UPDATE: Leica M Monochrom Typ 246: “Black Dot in White Spot” Artifacts CONFIRMED by Leica, to be fixed with firmware update
Get Leica M Monochrom Typ 246 at B&H Photo.
I reported Leica M Monochrom Typ 246: “Black Dot in White Spot” Artifacts about 6 weeks ago. Leica contacted me about the issue, and I provided a DNG to Leica, one of many with the spots. Today I received a brief note from Leica as follows:
We have found the root cause and plan to make a firmware update that avoids this effect.
It seems that all images I shot with the flaw are permanently damaged with these dots. Meanwhile, everyone with a Leica M Monochrom Typ 246 presumably will be recording images with spots. But whether the flaw exists in every MM246—this I do not know and Leica has not so indicated. Every vendor can deliver a camera with flaws, and I am pleased that Leica will be fixing the issue—that’s the key thing—a fix. But it is immaterial to me as I do not own or plan to purchase the Leica M Monochrom 246 (cannot be justified on an ROI basis).
How is it that I detected the black spot issue with my very first evaluation shoot and no one else noticed it? While I have an odd “Bermuda Triangle” effect on camera and computer gear, the fact that no one noticed the issue prior to shipping the MM246 raises some questions about quality control and testing. Leica has never asked me to test their cameras and that’s just fine, but my suggestion to Leica is to develop relationships with testers competent to evaluate image quality before releasing a camera or lens. I was also the first to blow the whistle on the severe flare issues with the 50mm f/2 APO (my findings were rejected by at least one expert unable to use his own eyes, but later that year Leica stopped production to fix “4 minor issues” with the design, and it is much improved now as the issues were far from minor). Leica never acknowledged my reporting on that issue, so I am glad that Leica took the initiative in contacting me about this black spots issue.