zeitraffer Posted September 13, 2009 Share #1 Posted September 13, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Assembling The Leica M9: Assembling the Leica M9 Marc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 13, 2009 Posted September 13, 2009 Hi zeitraffer, Take a look here Assembling The Leica M9. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Bill W Posted September 13, 2009 Share #2 Posted September 13, 2009 Very interesting especially how they test and clean the sensor. I wonder what that sticky thing was that removed particles. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sm23221 Posted September 14, 2009 Share #3 Posted September 14, 2009 Interesting. Leica should sell that sensor cleaner or include one with every camera. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebelfocus Posted September 14, 2009 Share #4 Posted September 14, 2009 Great video. Thanks for the link. I'm surprised they allowed their manufacturing process to be filmed as most other companies are very paranoid about this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceflynn Posted September 14, 2009 Share #5 Posted September 14, 2009 Interesting. Leica should sell that sensor cleaner or include one with every camera. They could call it a Leica Lollipop and I am sure it would set a new price record for a thing on a stick. The tour of the factory was outstanding. It is unusual to see such a combination of high tech parts and individual testing involving a highly skilled person. The people at the factory really can move through those menus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill W Posted September 14, 2009 Share #6 Posted September 14, 2009 Does anyone know what the Leica lollipop is? Is appears to have a sticky surface yet it does not leave any sticky residue on the sensor. They would probably not recommend this for the end user. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo_Lorentzen Posted September 14, 2009 Share #7 Posted September 14, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Seems there are at least one product on the market like this... ? though so far I have stuck to air and watercolor brushes. would have scared the s*** out of me to make that kind of sound with anything on my sensor. guess I will have to take a long look at the sensor when it gets here, knowing what it have been through.. ha ha. Well, they did not exactly reveal much about the actual manufacturing process, just that they put the box together, calibrate the chip (surprise), and QA that process. they did not exactly tear apart their calibration equipment or how they get things done right. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Englander Posted September 14, 2009 Share #8 Posted September 14, 2009 Amazing that in August they were still producing M8.2s instead of putting all their effort into the M9. I could not understand where the body was manufactured and assembled sans sensor. Does anyone know? For me, the most interesting part was the rangefinder calibration. But it was also interesting to see them listening to the sound of the shutter. Thanks to LL for posting and to Leica for allowing them to do it. Certainly shows the care, time, and individual attention required to assemble each camera. I didn't notice any robots! By the way, the Lolliepop is called SensorVu Cleaner, MSRP $36 from dotlinecorp.net. http://dotlinecorp.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1121&products_id=6832&zenid=d6a1b6b36120c23330f2f3f4f073ac0e Joe Joe Englander Photography Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceflynn Posted September 14, 2009 Share #9 Posted September 14, 2009 Joe, Thank you very much for the information about the sensor cleaner. I can think of other items that would benefit from the SensorVu Cleaner. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted September 14, 2009 Share #10 Posted September 14, 2009 As I undertstand it, the camera without DSP board and sensor is assembled in Portugal; a paired sensor board and DSP board comes from Jenoptik and the Solms work is all to do with final assembly, test and alignment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthury Posted September 14, 2009 Share #11 Posted September 14, 2009 Funny how that guy sounded and looked like --- is he Liam Neeson's younger brother or something? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted September 14, 2009 Share #12 Posted September 14, 2009 The film cameras follow an analogous path - RF/shutter/wind units and body shells assembled in Portugal (where there is even a sewing machine for the rubber/silk shutter curtains) - shipped to Solms on trays for final assembly and RF calibration Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jquimby Posted September 14, 2009 Share #13 Posted September 14, 2009 Great video. Thanks for the link. I'm surprised they allowed their manufacturing process to be filmed as most other companies are very paranoid about this. Thats because all of the other manufactures are trying to shave off every possible cost using automation. Every penny they shave off per unit adds up when they are make so many of them. Thus with all of them doing it they guard how they do it. The fact that Leica uses people to do most the work is a point of pride for them, as well as it should be. It is also not something Canon or Nikon would ever try and replicate. The cost is too prohibitive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
darvin2138 Posted September 14, 2009 Share #14 Posted September 14, 2009 I need that "Jello" to clean my sensor;)...where can I buy that? Easier to use compared to Arctic Butterfly brush (which always ended up replacing the dust with grease on the sensor ) and/or Eclipse and swab solution IMO... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewrossphotographs Posted September 14, 2009 Share #15 Posted September 14, 2009 I've seen this cleaning device sold in China. Not sure of the name of it as in Chinese, will check it out in passing again..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HankBar Posted September 14, 2009 Share #16 Posted September 14, 2009 Funny that so many are excited about the Leica Lollypop. My M9, fresh from the dealer was already on the first shot so full of dust, that we call it: Young Spotty. Henk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted September 14, 2009 Share #17 Posted September 14, 2009 Great video. Thanks for the link. I'm surprised they allowed their manufacturing process to be filmed as most other companies are very paranoid about this. They did not show any manufacturering at all. What was shown was assembly. Totally different from the actual manufacturering of any parts. The cameras are delivered to Solms partially assembled, except for sensor placement final connections and adjustments. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted September 14, 2009 Share #18 Posted September 14, 2009 This video reminds me of a display there used to be in Porsche Leipzig on the production of the Carrera GT where one of the 7 production steps was "put the wheels on". We all laughed and the engineer told us it was so that people could at least identify with something from their own experience. What we saw in the video - tracking the parts with stickers (did you see her put the captive screw in which secures the top cover?), sensor alignment, focus check and an extended sensor cleaning exercise was the last stage in the process. Most of the assembly work has already been done in Portugal and I expect all the parts are sourced from outside suppliers. There's no way Leica will want to get involved in the business of fabricating electronics - it's much cheaper to go outside for the quantities they are looking for and other companies in ACM's portfolio do things like machined components, moulded optical parts and so on. It's interesting that the cost of running the Portugese operation - not so low cost employment as it used to be - appear to compensate for the extra logistics of shipping things back and forwards. DHL or whoever must do well out of them. Who was the woman making the irritating "Uh-huh" noises? I guess the one with the smart arse comments was Michael. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwelland Posted September 14, 2009 Share #19 Posted September 14, 2009 You might want to take a look at the Pentax O-ICK1 cleaner - that looks pretty much identical to the cleaner that Leica are using. I'm not too surprised that M's arrive with a nice fresh covering of rogue dust spots btw. It's one thing to clean it in the factory prior to shipping but I'm sure that as soon as you pack, ship and shake & rattle the assembly between Solms and the customer's ceremonial opening & first lens fitment there's plenty of opportunity for dust to redistribute itself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael-IIIf Posted September 14, 2009 Share #20 Posted September 14, 2009 You might want to take a look at the Pentax O-ICK1 cleaner - that looks pretty much identical to the cleaner that Leica are using. It certainly sounds tacky. I was expecting to see the sensor popping out of the camera stuck to it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.