Leica M11 is not responding.

[Hazem]

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Dear members, please help me solving a weird problem with my Leica M11. Today when switched the camera on, the back screen is totally dead, the back red status light is on and never turns off, non of the three buttons to the left of screen is responding. I pushed the shutter release i heard the shutter, but screen was still dead black. I took off battery, memory card, and replaced the lens with another one, but the problem still exist. Moreover, when i switch  off the camera, the status led light on the back doesn’t turn off…… Any protocol to follow to tackle this issue??? Thanks

[jaapv]

Remove the lens cap?  Pull out the battery and reinsert or replace with one that you are sure is fully charged. Use another SD card. 

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[lct]

Happened to me once due to the memory card. A brand new Sony Tough that happened to be dead for some reason. Using an old Sandisk card fixed the issue so i ordered a Sandisk Extreme Pro 170 mb/s for the M11. Works perfectly since then. 

[hmzimelka]

Same here with SD card.

I have a ProGrade 128GB V60 (Gold) UHS-II card that caused camera to freeze like this once. Computer format with SD formatter app, then a format in camera. No problem since although once I got a embedded JPG preview with funny coloured lines, so it was corrupted. Also never happened since some 3000 images later.

So far, ironically, Lexar Professional 32GB 1667x UHS-II has been the most reliable. I say that since my Lexar experience has been extremely problematic with my Nikon cameras over the past few years.

[Hazem]

I charged the battery overnight, inserted the battery to camera but with SD card out and then in but nothing got fixed. Formatted the SD card on computer, tried again switch on / off camera but no success at all. Problem still exists 

[John McDade]

When this happened to me -- only once -- I connected Leica London and discussion with them brought out the fact that I had a Zeiss Sonnar lens on the camera.  When I changed this to a Summicron, the camera recognised it, and started working again.  The problem seemed to be a glitch that prevented the Zeiss lens being recognised.  No problems since then and the camera and Zeiss combination have been fine.  Strange, but true....

[vikasmg]

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13 hours ago, John McDade said:

When this happened to me -- only once -- I connected Leica London and discussion with them brought out the fact that I had a Zeiss Sonnar lens on the camera.  When I changed this to a Summicron, the camera recognised it, and started working again.  The problem seemed to be a glitch that prevented the Zeiss lens being recognised.  No problems since then and the camera and Zeiss combination have been fine.  Strange, but true....

I seem to remember reading of a similar problem, but I think it was on an L mount camera.  Someone tried switching on a new camera with a third party lens and had what sounded like a similar problem.  He turned the camera off, switched to a Leica lens and it all worked fine.  After that the camera worked fine with all lenses.  I wondered if the lens had been fixed in all the way to a click the first time.  I wonder if it’s something similar here.

[El Oso]

Hi guys, 

i had the same issues with my m11 black. Every time i was using it it happend about 2 or 3 times that the camera freezes. The use cases has been different. It happend while using the live view but also when not using the live view. I made the composition with the rangefinder and when trying to shot there was no reaction. The read light at the back of the camera was on but the camera was dead. When switching off, the red light still illuminated. no reaction. The problem always could be solved by taking the battery out and pull it back. 3 Times the problem happend when switching on the camera after not having used it for hours. i called the leica service. And this happend when i was speaking with the service personal with the camera in my hands. i had firmware 1.30 installed. They recommended me to upgrade to 1.40 which i did immediately. But the problem still occured. 

I`am using the Zeiss Sonnar 50mm 1.5 T* and a Leica Summilux 50mm 1.4 asph. Means that is not a lens caused problem. 

The SD Card is a Sandisk extreme pro 170. 

I´m not sure if this is a firmware problem or a hardware problem. Now i decided to give the camera back becaus i´m still in the range of 30 days after purchase. My dealer handled this very client friendly and i could give back the camera an received a new one directly. This was today so i can not report experiences so far. 

Guni

[Photoworks]

On 7/30/2022 at 6:38 PM, El Oso said:

Hi guys, 

i had the same issues with my m11 black. Every time i was using it it happend about 2 or 3 times that the camera freezes. The use cases has been different. It happend while using the live view but also when not using the live view. I made the composition with the rangefinder and when trying to shot there was no reaction. The read light at the back of the camera was on but the camera was dead. When switching off, the red light still illuminated. no reaction. The problem always could be solved by taking the battery out and pull it back. 3 Times the problem happend when switching on the camera after not having used it for hours. i called the leica service. And this happend when i was speaking with the service personal with the camera in my hands. i had firmware 1.30 installed. They recommended me to upgrade to 1.40 which i did immediately. But the problem still occured. 

