Leica acknowledges M-series sensor corrosion issues, will replace affected sensors

 

Leica has officially announced and made clear that there is a sensor corrosion issue that is affecting a number of users of its M-series digital rangefinder lineup. The issue appears as small, white spots on the sensor and is caused by the glass above the CCD sensor of the Leica M9, M9-P, M Monochrom and M-E cameras.

What started out as a few threads in Leica forums quickly turned into a more widespread news story as the amount of cameras experiencing this issue increased, showing it wasn’t just an isolated incident.

Leica is owning up to the problem though and has since issued a statement promising that Leica will replace affected sensors for free if it’s within three years of the camera’s purchase date.

For those who have affected cameras past the three year date, Leica is offering a discounted repair – €600 (approximately $743) for 4–5 year old cameras and upwards of €1,500 (approximately $1856) for cameras older than 8 years

 

For those wondering what the repair process entails, it’s not much of a fix so much as a temporary solution to the corrosion issues. Cameras sent in will have their corroded sensor replaced by an identical CCD sensor, meaning corrosion happening down the road isn’t out of the realm of possibilities.

(via Leica Rumors)