Earth to Sherry...

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Indeed, I lamented their passing. I own no Leicas but used them for a Rolleiflex and, incredibly, they also got a Voigtländer Vitessa working again for me. Just a few days ago I was thinking of trying to find and contact Shi Kim to ask where their repairmen landed, in hopes that some might be working somewhere else. Does anyone know how many staff they had? Since we always said "Essex Camera" rather than an individual's name, it felt like there might have been a roomful of them and Shi was just dispatcher; but for all I really know, maybe it was just Shi himself.

--Dave

Is that really so incredible? They're an unorthodox design, no question, but definitely a quality camera. I suspect their biggest problems are a lack of maintenance (the original model lends itself to the ingress of dust etc) and maybe being tampered with by people who don't have the patience to learn their quirks. I've got a couple working well. I'd rather work on a Vitessa than a Minolta or Pentax SLR, for example. But I'm increasingly relieved I'm not attracted to Leicas. These sorts of threads (Where is my camera?/xxx isn't responding to contact/How long is so-and-so taking, these days?/My camera just came back from xxx and it's not working right--etc.) are all too frequent across the web, and they are, frankly, a real turn off.
Cheers,
Brett

 

[Dralowid]

I think this is mostly a case of a repair person who isn't a business person.

In this day and age surely no business person would be a camera repair person?

 

[segedi]

In this day and age surely no business person would be a camera repair person?

I meant it more to say that a repairer who has the sense to give the same level of customer service as exists in their work product - good business sense - won't ever have threads like this started in the first place.

 

[photomoof]

I meant it more to say that a repairer who has the sense to give the same level of customer service as exists in their work product - good business sense - won't ever have threads like this started in the first place.

One of the five thousand sent his fish back.

 

[Calzone]

Had only good experiences. Most recently had Sherry build me a perfect black SL2-MOT out of two parts cameras as a custom service.

She also has modified my Wetzlar M6 and black paint MP by stripping out the 75mm frames for an uncluttered 50.

On several occasions I got my camera delivered, meaning local pick-up here in NYC.

Cal

 

[photomoof]

Had only good experiences.

I doubt many New Yorkers would have trouble with her. I liked her at shows, grumpy but friendly in a NYC kind of way.

I used to send buyers to a friend's very high end bike shop, and say "just tell her I sent you." They would tell me how awful she had treated them.

I would say, "so did you buy anything?"

"No the stuff was too expensive."

 

[Calzone]

I doubt many New Yorkers would have trouble with her. I liked her at shows, grumpy but friendly in a NYC kind of way.

I used to send buyers to a friend's very high end bike shop, and say "just tell her I sent you." They would tell me how awful she had treated them.

I would say, "so did you buy anything?"

"No the stuff was too expensive."

Fred,

I once sent to Sherry a 75 Lux for a CLA with a camera I sent for repair/modification. Sherry sent me back the lens without the CLA saying, "Save your money. There is too little dust to be worth the cleaning."

Sherry is really clear that she has more work than she needs. Sorry to hear that Andy's work got put on the back burner. I have had nothing but preferential service, almost like I'm a VIP. I have sent Sherry mucho cameras to have overhauled/repaired or modified though. Never a problem.

Sherry has also talked me out of some of my crazy ideas of using her like an a la carte service due to expense like install multicoated MP windows on my Wetzlar M6, or change the framelines in my M6 to be just like a M4 (bigger 50mm frames).

Understand that I'm like Sherry: a character. LOL.

Cal

 

[f16sunshine]

Fred,

I once sent to Sherry a 75 Lux for a CLA with a camera I sent for repair/modification. Sherry sent me back the lens without the CLA saying, "Save your money. There is too little dust to be worth the cleaning."

Sherry is really clear that she has more work than she needs. Sorry to hear that Andy's work got put on the back burner. I have had nothing but preferential service, almost like I'm a VIP. I have sent Sherry mucho cameras to have overhauled/repaired or modified though. Never a problem.

Sherry has also talked me out of some of my crazy ideas of using her like an a la carte service due to expense like install multicoated MP windows on my Wetzlar M6, or change the framelines in my M6 to be just like a M4 (bigger 50mm frames).

Understand that I'm like Sherry: a character. LOL.

Cal

Cal it was Harry's Camera on the back burner. She did mine in about 3 weeks which was great.

