Personally, once it will happen to my, I might stick with my film LTM and M and get some nice Panasonic made Leica digital advance P&S. Just to have camera which feels good, but doesn't cost fortune.

For pictures I never grown to use my M-E 220 as I use other cameras. To fragile to precious... It is too cold or too wet or too hot for it.  

[Ko.Fe.]

7 minutes ago, dhc905 said:

Yeah actually to be fair they gave me the whole price list of options:

Upgrade to M10-P $5,895

Upgrade to M10-R $6,595

Upgrade to M10-Monochrom $6,595

Upgrade to CL Body $1,825

Upgrade to Q2 $3,845

Upgrade to SL2 Body with M to L Adapter $4,995

 

I asked if they could dig into their archives and pull out a main circuit board from one of the (I would guess) hundreds of M9s that are going to the graveyard right now.  Kind of a sad outcome as I'm sure they spent a ton replacing the sensor a few years back and now are giving me a break on a new camera.  I have 3 lenses and a bunch of accessories for my M9 which was why I was tending towards the M10, but damn, shelling out $6K right now for a M10-P just doesn't seem wise.  

 

Also, very good idea on the credit idea.  I've been eying one of the Leica spotters or binoculars which I think would be much more used right now than another camera body. 

I would go for CL or Q2. 

[tobey bilek]

Leica is not for people of average means.   New owners think always will not need maintenance.  NOT TRUE.

[dhc905]

11 minutes ago, tobey bilek said:

Leica is not for people of average means.   New owners think always will not need maintenance.  NOT TRUE.

Bravo for an A+ comment...

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...Leica has said maintenance is not possible.   I own several Porsches so I'm well aware of premium service prices.  Never has Porsche said, well, actually, we can't fix this, so let's scrap that whole car, which is the case here.  So your point is what?

 

[boojum]

27 minutes ago, tobey bilek said:

Leica is not for people of average means.   New owners think always will not need maintenance.  NOT TRUE.

That kind of policy puts Leica on life support.  Who really wants a camera that breaks a lot and costs a ton to repair?  Besides masochists.  You do not see them in mission critical situations like news gathering anymore.  The news is on all Japanese SLR's and DLSR's.  Why is that?  Because they get the job done.  The way Leica used to. The editors are not primping about image quality and you cannot primp about image quality when you have no image.  To me it looks like Leica has become a weekend toy for amateurs.  Yes, there are pros who still use the Leicas.  But it seems folks who pay their bills with their cameras have mostly opted for other brands.  And that is very, very sad.  I'll use mine until they break and then they are paperweights.  Why?  Because so many repairs are heinously expensive and the rest are impossible.  Send it to Leica for repairs, then go out and buy another camera because the broken one will be gone a long time.  It is really sad.  I, with my little pea brain. cannot understand this either arrogant or cavalier attitude manifested by Leitz. 

When I was younger the Leica was the standard of "get the job done."  They were elegant and they were rugged.  They just worked and worked damned well.  No, mine have not broken yet.  But any of the forums is replete with sad tales of failures.  It is just a shame.  I hope Leitz can come up with a new killer camera.  The new Sony Alpha a1 has raised the bar pretty high.  It may be too high for Leitz to clear.

[dhc905]

Well they couldn't accommodate the request to fix using another dead camera.  Will see if they can provide a credit towards something else to use in the future...

[pedaes]

13 hours ago, dhc905 said:

   I own several Porsches

Bet Porsche will not offer you any help if a ten year old ECR blows.

If you want a M you have been made a very fair offer. If you don't - move on.

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Look here: Leica M

[Herr Barnack]

29 minutes ago, dhc905 said:

Well they couldn't accommodate the request to fix using another dead camera.  Will see if they can provide a credit towards something else to use in the future...

If Leica says "maintenance is not possible" on an M camera - either digital or film - it is incumbent upon them to offer the camera owner a reasonable and equitable credit toward the purchase of an new M camera or lens - not a token offer. 

At the end of the day, it is not the camera owner's fault that "maintenance is not possible."  That is on the camera maker -  it is a failure to plan ahead during the design phase, unless it is due to an unforeseen extinction of a component manufacturer or a discontinuation of a given component.  In that scenario, it would be prudent for Leica to stockpile a reasonable number of said components while they are still available.   We still are led back to the question of why should the camera owner have to take a kick in the teeth over something that is clearly not their fault? 

When we get into the price range of Leica M cameras, digital should not be tantamount to disposable:  Leica M cameras cost far too much money for Leica to expect people to use them for 5-10 years and then throw them in the trash when "maintenance is not possible."  I am not saying that Leica does this - @dhc905 's experience indicates an ethical and responsible course of action on Leica's part. 

