Leica Repair in the U.S. (2021)

I sent a 40mm Summicron-C to Youxin Ye earlier this year. It came back feeling great within the timeline he set. Great communication too.
 
Bingley said:
Thanks for this list, Miles! I’ve had good experiences with the top three. Don Goldberg quickly fixed a jammed shutter on a Leica IIIc, did some additional adjustments, and got it back to me in two weeks. He did a full overhaul on my M3… that took a few months, but the wait was worth it. Really nice guy.
Click to expand...

You're welcome, Steve! I've had good experiences with those three, too, and agree that it's worth the wait.
 
raid said:
Are these repair persons for Leica film cameras or also Leica digital cameras?
Click to expand...

Jadon Rosado does digital and has done M9 sensor cover replacements. He did the first one on a dead-end corroded sensor cover M9 he bought. I guess he is off to the races now. I would know but I have needed no Leica repairs since he last tweaked one of mine.

I can also recommend his former employer, Advance Camera. They have always been stand-up guys for me with a fast turnaround. It is a five hour round-trip for me to their shop and back so whenever possible they drop what they are doing and fix my stuff on the spot. It is not big repair work and I have plantar fasciitis which makes the drive difficult. I appreciate not having to make two trips. And they fix it right. They have worked on my Leicas, lenses and an old Pentax.
 
Bingley said:
Thanks for this list, Miles! I’ve had good experiences with the top three. Don Goldberg quickly fixed a jammed shutter on a Leica IIIc, did some additional adjustments, and got it back to me in two weeks. He did a full overhaul on my M3… that took a few months, but the wait was worth it. Really nice guy.
Click to expand...


Multiple people including myself waited almost a year for standard CLAs. Youxin will be my next go to
 
hap said:
according to previous forum members, David Easterwood will look at CLE's and assert good outcomes. apparently , he generally opines that CLE problems are often due to electronic contact oxidation and not primary failures and that a thorough going over and careful cleaning can often remediate. Most (and especially very busy) technicians are not inclined to put the work into this process or be bothered.

You can read some prior comments about his work including working on CLE's here, along with email address and phone #, as he no longer has a storefront.

https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/excellent-camera-technician-serviceman-dave-easterwood.374374/
Click to expand...

I have used Dave a couple times and every camera he has worked on for me had to go back for warranty repairs. He also will promise the ship and then not ship and give you a new promise date. He had some of my gear for a while and I finally had to threaten legal action to get it back. Never again!
 
Don is the best, well worth the wait. I remember waiting eight years for a custom made target pistol from one of the best gunsmiths who wrote the book on accuracy jobs.
 
Miles. said:
In an effort to consolidate a lot of great information available here and elsewhere, I thought I might get a list started of Leica repair techs who live in the U.S. I hope this list can be useful for both new folks and veterans of the Leica world. I'll also be including a quick "what to know" section that is entirely subjective, so please be kind in the comments if you disagree.

Please feel free to add your experiences and suggestions for modifications/additions and I'll do my best to continually edit this post.

1. DAG Camera
- Owner/Operator: Don Goldberg
- Contact Info: Easily found at dagcamera dot com
- Communication: Responds to phone and email, and depending on his current workload/schedule, you may have to be persistent (kindness and patience will help)!
- What to know: DAG is one of the highest regarded Leica techs in the world and his work and lead-times prove it. He's a go-to for everything between RF calibrations and complete restorations, and likely has the largest vintage parts supply of anyone on this list.

2. Golden Touch
- Owner/Operator: Sherry Krauter
- Contact Info: Easily found at sherrykrauter dot com
- Communication: Responds to phone and email, and depending on her work-load and lead-times, you may have to be persistent (kindness and patience will help)!
- What to Know: Sherry can be quite curt and that rubs some people the wrong way. Health issues in the past has made communication particularly difficult at times and her expertise/experience is only matched by DAG. She's an evangelist for the M5, CL, and the Summitar! You'll find many people who sing her praises and a few who will never again send her gear.

3. YYE Camera
- Owner/Operator: Youxin Ye
- Contact Info: Easily found at yyecamera dot com
- Communication: Responds quickly to email.
- What to Know: Youxin is best known for offering affordable services, being a prompt communicator, and having comparatively short lead-times. While not factory trained like DAG or Sherry, Youxin is trusted by many and is honest when he feels someone else would be best for the job.

4. TLC Camera Repair
- Owner/Operator: Gus Lazarri
- Contact Info: Easily found at tlccamerarepair dot homestead dot com
Communication: Responds to phone and email, and depending on his work-load and lead-times, you may have to be persistent (kindness and patience will help)!
- What to know: Held in high-regard like those previously listed and used to be fairly active over at photo dot net. Often chooses to suspend taking new repairs to get caught up on his backlog. Was one of the last people I knew in the U.S. who still re-coated lenses.

5. Red Dot Repair
- Owner/Operator: Jadon Rosado
- Contact Info: jadon at reddotrepair dot com
- Communication: email and his instagram (reddotrepair)
- What to know: I haven't sent Leica gear to Jadon yet but I learned recently that Blue Moon Camera in Portland, OR is sending all their Leica gear to him and they seem to be pleased with his work. He seems to be targeting the younger and newer members of the Leica world through Instagram and a presence on Youtube.

