So this happened......My Very Interesting Leica Story!! Please Help!!!

Kamurah

Senior Member
Fair warning...this is probably going to be a bit long and 'rambly'. Please forgive.

So....after a long period of not shooting, I am finally getting back into the hobby. I snagged what I feel to be a pretty decent deal on a D700, battery grip, and a couple of lenses. Initial tests are 1000% positive. This is by far the closest I have come to shooting 35mm chrome since I stepped into the digital pool. I love the output and performance of the camera. I have zero desire to upgrade this body to a newer generation.

But I was having a discussion with my wife (amazingly we actually talk about camera gear), recalling what piece of equipment had been HER favorite. She was never really enamored with DSLR's, and she now shoots on her IPhone. I was certain she was going to say the F2a we used for several years was her fave...but she didn't. Instead she named the Leica M6. Now I once owned a brand new M6 and a 50mm lens for a short period of time about 20 years ago. She shot with it maybe twice. I stupidly traded it in on a Canon DSLR and have not had the funds to dip back into the Leica pool again.

I was shocked she named the M6, but in retrospect, I loved that camera too. It had the build quality of a professional tool. Like something you would find in your optometrist's office. It was so quiet....the little 'shhk' of the shutter. Glorious...but hideously expensive ecosystem. It reminded me of my Hasselblad...but just more like the James Bond version. Percentage-wise, I had the greatest number of 'keepers' from the M6 of any film camera I ever used.

This brings us to today.

I don't follow Leica announcements or evolutions...there is little point...I cannot afford them, and I don't really enjoy owning cameras that I get OCD about. If I own a camera, I want to USE it...not collect it on a shelf. Just my hangup.

So fast forward to last week. After our discussion, I hopped on ebay and Amazon just to see what the current going rate for Leicas was. There has been only one model that piqued my interest in the past decade, and that was the M Monochrom. What a cool idea, I thought, that Leica would just fly in the face of everything and make a PURE Black and White digital camera that functioned just like a M!

So I looked up M Monochrom on Amazon....

And my heart withheld services for several beats. I saw something that defied logic and any expectation I could have imagined. I estimated that the Monochrom would be somewhere between 4 and 8 thousand dollars. I remember when they were introduced they were right at 8k.

In front of me was a product page, on Amazon, offering a brand NEW, unused Leica M Monochrom (first generation...released circa 2012....Leica updated the camera to the Type 246, 2nd gen but this was a 1st gen for sale) for the price of...............


$246.00 USD. NEW.

WHAT???? This was an $8000.00 camera new!!! Eight Thousand Dollars.

I literally had a minor panic attack. My mind was racing. Surely this was a typo? If it was a typo, would they have to honor it? So many questions...but I convinced myself if I didn't act fast it would be gone in seconds and my fear of losing out overtook. There was only 1 available.

I pressed 'Buy'.

So convinced I was that the seller would renege on the deal, I started researching whether they were obligated or not to sell me the item once they noticed their mistake. I waited over the weekend for Monday morning, and the (in my mind) inevitable "Seller has cancelled this order and issued you a refund" message. I wasn't going to push it. It would be unreasonable to expect them to follow through on this.

No cancellation message came.

Later that day, I received a notification the item had shipped. Shipped???? really????

So I am still in shock. The M Monochrom is scheduled for delivery tomorrow.

But....and there is always a "but" in my experience. I started to research this camera. Oh no.... Sensor problems. A recall... Majority of M9's and Monochroms affected. Oof.

This is why the thing was so cheap. It is a Leica turd that has been rendered undesirable by both Leica and the Leica community.


The hopeful ray of sunshine:

Leica offered, at one time, free replacement of the offending sensor.......hooray! but alas...this offer has expired. Boo! I spoke with a very nice and helpful lady at Leica US repairs who said if my serial number was new enough, they could still take care of the sensor issue for me...otherwise, it is going to cost me around 1600 bucks to replace the sensor. Oh and BTW, neither Amazon nor the third party I bought it from are Authorized Leica dealers.....

So....I am faced with a dilemma and these appear to be my options:

1. If the Leica arrives (and it is actually a Leica and not some scam....like....they didn't just send me some PICTURES of a Leica or something), I can send it off and have the sensor replaced. Then try to sell it on ebay. The only activations it will have will be the ones from the Leica repair facility. This model appears to be going for around $3000 currently with a replaced sensor. Since mine will be basically 'as new' I should be able to get a similar price. This will give me about a 1200 dollar profit on the purchase, and a great story.

2. I can send it off, repair it, and keep it. With a fresh CLA and new sensor, it will basically be a new, two-generation old Monochrom. It will still do the things that Leica enthusiasts loved it for when it was released. The only problem is then I have to find glass for it. I figure I will end up spending around $2700 for the whole shebang....(I would probably buy a Zeiss 35mm lens instead of the Leica lens). Still cheaper than the body alone if purchased from a dealer....and I will know the exact condition of the body. I was not planning on a 3k outlay right now...but this is part of the decision.

3. I can sell it *as is* with full disclosure that the sensor will likely need to be replaced at a cost of approx $1600.00 (excluding tax and shipping). I don't even know what kind of price to put on it....But I figure I could make at least a little bit on it, and then I wouldn't have to go through the repair process.


So here I am, and this is my interesting story. What would you do?

