My new M11 is bricked... Leica Spain

[Herr Barnack]

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@Antonio Russell  I'm glad to hear that Leica Spain finally did the right thing and replaced your M11.

I have watched with interest the M11 and its growing pains.  With regard to bricking, the outlook of the worldwide community of M11 owners seems to be along the lines of -

Other people's M11 bricks = isolated and insignificant issue. 🙄

My M11 bricks = unmitigated disaster! 😳

 

Not that I blame them - if I had coughed up $9000 American for an M11 and it $h@t the bed in a month. I'd be down in the dumps, too.

[M11 for me]

Another view on card handling:

After shooting I always take the card out of the M11 and insert it into the opening of my Mac. In Lightroom the import window opens automatically (and in the finder the card is shown as well). Then in lightroom I do the import settings etc. At the end of that import I put the card back into the M11 and format the card in the camera. I never delete images, I always format in camera and then I am ready for the next shooting.

I post this as we can read here all sorts of different handling or formatting the cards. 

 

[Guest]

Another another view on card handling.

I usually put the card in the reader and copy the files to where I want them on the ssd, then I use post processing software.

I store the card in my card case (Pelican 0915), I’ve already put a new sd card in the camera and formatted it, when I take out the old one. Anything in the case is already in my system and backed up, so can be formatted as soon as it goes back in the camera. It also rotates the usage of the cards.

Edited August 7, 2022 by OThomas

[hdmesa]

1 hour ago, Herr Barnack said:

@Antonio Russell  I'm glad to hear that Leica Spain finally did the right thing and replaced your M11.

I have watched with interest the M11 and its growing pains.  With regard to bricking, the outlook of the worldwide community of M11 owners seems to be along the lines of -

Other people's M11 bricks = isolated and insignificant issue. 🙄

My M11 bricks = unmitigated disaster! 😳

 

Not that I blame them - if I had coughed up $9000 American for an M11 and it $h@t the bed in a month. I'd be down in the dumps, too.

Meh, whether it's delivered with an out of calibration rangefinder (my first M11) or it gets bricked, it's the same hassle. It didn't make me mad, but it was irritating to have to do an exchange.

The build quality of the SL2-S I had before this: the feel, fit and finish is definitely a notch above the M11 (except for the cladding the SL2-S, which feels and wears like soft cardboard). The bottom plate alone on the M11 looks and feels like Fujifilm consumer-grade when it should be pro-grade, IMO. The bottom plate of the SL2-S is much nicer – little metal feet with rubberized padding, just feels so much more solid/pro. Anyway, not sure why I'm ranting about this as it's unrelated.

[pgh]

On 8/6/2022 at 7:41 AM, M11 for me said:

No @Mahesh; that would be overreacting. You certainly can assume that most M11 out here are working as they should. Of course its necessary that such problems come up and are discussed here in the forum (and just the more when the rsponsible in Spain do not react properly). But its a bad idea to go for an older model when you have the cash to go for M11. Check all the posts from very satisfied users. We are at firmware 1.5.0.1 (what a figure !!) and most issues should be adressed now. And another FW version is expected in fall.

I don't think it's over-reacting. I've purchased new digital from Leica 3 times in the past 13 years. After the M8, this has been my fault, but I won't make that mistake or pay that new premium any longer. Each item has come with flaw(s) that should have never passed QC - my M10 had to go back twice since they didn't even address all of the original issues that I had pointed out and while I got it in June of 2017 I wasn't able to actually able to use it consistently until October. The best way to buy a Leica is to buy it used from someone that has put it through its paces. Most recently my SL2, a late model mind you, when all bugs should have been worked out, came with shoddy paint on the hotshoe. I am going to beat it up anyways and I didn't want to mess with returning it but like, c'mon - this isn't how this should go. I won't buy a new Leica body again - they can't hold a candle to the QC of the Japanese companies (this isn't a new problem) - but they sure can design better! 

[lct]

1 hour ago, hdmesa said:

[...] The bottom plate alone on the M11 looks and feels like Fujifilm consumer-grade when it should be pro-grade, IMO.[...]

