M9 2023 sensor rot: Repair or replace WWYD?

[splitimageview]

Another option from a well-known and highly regarded dealer of high-end/rare Leica gear who is very active in the Leica groups on fb, Tim Lei. He just posted this yesterday:



Leica M9/M9P/ME/Monochrom/S2 CCD Repair Service

Hi guys, Tim Lei here, I have been selling quite some M9/M9P with low pass filter replaced from a Chinese technician and the results and feedbacks are great. I don't want to give a long speech of how good this is but a replacement at minimal cost really gives your CCD rangefinder (or medium format) a huge extension of life. So I’m offering the service of replacing the low pass filter for your CCD cameras.

Down to the important stuff:

Cost (in USD):

- $799 for M9 / M9P / ME / Monochrom
- $999 for S2 / S2P / S 006

Turnaround time:

- 3-4 weeks for M9 / M9P / ME / Monochrom
- 4-5 weeks for S2 / S2P / S 006

Expedited Service time:

$150 for rushed service (1-2 weeks for M 2-3 weeks for S)

Will add more info as i gather more FAQs.

Feel free to message me with any questions

Email works fine at timsphotoltd@gmail.com

 

[brusby]

Most of this discussion is well beyond me, but I do understand what you're referring to. I frequently photograph art at our local Art Gallery, and trying to get accurate colors when you're dealing with a mix of daylight, LED, fluorescent and tungsten is quite the challenge. But after I run everything through Photoshop, the Gallery and the artists are always happy.

Jim B.

Yes, it can be quite a challenge. Glad to hear you've had success getting good results. I just kinda prioritize and try to get a pleasing balance for the main things in the shot while letting the lesser important things go. Otherwise you could be editing a single photo for hours trying to color balance everything.

 

[Freakscene]

I regularly use Canon tilt-shift lenses for architectural work. The effective de-centering that results from that amount of tilting and/or shifting is generally significantly greater by several orders of magnitude than what one would encounter in the poorly shimmed sensor example you referenced. But in many years of doing this, I don't recall having encountered the Italian flag effect -- at least to any significant degree where corrective action was required. Perhaps I've just been extremely fortunate. But in my experience it's just not been a significant problem in real world use.

_MG_3478 - 0 by Brusby, on Flickr

Misha 2017-08-050766 - 2024 - 5 by Brusby, on Flickr

Dp you use the t/s lenses on an M9 or M Leica with microlenses? That exaggerates the colour shift. Do you ever use them wide open? This also makes the shift worse. What about white walls in your architecture in non-mixed lighting?

The early 6 bit coding problem where the coding data was developed using a decentered lens for some Leica lenses was enough to get photos rejected by Alamy. I don’t regard their bar as particularly high, technically.

The difference in illuminance also contributes to the software read error between the two sensor halves that causes the ‘two halves‘ image problem.

I am just trying to make everyone aware that if you replace the cover on your M9 series camera sensor yourself to be very careful, or if you have it done, to look out for this. It would drive me bats if every photo colour smeared.

 

[Freakscene]

Another option from a well-known and highly regarded dealer of high-end/rare Leica gear who is very active in the Leica groups on fb, Tim Lei. He just posted this yesterday:

Leica M9/M9P/ME/Monochrom/S2 CCD Repair Service

Hi guys, Tim Lei here, I have been selling quite some M9/M9P with low pass filter replaced from a Chinese technician and the results and feedbacks are great. I don't want to give a long speech of how good this is but a replacement at minimal cost really gives your CCD rangefinder (or medium format) a huge extension of life. So I’m offering the service of replacing the low pass filter for your CCD cameras.

Down to the important stuff:

Cost (in USD):

- $799 for M9 / M9P / ME / Monochrom
- $999 for S2 / S2P / S 006

Turnaround time:

- 3-4 weeks for M9 / M9P / ME / Monochrom
- 4-5 weeks for S2 / S2P / S 006

Expedited Service time:

$150 for rushed service (1-2 weeks for M 2-3 weeks for S)

Will add more info as i gather more FAQs.

Feel free to message me with any questions

Email works fine at timsphotoltd@gmail.com

There are a couple of guys in China doing this, and the work I have seen from them is good. Some of the local Leica users have had repairs done there. The glass available online is made there, and does a good job, although I am not sure of its long term stability. Another few years of service life would make a repair worthwhile. They also repair S2 and S typ 006 sensor covers, which no-one else, to my knowledge, is doing.

