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Don't panic if you see this

gogopix

Subscriber
Soon after getting a rare rainbow over the big apple (if they still call it that), I saw the feature next shown. I thought maybe the shutter hit the sensor or some other such...
... however, David Farkas of Dale suggested I send the M9 to him, and he diagnosed the problem... a spontaneous crack in the corner of some Kodak sensors (bad batch, happens; my first P65+ had a BUBBLE between the sensor and cover glass, also Kodak it so happens)
David says Leica is aware , and NJ can fix quickly.

Whew!

Anyway, if you see this come up, you can save time; its covered and turn around is quick (however, buying from Dale once again shows the importance of having a responsive dealer....and of course all this happened aroung Photokina time:rolleyes:

Victor

PS Couldn't resist adding the latest to the clan-4th grandchild, held by son. and as I understand it, the 'no texting while babysitting' law in NY doesn't go into affect till the new year :D
 

D&A

Well-known member
Hi Victor,

Didn't you know, Those "Big Apple" lepricons (from Lucky Charmes no doubt) have taken eminent domain over any any and all rainbows over the city skyline, including images taken. They immediately threw a spell on the M9 sensor :)

Actually Victor, truth be known (to protect those innocent little guys), the crack in one of the corners of a M9 sensor is a well know "spontanious" issue and Leica has indeed made a public announcement quite a few months ago, indicating they will take care of all those random (and supposedly few) bodies that develop this crack of "unknown origin". It's been hypothosized that it may be a stress related crack but nothing official. Apparently there isn't anything one can do to predict nor prevent its occurance. Sorry to hear of it but glad you have a great dealer in Dale Photo who will take care of this with expediency.

David (D&A)
 
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gogopix

Subscriber
Dear David
Thanks for the update. I have been on travel since late august and must have missed the announcement.
Sorry to have taken up space with the old news, but maybe the image of the "last rainbow over NY" will compensate:D

Regrads
Victor
 

D&A

Well-known member
Hi Victor,

Simply a lovely image...always makes me a bit homesick for my former hometown :)

Glad you mentioned it (the sensor crack)...it's never old news, especially for those who might have purchased an M9 some time ago and weren't aware of the situation. This way if they unfortunately experience or observe what you did, they will feel a bit better knowing Leica is aware of the situation and will take care of it. Thanks!

Dave (D&A)
 

Alnitak

New member
It would be interesting to know when you purchased your M9. As David points out, it's a well-known issue, and Leica actually issued a statement on this, I believe in late 2009. The first ones started showing up in October or November 2009 if I recall correctly. It was apparently a bad batch of sensors from Kodak. There are some active threads on this over on the Leica forums, and it appears that this is limited to some cameras that were sent out between late October and early December 2009. It can take a long time for the crack to appear--I received my M9 in early November 2009, and the sensor cover glass cracked in March 2010. Leica does replace it fairly quickly.

Jeff
 

gogopix

Subscriber
I received mine last Nov (2009)I believe. I was on Dale's list for the first tranch.

It may be, given your experience, that it was the early ones that had the problem.

That said, I carried mine all through europe and didn't have the issue until oct 2010,...NY, the rainbow (and maybe, the leprechauns! :)

Victor
 

Alnitak

New member
Well, that fits the pattern. Mine was also a November delivery and I carried it all over the world until March 2010 when it cracked. On the bright side, now it will be repaired.

Jeff
 

kirio

Member
Mine just had this same 'spontaneous crack' today. Used it for more than a year without a problem, now this... Glad to hear the turn around time is getting shorter. The thread in L-camera forum indicated about two months wait.
 
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01af

Guest
It may be, given your experience, that it was the early ones that had the problem.
Yes, indeed. Evidence seems to suggest that only M9 cameras delivered between September 2009 and January 2010 are affected. As far as I know, no M9 cameras (or hardly any) got delivered in February and the better part of March 2010. At the end of March, a new batch reached the dealers, after six weeks or so of shortage. So, in hindsight, it seems Leica got aware of the cracking sensor issue in January or February 2010, stopped production to get it sorted out, and them continued production in the second half of March.

Anyway, so far I never heard of an M9 with a cracked sensor that got delivered after March 2010.
 
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