Lukewarm service from Leica NJ

[Calzone]

I contacted Leica N.J. back in July to get on a waiting list for Sensor replacement on my Monochrom. I was told I would be contacted after 4 months and then the turnaround would be 6-8 weeks.

So November passed and I called again. I got sent a shipping label last week and my camera is with Leica N.J. right now. I was also updated that the turnaround time now will be 8-10 weeks, but I can understand that this is during the holidays and is somewhat expected.

So far I have not been disappointed. I know someone else who sent in their Monochrom and waited the full six months to have his sensor replaced. The delay/long wait I was told is due to 4-5 month backlog on sensors by Roxana the Customer Service Rep.

Also John, the Service Manager, told me if the sensor upon inspection needs replacement, then my camera would get a complete overhaul and come back as if a new camera.

I expect to get my Monochrom back sometime in February, and at that time my Monochrom will be 4 years old (I bought it new). This camera was used rather heavily and along the edges of the top plate the anodize is worn away and what I believe is nickel plating is showing through. The covering is worn smooth from my fingertips on the front of the camera because of my use of a grip.

Anyways my experience thus far has been very good. No problems.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

One wonders whether the problem is the volume of repairs (not a good sign) or a lack of personnel (also not a good sign), or both (really not a good sign).

Perhaps a lot of unexpected work due to sensor replacements. Likely a limit on qualified personnel like you stated also.

Cal

 

[______]

You would think they have already worked through most of the sensor replacements already as they have been doing it for years.

Is it true that only Leica works on the M7?

 

[brennanphotoguy]

Is it true that only Leica works on the M7?

Yeah, none of the well known techs work on them due to the electronics from what I'm told.

 

[taemo]

post 2 months update from my last one.

Leica NJ contacted me last week informing that they have my lens (for the 3rd time) and have forwarded me an estimate (450$) to work on the lens.

I quickly replied to them that I shouldn't have to pay anything as I've never opened the lens and noted that they worked on this lens earlier this year when they accidentally forgot to include the focus tab on my lens.

So now they are forwarding the information to their Customer Care Manager for a decision.

 

[Huss]

Perhaps a lot of unexpected work due to sensor replacements.

I think that sensor replacement work is very expected.

 

[jsrockit]

If I had this mess going on, I would contact (even in by letter) every corporate person I could find that's affiliated with Leica telling them my story in detail. Of course you won't hear back from these people directly, but generally, they have people that handle their mail / e-mails and will take you very seriously.

Maybe starting here:

https://us.leica-camera.com/Company/Corporate-Profile/Corporate-Profile

 

[Calzone]

I think that sensor replacement work is very expected.

Huss,

Good point, but as my memory remembers sensors have been being replaced for a little longer than a year, not years.

It took a while for Leica to redesign a new replacement sensor, then there still seems to be the continued bottleneck of supply.

Cal

 

[Huss]

Hi Cal, no Leica NJ has been replacing them for years now. It is only 'recently' that they are replacing them with the updated sensors.

 

[brennanphotoguy]

If I had this mess going on, I would contact (even in by letter) every corporate person I could find that's affiliated with Leica telling them my story in detail. Of course you won't hear back from these people directly, but generally, they have people that handle their mail / e-mails and will take you very seriously.

Maybe starting here:

https://us.leica-camera.com/Company/Corporate-Profile/Corporate-Profile

My buddy sent them his MP to have it black chromed. First, he waited over 3 months and they accidentally ordered another black paint top but black chrome bits so they asked him if that was ok and if he'd like it like that. He quickly turned it down and then waited 4 more months for the black chrome top to come in from Germany. He was originally quoted 6 weeks. He contacted every one he could get information for and even messaged Andreas K and he read the message and did nothing with it. The only thing that got their attention was the stop payment he did with his card company. He didn't get a single apology or offer to make anything right and something else happened when it came back like a misaligned rangefinder or something else too. Not one reply from anyone from anywhere except which address to have it sent back when it was completed, no one acknowledged his previous emails or calls.

That's ****ty service.

 

[Calzone]

Hi Cal, no Leica NJ has been replacing them for years now. It is only 'recently' that they are replacing them with the updated sensors.

Huss,

Thanks. Now I remember the full story. You are right, as well as the other poster. Sensor replacement has been going on for years. Now I remember waiting a long-long time for things to get played out: years.

Anyways I now have skin in this thread, and I waited for the dust to settle on the sensor replacement issue. For me Paying $8K for the Monochrom, shooting it heavily for nearly 4 years, and getting a free sensor replacement and overhaul is a very good deal. I love the camera.

Is my memory correct that the durable sensor replacement has been going on for a little longer than a year?

A funny story is that I went down to the Flat Iron District to drop off a camera at Nippon Photo Clinic after work, and I couldn't find them. I began to panic because in NYC you see all these posters of missing people all the time, and I was wondering if I was one of those people who leave home, get disoriented, and become missing.

So somehow I made it home, and I dig through my records to get a receipt from Nippon. I call the number even though it was after 6:00 PM, and someone answered the phone. I soon learned that their rent went up and they moved uptown. Anyways for a while I was worried that I lost it. LOL.

