M9 Shutter Died Today. Any Diy Fixes?

[RFH]

Yikes. My M9 which just came back from an expensive repair just broke down again.

The facts:

I was taking photos, when all of sudden I heard a terrible squeaky noise after pressing the button, and the shutter did not complete its fire/rewind cycle.

LCD said 'Shutter Fault', 'Err' in the VF.

I checked the INFO button, and the battery showed only the tiniest bit of charge left.

Now, when I try to charge the battery (original Leica), it only goes to 25% even though the charger says 'Full'. And when I pop it in the camera, the error persists. No such issues before today.

I can only see the black parts of the shutter curtain, the white curtain is not visible.

Yes, I'll contact customer service ASAP, but does anyone have ideas for a DIY fix?

 

[btgc]

Yes, I'll contact customer service ASAP, but does anyone have ideas for a DIY fix?

If you mean by DIY some magical sequence like restarting camera while holding down some lever or oscillating limb then I'm afraid issue remains issue no matter how one works it around. It's too precious piece of electronics to rely on magical sequences.

 

[swoop]

I wouldn't touch a thing. Just send it to Leica and hopefully it'll be repaired under the original warranty or from when you sent it in. How old is the battery? Those things don't last forever. Ideally they should be replaced every three years. As that's when you'll start to notice a significant decrease in its capacity from when it was new especially if it's your one and only battery. For every professional camera I own (two) I have three batteries I cycle through to maintain their life/capacity.

 

[Michalm]

I would try different battery if possible, but no diy repairs , if that fails perhaps it is faulty capacitor draining the battery?

 

[yossarian123]

The first things I can think of:
1. Try another battery (is there a dealer in the area that you could walk in and quickly use their battery?). The M9 seems to be particularly wonky when dealing with dead/depleted batteries.
2. Try resetting everything to factory default settings.

 

[x-ray]

I feel your pain.

I think the only fix is send it back to Leica and hope they get it right and in a timely manner.


Good luck.

 

[RFH]

If you mean by DIY some magical sequence like restarting camera while holding down some lever or oscillating limb then I'm afraid issue remains issue no matter how one works it around. It's too precious piece of electronics to rely on magical sequences.

Yes, that was it. Some kind of hacky reset process or a simple screwdriver fix.
Resetting via the menu does nothing.

Never had any issues with the battery before. I'll go to a Leica dealer ASAP and try a new battery.

Gosh darn it.

 

[f16sunshine]

Condolences RFH.

Not to be a smarta$$ but rather seeking levity. One DIY repair you could try is to pick up one of your other cameras until Leica sorts you out 😀

The good news is by most experiences (mine included), Leica usually gets it right in the end and even goes the extra mile.

Cheers!

 

[RFH]

Condolences RFH.

Not to be a smarta$$ but rather seeking levity. One DIY repair you could try is to pick up one of your other cameras until Leica sorts you out 😀

The good news is by most experiences (mine included), Leica usually gets it right in the end and even goes the extra mile.

Cheers!

Right. Time to break out the M6 and the RD1. At least they never failed me (whine).

 

[raid]

I would mail the camera to Leica.

 

[john neal]

My MM failed the other way (same shutter) - can't stop the shutter trying to fire. It's a known fault and needs to go back to Leica. My body went off to Wetzlar yesterday and should be back in 6 weeks.

 

[Bob Michaels]

......
I can only see the black parts of the shutter curtain, the white curtain is not visible.
..... does anyone have ideas for a DIY fix?

Electronic shutters occasionally will hang mid cycle when the battery is low. Charge the low battery, remove the lens and gently push down on the open front shutter curtain with a fingernail or tip of a pen. Frequently this causes the curtain to close and resume working normally.

Accept the fact that your camera is currently nonfunctional so about all you can do is either fix it or not. If that little trick does not fix the shutter, it will probably have to be replaced anyway so the odds of you doing more expensive damage are low.

In days of years gone by, there were many DIY or camera tech fixes. But it seems too many today believe there are only 3 possible options: 1) sent it to Solms, 2) send it to DAG, or 3) send it to Sherry.

 

[Ljós]

[...]

