Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/11/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Geoff and Phil I would have to think Phil is right when he talks about the failure rate of M9's and M8's. I've had experience with both. My M8 was a pretty good example with really no issues. I count myself fortunate. My M9...and not being an early adopter of the model, had an issue which I was never given a proper explanation by Leica repair in NJ. I was on a photo trip to NYC last spring and was using the camera extensively. Up until I got home and started really looking at low light shots blown up I realized I had the vertical line issue in most of the shots which of course could only be seen at high magnification. So off it went to Leica for repair. I have to say the correspondence and turn around was excellent as they remapped the sensor and it is working fine now. But they also told me the sensor was out of proper line. Now I've never dropped, mishandled or rough handled this camera ever but they could or would not tell me how that could happen after many requests. So in my mind that leaves it at faulty production but I'm not sure. I never noticed an issue with the photos which makes it stranger for me to understand. Overall it left me with a poor feeling of investing that type of money for a camera when I've never had any issues with my Nikon full frame cameras. I'd have to think long and hard about buying another one really. Probably just keep shooting the m9 as overall it's still a great camera to use. Scott On 2012-11-30, at 1:49 AM, Geoff Hopkinson <hopsternew at gmail.com> wrote: > Phil I am genuinely astonished that you report 10 M9s in your area that > have all had to go back to Leica a few times. > a 2 or 300% failure rate!!?? I have never heard of such a thing of any > brand anywhere. > 20 digital Leicas with a 100% failure rate! > > Sorry Jim Shulman there is some kind of bad Leica karma going on in Philly. > No more visitors for you ;-) > > Cheers, > Geoff > http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman > > > > On 30 November 2012 15:48, Phil Forrest <photo.forrest at earthlink.net> > wrote: > >> Nope, won't happen. >> The Leica M9 failure rate was far too high for news professionals to >> consider using them for work. It's a fun hobby camera but for the hard >> working journalist, the Leica doesn't cut it. Both my M8 and M9 spent >> about 40% of the time I owned them out at Leica for repairs. I >> personally know owners of a total of nine other M9s in the Philadelphia >> area and every single one of them had to go back to Leica a few times. >> One of my friends went through three shutters in his M8 then two >> shutters and a sensor in his M9.