Sensor Replacement Policy 2017

[JMQ]

John and Cal, good idea. Thanks.

Cal, I'll see you bright and early on the bus this Sunday! should be a fun day.

Jean-Marc

 

[Calzone]

Jean-Marc,

PM me to give me your E-mail. I'll forward you Bill's E-mail. Getting the confirmation in writing surely will be valuable.

Cal

 

[Huss]

DanskDynamit, that is incorrect. Many M9s had their corroded sensors replaced with the older version of the sensor and simultaneously updated with the 1.204 firmware.

Which was the case with my old M-E. Which reinforces how messed up Leica's revised policy is. Someone may have a new old sensor, which is still fine for now even though Leica knows that its design is defective, but they most likely will have issues in the future. After the "good will" (yeah right) period has expired.

 

[Calzone]

Which was the case with my old M-E. Which reinforces how messed up Leica's revised policy is. Someone may have a new old sensor, which is still fine for now even though Leica knows that its design is defective, but they most likely will have issues in the future. After the "good will" (yeah right) period has expired.

Huss,

It is painful to fall through the cracks like that. In your case the "good will" should be extended because the defect was known. No one wants to own a time bomb.

Cal

 

[elmaury]

Which was the case with my old M-E. Which reinforces how messed up Leica's revised policy is. Someone may have a new old sensor, which is still fine for now even though Leica knows that its design is defective, but they most likely will have issues in the future. After the "good will" (yeah right) period has expired.

I'm in the same position with my M9, which had the old type of sensor installed as a replacement in 2014. I sincerely hope that Leica will extend the goodwill policy for such sensors for another five years, but I'm doubtful. I will send my M9 in soon in hopes that what appear to be dust specs are actually corrosion issues.

 

[Calzone]

I'm in the same position with my M9, which had the old type of sensor installed as a replacement in 2014. I sincerely hope that Leica will extend the goodwill policy for such sensors for another five years, but I'm doubtful. I will send my M9 in soon in hopes that what appear to be dust specs are actually corrosion issues.

E,

I hope it works out for you. All the best.

BTW on my MM the corrosion appeared as dirt. Wet cleaning with my Visible Dust cleaning kit did not change or improve anything. This is how I became convinced it was corrosion and not dust. Know that I am not a lens changer, and the LED ringed magnifier for sensor inspection did not reveal any defect that I could see that became imaged in prints.

Also know that these spots did not display halos and appeared as dirt. The corrosion in my case was very limited and restricted to a small area.

I hope this helps.

Cal

 

[elmaury]

E,

I hope it works out for you. All the best.

BTW on my MM the corrosion appeared as dirt. Wet cleaning with my Visible Dust cleaning kit did not change or improve anything. This is how I became convinced it was corrosion and not dust. Know that I am not a lens changer, and the LED ringed magnifier for sensor inspection did not reveal any defect that I could see that became imaged in prints.

Also know that these spots did not display halos and appeared as dirt. The corrosion in my case was very limited and restricted to a small area.

I hope this helps.

Cal

Thank you so much for the information, Cal. I've read a handful of similar experiences on the web, and I hope this will be the case for me as well.

 

[Huss]

Sensor swap at Leica NJ is now a 24 week wait and counting.

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1494653

I would not be happy. Not at all. So much for good will...

 

[Emile de Leon]

24 weeks..
Leica ...does it ...again...lol..
You get...what you pay for.. with those guys...
I was gonna get an ME at one point..
Sure glad I didn't now..

 

[Lss]

This just keeps on getting more ridiculous.

Now you even need to consider whether to send the camera in (I guess it needs to be with Leica before the August deadline) and make do without it for half a year, or rather pay for the sensor replacement later when there may not be massive queues. Although I pretty much expect for Leica to significantly hike up the price at that point, as they have improved the speed of the sensor replacement over the post-August apocalypse.

 

[jaapv]

Just got word from Leica, both my MM1 and M9 will have a new sensor. The timeframe is of little interest to me, I still have the M240, DMR and my Panasonic gear, not to mention several other options like M6, M3. iiif, etc.

 

[bonatto]

Leica has done me right a few times. Out of warranty M8 charger died, new one sent free of charge. M8.2 and M9p with vertical lines sorted and cleaned, both out of warranty - free of charge. That being said, you do get what you pay for.

