M9 back from Sensor replacement with B&W sensor!!

Nigel Meaby

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Jul 10, 2006
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Ok I'm being mischevious :D

You've got to love Leica Solms. Sensor replaced, rangefinder adjusted and cleaned, adjustment of all parts ( does that mean a CLA?) all done free of charge even though the camera was out of warranty. I guess they have a guarantee themselves from the sensor manuafacturer on the sensors so can claim back from them.
Next day delivery to the UK from Germany is pretty good too! Camera wrapped in a "Customer Service" black velvety pouch.

This made me smile, though.
In an envelope with the camera was an "Important note" stating:

"Dear Client

We have cleaned the sensor as far as technical possibilities allow....etc, etc"


So the first thing I do is attach a lens and do the sky @f16 test and.... to my surprise there is a " black rock" in the sky ;)

I inspect the sensor and One Rocket blast later and the offending debris is removed! It was quite a big bit of something. Maybe got dislodged in transit and found it's way onto the sensor. Anyway now it's a brand new and perfectly clean sensor.

I just have to decide now, if I'm going to keep it or whether this is the right time to sell?
 
I have an X100 as well and the question I'm asking myself is whether that is sufficient for my digital needs as I shoot mostly B&W film and I still prefer it to B&W digital conversions.
 
Ok I'm being mischevious :D

You've got to love Leica Solms. Sensor replaced, rangefinder adjusted and cleaned, adjustment of all parts ( does that mean a CLA?) all done free of charge even though the camera was out of warranty. I guess they have a guarantee themselves from the sensor manuafacturer on the sensors so can claim back from them.
Next day delivery to the UK from Germany is pretty good too! Camera wrapped in a "Customer Service" black velvety pouch.

This made me smile, though.
In an envelope with the camera was an "Important note" stating:

"Dear Client

We have cleaned the sensor as far as technical possibilities allow....etc, etc"


So the first thing I do is attach a lens and do the sky @f16 test and.... to my surprise there is a " black rock" in the sky ;)

I inspect the sensor and One Rocket blast later and the offending debris is removed! It was quite a big bit of something. Maybe got dislodged in transit and found it's way onto the sensor. Anyway now it's a brand new and perfectly clean sensor.

This was exactly my case with an M8.2 several years ago. I left the camera at Solms to be checked while they were 6-bit coding two lenses. When I received the camera back, the lenses and the camera body were in the nice black bags that Solms provided. I carefully blew off the outside of the camera and lenses and mounted a lens. The next day, after 7 hours of driving from Solms, I discovered a black rock in the sky! A quick burst of air from a Rocket Blower solved the problem. I wonder if the "rock" came from the black bags that Solms so nicely provided?
 
I have an X100 as well and the question I'm asking myself is whether that is sufficient for my digital needs as I shoot mostly B&W film and I still prefer it to B&W digital conversions.

I see... probably a good time to sell. This time next week, M9 prices could go down (but may not). The X-Pro1 has made me think of getting rid of the M9 too. However, I really like using a M sometimes and am no longer into bothering with film. I actually prefer the aesthetic of digital.
 
I really don't know what the fuss about B+W sensors is all about. All you need to do is buy the B+W only 8 bit SD cards and problem is solved. They have write times of only a third of colour cards so frame capture rates are improved big time. ;)
 
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