 

[brusby]

Dp you use the t/s lenses on an M9 or M Leica with microlenses? That exaggerates the colour shift. Do you ever use them wide open? This also makes the shift worse. What about white walls in your architecture in non-mixed lighting?

The early 6 bit coding problem where the coding data was developed using a decentered lens for some Leica lenses was enough to get photos rejected by Alamy. I don’t regard their bar as particularly high, technically.

The difference in illuminance also contributes to the software read error between the two sensor halves that causes the ‘two halves‘ image problem.

I am just trying to make everyone aware that if you replace the cover on your M9 series camera sensor yourself to be very careful, or if you have it done, to look out for this. It would drive me bats if every photo colour smeared.

That's very good advice that anyone using Leica's and particularly M9s should be aware of. Please don't misunderstand, I'm not doubting or trying to denigrate what you said, just discussing my experience for anyone who might want first hand info on this very interesting topic.

I never used my t/s lenses on anything other then their native Canon system, never on M9 or other Leica cameras. So I can't add any insight in that regard.

The only times I've noticed what I perceived as Italian flag issues or other sensor related or lens-sensor related ones on my Leica M240, M9 or SL is when using some third party lenses -- almost always wide or super wide ones -- whose rear elements are too close to the sensor. And I believe we all know the reason for that. I have on rare occasions noticed just a hint of Italian flagging when using the 21mm Super Elmar f3.5 on the M240 but I think that's when I get in a hurry and forget to set the camera for that lens. 'Cause sometimes it's there but usually it isn't a problem.

But whenever I've observed the problem, there is a common presentation, and it involves a worsening of the false color toward the corners as if it were painted on with a gradient brush. I've never noticed a wall or other flat surface be a uniform color. There's always a kind of gradient or at least a changing pattern which usually gets more pronounced farther from the center of the frame.

I've never noticed that pattern with any of my t/s lenses -- 17mm or 24mm.

 

[mfunnell]

The only times I've noticed what I perceived as Italian flag issues or other sensor related or lens-sensor related ones on my Leica M240, M9 or SL is when using some third party lenses -- almost always wide or super wide ones -- whose rear elements are too close to the sensor.

Not only 3rd-party lenses - my Super Angulon 21mm/f4 did much the same thing when I tried it (only the once) on my M typ 240. I decided to leave that lens for film...

...Mike

 

[Godfrey]

I had an M9 and used it for about three years. While I obtained many good photos with it, I never liked it much. Its sensor was ruined by the corrosion problem. When Leica offered me market value for it in exchange for an M-P 240, I acquired the M-P 240 without any hesitation. The typ 240 and typ 262 bodies, to me, are/were vastly better cameras than the M9.

I was out of the M game for a couple of years. In the past two years, I've acquired the M10-R and M10 Monochrom. These are, to me, the best digital Leica M cameras I've used ... no, I haven't used an M11. The M10 range improves subtly everything about the M typ 240 and 262.

If my M9 were going bad now, I would not hesitate to replace it with an M typ 240 or 262. These cameras sell commonly in the $2500 to $3800 price class, and work extremely well without any of the odd glitches of the M9.

G

 

[splitimageview]

for the intrepid:

posted in the Leica Exchange group on fb. Proceed at your own risk! I can’t vouch for this person or the product but it may be worth investigating further.

Itsuki Ariyoshi

Replacement parts (UV/IR cut filter) for CCD sensor corrosion characteristic of Leica M9 M9-P M-E (Typ220) M Monochrome (CCD model).

It is known that the corrosion of the CCD sensor that caused the problem was not caused by the sensor surface, but by corrosion of the coating on the cover glass above it.
Therefore, unless there is damage to the wiring or sensor, such as blackening of part of the captured image, it is possible to repair the defect by replacing the cover glass.

This is a replacement part designed for the Leica M9 system. In addition to the same functionality as the original part, it is corrosion resistant and can be used with cameras that were previously treated as junk. Size: 33.1x43.6x0.9mm

The official Leica repair service ended in 2020, and there will be no more parts supplied by Leica.

**Please disassemble and repair the camera by yourself or bring it to a camera repair store for repair.
**I am not responsible for any damage to the camera or its components that may occur.

I will send you three videos and tips that explain the necessary tools and precautions for repair and the repair process in the message box after your purchase.

Shipping from Netherlands, and shipping fee is not included. 175 euro