M9 paint flaking off engraving. Options?

M9 paint flaking off engraving. Options?

  • Return it to Leica. You paid that much money after all.

    Votes: 93 65.0%
  • Live with it. You plan to keep this camera as a user after all.

    Votes: 40 28.0%
  • Do something else (as indicated in the comments).

    Votes: 10 7.0%

  • Total voters
    143
  • Poll closed .
I agree that is scandalously long. Fortunately my experience with sending the M9 directly to Solms is different: one week turnaround. :)
 
Perhaps it was the Islandic ash cloud? Sun Spots? Two months less of warranty they have to worry about? They did extend the original warranty two months, right?

Not a lot of choices at this point, but disconcerting none the less.

Would have thought a good dealer would have gotten you a Demo to use in the meantime, hardly unreasonable.

Iff only RFF folks ran the world. ;-)


Regards, John
 
Well, I probably lost some days in both directions by sending it in through my dealer instead of direct to Solms. Maybe by sending in two lenses in the same lot added some time. And there was a delay as it was due to mailed out about the time Eyjafjallajokull caused the disruptions to transatlantic flights.

Mailed February 23, received April 28.

I think we lost some time because after Solms received the M9, they sent an invoice to Tony at Popflash for the repairs. Tony and Alex were great and got that sorted as the defect it was, under warranty.

Who knows why it took so long frankly, and I also think they were too slow. Right now I'm just happy to have it again.
 
Would have thought a good dealer would have gotten you a Demo to use in the meantime, hardly unreasonable.

I was offered a loaner, actually. I should have mentioned that. But because my two most used M lenses were off for repairs with the M9, I passed.

I used it as an excuse to pick up a GF1 to enjoy, which I did.
 
i have the gaffer tape over my "leica" and "m8," but that's a preference thing. i suspect i wouldn't be happy with such a problem either. but the camera seems to be functioning so well ... urgh. sorry to hear about your situation.
 
The paint on my M8 started to come off after only a week. It looked like someone had used an enamel stick to fill in the engraving, but had not cured it. After a little sweat from my fingers got on the thing, ti looked like a crayon had smeared a bit. Eventually, I just took it all off with rubbing alcohol and filled it in with a nice shiny black enamel. Looks really nice too. I also painted the red dot, not for stealth, but because I think the red dot is ugly. It's tacky. Yeah, I said it. I wish I could get a Leica script top plate engraved on an M8/M9, but we can all dream. Until then, I tell everyone that it's a black Yashica 35GSN.
 
I can't believe this thread is still active!

Anyway, if you want to fit it, simply take a blow-dryer and heat up the letters in question - then take the tip of a white crayon to the letters and wipe away the excess with your thumb. The heat will permanently melt the crayon into the area - problem solved.

But personally, in this case, I would go out of my way to finish the job by chipping the rest out.
 
Heating metal, on a $10,000 delicate digital camera...what's the worst that could happen?

Seems like a good idea to me! I would forgo the hair dryer and just put the thing in the oven.

Like you say, what's the worst that could happen? :)

journal-20090523-larry-burrows-destroyed-leica.jpg
 
The paint on my M8 started to come off after only a week. It looked like someone had used an enamel stick to fill in the engraving, but had not cured it. After a little sweat from my fingers got on the thing, ti looked like a crayon had smeared a bit. Eventually, I just took it all off with rubbing alcohol and filled it in with a nice shiny black enamel. Looks really nice too. I also painted the red dot, not for stealth, but because I think the red dot is ugly. It's tacky. Yeah, I said it. I wish I could get a Leica script top plate engraved on an M8/M9, but we can all dream. Until then, I tell everyone that it's a black Yashica 35GSN.

Back in the day, when I needed a new top for my CL, -- Leica evidently kept blank ones, and engraved them to match what was needed, Minolta, or Leica, but the bottom line was a freshly engraved top, and about a $300 bill for the effort.

Of course I was out shopping for a new insurance company after that.

I would think it would make sense for them to offer this service.

Regards, John
 
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