Can't seem to see significant differences with my M8.2 and M240 as far as bottom plate, besides the M11's being fixed of course. Same high end feeling but i chose silver bodies. 

Edited August 7, 2022 by lct

[hdmesa]

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3 minutes ago, lct said:

Can't seem to see significant differences with my M8.2 and M20 as far as bottom plate, besides the M11's being fixed of course. Same high end feeling but i chose silver bodies. 

M11 silver was even cheaper-feeling/looking than the black (IMO) – a mismatch between the nice silver chrome on brass top plate and whatever the bottom plate is – alloy with paint?

[lct]

5 minutes ago, hdmesa said:

M11 silver was even cheaper-feeling/looking than the black (IMO) – a mismatch between the nice silver chrome on brass top plate and whatever the bottom plate is – alloy with paint?

No idea what it is made of but my M11's silver bottom plate looks identical to the top plate i must say. Same apparent quality as my other silver bodies (M3, M4, M6J, M8.2, M240). 

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[Herr Barnack]

24 minutes ago, lct said:

Can't seem to see significant differences with my M8.2 and M20 as far as bottom plate, besides the M11's being fixed of course. Same high end feeling but i chose silver bodies. 

Huh??

If you have an M20, you must have figured out how to bend spacetime.  Do tell...

Edited August 7, 2022 by Herr Barnack

[Mahesh]

19 hours ago, hdmesa said:

I count three. Hugh Brownstone reported on his YouTube channel that it happened to him, and I've counted two on this forum, which includes this one. Maybe I missed some, though.

I have come across a listing on ebay where the seller says that is the replacement sealed M11 that Leica sent after his M11 bricked. All in all I know 4 cases now which maybe is not that many since the camera was released but I have never heard so many bricks from other brands. Talking about SD cards, I take cards in and out of my Sony's without bothering... I have never had an issue. Fuji, yes I notice sometimes the camera might hang if the card has pictures taken with other cameras.

[IkarusJohn]

It might be a small number, but for the camera owner, the failure is 100%.

[SrMi]

15 minutes ago, IkarusJohn said:

It might be a small number, but for the camera owner, the failure is 100%.

The same is true for M10, M240, SL2 owners that have the bad luck of a broken camera.

[IkarusJohn]

1 hour ago, SrMi said:

The same is true for M10, M240, SL2 owners that have the bad luck of a broken camera.

Exactly.  I don’t think this is specific to the M11; nor do I think it is helpful to minimise what is a problem.  Leica will resolve the issue, but it would have been preferable (with all digital M cameras) if they had really got the electronics and the firmware which drives it, right before release.

[jakontil]

8 hours ago, hdmesa said:

Meh, whether it's delivered with an out of calibration rangefinder (my first M11) or it gets bricked, it's the same hassle. It didn't make me mad, but it was irritating to have to do an exchange.

The build quality of the SL2-S I had before this: the feel, fit and finish is definitely a notch above the M11 (except for the cladding the SL2-S, which feels and wears like soft cardboard). The bottom plate alone on the M11 looks and feels like Fujifilm consumer-grade when it should be pro-grade, IMO. The bottom plate of the SL2-S is much nicer – little metal feet with rubberized padding, just feels so much more solid/pro. Anyway, not sure why I'm ranting about this as it's unrelated.

My silver bottom plate felt okey, is it because of brass i feel as good as the previous M’s? I dont know, took me 6 months to figure out the baseplate is of the same material of the top plate frm each version, stated in the manual book 😀

my workflow so far with M11, either transfer through leica photo apps or connect the cable directly to either windows or ipad

[toona]

Sadly I’m on a photo centric trip in the Canadian Rockies and my m11 died just before heading to lake Louise.  Kudos to Josh at leica Miami for fielding my desperate calls for help from jasper Canada and confirming my m11 is dead. I’d rather know so I can focus on keeping my iPhone charged. 
 

I’d be lying if I wasn’t supremely disappointed. 
it’s a once in a lifetime trip that took 2 years to plan. I will make the most of it but I will reevaluate my long term relationship with leica equipment. 
 

fwiw it stopped working randomly. Fully charged battery, sandisk extreme pro sd card that has hundreds of photos uneventfully shot, firmware was the one prior to the newest and I couldn’t get the new one to load. 
 

camera turns on, screen is dead, red light stays on even when powered off. Shutter opens and I think I can take photos but the camera otherwise is totally unresponsive. 
 

