Corrosion on REPLACED sensor?

[raid]

Thanks Jaap, that is beautiful ! but I guess a little bit too much 🙂

robert

Then you can pretend to be a physician!😀

 

[jchfriis]

I use a watchmakers loupe to inspect my sensors. Cheap and effective.

 

[allycrighton]

Update: my M9 is now in Wetzlar and will be returned with a new sensor, replaced under goodwill. Leica UAE assumed because it was replaced literally within days of the new, non-corroding sensors being made available, that mine was OK for a wet clean. Obviously, it wasn't, and the clean exacerbated any existing corrosion issue. So, many thanks Leica. AAAA+. Will buy again.

 

[x-ray]

Would that be possible because they sell their products themselves in the US? German law doesn't know such a thing. Which might explain the attitude... It was possible in the case of one of the German car manufacturers, but they produce in the US. Does anyone know?

Porsche got hit with a class action suit over catastrophic engine failures due to failures of the bearings on the intermediate shaft. The cars are all made in Germany but the customers won. An undesclosed number of customers received new engines after the original engines self distructed. This failures occurred as low as less than 1000 miles in some and many at under 30,000. At the time this was going on I was in the market for a new Porsche but decided to go with another make due to the treatment Porsche inflicted on their customers and the fear they'd do something like that again.

Fortunately I got rid of my M9 before the corrosion issue came up. My M9 was in the shop half of it's life anyway for other problem. Like with Porsche, I was a loyal customer until they abused their customers and was a loyal customer of Leica until my experience with the M9.

Everyone complaining, you know that Leica has the worst service on the planet and their digital gear is behind the curve in quality and design but you keep whining. Doesn't make sense to me. You've asked for it in my view.

 

[Chuffed Cheese]

So are the new replacement sensors (2017) expected to be free of further issues? Besides the obvious caveat that it could still happen in theory of course. But overall I guess?

 

[raid]

There should be a smaller chance for corrosion with the new M9 sensor. I see it as giving my M9 an extra 3 years of life.

 

[Chuffed Cheese]

There should be a smaller chance for corrosion with the new M9 sensor. I see it as giving my M9 an extra 3 years of life.

Interesting. It's too bad the idea that it's a gamble at this point is seen over a good buy for an older digital rangefinder. The M9 is more appealing for taking photos but the M240 seems to be a more reliable option at this point.

 

[Luke_Miller]

So are the new replacement sensors (2017) expected to be free of further issues? Besides the obvious caveat that it could still happen in theory of course. But overall I guess?

I've not seen a report of de-lamination in an M9/MM/ME redesigned sensor. Some who experienced it before the redesign had a replacement of the of the same type and remained susceptible to re-occurrence.

 

[willie_901]

I've not seen a report of de-lamination in an M9/MM/ME redesigned sensor. Some who experienced it before the redesign had a replacement of the of the same type and remained susceptible to re-occurrence.

Yes, the OP had a replaced first generation sensor.

Kudos to Leica for the goodwill installation of a second generation sensor assembly.

 

[Huss]

Yes, the OP had a replaced first generation sensor.

Kudos to Leica for the goodwill installation of a second generation sensor assembly.

Not sure kudos is the right thing, seeing they knew they were replacing a defective sensor with another of the same defective design that would fail in the same way.

 

[raid]

Not sure kudos is the right thing, seeing they knew they were replacing a defective sensor with another of the same defective design that would fail in the same way.

1Praise and honour received for an achievement.

‘she was looking for kudos rather than profit’
More example sentencesSynonyms
1.1North American informal Compliments or congratulations.
‘kudos to everyone who put the event together’

 

[Luke_Miller]

Not sure kudos is the right thing, seeing they knew they were replacing a defective sensor with another of the same defective design that would fail in the same way.

The alternative, of course, was to hold onto the camera until the re-designed sensors became available. Also, not all the sensors fail in this way. The Rangefinderforum poll on this question resulted in the majority of participants reporting either their original sensor definitely had no corrosion or that they had seen no sign of it.

 

[raid]

I took the risk and I sent in my M9 just on time and Leica found the sensor to need replacement even though I did not really identify any corrosion.

 

[Huss]

I took the risk and I sent in my M9 just on time and Leica found the sensor to need replacement even though I did not really identify any corrosion.

Smart move Raid. Others will find out, unfortunately, too late.

 

[Doug]

The alternative, of course, was to hold onto the camera until the re-designed sensors became available. Also, not all the sensors fail in this way. The Rangefinderforum poll on this question resulted in the majority of participants reporting either their original sensor definitely had no corrosion or that they had seen no sign of it.

It's possible that some who responded to the poll that there was no evidence of corrosion may have encountered it since. And another alternative action was to have sold the M9 before the problem was widely known! That's what I did, to help fund a new M240, and I got a very good price for it. Happy solution for me, and I have wondered if the new owner later suffered the sensor problem...

 

[Rob-F]

1Praise and honour received for an achievement.

‘she was looking for kudos rather than profit’
More example sentencesSynonyms
1.1North American informal Compliments or congratulations.
‘kudos to everyone who put the event together’

Kudos to Raid for the English refresher!

Raid: Did you get your M9 back yet?

 

[Chuffed Cheese]

I opted for an M240 in light of the worries of sensor corrosion. This thread helped with that so my thanks to the community.

 

[Ronald M]

I’m waiting for some smart a** to start selling used Leica M’s that come bundled with “36 single use monochrome sensors on a flexible triacetate substrate” that are user interchangeable and are available at multiple locations worldwide.

Or, since Leica was shipping the MA with a roll of tri-x they could advertise it as the “ new and improved Monochrom”

I kept one M6 which takes 36 fresh sensors at one load.

Digital is really nice though. Clean out the camera before stuff migrates to the sensor. Dust and grime are detrimental to shutter life also. Lens Pen and lighted loupe are what I use if blower does not work. Also store in sealed container with desicant that absorbs moisture. Can`t hurt.

 

[Ronald M]

Rob,

The idea here is doing the maintenance prevents needing any future wet cleaning after a camera's initial break in where oils and grease can migrate. Really a monthly routine to prevent bonding of dust to the sensor. Also working indoors in a controlled environment and doing lens changing to a minimum.

Really prevention is the best measure. I found that a blower ball with a check valve, and inverting the camera with the lens down like Raid does was all that was needed for 99% of any dust. Pretty much "flushing" in this manner whenever I remove a lens is all that is needed.

The few times I used the Arctic Butterfly was only because I had been lax and not blown out the dust or done lens changing in the street and not
done a "flushing" when I got home. Pretty much dust does not bond to the sensor unless it has time.

I spent $350.00 for the Visible dust kit that included everything I would ever need: wet cleaning supplies, Arctic Butterfly, blower ball, and this wonderful magnifier with a ring of LEDS.

I had to do those two wet cleanings until I learned about how "flushing" really was preventative maintenance. The Arctic Butterfly really was only needed because I was lazy. Pretty much if you don't need the entire kit you in the least need a blower ball and to me the Magnifier with LED's makes sure you see any tiny speck of dust. The Arctic Butterfly is nice to have, but I have had to seldom use it.

Realize that NYC is a dirty filthy city. Dirt is everywhere. YMMV. If you do your research it seems that the best system to use is the one made for Visible Dust. Remember it was reported that Leica uses V.D. too.

All the best.

Cal

What I do also. Have not had to pick up dust from sensor for a very long time. PREVENTION is key.

 

[raid]

Kudos to Raid for the English refresher!

Raid: Did you get your M9 back yet?

No, Rob. Someone has it somewhere!