M9 ... time for a time-out

[Godfrey]

Don't know what I'm going to do, Godfrey, but I really appreciate you sharing the process you've gone.are going through.

You're welcome.

As I said, for me it came down to the aesthetic decision of whether or not I felt the camera was worth spending the additional money for. After spending some time evaluating the M typ 240, I know I will like it more, and use it more, than I did the M9. That's worth it.

The improved responsiveness is the biggest difference to me: the type 240 just feels, sounds right, works quickly, where the M9 simply always felt and sounded sluggish.

Now on to other things while I wait for the M-P to arrive.

G

 

[Paratom]

I am sure you will like the new camera.

 

[richardman]

May be the "banding" is the alternating red and black bands... of the cloth

Enjoy your new M T240 when you get it!~

 

[uhoh7]

Looking about at Ebay completed auctions and other vendors, $4200 seems pretty close to average market value for a clean M9 at present.
G

I see perfect copies for 3k on boards often.

I paid 3500USD over a year ago for LN M9 with 5k clicks, and brand new sensor from Leica, which I found here, on this board.

It's not new anymore


DSC08945 by unoh7, on Flickr

 

[Godfrey]

Indeed. All the more reason to go with a new M-P at discount!
I'm looking forward to its arrival.

G

 

[seakayaker]

Godfrey good luck with your decision about putting out $3750.00 plus some accesserory monies to upgrade the camera.

I have enjoyed my M9 for the past four and one-half years. I do not make make an income from photography and do hope that I will see another four and one-half years of use, at a minimum, from the M9.

I still enjoy using my Pentax K5IIs and film cameras as well.

As I move closer to retirement and the choices for where I want to allocate available discretionary spending moves to the forefront, the quality and the enjoyment I have with the M9 has made it an easier decision for me.

In the November/December time frame I thought about it, I considered it a luxury decision. Then a couple of recent forays into the health care system, including a CABG x 3, has slowed my replacement timeframe decision down.

Choices are good and priorities change and as always,"Life is Grand!"

 

[MikalWGrass]

Sea kayaker - the best camera is the one you have with you.

 

[jonoslack]

Don't know what I'm going to do, Godfrey, but I really appreciate you sharing the process you've gone.are going through.

(I'm gutless, still haven't sent my M9 in)

HI There Cam
I can lend you an M240 for a week or so if it would help?

 

[doug]

If you have not seen dead/malfunctioning FM2n amateur cameras, take it from me, I have. I even have one that was not worth repairing.

A broken tripod socket makes it not worth repairing. The tripod socket is mounted directly to the main casting; too much stress and the main casting breaks.

I seem to recall the first Nikon SLRs with Copal shutters were the models with the vertically running shutter in the late 1960s/early 1970s ... Nikkormat, I guess.

Yup.

The Copal Square shutter of that time was the basis of many cameras, offering a higher flash sync speed and low cost with good quality. The horizontal running shutters in Nikon RF and F series cameras up to the F3 was a Nikon design, I think.

The early Nikon horizontal shutters were based on a Leica design.

It makes sense for camera companies to go with a specialist vendor for the design and manufacture of the shutter.

OTOH many of the German camera companies that did not have their own shutter designs no longer exist because the shutter makers they depended on didn't modernize. The mechanical Copal Square shutter in the Nikkormat was a marvel of simplicity and efficiency but it sacrificed longevity and adjustability.

 

[Vivek]

A broken tripod socket makes it not worth repairing. The tripod socket is mounted directly to the main casting; too much stress and the main casting breaks.

Nothing wrong with the tripod socket but everything to do with the worn plastic gears that move the shutter.

(Doug, put that in to clarify the original post. I am not using the camera anymore.)

 

[250swb]

-
To me, this is a no-brainer.

But it may be worth anybody else with a corrosion problem that could be cloned out (like at the very edge of the frame) holding on and not saying anything to Leica just yet. Another year (or less) and a new model will be out and the 'up-grade/trade-in' path will be for the new camera not the M240.

Steve

 

[rgeorge911]

My update - my M9 didn't have the corrosion and was returned clean and ready to go from Leica Service USA. I took it out and shot it at an event last weekend, and remembered why I love the camera.

Back from Service

Reed
My Blog: DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

[jonoslack]

Indeed. All the more reason to go with a new M-P at discount!
I'm looking forward to its arrival.

G

When will it arrive Godfrey?

 

[Godfrey]

When will it arrive Godfrey?

Well, they received my check a week ago. I understand from Roxana that they'll hold the check for about two weeks for deposit and posting, then ship. So probably ten days from now, around the 24th.

Not fast, but I'm not in a hurry.

G

update: I was doing my accounting this morning. Between yesterday and today, the check for the M-P cleared the bank. Now I'll see how quickly Leica USA ships the M-P...

 

[Godfrey]

Just got the word: the M-P has shipped from New Jersey. UPS tells me expected delivery is Friday ... Yay!

G

 

[seakayaker]

FWIW, i called Leica NJ in December and arranged to have my M9 sent in for repair. They requested it arrive by January 15th for them to inspect. I received a letter this week stating that they will replace the sensor under the warranty program and the work should be completed by February 27th.

So I am happy that this is coming to a satisfactory conclusion. I hope to enjoy several more years of use with the M9.

Leica service continues to disappoint. Called them to inquire about my M9 repair which was sent in to have the sensor replaced,. I had received a letter from Leica stating the work should be completed by the February 27th.

The response I received was that they did not have any sensors in stock and did not have an estimate of when they would arrive from Germany. I asked where I stood on the list when sensors did arrive, he could not provide an answer but remarked I should be close to the top of the list.

I love the rangefinder experience but my experience with Leica certainly leaves me with an empty feeling. A phone call from them when they knew that they could not meet their estimated date of repair would go a long way in keeping a customer satisfied versus ignoring the customer.

Perhaps it is just a strategy to have me go for the trade-in deal?

..... it just might work?

Life's to short to get upset about it.

 

[MCTuomey]

Dan, of course I don't really know, but in your shoes I wouldn't read too much into the delay. From time to time, Leica NJ has sensor supply shortages, and more likely to happen under current conditions. Good luck with the repairs.

 

[Godfrey]

I've spoken with Roxanne, Jim, and Mark at Leica USA. Roxanne is generally the most helpful. When I called to ask about the M9 repair estimate and when I could expect to see it (about the end of January/beginning of Feb), she told me that it was going to take until early March to get it done because they were waiting on a shipment of sensors. I had to ask her about the upgrade, which she then quoted a price for. I called back two days later and placed the order.

The M-P arrived Friday, 27 FEB, mostly because I mailed them a check and it took their accounting department two and a half weeks to process it.

So, I wasn't expecting them to be fast but they did well enough.

BTW, I'm loving the M-P. Very glad I sprung for it.

G

 

[seakayaker]

Godfrey, thank you for documenting the process and your experience with trading in your M9 for the MP 240. Additional thanks for posting the images.

I called Leica customer service today in New Jersey and spoke with Jim and ordered a Silver MP.

After sending my M9 in twice for sensor issues, the first time the camera was out of my hands for 10 weeks in 2013 and now a couple of months with no return date established, I decided to go ahead and take advantage of the trade in offer. Jim indicated that I should have the MP in my hands by the end of the week.

..... the journey continues.

 

[Godfrey]

Dan,

Good stuff. I hope you enjoy the M-P as much as I do.

G