Weird shutter behavior

[weevi]

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I've been using my M11 since March 2022 without major issue apart from rare several freezes which can be solved by removing the battery.

Last week I was on a hike in Taiwan and when I turned the camera on, I heard the sound of quick multiple shutter flaps instead of one. Turned out the shutter could not open, the lens (6 bit coded) couldn't be detected. I tried turning the camera off & on again, removing the battery, resetting the camera. It worked for a while but the issue occurred again, so many times within an hour. It frustrated me so much that I decided to stop using my M11 and rely on my iPhone for the rest of the trip.

When I got back to my hotel, I recorded these videos and sent them to my local authorized dealer in Bangkok where I bought the M11 from- https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gm2f482fi8u0p1m/AADKSZ12wmj7qvCPtw4VbbHFa?dl=0

The staff were not familiar with this issue and could not give me any advice. 

I removed the battery and did not turn the camera on for the next 3 days until I returned home. To my surprise, my M11 turned on and worked properly this time around. I took it to the dealer for a checkup anyway. It showed no sign of such issue there either. Now I'm eagerly waiting to hear back from them.

This is my fourth digital M camera. My M-D, M10 and M10-D, even the Q never fail on me despite being taken to more extreme environments. This is really disappointing 😢

[elmars]

vor einer Stunde schrieb weevi:

This is really disappointing 

Yes it is. I never had such things with my M11. But my M10 had a time, when it resetted itself to factory standard from time to time. After a few month this stopped. 

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[fenykepesz]

i had to experience something similarly stupifying where just time brought the cure to my at-that-time ailing M10-D.  though not the same issue as you describe here, but something 'electronic' anyway that got cured 'automagically' :

M10-D running hot and draining battery like mad

i show you here just the final, luckily good comment - but paging back a bit you may read up about the weird patterns my M10-D had revealed then...

so, (Leica) miracle can happen :)

 

[weevi]

I left the camera for inspection at Leica Store Bangkok for about 2 weeks.

They could not replicate the issue and I had to take it back.

Next time I won't remove the battery and send it straight to them.

Now I can only hope that nothing will go wrong again before the warranty ends.

[sebben]

On 5/5/2023 at 9:05 PM, weevi said:

.Now I can only hope that nothing will go wrong again before the warranty ends.

Welcome to the the club of constant fear and paranoia. 

Only upside I see is that the 10.000 euro digital M is still a somewhat affordable dead digital  brick to own compared to a digital cinema camera or a modern Audi or Range Rover…

 

[jaapv]

Try using a different SD card first.

[weevi]

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Another error occurred yesterday...

I shot a burst of about 20 images using continuous-high + Aperture priority. The photos came out with inconsistent exposures despite the exif showing the same shutter speed.

My M11 really needs to be serviced 😭

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[SrMi]

4 hours ago, weevi said:

Another error occurred yesterday...

I shot a burst of about 20 images using continuous-high + Aperture priority. The photos came out with inconsistent exposures despite the exif showing the same shutter speed.

My M11 really needs to be serviced 😭

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

Auto-ISO?

[charlesphoto99]

6 hours ago, weevi said:

Another error occurred yesterday...

I shot a burst of about 20 images using continuous-high + Aperture priority. The photos came out with inconsistent exposures despite the exif showing the same shutter speed.

My M11 really needs to be serviced 😭

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

Not good, but I would highly recommend anyone, with any camera, if shooting the same lit scene over and over, use manual. Only need to set once and forget. 

[Al Brown]

This looks like a typical shutter malfunction.

[fotografr]

8 hours ago, weevi said:

Another error occurred yesterday...

I shot a burst of about 20 images using continuous-high + Aperture priority. The photos came out with inconsistent exposures despite the exif showing the same shutter speed.

My M11 really needs to be serviced 😭

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

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

I realize this is long after the fact, but I just came across the thread. I had this exact problem with my M9M. Changing memory cards had no effect. I had to send it in for a $400 repair that took 13 weeks. 

[jakontil]

13 hours ago, weevi said:

Another error occurred yesterday...

I shot a burst of about 20 images using continuous-high + Aperture priority. The photos came out with inconsistent exposures despite the exif showing the same shutter speed.

My M11 really needs to be serviced 😭

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

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

 

6 hours ago, Al Brown said:

This looks like a typical shutter malfunction.

Yeah probably a shutter malfunction.. the different exposure seemed the shutter failed to open? Unless it isnt pitch black you can bring up those shadows

happened to one of the unit i came across before.. 

[weevi]

1 hour ago, jakontil said:

 

Yeah probably a shutter malfunction.. the different exposure seemed the shutter failed to open? Unless it isnt pitch black you can bring up those shadows

happened to one of the unit i came across before.. 

I tried lifting up the shadow (+5 in LR) and found that the images were partially exposed.

Now I’m certain that it is shutter malfunction. Luckily it’s still under warranty. Hope the repair won’t take too long 😢

[weevi]

It took me almost 4 months, I got my M11 back on October 13.
The service documents indicated so many parts were replaced, including the shutter.

I took it with me everyday, hoping to confirm that the camera is now problem-free, because warranty will run out next Jan.

Unfortunately, the same malfunction occurred again yesterday. Which means it functioned well for only 11 days. 😢

[sebben]

Jeez. This seems to be the new normal.
 

Don’t worry though. Leica had the best finical year ever so they will be around for awhile to be able to charge you to repair it at least.