M9 - Sensor Replacement Report?

[Scheelings]

I sent my camera for repair (suspected sensor corrosion) ~4 months ago and it's just arrived back in the store - although I cannot access the camera, because I'm currently overseas.

I asked for the repair report for the Camera, but it seems so general as to not explain what they've actually done. Is this normal?

In the description, it is written:

Replacement / Adjustment of sensor board (so which is it?)
Carry out software adjustment
Adjustment / Clean rangefinder
Adjustment of all parts

Necessary part:
Printed Circuit (what? - So the sensor wasn't replaced?)
Leather covering (presume this is necessary for access)

 

[Luke_Miller]

I believe the sensor is part of a larger printed circuit assembly, so most likely your sensor was replaced. My repair report was also pretty vague.

 

[cz23]

My MM sensor replacement invoice was also vague, so I emailed asking for confirmation that the sensor was replaced. They replied that it was. I saved the email as a PDF for if an when I sell.

John

 

[pyeh]

My two M9s were done by Leica Japan in Ginza. The report sheet says for each camera (verbatim):

CCD sensor check/Replacement service for the CCD sensor
*Please note that firmware of your camera become updated
recovery of camera body leather for new type of Vulcanite Leather

CCD sensor was exchanged.
*replace the CCD sensor board of the coating layer improved version and Firmware was updated in ver. 1.210.
*camera settings was reset to the initial setting.

Took about 4 weeks for the two cameras, which I dropped off to them at the same time.

I put my M9 Monochrom into Leica Australia's repair shop, Camera Clinic in Melbourne, last week. They took about a week to get back to me with an assessment and said about two weeks for the new sensor. We'll see.

 

[Scheelings]

Thanks for the replies guys

 

[willie_901]

I sent my camera for repair (suspected sensor corrosion) ~4 months ago and it's just arrived back in the store - although I cannot access the camera, because I'm currently overseas.

I asked for the repair report for the Camera, but it seems so general as to not explain what they've actually done. Is this normal?

In the description, it is written:

Replacement / Adjustment of sensor board (so which is it?)
Carry out software adjustment
Adjustment / Clean rangefinder
Adjustment of all parts

Necessary part:
Printed Circuit (what? - So the sensor wasn't replaced?)
Leather covering (presume this is necessary for access)

This appears to be completely normal.

A sensor assembly is replaced and then shimmed or otherwise aligned to be centered and square to the lens mount geometry. No mystery here.

Sensor assemblies must have at least one integrated electronic circuit board. Sensor assemblies contain both optical and electronic components manufactured as a single, indivisible unit. This practice ensures optimal alignment of the assembly's optical components and reduces manufacturing costs.

The ill-designed component of the original M9 sensor assembly was an IR-filter film layer in the assembly's optical cover glass. The cover glass is integrated into the assembly unit. It is not practical to remove and replace just the cover glass. Also, the IR filter film's optical properties are slightly different that the original's. So other new assembly components (micro-lens array, color-filter RGB array) could have been redesigned. Of course the firmware that renders in-camera JPEGs could be different as well. Leica apparently spent quite a bit of effort to insure images from the original and new sensor assemblies render as similarly as possible.

The repair description certainly could have been written with more precise English. However as written, the description is entirely consistent the installation of new, delamination resistant sensor assembly.

 

[Calzone]

This appears to be completely normal.

A sensor assembly is replaced and then shimmed or otherwise aligned to be centered and square to the lens mount geometry. No mystery here.

Sensor assemblies must have at least one integrated electronic circuit board. Sensor assemblies contain both optical and electronic components manufactured as a single, indivisible unit. This practice ensures optimal alignment of the assembly's optical components and reduces manufacturing costs.

The ill-designed component of the original M9 sensor assembly was an IR-filter film layer in the assembly's optical cover glass. The cover glass is integrated into the assembly unit. It is not practical to remove and replace just the cover glass. Also, the IR filter film's optical properties are slightly different that the original's. So other new assembly components (micro-lens array, color-filter RGB array) could have been redesigned. Of course the firmware that renders in-camera JPEGs could be different as well. Leica apparently spent quite a bit of effort to insure images from the original and new sensor assemblies render as similarly as possible.

The repair description certainly could have been written with more precise English. However as written, the description is entirely consistent the installation of new, delamination resistant sensor assembly.

Willie,

As usual thanks for your post.

Last week I got back my Monochrom. I was told 8-10 weeks but it acually was 12 weeks.

The paperwork denotes 4 hours labor, new covering, and a printed circuit board assembly adjustment. The firmware was updated. Although not stated I truely believe my sensor was replaced.

BTW my old sensor only had a few spots that only appeared in some shots in the sky. Cleanings indicated these artifacts were not dirt or oil.

Cal

 

[Gregm61]

12 weeks sounds pretty normal for the sensor swap. I sent my M9-P in the 10 days or so of January, 2016 and got it back with the new sensor in Mid-May.

The worst part of the whole process was losing the vulcanite covering as they no longer had it in stock to use on M9-P's. The new covering is pretty much the same material as that on my M262.

 

[victoriapio]

I got my M9 sensor replaced from Leica NJ in less than three weeks. Looking at the work sheet that came with the camera, I didn't think the problem was the sensor and started this thread...
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161063