I will avoid Leica NJ from here on...

[sepiareverb]

They are all much faster than Leica.

 

[jaapv]

Today my Elmarit-R 2.8/28 returned from service at Leica USA (NJ). It's clean as a pin, and the focus is very smooth. Even came in a plastic bag with the Leica red dot, and a certification of repair dated Nov 18, 2017. I sent the lens to them in May, 2017. I was told in August, 2017 it was being repaired. Again in Oct, 2017 they informed me it was being repaired after I questioned the length of their technicians lunch breaks, and that it would be returned to me "by the end of next week", which would have been Nov 4, 2017. Notice the repair and inspection date previously noted (Nov 18, 2017). It wasn't shipped until Nov 24, 2017. Even with UPS Ground shipping it got here fairly quickly, with a first delivery attempt on Nov 27, 2017, and again on Nov 28, 2017. But I was out of town then with no Internet contact to know about the delivery (which had to be signed for), so I couldn't tell UPS to hold it. Luckily today I was home, other wise it would have been sent back to Allendale.

It only took three hours (3 hours!) to fix and clean the lens.

I can understand them having a large backlog of work, due to the sensor issues on more than one camera, and the lack of enough skilled techs to handle it all. If they had just said there were "X" number of customers ahead of me, and kept me apprised of the count from time to time, I would have been happy with that. But no, they had to blatantly lie about the situation time and time again. And if they had contacted me on either the 18th or 20th of Nov with the good news of the lens repair being completed, I could have told them to hold shipping for a few more days.

If something else goes bad on my Leica R system, I may just sell it off instead of investing more time and a large sum of money in fixing it. And bye-bye to Leica forever.

PF

Well, yes, not that Leica would mind, the R system having been discontinued in 2007, but you might consider which other camera company would be willing and able to repair a thirty year old lens...

 

[Huss]

Well, yes, not that Leica would mind, the R system having been discontinued in 2007, but you might consider which other camera company would be willing and able to repair a thirty year old lens...

Nikon repairs AIS lenses. In about a week.

 

[farlymac]

You know, Jaap, this whole Leica "thing" has intrigued me for some time. But for a company that claims to be so highfalutin, what with all their boutique models, they sure can't manage their one repair facility in the USA.

I looked around. Couldn't find a repair person willing to work on Leica R gear. Could be because it's a mishmash of Minolta and Leica technologies, or the production runs were not very long (thus limiting the amount of parts bodies out there), or the repair parts are not available.

I splurged on this R system because for one, it was less expensive than the M system, and because of the Leica glass. Now, I made some purchases that were bargain priced for lenses with external flaws, because how it worked was more important to me than how it looked. For what I paid for the camera with lens, I basically got one or the other free, so there was no complaint when I was told the cost of repair. It was still cheaper than replacing the lens.

What I am upset about is the way I was flat out lied to about the work progress. Tell me there is an influx of repairs due to sensor issues. Let me know there are X amount of jobs ahead of mine, and where that stands from time to time. Don't just say it's being worked on when in fact it is not. It wasn't repaired until two weeks after the date it was promised to be back in my hands, and this was after five and a half months of waiting.

I'll not do business with a company that treats its customers that way, nor will I send anyone else in their direction.

PF

 

[Huss]

You know, Jaap, this whole Leica "thing" has intrigued me for some time. But for a company that claims to be so highfalutin, what with all their boutique models, they sure can't manage their one repair facility in the USA.

You could try Walter's Camera Repair in downtown LA, or Steve's Camera in Culver City for your R gear.

I too think Leica service is severely lacking, but get away with it by all the apologists out there. The only reason I'm in with Leica is because there is no-one else that offers that rangefinder experience, especially in film.
I'm kinda done with their digital RF gear (I still have the M) just because I was done with all the lies about the M9 sensor issues, and the claims that only 1% had failures, when the actuality seems to be 100%. And because of their terrible service, I was w/o my essentially new $5K camera for almost half a year.
With the film gear, there are quite a few competent techs that their livelihood relies on their service, so the situation is much better. Plus it is film!

Oh and after my M-E debacle, bought new, I've made sure to buy all my Leica gear used now. It's easy to get immaculate gear as most of it is owned by collectors not users. A cool way to save a lot on the new cost, and it lessens the blow if something goes south on you.

 

[jaapv]

You know, Jaap, this whole Leica "thing" has intrigued me for some time. But for a company that claims to be so highfalutin, what with all their boutique models, they sure can't manage their one repair facility in the USA.

I looked around. Couldn't find a repair person willing to work on Leica R gear. Could be because it's a mishmash of Minolta and Leica technologies, or the production runs were not very long (thus limiting the amount of parts bodies out there), or the repair parts are not available.

I splurged on this R system because for one, it was less expensive than the M system, and because of the Leica glass. Now, I made some purchases that were bargain priced for lenses with external flaws, because how it worked was more important to me than how it looked. For what I paid for the camera with lens, I basically got one or the other free, so there was no complaint when I was told the cost of repair. It was still cheaper than replacing the lens.