In days of years gone by, there were many DIY or camera tech fixes. But it seems too many today believe there are only 3 possible options: 1) sent it to Solms, 2) send it to DAG, or 3) send it to Sherry.

Except that today neither DAG nor Sherry (as far as I know) work on the electronic shutters of M9 etc.

I would not try to "help" the shutter by the method described by Bob. Even if it worked, the shutter/battery could not be really trusted afterwards. And for having it fixed, better to send it in untampered.
The camera was repaired recently, stated the OP. I hope that the camera shop in question will fix it free of charge!

 

[x-ray]

This is not a flame attack, just a why is this happening and a moment of rage.

With so many widespread problems especially in the M9 I can't figure why Leica owners tolerate this. If it were the same issues, cracked sensors, shutter failures at low count, lockups, card issues and more, with Nikon, Sony or Canon they would be out of business. We're not even talking about the pathetic service. The would be a class action lawsuit agains them forcing a recall and to get the mess straightened out.

I'm not trying to flame the thread but I was lured into the M9 world and found it a disaster like many other people that dropped a load of money and wound up with a piece of junk. I understand the rangefinder thing. I was using Leica M's professionally before most of you were born. I continue to use the film cameras but finally sold my M9 before it self districted. What is it other than name and the perception their lenses are better than anyones that make people tolerate these problems? Would you tolerate this with Nikon or Canon? Probably not. I had to threaten Leica to get issues straightened out with one of my lenses. I simply will not tolerate this and neither should you. Owners need to put pressure on them with their $$ to get their act together. The best lenses in the world aren't worth much if the body is a piece of junk.

 

[Michael Markey]

I`m just curious that with these known issues as to why there hasn`t been a recall of the sort you would have in the automotive industry.

Perhaps the current trade in offer is an attempt to mitigate the potential long term repair overhead.

 

[x-ray]

I`m just curious that with these known issues as to why there hasn`t been a recall of the sort you would have in the automotive industry.

Perhaps the current trade in offer is an attempt to mitigate the potential long term repair overhead.

My guess is they remove a lot of problem and potentially problem cameras from the market and they're making money on the deal. I'm guessing, just guessing, they'll at least make the cost of manufacturing the camera in the trade and remove a lot of expensive warranty work with the M9's in the process. Sweet deal for Leica. All of the repairs have to be expensive. Think of how many cameras they've replaced the CCD on, shutter and RF. My camera had to have a new CCD and motherboard right out of the box. Got a new motherboard and thought I was going to get a new RF.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Except that today neither DAG nor Sherry (as far as I know) work on the electronic shutters of M9 etc.

It is my understanding that electronic shutters non repairable. They are simply replaced. Thus my comment that a user cannot break one any more than they are already broken.

I would not try to "help" the shutter by the method described by Bob. Even if it worked, the shutter/battery could not be really trusted afterwards. ......

There are certainly two schools of though here. Some can easily do without a camera for a while. Others, in spite of backups, are remote on assignment where a DIY repair is the #1 option. As far as "trusting" equipment, some simply do not regardless of age or history. I guess I am one of those old school people who prefer a failure that has happened before and been resolved over hoping that a failure does not happen because there are no options.

 

[Ljós]

Bob, I see how you are thinking, the way you put it I agree. (Of course you are touching another Achilles heel of the digital Leicas - the cost of having a second body for backup.)

 

[Lss]

With so many widespread problems especially in the M9 I can't figure why Leica owners tolerate this. If it were the same issues, cracked sensors, shutter failures at low count, lockups, card issues and more, with Nikon, Sony or Canon they would be out of business.

No experience with the M9, but my M8 has actually been the most reliable serious and/or interchangeable lens digital camera I have owned or extensively used. (Olympus OM-D E-M5 was also reliable for the shortish while I used it. I think it only cost me shots due to AF misses.) Canon has been the worst, countless lost shots across several bodies and lenses at all price points. No dead sensors or shutters wih any brand so far.

Things happen. As a Leica owner I really cannot complain. As a Canon owner, I do think I have had too much bad luck already.

 

[RFH]

Thanks for your replies, suggestions, comments and commiseration.

I'm awaiting a reply from Leica customer service. I sure hope it's covered under the warranty from their last repair in June. Fingers crossed.

I'll let everyone know how it turns out.