Advice needed: Jammed shutter

[keithm8]

I finally got my M9. Hooray.

BUT, today, I was shooting an event, in black and white setting, with a f/1.0 Nocti. All of a sudden, when I depressed the shutter, it shot 10 frames in a row (it was in single-shot mode, not continuous-shooting mode). Then the camera froze, then shut down. When I turned it back on, an error message comes up saying: "Attention. Shutter fault."

And I cannot get it to recock, reboot, or do anything else.

Advice, comrades, please!

I want to avoid having to send this to New Jersey, or worse, Solms.

 

[bob338]

i think the usual advice would be to remove and recharge the battery or remove and replace the sd card. if that doesn't work, get ready to ship it off to solms.
i hope you have a warranty for it.

bob

 

[bob338]

oh yeah, is the firmware up to date? you might want to post this problem on the leica users forum as well...

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-forum/

bob

 

[jaapv]

Sorry, this is a back-to-mother fault. And Solms is not worse, it is better - the turnaround is magnitudes faster than NJ.

 

[Ben Z]

This is unsettling to me. Aside from the several reports I've read online, I have 2 friends not on forums whose M9's have sprung shutters. I was told by Christian that the M8-upgrade shutter would be more durable than the original, which is why I popped for it. But maybe it isn't the shutter designs, just that Leica keeps getting saddled with bad batches of shutters from their supplier. That would explain why most people have put tens of thousands of shots on their original M8 without a problem. Still it's got to be disconcerting to have this happen on a $7000 camera from a manufacturer who markets itself as ultra-high-quality and durable. How long have you had the camera? If <30 days I would press my dealer for an exchange.

 

[jaapv]

It is indeed puzzling - the shutters are built by Copal, who supply shutters to about the whole camera industry. And it is basically the same shutter as the R8/9 which is very reliable.

 

[250swb]

As Jaap says, very puzzling, it 'should' be tried and tested. But unless you can see mangled shutter blades it may be a false reporting software or electronic problem.

Steve

 

[ampguy]

I wonder if there isn't some type of situation that the QA process just isn't testing for. For example, some kind of finger twitching on either or both the S/C/off dial and/or shutter button depression twitching, and maybe combined with a low battery with those things going on?

 

[popeye]

For example, some kind of finger twitching on either or both the S/C/off dial and/or shutter button depression twitching, and maybe combined with a low battery with those things going on?

I'm sure if I searched more I'd find more discussion of this matter as I had a similar situation with my M8 when I bumped the mode switch into halfway between S and C as I was tripping the shutter. It threw a shutter error, so I toggled the power to no avail. I then pulled the battery out for a moment and closed it back up and it worked fine with no problems since.

As far as the shutter maker (Copal) is concerned I think the oddities lie at Leica's feet as they designed and built the circuitry that runs it (right???).

 

[jaapv]

Depends whether the problem is the electronics or the mechanics, I should think.

 

[Ben Z]

I haven't read where anyone has done an autopsy on a jammed M8/M9 shutter, so we don't know the failure mode, or if there's more than one scenario. What's disconcerting to me is that the "new" aka slower shutter seems to be jamming in the M9, yet few if any problems have arisen with the M8.2 or M8u. Think I'll hang on to my M8u a while longer.

 

[ampguy]

I've seen one

I've seen one

I think it was on the l-camera forum, will copy the link next time I see it.

It involved magnets and an optical sensor unit controlling the shutter.

I haven't read where anyone has done an autopsy on a jammed M8/M9 shutter, so we don't know the failure mode, or if there's more than one scenario. What's disconcerting to me is that the "new" aka slower shutter seems to be jamming in the M9, yet few if any problems have arisen with the M8.2 or M8u. Think I'll hang on to my M8u a while longer.

 

[keithm8]

All,

Well, after sleuthing a bit, and trying some of the advice you all have suggested, I was not able to right the situation. So I sent the camera in. As soon as they do their diagnosis, I'll let you know what they discover. This is a bit sad: I have only shot, maybe 500 frames, with this M9. Alas, patience comes to those who wait? Hmm....

 

[ZeissFan]

I feel for you. To finally get a new camera and then have it go south so quickly.

Well, hopefully Leica can sort it out and have it back in your hands.

 

[keithm8]

Well, all. Here is the story. They are going to replace the shutter. It's in New Jersey, and they will service it later this month, hoping to get it back to me in a few weeks. So...well...I guess that's good. Hmmmm....