This corrosion fiasco is no different than, say, the 2011 Macbook Pro logic board/graphics unit lead-free solder corrosion issue. Out of warranty service extended for a few years, then on with it. It's digital gear. It's not mad to last for ever. If it does, great. If you bought it otherwise - or as an 'investment' - perhaps it's an opportunity to re-assess your spending habits. If this kind of response to a technical problem is not acceptable - or perhaps the very arising of such a problem to begin with is not acceptable to you, then make a statement and impart effect with your wallet.

Apple has done me right on out of warranty machines that died earlier than expected, but couple of weeks turnaround, plus the downtime, plus the endless phone calls make me think twice before plopping down £2500 on a new macbook pro. Likewise for Leica.

 

[Calzone]

Sensor swap at Leica NJ is now a 24 week wait and counting.

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1494653

I would not be happy. Not at all. So much for good will...

Huss,

I am fortunate to have used the waiting list, but the 8-10 week wait acually was 12 weeks. I'm so happy I got my sensor replacement performed over the winter.

I took the subway to Union Square last night with my Monochrom and walked to the Westside to get that fleeting low light that happens before dusk. Pretty much only about 40 minutes of really great light and then a long walk uptown to get home for exercise.

Cal

 

[Fraser]

Leica has done me right a few times. Out of warranty M8 charger died, new one sent free of charge. M8.2 and M9p with vertical lines sorted and cleaned, both out of warranty - free of charge. That being said, you do get what you pay for.

This corrosion fiasco is no different than, say, the 2011 Macbook Pro logic board/graphics unit lead-free solder corrosion issue. Out of warranty service extended for a few years, then on with it. It's digital gear. It's not mad to last for ever. If it does, great. If you bought it otherwise - or as an 'investment' - perhaps it's an opportunity to re-assess your spending habits. If this kind of response to a technical problem is not acceptable - or perhaps the very arising of such a problem to begin with is not acceptable to you, then make a statement and impart effect with your wallet.

Apple has done me right on out of warranty machines that died earlier than expected, but couple of weeks turnaround, plus the downtime, plus the endless phone calls make me think twice before plopping down £2500 on a new macbook pro. Likewise for Leica.

I think the problem is the wait time, the fact they knew about it, the price of a new Leica (nothing to do with digital anything that costs £5000 should last not forever but for a reasonable amount of time. The ME was only discontinued in 2015), the sudden announcement of the end of the replacement scheme and past history of faulty products.
I don't think apple is a great comparison......🙄

 

[Huss]

Huss,

...

I took the subway to Union Square last night with my Monochrom and walked to the Westside to get that fleeting low light that happens before dusk. Pretty much only about 40 minutes of really great light and then a long walk uptown to get home for exercise.

Cal

Cal, that sounds like a great time. I love that time of day.
What lens did u have w u?

 

[Calzone]

Cal, that sounds like a great time. I love that time of day.
What lens did u have w u?

Huss,

On the Monochrom I shoot about 80-90% of my shots with an uncoded 28 Cron.

The light is a big challenge because of the range of light and dark. This once abandoned freight line was intergated into buildings that were part of the meat packing district on the Westside of Madhattan. The Hudson River is close by and that long low light casting shadows has both glow and dark shadows. The light is very fleeting. Also know that this redeveloped tourist attraction allows one to get ariel views.

If you don't like the light just wait 5 minutes. Even consecutive shots catch the light differently. Madhattan Hedge kinda just happened so the underpasses created by the old freightline get well illuminated.

Cal

 

[jszokoli]

Got a e-mail from Leica, my camera was received May 30th, so just about two weeks ago.

No word on the inspection, and idea how long that typically takes?

Joe

 

[Calzone]

Joe,

Check out Huss' post number 188.

Cal

 

[Huss]

Just got word from Leica, both my MM1 and M9 will have a new sensor. The timeframe is of little interest to me, I still have the M240, DMR and my Panasonic gear, not to mention several other options like M6, M3. iiif, etc.

You wrote:

"According to my sources the number of corroded sensors is low, in the order of 1%."

Post # 22
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147891

How do you feel about those sources now? Especially since everyone I know has suffered corroded sensors. Including you.

While it may be ok for you to wait an eternity, as you have lots of other gear, most others are not in that situation.

Leica has really stuck it to their customer base with this move. First off by knowingly selling defective cameras, then by coming up with an acceptable solution, but then going back on their word by ending the promise of that program. People who may not yet have a corroded sensor - because their corroded one was replaced by a new old version sensor - may have a corroded one after the deadline has passed.

 

[jszokoli]

Joe,

Check out Huss' post number 188.

Cal

Cal,

I was wondering how long till they did the evaluation...

Joe