What I am upset about is the way I was flat out lied to about the work progress. Tell me there is an influx of repairs due to sensor issues. Let me know there are X amount of jobs ahead of mine, and where that stands from time to time. Don't just say it's being worked on when in fact it is not. It wasn't repaired until two weeks after the date it was promised to be back in my hands, and this was after five and a half months of waiting.

I'll not do business with a company that treats its customers that way, nor will I send anyone else in their direction.

PF

This is not my main Leica forum, but if you read LUF, you would know that I quite agree that Leica NJ can be sadly lacking from time to time. Unfortunately, it appears to be difficult for Wetzlar to get a grip on the problem. I could give some reasons why this might be, but don't want to sound apologist - there is no apology for the many let-downs.
I do know that there are attempts made in Germany to make Leica USA great again 😉.

 

[x-ray]

Well, yes, not that Leica would mind, the R system having been discontinued in 2007, but you might consider which other camera company would be willing and able to repair a thirty year old lens...

When renewing my NPS membership this year Nikon states they still repair some film cameras as long as parts remain available. They stated though that it may take longer than the normal 1 week turnaround and could be two weeks. Also NPS members get a discount on repairs.

Leica could really take a lesson from Nikon service. I shipped my 70-200 VRII to Get serviced Wednesday. Nikon makes everything so easy. NPS provides a flash drive free with all pertinate data about my equipment in PDF form. It has a link to the NPS site to login to a repair form that only takes 30 seconds to fill out. This form is then submitted on line and you're emailed immediately with a shipping label and duplicate repair forms with all your info on it and info about the requested repair.

When your package is received you receive an email update. Many repairs are a fixed price but every repair is evaluated within a day and the price could change depending on parts needed. For example my Df met with an unfortunate accident on a job this summer. It suffered impact damage to the aperture mechanism in the body. I filled out my NPS form and the fixed price was $310. In the end it cost only $260 with the discount. Even with the quoted price the body was evaluated and a final quote emailed for approval.

Throughout the repair status could be checked on line. Also for NPS customers FREE loaner bodies and lenses are provided on request and shipped FedEx overnight. The only cost is shipping both ways.

When thevrepair is completed the item is return shipped FedEx overnight.

Leica could adopt some of this for their customers and provide a pro level of service for those of us making our living with photography but they choose not to.

From experience normal turnaround on digital repairs is three weeks.

Even though Nikon discontinued film bodies with the exception of the FM10 they stil produce a selection of AIs lenses.

 

[x-ray]

This is not my main Leica forum, but if you read LUF, you would know that I quite agree that Leica NJ can be sadly lacking from time to time. Unfortunately, it appears to be difficult for Wetzlar to get a grip on the problem. I could give some reasons why this might be, but don't want to sound apologist - there is no apology for the many let-downs.
I do know that there are attempts made in Germany to make Leica USA great again 😉.

Having owned a business for many years, getting control isn't that difficult. It starts with firing the people causing the issue and hiring new employs. It's called cleaning house and it works.

My honest opinion, Leica is a disaster from the top down. I think a lot of it is simply they are too cheap to put on techs to keep up with repairs. They know the fan boys will put up with months and months of delays and they'll continue with this lack of service until their customers walk away. And, I go back to my core belief that these issues wouldn't exist if Leica had done a better job of designing and execution of the camera. Basically they took the cheap route which is obvious from features like the tiny buffer and LCD.

 

[Emile de Leon]

If Leica wanted to solve their service and QC problems ...they would..but their market does not demand it..so they don't...lol...KA CHING...

 

[sepiareverb]

...I think a lot of it is simply they are too cheap to put on techs to keep up with repairs...

Precisely. It seems that there is one tech working on cameras in NJ. When my MP was in I was told "the tech" was in Germany, so nothing could happen with the camera before he returned.

 

[sepiareverb]

I just had a repair done on an MP, the counter dial went south. Leica NJ quoted me 12 weeks. I sent the camera to DAG and it arrived yesterday at 4:15. I'd asked him if he could have it done for me in time for a road trip the first week in January. It is finished and being packed now, less than 24 hours later. He also adjusted shutter release (was releasing too late), adjusted high shutter speeds, cleaned, lubed film & shutter takeup systems, and made very minor adjustment to rangefinder. He emailed me that the repair was done at 11:20 last night.

About to email Leica back...

 

[Huss]

When renewing my NPS membership this year Nikon states they still repair some film cameras as long as parts remain available. They stated though that it may take longer than the normal 1 week turnaround and could be two weeks. Also NPS members get a discount on repairs.

Leica could really take a lesson from Nikon service. I shipped my 70-200 VRII to Get serviced Wednesday. Nikon makes everything so easy. NPS provides a flash drive free with all pertinate data about my equipment in PDF form. It has a link to the NPS site to login to a repair form that only takes 30 seconds to fill out. This form is then submitted on line and you're emailed immediately with a shipping label and duplicate repair forms with all your info on it and info about the requested repair.

When your package is received you receive an email update. Many repairs are a fixed price but every repair is evaluated within a day and the price could change depending on parts needed. For example my Df met with an unfortunate accident on a job this summer. It suffered impact damage to the aperture mechanism in the body. I filled out my NPS form and the fixed price was $310. In the end it cost only $260 with the discount. Even with the quoted price the body was evaluated and a final quote emailed for approval.

