Leica M Camera Repair Options in the USA

[wlewisiii]

I've had some lenses sent to me to set straight after being sent to some very prominent shops. Anyone can make a mistake. It's how you set the mistake straight that is important. Refusing to admit to it- not helpful. One Sonnar: had to tell the owner it was screwed up beyond repair after it went to a famous repairman.

I have an M mount collapsible 50/2.8 Elmar that had the infamous haze issue. I sent it to DAG for cleaning. He replied that the hazed element was etched by the haze and he would find a replacement element for it. I gulped at the thought of the cost but told him to go ahead. Months later he was forced to admit that he was unable to locate a replacement, had cleaned and "repaired" it to the best of his ability but that the lens would always be optically compromised. He sent it back to me with no charge for the work because he was unable to do what he'd felt he'd promised to do. I can not recommend him highly enough.

It is, essentially, sort of an almost soft-focus Elmar and has kind of a "pastel" look to color rendering on my M 240. It's not a bad look at all but it's not what you would normally expect from an Elmar 😉 I've grown attached to it as a result of knowing it will never be anything else.

 

[boojum]

I understand the scarcity of talented camera techs. I currently have a Contax II and its Sonnar 5cm 2.0 with Oleg. I hadn't heard anything from him after a few weeks after he got it so I wrote and asked how it was going. "#10 in the queue" was the answer. It's a camera and lens CLA. The camera has no shutter. So I suppose that Oleg will raid a Kiev IV as I am sure there are no Contax II's around for scavenging. I will not be pestering him about it. He fixes cameras for living and when he is done he will let me know and I will send him the money. His reputation is very good, his prices are very reasonable. There is the shipping over and back, true. But compared to wait times here it is about the same or less with Oleg.

Soon, click-click.