6. Leica Camera USA
- Owner/Operator: Leica
- Contact Info: Easily found online
- Communication: Responds to phone and email, typically within 72 hours.
- What to know: Leica USA in NJ is likely the go-to for many M7 repairs, as well as any warranty work. By far the most expensive on this list.
Click to expand...
Miles, has Sherry Krauter gone out of business? Her website's server "cannot be found," my emails are not replied to, and her phone is not answered.

I sent her my Summitar almost a year ago for CLA. I have USPS confirmation that it was delivered. I'm getting really worried about it. At this point I would just like to get it back!

Thanks,
Eric Ladner
Tacoma, WA
 
Eric Ladner said:
Miles, has Sherry Krauter gone out of business? Her website's server "cannot be found," my emails are not replied to, and her phone is not answered.

I sent her my Summitar almost a year ago for CLA. I have USPS confirmation that it was delivered. I'm getting really worried about it. At this point I would just like to get it back!

Thanks,
Eric Ladner
Tacoma, WA
Click to expand...
Eric, sorry I couldn't say. I haven't spoken with her in years.

I would try her on the phone and hope she eventually picks up. I wouldn't call before noon.

I hope you get your lens back!
 
Eric Ladner said:
Miles, has Sherry Krauter gone out of business? Her website's server "cannot be found," my emails are not replied to, and her phone is not answered.

I sent her my Summitar almost a year ago for CLA. I have USPS confirmation that it was delivered. I'm getting really worried about it. At this point I would just like to get it back!

Thanks,
Eric Ladner
Tacoma, WA
Click to expand...

I have an M4 she did for the guy that I bought it from a couple years ago. He said she was taking forever to get things done, provide billing, and so forth. I had heard (unconfirmed) that she was facing some health issues. That said, my M4 works and look like new. You can tell this was her favorite M to work on.

DAG continues to be the best domestic US choice for new repair work.
 
Miles. said:
In an effort to consolidate a lot of great information available here and elsewhere, I thought I might get a list started of Leica repair techs who live in the U.S. I hope this list can be useful for both new folks and veterans of the Leica world. I'll also be including a quick "what to know" section that is entirely subjective, so please be kind in the comments if you disagree.

Please feel free to add your experiences and suggestions for modifications/additions and I'll do my best to continually edit this post.

1. DAG Camera
- Owner/Operator: Don Goldberg
- Contact Info: Easily found at dagcamera dot com
- Communication: Responds to phone and email, and depending on his current workload/schedule, you may have to be persistent (kindness and patience will help)!
- What to know: DAG is one of the highest regarded Leica techs in the world and his work and lead-times prove it. He's a go-to for everything between RF calibrations and complete restorations, and likely has the largest vintage parts supply of anyone on this list.

2. Golden Touch - No longer operating (aparently)

3. YYE Camera
- Owner/Operator: Youxin Ye
- Contact Info: Easily found at yyecamera dot com
- Communication: Responds quickly to email.
- What to Know: Youxin is best known for offering affordable services, being a prompt communicator, and having comparatively short lead-times. While not factory trained like DAG or Sherry, Youxin is trusted by many and is honest when he feels someone else would be best for the job.

4. TLC Camera Repair - retired

5. Red Dot Repair
- Owner/Operator: Jadon Rosado
- Contact Info: jadon at reddotrepair dot com
- Communication: email and his instagram (reddotrepair)
- What to know: I haven't sent Leica gear to Jadon yet but I learned recently that Blue Moon Camera in Portland, OR is sending all their Leica gear to him and they seem to be pleased with his work. He seems to be targeting the younger and newer members of the Leica world through Instagram and a presence on Youtube.

6. Leica Camera USA
- Owner/Operator: Leica
- Contact Info: Easily found online
- Communication: Responds to phone and email, typically within 72 hours.
- What to know: Leica USA in NJ is likely the go-to for many M7 repairs, as well as any warranty work. By far the most expensive on this list.
Click to expand...
There is also Steve's Camera Repair in Culver City, CA, but he's the most expensive on the list (around $700 for a CLA).
 
More generally, these days, I do not ship out something out for repair until the technician has it scheduled with a reasonably reliable return date. DAG is good with his promises - just talk to him first. YYE will turn things around within a few days if you pay the express premium, but you have to call him when you see your item has arrived to remind him of your desire for express service (and have it so marked on the label). ICT won't even accept the work until he can actually schedule it.

I find this to be the best way to have work in flight, and then only with one item at a time.
 
Last edited:
I so miss Jadon Rosado. He was good and he was quick. And a good guy. I brought in a J8 when he was at Advance Camera and he had it tuned to M bodies in ~15 minutes. While you wait service, and with a smile. He was very good with Leicas.
 
boojum said:
I so miss Jadon Rosado. He was good and he was quick. And a good guy. I brought in a J8 when he was at Advance Camera and he had it tuned to M bodies in ~15 minutes. While you wait service, and with a smile. He was very good with Leicas.
Click to expand...
I'd heard he quit repairing Leicas, but I contacted him myself about a year ago and he told me he was still doing it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Leica in Portugal
Replies
0
Views
1K
DaveBee
D
S
Nikon N2000 and/or Leica Mini repair?
Replies
13
Views
740
BillBingham2
BillBingham2
neal3k
What is happening with the Shutter in my Leica 0 replica/reissue?
Replies
3
Views
289
neal3k
neal3k
F
The Lens Repair Apocalypse: Repair Shops INUNDATED with work, and will get worse.
2 3
Replies
55
Views
6K
WoodallP
WoodallP
S
Inherited Leica camera
2
Replies
27
Views
1K
farlymac
farlymac
Back
Top Bottom