Just to show I'm not kidding on this...here is the order. (vital info scrubbed to protect the innocent):
Leica Order.jpg
 

Kamurah

Senior Member
The whole thing is odd. I cannot seem to find a definitive idea on the number of cameras that were affected. Statements from Leica themselves seem to contradict on the issue; however, one statement from their office seemed to indicate the issue was caused by a deterioration of the glue that adhered the glass cover of the sensor. It read like a 'when' not 'if' sort of scenario. This 'sensor glass / sensor glue' fiasco seems to be the only thing they directly addressed with regards to repairs. The brief discussion with Leica repair seemed to confirm this. Their replacement sensor does not use the same glass.

In any case, today is the day of arrival so we will see what is indeed inside box number 1!
 

Kamurah

Senior Member
UPDATE!

So it arrived and.......drumroll....it IS a Leica M Monochrom!

Brand new, unregistered, in the original box with the original paperwork and all accessories. I just can't believe it.

So I immediately called Leica USA to check on the serial number. Mine was made in 2013...so no longer covered under the goodwill agreement for the sensor. Ugh!!! But then the rep said I had an option. Leica is offering a certification program. I send in the body...they do a full check and CLA....if the sensor is bad, I pay to replace. If, however, the sensor is NOT bad, they 'certify' the operation of the camera and offer a 12 month warranty. 5 week turnaround.

Either way, this seems like the way to go.

Pics to prove the event lol:

Leica1.jpg

Leica2.jpg


Definitely the weirdest camera purchase yet!!!! :)
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
Congratulations. You definitely scored a bargain for an excellent camera. :encouragement:
 

Kamurah

Senior Member
Thanks guys. Still kind of pinching myself. I am fully expecting them to find that the sensor is bad. But either way, I will have peace of mind and a warranty on the thing.

Now the question is....do i keep it?????
Leica glass is CRAZY expensive. Zeiss glass is Nikon top tier expensive. The more affordable options seem a waste on such a beautiful design.

My initial gut is telling me to put it on fleabay after it comes back certified from Leica. Should pull down a nice price considering it's pristine unused condition and a 12 month warranty.
Maybe I will sell it and pick up one of the new Fuji X100v models that were just announced.....

Anyway, thanks for the interest guys!
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
Wait...you purchased this based on your wife's input. So why not allow her to make the decision? :confused:
 

Kamurah

Senior Member
Wait...you purchased this based on your wife's input. So why not allow her to make the decision? :confused:

She loved the M6, but she is a full-on iPhone photog these days! If she wanted it, I would give it to her without a moment's hesitation. I took it out so she could oogle it / hold it...but she said just holding a camera that was once selling for 8K made her 'sweaty' lol.

Who knows....jury is still out. I will have a few weeks to ponder it's future as it travels to the Leica folks for the checkup. ;)
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
She loved the M6, but she is a full-on iPhone photog these days! If she wanted it, I would give it to her without a moment's hesitation. I took it out so she could oogle it / hold it...but she said just holding a camera that was once selling for 8K made her 'sweaty' lol.

Who knows....jury is still out. I will have a few weeks to ponder it's future as it travels to the Leica folks for the checkup. ;)

I'm glad you had asked her first! Her position is certainly understandable. If it were me, I'd probably try to sell it since I wouldn't want to invest in such expensive glass. But I'm a happy camper with my Nikon gear! :)
 

Kamurah

Senior Member
I agree completely! The D700 is all the SLR I will ever need. I still may get something else for the days I don't feel like hauling out the entire kit, but I have zero issues with the build or the stellar images from Nikon.

If I had maybe something small and mirrorless to keep on me with good IQ...I feel like I would be set all set for kit.
 

Bikerbrent

Senior Member
You have to ask yourself, "Do I really need an $8000 camera that only shots black and white images?" Wouldn't a nice small camera and some more lenses be nice?
 

Whiskeyman

Senior Member
So, if you get rid of it, you're likely going to have remorse for getting rid of a second Leica. If it is good, and Leica certifies it as so, buy a good Leica or Zeiss lens for it and keep it.

WM
 

Kamurah

Senior Member
@Whiskeyman: Yep. You hit it on the head.

I ended up sending the camera to Leica to get it checked out / CLA'd. It has the sensor corrosion that affected this model and the M9. So I am having them replace the sensor and do the Certification.

After all this, I think I am going to keep it and use it like it was meant to be used, and try not to focus on how much it cost new. I found a great deal on a Voigtlander 35mm 1.7 Ultron lens, so that will likely be my starter lens for the Leica. I looked at the reviews for this lens, and it competes well with the Zeiss, but is cheaper.

There are Nikon F to Leica M adapters out so I may pick one up since my Nikkors are 'D' series and still have aperture rings. That would give me 20mm, 35mm, and 85mm glass. I can always look for a 50mm later.

The initial estimate was about 5 weeks to complete this type of repair. I will post back once the Leica is returned and upload a test shot or two.

;)
 

Whiskeyman

Senior Member
... and try not to focus on how much it cost new. I found a great deal on a Voigtlander 35mm 1.7 Ultron lens, so that will likely be my starter lens for the Leica. I looked at the reviews for this lens, and it competes well with the Zeiss, but is cheaper...

I've posted this before, and maybe here, but if you use your gear at all, you're likely to travel to use it. And compared to travel costs over the lifetime of cameras and lenses, the latter are the lesser of the expenses for a lot of people. Spend $1000 on a lens? That can be a little as 5-6 nights in a lot of hotels and 1-2 plane tickets.

Photography isn't cheap, but the biggest expenses aren't always where we think they are.

Enjoy that Leica!

WM
 

Kamurah

Senior Member
M Monochrom is back from Leica:

LeicaMmon.jpg

And here is the first shot with it:

SleepingDogWEB.jpg

Going to take some time to get used to shooting with a rangefinder again....but the camera itself sure does feel nice.
 
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