M9 Sensor

[EOD-M3]

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Dear all, I have an M9 with CCD ID 5 and it has the dreaded half screen purple curtain issue.  I know the history of the sensor, its various versions and respective issues. I know of Kolari and MaxMax and their capabilities to replace or repair the M9 sensor. Just an FYI - as of last week, Kolari has "found" two CCD ID 15s and is charging over $5000 for the sensor and install. 

What I dont know is, is there a different sensor, either CCD or CMOS that could replace the current KAF-18500 sensor in the M9? And who might do this work?

 

[pedaes]

5 minutes ago, EOD-M3 said:

the dreaded half screen purple curtain issue.

Never heard of this. How does it manifest itself?

[justj]

$5000????  Sometimes can buy one on Ebay for around £2000 with new sensor.

[EOD-M3]

For those that are not familiar with the purple curtain issue, the attached link explains what it is and how it occurs.

https://kolarivision.com/product/kolari-sensor-replacement-service-for-the-leica-m9-camera/
 

 

[pedaes]

4 minutes ago, EOD-M3 said:

For those that are not familiar with the purple curtain issue, the attached link explains what it is and how it occurs.

https://kolarivision.com/product/kolari-sensor-replacement-service-for-the-leica-m9-camera/
 

 

Well, you will find pages and pages here (LUF) on the M9 sensor when it was a current issue, but can't remember this! The source you give is a bit of advertising and I would treat it as such. What is your own camera displaying and can you post an image?

[mujk]

I recall having seen slightly similar images of faulty M8/M9 sensors here on LUF, with one half mainly black and the other having a strong magenta cast. Or a combination of magenta and green. There is of course always a risk that the fault is in the processor board and not in the sensor.

I don't think there exists any other sensors than the different revisions of the original one that could replace the faulty sensor.

[espelt]

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5K for a sensor from a secondhand dealer? Really? Wouldn't even be worth considering for me. Digital cameras, digital technology doesn't last forever. Neither does mechanics. But there were and still are ways to repair something like that. For that money, you can get a used M10 in excellent condition and with a warranty. It has fairly up-to-date technology with a few more years of functionality. And the generated image data offers every opportunity to give it the desired look. But I've never understood why that's often such a topic anyway. For me, data from the camera is raw data. It should be as neutral as possible. And contain as much image information as possible. The rest, the look, is image processing. It's bitter, I know - but forget about the M9 or a repair. Maybe you can still sell the thing. There's always someone on eBay who likes to tinker. And invest the repair money in new technology.

[3D-Kraft.com]

The question isn't whether there's a "better" camera if you want the exact experience that only an M9 can offer.

But yes, $5,000 for a sensor replacement doesn't seem reasonable to me either, when you can get a well-maintained M9 with an ID15 sensor for around 3,000 - 3,500 €.

[adan]

On 5/12/2025 at 10:44 AM, EOD-M3 said:

What I dont know is, is there a different sensor, either CCD or CMOS that could replace the current KAF-18500 sensor in the M9? And who might do this work?

Short version - No.

Longer version - The M9 CCD sensor was a unique, custom-made design, in several significant ways, intended and used for no other purpose than with the M9s' other electronics and firmware (and vice-versa: the M9 electronics are tuned for use with the KAF-18500 or the relacement version only).

- custom pixel or photosite size and number (the Leica DMR digtal back for the R cameras,the M8, and the original medium-format S2 used the same basic Kodak CCD pixels, but in different arrangements, covering different surface areas, with different output electronics, and in different capacities (10 or 38 Mpixels, not 18).
- custom offset microlenses specifically for legacy M lenses only
- custom Bayer color filters chosen by Leica, for that "M9 color").
- combined coverglass/IF filter as one piece
- and of course CCD - meaning it outputs charge (coulombs) instead of volts (volts), to be counted up for conversion to digital brightness values.

"Off-the-shelf" sensors from anyone else simply won't "plug-and-play" in the M9.

Put any sensor in the M9 that does not match those original custom specs exactly, across the board, and the camera processors will just say "WTF is this - thing - you've installed!?"

Technically, the sensor for the M9 Monochrom is almost the same, but not close enough. It still needs its own distinct firmware to recognize how the B&W-ONLY pixels/data should be processed, and tweak the metering to account for the Monochrom's better light sensitivity (no light-stealing Bayer filters present).

