Leica M9 Upgrade Program

With the release of the Leica M9-P some M9 owners will wonder if the added benefits of purchasing an M9-P will be available to them. The short answer is “yes”. Leica Camera Inc. in Allendale, NJ has just setup an upgrade program for current M9 owners. The longer answer, however, is “sort-of”.  One thing an M9 owner will not be able to ever say is that they own an M9-P. Leica Camera Inc. will not upgrade the hot shoe of the M9s to read “M9-P”. M9 owners will be able to have the LCD upgraded to be protected by the very tough Sapphire Glass of the M9-P. In addition, the top and bottom plates can be replaced to resemble the styling of the M9-P. The upgrade comes in two flavors:

Leica M9 Upgrade Package 1 – Sapphire Glass
• The display cover will be replaced with the valuable sapphire glass of the M9-P.
• Choice between Vulcanite Leatherette or Smooth MP-Style Leatherette.
• This upgrade will include a one year warranty extension valued at 345€.

Leica M9 Upgrade Package 2 – Top Cover and Sapphire Glass
• The display cover will be replaced with the valuable sapphire glass of the M9-P.
• The top cover will be replaced with either the silver chrome or black painted M9-P top cover.
• The bottom cover will be replaced with the corresponding color.
• Choice between Vulcanite Leatherette or Smooth MP-Style Leatherette.
• The upgrade includes a one-year warranty extension valued at 345€.

The cost of the first package is $1295, and the second is $1995.

Upgrades will be performed by technicians trained specifically to perform these upgrades in Allendale, NJ. Work will begin shortly after October, and on a first-come, first-serve basis based on reservations. If you are interested in an upgrade, please contact us at (802) 244-0883, or sales@gmcamera.com. We will contact Leica directly, and we will get you a reservation for upgrade. Leica will not take any cameras before that reservation, so please do not send or give us your camera before that appointment. Leica is hoping that upgrades will done in less than 4-weeks, but it all depends on overall demand and workload. Leica feels that by scheduling upgrade appointments, upgrade times will keep to a minimum. Once we receive your M9 just before your reserved upgrade date we will get it off to Leica. At that point, turnaround time is not in our hands.

Leica provided us with an FAQ for the upgrades. We thought it would be very helpful to customers if we published that information here:

Can any M9 be upgraded?
Yes, any M9 can be upgraded.

When is the upgrade available?
Reserving time slots begins on August 8, 2011 and Upgrades begin on October 3, 2011
Reservations are on a first-come-first-serve basis.

What is the cost?
The Leica M9 Upgrade Package 1 cost $1,295.00 and the Leica M9 Upgrade Package 2 cost $1,995.

When do I have to pay for the upgrade?
The customer books an upgrade slot and has to pay upon booking. You can compare this to a concert ticket.

Can I choose my slot (day of repair in case I plan a vacation)?
Capacity for upgrades is limited. All upgrades will be performed in the order of their booking payments. Leica will contact the customer when the upgrade slot is coming close to limit the time without camera.

Where will the upgrades be done?
The upgrades will be done at Leica Camera USA’s facility in Allendale, NJ.

How long will the upgrade take? How long will I be without my camera?
Upgrade capacity is limited. Leica will get in contact with the customer when the upgrade on his/her camera can be performed. Our goal is to have a door-to-door time of less than 4 weeks.

For the cost of the M9, should it not have come with these features?
The sapphire glass is unique on cameras. The sapphire glass has a very high material cost. It would raise the prices on standard cameras; therefore we are offering this as an upgrade.

Is this not just Leica charging the customer to fix design flaws in the camera?
The LCD glass is standard in the industry and does not represent a design flaw.

Will I be able to purchase a new M9 with these upgrades? Will they become ‘standard’?
A new M9 will not have these upgrades. The upgrades will not become ‘standard’ to the M9. Customers should instead buy the M9-P.

Will the Sapphire Glass cover be available as a part?
The sapphire glass will not be available as a single spare part.

Can I have either Upgrade Package without the Warranty Extension for a reduced cost?
No.

As I have already bought a one-year warranty extension for 345€ can the warranty on my camera be extended by an additional year?
No.

Can I get a refund for the earlier one-year warranty which I bought?
No.

Will I get a new warranty card with the upgrade?
No. Proof for the additional warranty can be submitted with the invoice number, invoice date or even by giving us the serial number of the camera, as all necessary information is in our system.

Can I have a top plate in one color and bottom plate in another color?
No.

Can the leatherette on an M9 be changed?
Yes, it can be changed for an additional charge if not done as part of the upgrade.

What happens to the serial number?
The serial number remains the same.

Is the lettering “M9-P” engraved on the existing horse shoe?
No, it will not have the lettering “M9-P”.