Leica Important Information Concerning the CCD Sensors of the Leica M9 / M9-P / M Monochrom / M-E

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This just in

In some cases, particularly when using the camera models Leica M9, M9-P, M Monochrom or M-E with smaller apertures (5.6-22), effects caused by corrosion of the sensor glass may be encountered. Leica offers a free replacement service for the CCD sensors of cameras affected by this problem as a goodwill arrangement. This goodwill arrangement applies regardless of the age of the camera and also covers sensors that have already been replaced in the past. Customers who have already been charged for the replacement of a sensor affected by this problem will receive a refund.

We have now identified the problem and are currently concentrating our efforts on finding a permanent technical solution. The marks on images mentioned earlier are related to the properties of the CCD sensor. The sensors are equipped with a specially coated IR filter cover glass to ensure optimum imaging performance. Should this coating layer be damaged, corrosion effects that alter the filter surface may begin to appear after several years.

The effect described does not affect the CMOS sensor of the Leica M (Typ 240). Should you be considering an upgrade from your camera to a Leica M or M-P (Typ 240), Customer Care would be pleased to make you an attractive offer following a check of your camera and under consideration of the model and its age.

If the imaging quality of your camera gives cause for complaint in this respect, we recommend that you send it directly to Leica Customer Care or the authorized Customer Care department of your country’s Leica distributor. As longer waiting times may otherwise occur, the camera should only be sent to Customer Care after prior arrangement.

Contact: Web site: Repair & Maintenance // Service & Support - Leica Camera AG. E-mail: Customer.Care@leica-camera.com. Telephone: +49-6441-2080-189.

For us, it is important that we offer only technically faultless products. We are therefore particularly sorry if the imaging quality of your camera should be adversely affected in any way. We hope that the goodwill arrangement we have decided upon will allow us to remedy the problem as soon as possible and rebuild and maintain the trust you have always placed in our brand.

http://us.leica-camera.com/World-of...ortant-Information-Concerning-the-CCD-Sensors
 
This has really put me off the idea of getting another Leica DRF body. I've been following it at the forum. Even though Leica are standing behind the problem and offering to fix it for free regardless of whether the product is in warranty or not, it still affect the attractiveness of a s/h M9 which is what I was thinking of.

Mind you, for all we know Leica have identified an industry wide problem and all our sensors over time might be affected.

LouisB
 
This has really put me off the idea of getting another Leica DRF body. I've been following it at the forum. Even though Leica are standing behind the problem and offering to fix it for free regardless of whether the product is in warranty or not, it still affect the attractiveness of a s/h M9 which is what I was thinking of.

Mind you, for all we know Leica have identified an industry wide problem and all our sensors over time might be affected.

LouisB

I can't think of another camera company that would be making this kind of offer to be honest. Free replacement regardless of age, refund of any money for people charged previously (assuming it was leica who serviced)
If anything it would give me confidence in picking up used leica bodies as they haven't even said you need to be the original purchaser. the M9 came out 5 years ago. any main stream manufacturer would consider it an age related issue and do squat, it's only the cost of the camera system that allows Leica to even do this.
 
I can't think of another camera company that would be making this kind of offer to be honest. Free replacement regardless of age, refund of any money for people charged previously (assuming it was leica who serviced)
If anything it would give me confidence in picking up used leica bodies as they haven't even said you need to be the original purchaser. the M9 came out 5 years ago. any main stream manufacturer would consider it an age related issue and do squat, it's only the cost of the camera system that allows Leica to even do this.

I agree. I'm not a Leica customer and don't plan to be, but this is what being a premium brand is all about.
 
And the folks who hate Leica and Leica shooters for no apparent reason and whom have never owned or shot with one, are out like sharks on this unfortunate news...
 
This announcement restores my faith in the longevity of my M9. I spent a small fortune on mine in early 2010 and planned to use it for a good ten years, at least. When more and more reports of sensor delamination cropped up, I began to worry about the investment I'd made. Knowing that a potentially debilitating defect is going to be covered by Leica for as long as sensor supply holds out is very reassuring.
 
I wonder if that trade in for a type 240 will be attractive.

I'll let you know in a short while. I just finished packing up my M9P and will be sending it to Leica USA later today. I have requested a quote for an upgrade to a M or M-P (Type 240) and if the quote is attractive enough, I will go for the upgrade.

I have been extremely pleased with the image quality of the M9P and had decided a while ago I would not upgrade. However, this will be the second time that my camera goes in for a sensor replacement in as many years of ownership. I assume that the year-round humid weather in Puerto Rico is the culprit, since I have never wet cleaned my sensor. I understand that Leica's offer of continuing to replace the sensor at no cost is generous, but if I can avoid it, I will opt for the alternative.

OTOH, if the offer is ridiculous, I will get my M9P repaired and continue to enjoy it.

Cheers,

Antonio
 
And the folks who hate Leica and Leica shooters for no apparent reason and whom have never owned or shot with one, are out like sharks on this unfortunate news...

