M9 sensor discontinued

The only sensor failure I've had so far was with my Digilux 2. Leica fixed it for the cost of return postage. So with the exceptions of the Digilux 2 and the original M9 sensor, maybe sensor failure isn't something to worry about. And I did get my M9 sensor replaced with the good one. I probably don't need to worry. I don't think I will run right out and sell my M9.
 
I guess we all knew this would happen eventually -- the days of 30 years of technical support are gone and won't be back. Disappointing, but not all that surprising. I have a couple of Leica IIIa's that I am confident will be capable of snapping photos at 100 years old. Remarkable for a piece of machinery. Not so the digital offerings of the camera world. Then again, it would be interesting to know whether any of our digital desiderata -- the actual 1's and 0's will be readable after 100 years. Oh the data will be there, probably. But will anything be able to read it?

This weekend, I handled a Sumerian cylinder seal still capable of performing its original function after 5,000 years. Take that! Modern manufactured products and data.
 
raid said:
I was searching online for some half cases, and I noticed the huge price differences between half cases for Leica models. It seems that older models are less "needy" of expensive leather half cases than say an M10.
Click to expand...

raid said:
Thanks for the tip, Bill. The less costly cases are sold by unknown sellers. How can we tell how good the fit is and how good the leather is? Luigi is well known for his work.
Click to expand...


@Raid,
Since the M10 has become as slim as the M8 / M9 used to be, my shoemaker cut out the rear window of the old original half case a little bit and renewed the seam, all for 10 €.
One can't start saving up early enough for an M11 or M12 ...🙄
 
Beemermark said:
Unfortunately for a lot of us long time users I did expect the camera would last longer than 7 or 8 years. Every sensor in every camera was bad. For us that bought an M9 expecting decades of use and then being told I'd have to pay a large sum to make it work I wasn't happy. On top of that they admitted every sensor was bad but they wouldn't replace it until it failed. So while mine was under warranty they would not fix it until the sensor failed a year later (when the camera was out of warranty). My M9 is my last digital Leica. Leica is simply to small a player to cover manufacturing defects.
Click to expand...

Oh I get that... you have every right to be upset and 7-8 years could be considered too little. However, generally speaking, people are using the typical digital camera for similar life spans if not less. It was a stupid claim by Leica, but I think people should have been skeptical as well.
 
jsrockit said:
Oh I get that... you have every right to be upset and 7-8 years could be considered too little. However, generally speaking, people are using the typical digital camera for similar life spans if not less.
Click to expand...

^^^This. I think this is the central fact for me. I no longer look at resolution numbers when buying a camera. Anything over 12 MP is really going to be just fine for my uses. But I do think about the amount of time I will use camera, given the price. And at current prices and replacement times, Leica is just out of my range. I just can't do $6K every 7 seven years. This is a pity, but if I replace my M9, I will be buying on the used market one or two generations back from "current" and Leica just won't make any money from me.

My current use cameras: Nikon D3 (a little long in the tooth), Leica M9 (second sensor. . . holding my breath), Fuji X-T1, Olympus OM-D, Pentax K-1 (when I actually do need the resolution edge). My next camera? Probably a Nikon Z series. Why? All the resolution I could ever want and a fraction of the price of the M-whatever (even used). Sigh.

M6, M5, M3, M2 and IIIa's are all sitting on the shelf waiting to be used. I'm not a collector, just an accumulator who is really bad at selling stuff off.
 
Benjamin Marks said:
I'm not a collector, just an accumulator who is really bad at selling stuff off.
Click to expand...

I am in the same boat. Keeping other cameras has its advantage once in a while. I was just inspecting some of my (few) B&W images that were taken with a Rolleiflex TLR, and I though "maybe I need to do this again soon". 😎
 
If you switch out an 8K Leica cam every 4 years..(thats 2K per year...)and sell the original for 50% loss..its just costing ya under $3- a day to operate..
Not so bad actually..and if you extend that to 8 years..well..Leica is pretty cheap indeed..lol..
And if you earn $$ with it and depreciate on your taxes too..its way way less..
 
Emile de Leon said:
If you switch out an 8K Leica cam every 4 years..(thats 2K per year...)and sell the original for 50% loss..its just costing ya under $3- a day to operate..
Not so bad actually..and if you extend that to 8 years..well..Leica is pretty cheap indeed..lol..
And if you earn $$ with it and depreciate on your taxes too..its way way less..
Click to expand...

Your estimates are based on many assumptions that may not hold. 😀
My M8 and M9 were good buys overall as I got them used, and I have not paid much money on their repairs so far.
 
Your estimates are based on many assumptions that may not hold.
Click to expand...
Well..if you had Huss's M9 m-e ..that was crap right outta the box..and going back and forth to Leica w/o a fix..for months on end..
And then sell for a loss..
Well..not so great a deal..thats about $30- a day right outta pocket..sold..6 mos later..recouping a % of original funds..minus the trauma..
 
Emile de Leon said:
If you switch out an 8K Leica cam every 4 years..(thats 2K per year...)and sell the original for 50% loss..its just costing ya under $3- a day to operate..
Not so bad actually..and if you extend that to 8 years..well..Leica is pretty cheap indeed..lol..
And if you earn $$ with it and depreciate on your taxes too..its way way less..
Click to expand...

Leica, and, really, every manufacturing company, love the way you think. Dream Customer. 🙂
 
Leica, and, really, every manufacturing company, love the way you think. Dream Customer
Click to expand...
Not really..as ..I havent bought a Leica digital ever..and probably never will..
But I did buy the Sigma fp...coming in tomorrow..
Thought about it for a year..decided to go w/it..
I wonder how much that one is gonna cost me per day...lol..
About $2200- out the door..w/accessories..to put my Leica lenses on..
Cant wait to try it!
 
Emile de Leon said:
Not really..as ..I havent bought a Leica digital ever..and probably never will..
But I did buy the Sigma fp...coming in tomorrow..
Thought about it for a year..decided to go w/it..
I wonder how much that one is gonna cost me per day...lol..
About $2200- out the door..w/accessories..to put my Leica lenses on..
Cant wait to try it!
Click to expand...

Emile, It was a joke.
Let us know how you get on with the fp, with photos. Interesting camera.
 
Beemermark said:
Unfortunately for a lot of us long time users I did expect the camera would last longer than 7 or 8 years. Every sensor in every camera was bad. For us that bought an M9 expecting decades of use and then being told I'd have to pay a large sum to make it work I wasn't happy. On top of that they admitted every sensor was bad but they wouldn't replace it until it failed. So while mine was under warranty they would not fix it until the sensor failed a year later (when the camera was out of warranty). My M9 is my last digital Leica. Leica is simply to small a player to cover manufacturing defects.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you have it explained well. I'm SO glad when I was selling an exotic LF lens a couple years ago I didn't accept the buyers idea for a partial trade of an M9. It's just uncanny how people would pay almost ten grand for a digital camera. My last M3 cost $50 at an estate sale. 60 years old, no telling when it had a CLA....I'm developing film shot through it tonight....
 
LOL. You got that right! I keep looking at those Hassie digi-backs, waiting for something that will snap onto my 501CM to fall into my price range. In terms of resolution, I think the new uber-cameras will perform almost as well new as the 10 YO Hassie stuff for the same money or slightly less. I may never get to use that 501CM digitally . . . 🙁

I think if I won the lottery, I'd flirt with one of those really expensive digital cameras. But I'd probably need a new computer to handle the files!
 
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