Bought a Used M4-P from the Lady in the East, but...

[Ecnarongi]

For my wife and me, she restored two different items that weren't handled properly by the German post, and today (some 15 years later) they're still working superbly.

Sherry has great service manners if she decides she likes you.

My wife met with Sherry in person, and she told me, Sherry obviously likes me 😉

 

[x-ray]

What he said.

I wouldn't consider myself experienced, and it took me about 10 min to get a top plate off with the right tools (from microtools).

I bought a mint M4-P that had haze in the VF. After watching a YouTube video on how to remove the top plate I spent around $25 and bought the tools. I did the VF cleaning in 15 minutes and haven't had any more haze problems and it's been 3 years.

Never used SK but DAG worked on a couple of lenses and turned them around quickly. Also I've used Youxin for a CLA on a mint M3 and CLA on a 35 Summicron v1. The 35 had to go back because of binding but the lens was a disaster initially when I sent it to him. He thought he'd gotten it totally cleaned but there was a tiny bit of dirt in the focus. He turned it around in a couple of days. Overall I'm happy with both DAG and Youxin.

I had used Jimmy Koh for all my repairs but sadly he retired.

 

[Huss]

Glad to hear that your M5 is back in proper working order Huss. Enjoy that thing!

As for repairmen(and women) being inconsistent, I'm of the mind of David. Not everyone is perfect and things can happen. For me it's very much buyer beware when it comes to repairs.

Thanks! Problem is when I asked her why the RF patch was suddenly flaring (and it was awful, barely useable) instead of making it right, she denied that there was anything wrong with it. DAG found that she had left out something in the mirror mechanism, and fixed that.

 

[ptpdprinter]

I haven't heard anything good about Sherry for a long time now. Seems like her reputation has really fallen.

 

[David Hughes]

Try as I may I still think we can't expect perfection from everyone all the time. If we did the "Edit" button in this forum wouldn't be needed.

And it's not only small one man or one woman businesses that I'm thinking about. There are mega corporations out there that span the globe and they make mistakes; laptops and phones burst into flames, things fall out of the sky and so on. And this happens despite - I hope, I really do - millions being spent on designing and testing...

We really ought to accept that mistakes do happen and allow for them once in a while. Especially when we are talking about repairs to things that anything up to 80 or 90 years old. And then factor in things like postmen dropping parcels and so on.

Regards, David

 

[asparis]

Of course anyone can make a mistake. The difference between a good repair person and a bad one is what happens when the mistake is pointed out.
I've had small problems with repairs from both DAG and Youxin. In both cases they said "Send it back." In both cases they jumped the fix to the front of the line, made it good, and sent it back, covering some or all of the extra shipping.

The failure to communicate is a deal-killer as well. m0n0's story is telling. She kept his camera for a year, without communication, and then proceeded with the repair without providing an estimate and without permission to proceed. In his case it worked out, sort of; but what if the final charge had been more than he felt the camera was worth, or more than he could afford?

Sorry, that's not a "mistake," that's negligence.

 

[Huss]

We really ought to accept that mistakes do happen and allow for them once in a while.

Of course anyone can make a mistake. The difference between a good repair person and a bad one is what happens when the mistake is pointed out.

With my M5 she refused to admit that she had messed up after I pointed out that it flared after she worked on it, DAG fixed her mistake.

And that is the point. Everyone makes mistakes once in a while. Refusing to handle it afterwards is the issue.

 

[rfaspen]

You can't go wrong with DAG. He's seen 95% of my repair/mod business. What else can I say?

 

[newsgrunt]

Try as I may I still think we can't expect perfection from everyone all the time. If we did the "Edit" button in this forum wouldn't be needed.

nope. don't agree with this at all. No one is asking for perfection but I think basic competency is a no brainer. Also, if they can't be bothered to communicate with people sending in their cameras, then she shouldn't be taking in work.

 

[stupid leica]

I've not been through either for repairs, but FWIW I've gathered the following from friends who have:

DAG seems to be more reliable and honorable overall, but he can get pretty backed up.
Sherry honestly seems awful to deal with, and is super hit or miss on what she can fix, along with timetables.

 

[David Hughes]

nope. don't agree with this at all. No one is asking for perfection but I think basic competency is a no brainer. Also, if they can't be bothered to communicate with people sending in their cameras, then she shouldn't be taking in work.

Hi,

I was using the word in the sense of never ever getting it wrong. I can't comment further being in the UK and never having any dealing with repairers in the rest of the world, except Oleg, as far as I can remember...

Regards, David

 

[beltz6]

I sent her my M4 for a CLA last fall. I don't doubt she's great at what she does, but her way of dealing with people was so offputting that she made my "never again" list.

For example: I waited until a month after the estimated completion date came and went and called her and politely asked for an update. She blurted out "Soon!" and that was the end of that conversation. So I guess calling her and asking for an update is a no-no.

About a month later, she e-mailed me to say she's done and asked me to put a check in the mail. The camera is on its way to me now.