M9 with broken 6-bit sensor?

[Fleabag]

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Hi there!

I've "downgraded" my M equipment to an M9M and an M9 a while back. I just fell in love with the M9s despite all their shortcomings and after using them for a while I don't feel they will hold me back in any way.

But it seems like the 6-bit sensor on the M9 is partly broken, it has trouble recognizing some of my lenses (they are not too new for the M9). Luckily, the seller is willing to cover the repair via Leica.

On the one hand, this should be a no brainer. Free repair and keep up the value of the camera. On the other hand, it doesn't really bother me (I can add the lenses in Lightroom) and I don't want the camera gone for month with all the stories about repair times in Wetzlar. 

So to me, this is more about the resale value than anything else. Right now, I feel I'll just keep the M9 till it falls apart, but I know myself, next year, I might want for something else.

If you were in my shoes, what would you do? 

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[maxinmanhattan]

you can manually add lens profile in camera before shooting.

[irenedp]

I just ignore the lenses profiles,  Any distortion is easily to correct in Photoshop. 

[Fleabag]

vor 27 Minuten schrieb max7185780058:

you can manually add lens profile in camera before shooting.

But only for lenses without 6-bit coding. The ones that have a code are not listed in camera as an option 😕. And I usually forget it anyways when I swap lenses.

vor 12 Minuten schrieb irenedp:

I just ignore the lenses profiles,  Any distortion is easily to correct in Photoshop. 

That's what I do. The coding is really just convenience to me, because I like to have them in the EXIF for sorting and such. But I can add the info on import. That's why I wonder if it'll be worth it to send the camera away. (It'll probably be worth it for the resale value, but not for my personal use, that's the dilemma).

So I guess the real question is: Will it cost me hundreds in resale value if I don't get it fixed and decide to sell the camera. I mean, it's hard to sell a camera for a decent price if you don't have the friggin box, so I guess any sort of defect might make it impossible to sell. Even if everybody says they don't care about 6-bit coding.

Maybe I should just go out and enjoy the camera instead of fearing for it's value 😅

[pedaes]

8 minutes ago, Fleabag said:

if I don't get it fixed

Has the seller any idea how much this will cost if he is offering to pay? My guess would be he will want the camera back and give you your money back when he finds out.

The future value of M9's will be dictated first and primarily by a 'clean' sensor, flaws like this should be mentioned but will have little impact on value.

[Fleabag]

Not sure, but he is a commercial seller of used Leica gear, so I guess he'll be familiar with the repair cost. I actually hoped he'd be able to just swap it, but he currently only has one with significantly more signs of use (and double the shutter count) than the one I got.

[jaapv]

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The lens codes also correct for colour shifts like cyan vignetting. Optical vignetting too.

The repair times in Wetzlar are improving, however an "exotic" repair may take longer - but if you have found a good new-sensored one it is worth hanging onto.

[maxinmanhattan]

5 hours ago, Fleabag said:

But only for lenses without 6-bit coding. The ones that have a code are not listed in camera as an option 😕. And I usually forget it anyways when I swap lenses.

That's what I do. The coding is really just convenience to me, because I like to have them in the EXIF for sorting and such. But I can add the info on import. That's why I wonder if it'll be worth it to send the camera away. (It'll probably be worth it for the resale value, but not for my personal use, that's the dilemma).

So I guess the real question is: Will it cost me hundreds in resale value if I don't get it fixed and decide to sell the camera. I mean, it's hard to sell a camera for a decent price if you don't have the friggin box, so I guess any sort of defect might make it impossible to sell. Even if everybody says they don't care about 6-bit coding.

Maybe I should just go out and enjoy the camera instead of fearing for it's value 😅

i believe most leica lenses, with or without 6-bit coding, are included the lens profiles list in camera, except some apo lenses.

[pippy]

4 hours ago, Fleabag said:

Not sure, but he is a commercial seller of used Leica gear, so I guess he'll be familiar with the repair cost...

I agree fully with the comments made by pedaes and jaapv in posts #5 and #7.

If I was in your shoes my approach would be to ask the dealer for a slightly re-adjusted purchase price / small refund to cushion the inconvenience / nuisance factor and keep the camera.

For a great many years my #1 digi-M was an M9-P. I hardly ever remembered to input lens-data and the only times I noticed any possible IQ issues were with two lenses; a 7A 50mm f1.1 and an old 21mm f4.0 Super Angulon (colour-fringing at lhs and rhs edges). As almost every frame I snap will be used in monochrome this 'flaw' had no noticeable impact on the final image

With any other lens the IQ was perfectly satisfactory for my requirements.

Philip.

Edited July 6 by pippy

[jaapv]

6 hours ago, Fleabag said:

Not sure, but he is a commercial seller of used Leica gear

Some well-connected sellers have a good relationship with Leica CS.