Technically, Kodak (and its CCD-making successors after bankruptcy, TrueSense and OnSemi) put the KAF-18500 into their product catalogs. But no-one other than Leica ever ordered any in quantity. Except maybe for weird one-offs (strange lab experiments or similar).

It would probably be easier (and cheaper) to convert an existing ICE F1 car to electric motors, than to get someone else's sensor to work in the M9.

Edited May 14 by adan

[Casey Jefferson]

The sensor was tweaked by engineers and a tailored firmware was written for it, not just conversion of sensor data to digital data but also how it connect and communicate with other hardwares onboard. So it'll be next to impossible even by Leica themselves unless they go through the research and development again.

Since the original spec'ed sensor is out of production for long time, it's pointless to stuff anything newer in as the biggest reason getting an M9 is the sensor. Any newer model is going to do a much better job.

[petard]

I wonder if Kolari also update the firmware required for the ID15/16. I thought only Leica can do that. 

There are shops in China who can repair the curtain issue by restitching the gold wires that connect the sensor. But success rate is lower compared to sensor glass replacement.

Sell the M9 and fund it to buy another one if it has been to be an M9. Which as a fellow M9 user i can totally relate to.

[Ne314satel]

On 5/12/2025 at 6:44 PM, EOD-M3 said:

Dear all, I have an M9 with CCD ID 5 and it has the dreaded half screen purple curtain issue.  I know the history of the sensor, its various versions and respective issues. I know of Kolari and MaxMax and their capabilities to replace or repair the M9 sensor. Just an FYI - as of last week, Kolari has "found" two CCD ID 15s and is charging over $5000 for the sensor and install. 

What I dont know is, is there a different sensor, either CCD or CMOS that could replace the current KAF-18500 sensor in the M9? And who might do this work?

 

I have exactly the same problem. 3000 euros with sensor replacement. I'm on pause for now.

Edited May 30 by Ne314satel

[Doc Henry]

On 5/12/2025 at 6:44 PM, EOD-M3 said:

Dear all, I have an M9 with CCD ID 5 and it has the dreaded half screen purple curtain issue.  I know the history of the sensor, its various versions and respective issues. I know of Kolari and MaxMax and their capabilities to replace or repair the M9 sensor. Just an FYI - as of last week, Kolari has "found" two CCD ID 15s and is charging over $5000 for the sensor and install. 

What I dont know is, is there a different sensor, either CCD or CMOS that could replace the current KAF-18500 sensor in the M9? And who might do this work?

Hi EOD,  for me, I don't ask myself any questions about the Kodak CCD sensor , which is unique.  Although I only shoot film now , I stay in digital for the CCD sensor, so either I buy a used M9 or I get it replaced by Kolari . As I said in my thread, Kolari is a serious company, you can count on them.

 

Best

Henry

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 21 by Doc Henry

[Sam737]

I believe this also must be another variant of CCD failure. You can see these crab-like abnormalities throughout the image. I bought the M9 new, years ago, loved the look, never had any issues, until recently. I read earlier in this string about $5000 to replace, which seems a bit extreme. It's too bad, I really did like this camera, still enjoyed bringing it out now and then, despite having other options. 

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[TomB_tx]

Yes - classic light halo outlining dark spots is corrosion of the cover glass of the sensor. The sensor itself is likely fine, so cover glass replacement by someone like Kolarivision should be worthwhile. Leica themselves never worked on the sensor - they just replaced the entire circuit board mated to the sensor.

[Sam737]

On 8/6/2025 at 4:51 PM, TomB_tx said:

Yes - classic light halo outlining dark spots is corrosion of the cover glass of the sensor. The sensor itself is likely fine, so cover glass replacement by someone like Kolarivision should be worthwhile. Leica themselves never worked on the sensor - they just replaced the entire circuit board mated to the sensor.

TomB, thank you for letting me know, so you think just the cover glass needs to be replaced. That sounds more reasonable to do, and I really wound love to get to continue to use this camera. 

[TomB_tx]

My M9 sensor began to show this after 7 years, while Leica still had a free replacement program going, so I had them replace the circuit board & sensor free - even though the warranty was long expired. But Leica stopped replacements when they ran out of parts, so all they offer now are trade-in deals towards a current model. I had already bought an M10 while waiting for Leica to repair, and used the M9 as a backup when it returned. I recently gave it to my son (who already had my old M3), and it is still going strong. I do like the M10!

Kolari does replace the cover glass, though there is always some risk to such surgery. Many who have had it replaced are satisfied.