Cal

 

[bobkatz]

Bad experience here too, sent my Cron 90 AA for some haze, returned the same, sent it back and I hope this time returned as new..😀

 

[x-ray]

Seems to me that the more the bad service reports are disseminated at this site (and potentially others), the more likely it is that folks who "were" interested in Leica may now have reservations about a new or future purchase of the Leica brand. Especially considering the very high prices.

Granted, this may not translate to a large volume of sales, but still, bad reports do eventually get around. The Leica company should sit up and take note of this and correct the service issues at whatever office is troublesome to avoid cutting their own throats long-term.

Would I ever buy any modern Leica equipment? NOPE! I have read about just too many quality and service issues for me to give consideration.

Just my two cents for what it is worth.

I completely agree. I bought a new M9 a few years ago and had so many problems with both the camera and service I decided I'll never buy another new Leica product. I will never purchase any item that would have to go back to leica for service. Leica never offered to pay shipping and in the end to get a defective 90 apo summicron replaced I had to threaten legal action.

Turnaround was never less than 7 weeks on any item I sent them. Communications were OK but the quality of repairs was terrible and had to go back about half the time. I asked about a loaner since I'm a professional and have been a Leica customer almost fifty years and was told loaners don't exist. On this forum however I've learned they do exist.

 

[rfaspen]

None of the stories I read in this thread bode well for me. I think I just found the beginning of corrosion in my M9.

Other than one new lens back in the late 80s, I have been happy to buy pre-owned Leica kit. Assuming I can trust the seller, I know how well it works at the time of purchase and any "factory-direct" issues have already been corrected, or at least known and disclosed.

I believe lenses from any time period can be serviced by one of the well-known non-Leica Leica technicians (and that's what I've done) as well as bodies up to and including the M6TTL for nearly complete service. I've also sent my later bodies (e.g., M8 or M9) to Don (DAG) for mundane service as well (RF calibration).

So, I've been able to avoid the unpleasant experiences described in this thread -- until now??? Hopefully not.

 

[jsrockit]

My buddy sent them his MP to have it black chromed. First, he waited over 3 months and they accidentally ordered another black paint top but black chrome bits so they asked him if that was ok and if he'd like it ike that. He quickly turned it down and then waited 4 more months for the black chrome top to come in from Germany. He was originally quoted 6 weeks. He contacted every one he could get information for and even messaged Andreas K and he read the message and did nothing with it. The only thing that got their attention was the stop payment he did with his card company. He didn't get a single apology or offer to make anything right and something else happened when it came back like a misaligned rangefinder or something else too. Not one reply from anyone from anywhere except which address to have it sent back when it was completed, no one acknowledged his previous emails or calls.

That's ****ty service.

Wow, I've never had that happen once I send the letters / e-mails. I mean, all companies have issues and occasionally mess up. But it's harder to swallow with the $ involved here. I have to admit, I've had excellent service from Leica NJ including reduced repair rates and quick turnaround, but it been about 5 years since I've had to deal with them.

 

[zuiko85]

As an outsider looking in (OK, I do have an old Leica, a M4-2 with a CV35mm f2.5, but it can and was sorted out by Youxin for $200 and 2 weeks) But as you can tell, not much of a Leica user.

Anyway, I wonder if this thread could/should be forwarded to Leica Camera in Wetzlar and how you folks could go about that. Or find out the top dog over there and send a copy of this thread via e-mail with a note that a hard copy will follow.

Reading these things makes me upset and I'm not even personally affected.

 

[Ronald M]

Leica has always been poor service, worse lately.

I know someone who sent a M8 in for line remap on the sensor. He spent nearly a year trying how not to chop heads off. Then found out M9 frame lines were put in.

One would think screwups would move to head of the line, but no. They go back to the end and the 3/4 month wait starts again.

DAG has made minor errors and they come back the same week. This was a rare occurrence I might add.

 

[Robert Lai]

Re: M7 and Leica NJ service

Re: M7 and Leica NJ service

Don Goldberg can service the M7. He can upgrade the viewfinder to the MP type "flare-free" finder for $250. The only items which he can't service are the components involving circuit boards, such as conversion to the optical DX film speed reader from the electrical contacts.

I had Leica NJ do the conversion as well as install the MP type rangefinder optics. After the camera came back, it kept reading all films as ISO 5000. Even if I tried to manually set the film speed, it indicated ISO 5000. After a second trip to Leica NJ, it has been working perfectly well. If it wasn't for the optical reader issue, I would have sent it to DAG.

 

[jaapv]

I got excellent email answers until I sent the camera.
After my current experience there, I'd rather try to learn German to ship to Wetzlar than ship again to NJ.

There is excellent English spoken in Wetzlar, in fact they can even handle American 😉

 

[jaapv]

Huss,

Good point, but as my memory remembers sensors have been being replaced for a little longer than a year, not years.

It took a while for Leica to redesign a new replacement sensor, then there still seems to be the continued bottleneck of supply.

Cal

And there always will be bottlenecks. Leica is a very small customer for ON, sensors are made in batches, so they have to wait in line each time they order new ones. As the number of replacement sensors is not that high and rather variable it is impossible to do proper stock planning.