Taken with my iPhone today. Taking lemons and making lemonade…
 

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[Ray Vonn]

1 hour ago, toona said:

Taking lemons and making lemonade…

You are indeed. It’s only just become apparent to me how good an iPhone is in raw mode so I’m sure you will have some fantastic images by the end of your trip. I wouldn’t be surprised if, after the trip, you’ll be seriously considering the image quality of today’s phones vs the traditional camera. Anyway, best of luck with getting this matter resolved and please, enjoy the holiday.

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[fionapereira]

2 hours ago, toona said:

Sadly I’m on a photo centric trip in the Canadian Rockies and my m11 died just before heading to lake Louise.  Kudos to Josh at leica Miami for fielding my desperate calls for help from jasper Canada and confirming my m11 is dead. I’d rather know so I can focus on keeping my iPhone charged. 
 

I’d be lying if I wasn’t supremely disappointed. 
it’s a once in a lifetime trip that took 2 years to plan. I will make the most of it but I will reevaluate my long term relationship with leica equipment. 
 

fwiw it stopped working randomly. Fully charged battery, sandisk extreme pro sd card that has hundreds of photos uneventfully shot, firmware was the one prior to the newest and I couldn’t get the new one to load. 
 

camera turns on, screen is dead, red light stays on even when powered off. Shutter opens and I think I can take photos but the camera otherwise is totally unresponsive. 
 

Taken with my iPhone today. Taking lemons and making lemonade…
 

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

This is really disappointing knowing that the M11 going dead cases are rising. It is making me reconsider purchasing this camera. And I understand Mahesh's sentiment (Post no's 24 and 70) on this. One photographer recently commented on Hugh Brownstone's video, that he is now facing an issue with his replaced M11 as well. His first M11 bricked. This is concerning, knowing that even if you receive a replacement, it is not brick-proof.

[jakontil]

The dead m11 samples generate similarities or common symptoms with red led keep lighting

i wonder if the latest fw have minor changes with bigger impacts keeping it alive

[Kwesi]

4 hours ago, fionapereira said:

This is really disappointing knowing that the M11 going dead cases are rising. It is making me reconsider purchasing this camera. And I understand Mahesh's sentiment (Post no's 24 and 70) on this. One photographer recently commented on Hugh Brownstone's video, that he is now facing an issue with his replaced M11 as well. His first M11 bricked. This is concerning, knowing that even if you receive a replacement, it is not brick-proof.

Having high profile ambassadors complaining about a camera can’t be good for business. Leica would do well to state in the firmware notes that a solution has been found. Assuming that the bricking is software related and not a batch of cameras with faulty hardware. 

[Antonio Russell]

17 hours ago, toona said:

Sadly I’m on a photo centric trip in the Canadian Rockies and my m11 died just before heading to lake Louise.  Kudos to Josh at leica Miami for fielding my desperate calls for help from jasper Canada and confirming my m11 is dead. I’d rather know so I can focus on keeping my iPhone charged. 
 

I’d be lying if I wasn’t supremely disappointed. 
it’s a once in a lifetime trip that took 2 years to plan. I will make the most of it but I will reevaluate my long term relationship with leica equipment. 
 

fwiw it stopped working randomly. Fully charged battery, sandisk extreme pro sd card that has hundreds of photos uneventfully shot, firmware was the one prior to the newest and I couldn’t get the new one to load. 
 

camera turns on, screen is dead, red light stays on even when powered off. Shutter opens and I think I can take photos but the camera otherwise is totally unresponsive. 
 

Taken with my iPhone today. Taking lemons and making lemonade…
 

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Sorry to hear you have suffered from the same issue.... more or less exactly as I experienced it. So far the replacement sent by Leica has been trouble free but its early days. I certainly does dent your confidence in the brand... p.s. looks like your iPhone is filling the void very well!

Edited August 12, 2022 by Antonio Russell