Throughout the repair status could be checked on line. Also for NPS customers FREE loaner bodies and lenses are provided on request and shipped FedEx overnight. The only cost is shipping both ways.

When thevrepair is completed the item is return shipped FedEx overnight.

Leica could adopt some of this for their customers and provide a pro level of service for those of us making our living with photography but they choose not to.

From experience normal turnaround on digital repairs is three weeks.

Even though Nikon discontinued film bodies with the exception of the FM10 they stil produce a selection of AIs lenses.

Stop it with all the facts and stuff. Leica is the only one that repairs stuff so you should be happy they take 6 months!

😉😀

 

[Huss]

If Leica wanted to solve their service and QC problems ...they would..but their market does not demand it..so they don't...lol...KA CHING...

of course. The fix is hire more people. But why do that when the fan boyz are cool with being without their bauble for 6 months?

 

[Emile de Leon]

Sometimes time and distance..makes the heart ...grow fonder...

 

[Bille]

Leica could really take a lesson from Nikon service.

Or not. Leica is heading in the direction of swiss luxury watch brands who treat their customers like this: repairs take months and even simple fixes start at a couple hundred. Does it keep the rich from buying Patek, AP or Rolex? I don´t think so.

 

[jaapv]

Having owned a business for many years, getting control isn't that difficult. It starts with firing the people causing the issue and hiring new employs. It's called cleaning house and it works.

My honest opinion, Leica is a disaster from the top down. I think a lot of it is simply they are too cheap to put on techs to keep up with repairs. They know the fan boys will put up with months and months of delays and they'll continue with this lack of service until their customers walk away. And, I go back to my core belief that these issues wouldn't exist if Leica had done a better job of designing and execution of the camera. Basically they took the cheap route which is obvious from features like the tiny buffer and LCD.

Hmm..Not that obvious to me. I don't know about the buffer - it is not as if a bit of memory costs more than a few cents extra - there must be another reason, most likely heat management problems when processing large amounts of data. That has been limiting the fully packed bodies of the Leica M series from the M9 onwards.
As for the LCD, I do know it is not a price issue, but the simple fact that a better one is simply not available on the open market in the size and thinness that Leica requires. And they are too small a manufacturer to have a dedicated one made in relatively small numbers.

 

[farlymac]

I'm PFM over on LUF, Jaap. You'll usually find me lurking around the R section, though not so much lately. I still haven't decided what to say over there, as I've noted some of the disparaging remarks about Leica USA for any number of issues.

I am glad to have my lens back, and they did a really nice job on it, but at the moment I am in the process of rearranging my apartment, and also my life, so the photography end has been suffering from neglect lately.

I don't make a living at photography (that dream got squashed a long time ago), but I had a studio once, and if that had been one of my more used lenses at the time, it would have been a disaster to have been without it for so long. But back then, Leica USA was considered a premier facility, and these issues would not have come up. It's terrible to see a once respected company squander their good name in order to save a few dollars here and there.

PF

BTW: My avatar photo was taken with the 2.8/28 on an R3. I think it fits my tag line perfectly.

 

[flagellum]

It seems Leica doesn't even communicate with established entities it does business with. I have an M4 being repaired at Leica, under warranty through a prominent US camera dealer. It's been close to six months without so much as an update. I've requested updates from the dealer and they are unable to get any response whatsoever, much less any information, from Leica.

How a company can not only treat its customers like this, but outright ignore requests from national camera retailers that keep them in business and contract to them for repairs, is beyond me. They really need to get it together.

 

[sepiareverb]

...I have an M4 being repaired at Leica, under warranty through a prominent US camera dealer. It's been close to six months without so much as an update. I've requested updates from the dealer and they are unable to get any response whatsoever, much less any information, from Leica...

Pathetic.

Perhaps that should be the motto for Leica NJ...

 

[Huss]

Hmm..Not that obvious to me. I don't know about the buffer - it is not as if a bit of memory costs more than a few cents extra - there must be another reason, most likely heat management problems when processing large amounts of data. That has been limiting the fully packed bodies of the Leica M series from the M9 onwards.
As for the LCD, I do know it is not a price issue, but the simple fact that a better one is simply not available on the open market in the size and thinness that Leica requires. And they are too small a manufacturer to have a dedicated one made in relatively small numbers.

This is too funny! "On the open market"?!! This is a $7000 Leica. What in it was bought on the open market? The body shell? The rf system? The ISO dials? Everything is made to spec, otherwise it wouldn't look, feel, smell, handle like a Leica.
Leica goes to a supplier and says 'we want this'. Supplier says 'it will cost $$$'. Leica says 'give us something that costs $ so we can keep the $$ to make our show rooms prettier and keep the rest as profit'.

The tech excuses are the exact same ones that were made as to why Leica couldn't make a smaller camera than the M240. And then they did. All that is holding them back is profit margin. Once sales start to drop, spec will pick up to renew sales.

Either way, avoid Leica NJ. DAG, Youxin and Sherry Krauter have at least the same # of techs working for them as the official Leica NJ...