Leave the "Your camera is broken?  Quit whining,  throw it in the trash and buy an new one!" kind of so-called customer service to other camera brands.  As @boojum observed, that kind of policy will put Leica on life support. 

We Leica M owner/users are loyal - but we're not stupid.

 

Edited January 27 by Herr Barnack

[dhc905]

20 minutes ago, pedaes said:

Bet Porsche will not offer you any help if a ten year old ECR blows.

If you want a M you have been made a very fair offer. If you don't - move on.

Not true - there are multiple examples where they have stepped up (and to be fair, a number of areas where they haven't) on 10+ year cars.  Luckily, I have an air-cooled and a newer Cayenne, so things like IMS issues or GT3 engine fires haven't been issues for me, but I understand and appreciate the cost of proper maintenance.  

Also note, I have an M.  Its just a paperweight now. 

[dhc905]

22 minutes ago, Herr Barnack said:

When we get into the price range of Leica M cameras, digital should not be tantamount to disposable:  Leica M cameras cost far too much money for Leica to expect people to use them for 5-10 years and then throw them in the trash when "maintenance is not possible."  I am not saying that Leica does this - @dhc905 's experience indicates an ethical and responsible course of action on Leica's part. 

Leave the "Your camera is broken?  Quit whining,  throw it in the trash and buy an new one!" kind of so-called customer service to other camera brands.  As @boojum observed, that kind of policy will put Leica on life support. 

We Leica M owner/users are loyal - but we're not stupid.

 

Agree with everything said here. 

[Ko.Fe.]

On 1/27/2021 at 12:20 AM, boojum said:

That kind of policy puts Leica on life support.  Who really wants a camera that breaks a lot and costs a ton to repair?  Besides masochists.  You do not see them in mission critical situations like news gathering anymore.  The news is on all Japanese SLR's and DLSR's.  Why is that?  Because they get the job done.  The way Leica used to. The editors are not primping about image quality and you cannot primp about image quality when you have no image.  To me it looks like Leica has become a weekend toy for amateurs.  Yes, there are pros who still use the Leicas.  But it seems folks who pay their bills with their cameras have mostly opted for other brands.  And that is very, very sad.  I'll use mine until they break and then they are paperweights.  Why?  Because so many repairs are heinously expensive and the rest are impossible.  Send it to Leica for repairs, then go out and buy another camera because the broken one will be gone a long time.  It is really sad.  I, with my little pea brain. cannot understand this either arrogant or cavalier attitude manifested by Leitz. 

When I was younger the Leica was the standard of "get the job done."  They were elegant and they were rugged.  They just worked and worked damned well.  No, mine have not broken yet.  But any of the forums is replete with sad tales of failures.  It is just a shame.  I hope Leitz can come up with a new killer camera.  The new Sony Alpha a1 has raised the bar pretty high.  It may be too high for Leitz to clear.

Where are few photogs who does weddings with them. I have seen couple on youtube and one was active here.

I personally know one Chicago based classic photographer. Who has photography as education and is long time profession. He  switched from DSLRs to digital M years ago. He gets good deals for digital M in the States and Leica NJ is nearby for service. He is also using some of his M for street photography and it is serious business, not a leisure stroll.  

But Leica was the standard long time ago. Before SLRs, it seems. Even Fred Herzog was telling how M3 was failing and he switched to Nikon SLRs.  

[boojum]

1 hour ago, Ko.Fe. said:

Where are few photogs who does weddings with them. I have seen couple on youtube and one was active here.

I personally know one Chicago based classic photographer. Who has photography as education and is long time profession. He  switched from DSLRs to digital M years ago. He gets good deals for digital M in the States and Leica NJ is nearby for service. He is also using some of his M for street photography and it is serious business, not a leisure stroll.  

But Leica was the standard long time ago. Before SLRs, it seems. Even Fred Herzog was telling how M3 was failing and he switched to Nikon SLRs.  

I am sorry to see this happening despite having excellent luck with Sony.  My A7M II is a tank and has not failed me and I got it when they came out six years ago.  I've dragged it all over the US and through France and The Netherlands and between.  I would really like to see Leitz rise phoenix-like from the ashes.  Let's hope they can pull off a miracle because that is what they are going to need.  Unless they want to run Leica as a glamour loss-leader but the prices being charged are not those of a loss-leader.  The prices and service make it seem like they do not want the camera business. We can all hope this not true.