I don't get that at all, I cannot afford a digital leica (hell I really can't afford any leica) but I have shot with one a few times and I lust after one anyway. A few years ago I was in a local pawn that had the cnadain Leica (with the canadian Summicron 50/2 an canadian elmarit90 f2.8). In good shape though a CLA would be needed. the price was crazy low ($650 for the set) I was leaving for Europe the next day and all my cash was committed to that so I passed. I went in the morning I got back, it had sold the day before I've kicked myself ever since
 
Well, by way of context I've used Leica - R, M and LTM - for coming up to 25 years. I've also spent more than ten years using Digiluxes and D-Luxes as well as the Panasonic equivalents. I have exposed tens of thousands of frames with Wetzlar, Midland and Solms finest, including an a la carte MP4. I was the driving force behind the Leica Forum Book that is now in it's third edition and has raised tens of thousands of pounds for the fight against cancer.

I understood that the M8 was a stop-gap product. The M9 was a disappointment and the M-typ240 takes Leica even further away from their DNA. Leicas today are fragile shadows of what they used to be - pastiches. Nothing would possess me to drop the cash on a current digital M even before this latest - issue. I still have my M2 and IID with a brace of lenses for each - but Leica is getting no more of my money. In the past two and a bit years I have built up a Fuji X system of 14, 18, 23, 27, 35, 56, 60, 18-55, 18-135, and 55-200mm lenses as well as X-Pro1, X-M1, X-T1, X-F1 and X-100s bodies. All that money spent would have gone to Leica - if they could get it right...
 
Well, by way of context I've used Leica - R, M and LTM - for coming up to 25 years. I've also spent more than ten years using Digiluxes and D-Luxes as well as the Panasonic equivalents. I have exposed tens of thousands of frames with Wetzlar, Midland and Solms finest, including an a la carte MP4. I was the driving force behind the Leica Forum Book that is now in it's third edition and has raised tens of thousands of pounds for the fight against cancer.

I understood that the M8 was a stop-gap product. The M9 was a disappointment and the M-typ240 takes Leica even further away from their DNA. Leicas today are fragile shadows of what they used to be - pastiches. Nothing would possess me to drop the cash on a current digital M even before this latest - issue. I still have my M2 and IID with a brace of lenses for each - but Leica is getting no more of my money. In the past two and a bit years I have built up a Fuji X system of 14, 18, 23, 27, 35, 56, 60, 18-55, 18-135, and 55-200mm lenses as well as X-Pro1, X-M1, X-T1, X-F1 and X-100s bodies. All that money spent would have gone to Leica - if they could get it right...

the saving on one Leica digital body pretty much covered all your lenses, 2 bodies would be the whole kit plus.as well (and of course you can still adapt all the great glass to Fuji, though the fuji glass is pretty impressive). I'm really impressed with the fuji system myself (haven't built quite the same collection, but give me more time I only started in October :). )
 
The M9 was a disappointment and the M-typ240 takes Leica even further away from their DNA. Leicas today are fragile shadows of what they used to be - pastiches.

Here's my serious question: is it possible to make a digital camera that is somehow of equal "gravitas" to the old mechanical film Leicas? I sometimes wonder if it's really possible for Leica to move past the mechanical paradigm and find it's true successor in the electronic age.
 
I don't get that at all, I cannot afford a digital leica (hell I really can't afford any leica) but I have shot with one a few times and I lust after one anyway. A few years ago I was in a local pawn that had the cnadain Leica (with the canadian Summicron 50/2 an canadian elmarit90 f2.8). In good shape though a CLA would be needed. the price was crazy low ($650 for the set) I was leaving for Europe the next day and all my cash was committed to that so I passed. I went in the morning I got back, it had sold the day before I've kicked myself ever since

Do not look at a certain other forum...Leica bashers are out in force...
 
I'd love to have a Digital M3 and Digital Nikon SP and F2. I, like many others, miss the days when film was king. Classic cameras like the Nikon SP, Leica M3 and M2, Nikon F2AS - nothing like them in the digital world.

The M9 and M Monochrom are about as close to using classic film cameras as any digital camera that I've had over the last 21 years. I put off going "mostly Digital" for a long time, up until 5 years ago. Digital for technical work, film for personal enjoyment. Kodak calling it quits on photo processing and then cutting back on production, pushed me to shooting mostly digital. It's been Leica for rangefinder lenses, Contax and S-Mount adapters for the Nikkors and Zeiss lenses. Nikon Df for F-Mount. There are things about all of these cameras that I would change, and end up with a Digital SP, M3, and F2. Just not going to happen unless I win the lottery bigtime.
 
Yeah, I get it. Leica bashing. Over priced cameras, decent performance, and a multitude of problems. For the record, I have owned a film Leica but not a digital Leica. Nor do I ever intend to.

The problem is not that the cameras have problems. The problem is that at the price range of these cameras, there are way too many ****ed up problems.
 
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