I`am using the Zeiss Sonnar 50mm 1.5 T* and a Leica Summilux 50mm 1.4 asph. Means that is not a lens caused problem. 

The SD Card is a Sandisk extreme pro 170. 

I´m not sure if this is a firmware problem or a hardware problem. Now i decided to give the camera back becaus i´m still in the range of 30 days after purchase. My dealer handled this very client friendly and i could give back the camera an received a new one directly. This was today so i can not report experiences so far. 

Guni

sounds like a software bug.

try 1.5 FW

 

[GDS63]

Hello, I had the same problem with my M11 after a few days of use. When I turn on the camera, the red LED on the back lights up, the shutter clicks but otherwise the camera is locked, no function is available. The LED stays on until I remove the battery. The firmware is version 1.5.0. I tried for three days to make it work, with different SD cards and without SD.  Yesterday I took the camera for service to the Rome Leica Store. They told me that this is the first time a problem has been reported to an M11 and that Wetzlar's repair time will be around two months ☹️.

[lct]

1 hour ago, GDS63 said:

Hello, I had the same problem with my M11 after a few days of use. When I turn on the camera, the red LED on the back lights up, the shutter clicks but otherwise the camera is locked, no function is available. The LED stays on until I remove the battery. The firmware is version 1.5.0. I tried for three days to make it work, with different SD cards and without SD.  Yesterday I took the camera for service to the Rome Leica Store. They told me that this is the first time a problem has been reported to an M11 and that Wetzlar's repair time will be around two months ☹️.

You did not pay for a repaired body so you should be entitled to ask for a refund or a replacement. Subject to Italian law which i do not know.

[SrMi]

2 hours ago, GDS63 said:

Hello, I had the same problem with my M11 after a few days of use. When I turn on the camera, the red LED on the back lights up, the shutter clicks but otherwise the camera is locked, no function is available. The LED stays on until I remove the battery. The firmware is version 1.5.0. I tried for three days to make it work, with different SD cards and without SD.  Yesterday I took the camera for service to the Rome Leica Store. They told me that this is the first time a problem has been reported to an M11 and that Wetzlar's repair time will be around two months ☹️.

Did you purchase the camera at the Leica Store? If so, I do not understand why they did not replace it.

[GDS63]

No, I purchased it from another dealer.  But for assistance it is necessary to contact the Leica Store, or directly to Leica customer service.

[ArtemAbalmaz]

The same problem is already the third day with the new M11 camera on firmware 1.6.  I bought it from the official store in Dubai on 01/06/2023 and I had this problem even without a memory card.  I just noticed that this happens when the battery charge is less than 50%.  When switched off, the orange LED stays on for a long time.  The camera does not respond to turning on.  It only helps to remove and re-insert the battery.

[Kwesi]

1 hour ago, ArtemAbalmaz said:

The same problem is already the third day with the new M11 camera on firmware 1.6.  I bought it from the official store in Dubai on 01/06/2023 and I had this problem even without a memory card.  I just noticed that this happens when the battery charge is less than 50%.  When switched off, the orange LED stays on for a long time.  The camera does not respond to turning on.  It only helps to remove and re-insert the battery.

go back to the store and try it with a new battery for day and if that doesn't work then get a new camera from them

[ArtemAbalmaz]

I have already replaced the battery with a new one.  The shop assistants are quite friendly.  But I don’t have time for a full-fledged test, today I’m flying to the island for 12 days.  Can someone tell me how long after the purchase they should change the camera to a new one?

[Stonewall Brigade]

Sounds like you unfortunately have one of the bad M11s, as discussed elsewhere on this M11 forum.

[Kwesi]

7 hours ago, ArtemAbalmaz said:

I have already replaced the battery with a new one.  The shop assistants are quite friendly.  But I don’t have time for a full-fledged test, today I’m flying to the island for 12 days.  Can someone tell me how long after the purchase they should change the camera to a new one?

I think that depends on the laws of the region/country you purchased the camera. Sounds like the shop is aware of the issue. Hopefully you discussed the possibility of replacing the camera if this battery doesn’t solve the problem

[ArtemAbalmaz]

Hello!  I inform everyone that my camera was also replaced. I haven't had time to test yet.  I'll let you know later.  Thanks everyone for the help!

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[DenverSteve]

Eight + months and ........ not tested yet?  It either works or it doesn't.