My complaint was her manner after my camera arrived.
Fun and talkative until I sent it in. Rude and evasive after it arrived (not to mention she nearly doubled the quoted estimate without consulting first ).

As I wrote earlier. It's a tedious and one might even say torturous lonely job.
It's too bad we have this thread. I don't think it helps and I'm sorry for contributing here.

Good luck Sherry!

 

[Calzone]

Cal it was Harry's Camera on the back burner. She did mine in about 3 weeks which was great.

My complaint was her manner after my camera arrived.
Fun and talkative until I sent it in. Rude and evasive after it arrived (not to mention she nearly doubled the quoted estimate without consulting first ).

As I wrote earlier. It's a tedious and one might even say torturous lonely job.
It's too bad we have this thread. I don't think it helps and I'm sorry for contributing here.

Good luck Sherry!

Andy,

I'm not sorry you posted.

I consider Sherry a friend, but there are too many stories that I have heard of a different Sherry than the one I know...

Cal

 

[zauhar]

I doubt many New Yorkers would have trouble with her. I liked her at shows, grumpy but friendly in a NYC kind of way.

I used to send buyers to a friend's very high end bike shop, and say "just tell her I sent you." They would tell me how awful she had treated them.

I would say, "so did you buy anything?"

"No the stuff was too expensive."

I think the grumpiness often goes along with competence. Also reflects having lots of experience - and the inevitable years that go along with experience.

Years ago I had to spend a lot of time talking with technical and scientific support people on the phone. If the guy on the other end picked up with an irritated 'Yeah?', I was overjoyed. If some kid answered with 'How can I HELP you?', I knew I was screwed.

Randy

 

[photomoof]

If some kid answered with 'How can I HELP you?', I knew I was screwed.

Randy

The friendly ones are inevitably the ones that tell everyone that calls to format their hard drive! 😀

I prefer the guy who implies I am an idiot, then moves right into proving it, and getting me going again.

 

[f16sunshine]

I'm a "friendly one".
Maybe I should go back and hit the books?

 

[cqing]

My rigid summicron was sent to Sherry 5 months ago. I've sent three or four emails to Sherry but got no reply...

 

[Calzone]

My rigid summicron was sent to Sherry 5 months ago. I've sent three or four emails to Sherry but got no reply...

Sherry has ignored my e-mails also. The best policy is to call in the late afternoon or later New York time.

DO NOT CALL BEFORE SAY 2:00-3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. Calling earlier would be considered rude. Don't make that mistake and get on her bad side.

Cal

 

[photomoof]

I'm a "friendly one".
Maybe I should go back and hit the books?

Your posts do actually seem too friendly. :angel:

 

[f16sunshine]

Your posts do actually seem too friendly. :angel:

Understood.

 

[dreamsandart]

I’ve had many cameras worked on by Sherry. This is quite a few years ago now as I’m based outside the USA and payment and shipping became too complicated for me.

Sherry does what she feels is needed to a camera to make it working in top form, and sometimes that ‘extra mile’ that adds cost the owner wasn’t expecting. Repairs are not 'cheap', but well done. She doesn’t feel the need to give estimates (or the 'estimates' go up after looking inside) I think because her work to bring the camera up to specifications is ‘what it costs.’ She is very knowledgeable and fun to talk to. Emails are not her thing, but when I called her late at night (and into the early morning) it was hard to get off the phone. We had a lot in common; age, love of photography and Leica history, and just a general connection.

She definitely has her favourite (M3, M5, SL) and non-favourite (M4-2, LTM) cameras to work on. Maybe you could say its the difference between ‘love’ and ‘work’, and at this time in her life I can’t fault that. She does what she wants and probably has enough business to be selective. There are other repair services that just ‘do the work’, so…

This thread points out the short comings - for sure not good experiences - of having a repair done by her by some, and there are also many satisfied customers. She still is one of the premier Leica repair services in my book. We are lucky to have her. A ‘Golden Touch’ repair/CLA is still a sign of extra quality done.

 

[Ned Bojic]

Ok, if I get it right, people run the risk to be hijacked pricewise and they must call after midnight to get a hold of her? And it's supposed to be perfectly normal just because she's doing a good job?

 

[newsgrunt]

wow, people in Ontario have it lucky with at least 4 Leica repair techs around. Two I haven't used, Bodo at Halton Camera Exchange and Russ Forfar's Leica repairman who's name is kept close to the chest. Have a lens with David Yau atm.