M3 Cla

gilpen123

gilpen123

Gil
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I plan to send my M3 to the US for a full CLA including adjustments of RF and SS. I am choosing between DAG and Youxin Ye and faster turnaround time will be best for me. I do intend to keep this camera for life and I want it to be in the best condition for many years to come. I understand Sherry is considered very good but I can't wait for months so my choice now are the other 2 who are also highly regarded Leica wizards as well. I am leaning towards Youxin who I heard can do it faster than the others. Any suggestion is welcome. Thanks!
 
Don Goldberg at DAG, hands down. Youxin is a nice guy, but he's not trained by Leica. He's just one big RF lover who learned to do this by himself, over the years.

Besides, an M3 has age-related issues that Don already knows how to repair.

In short, even if it takes him longer, Don is the best choice here.

BTW, Sherry's turnaround is the best and fastest. Youxin is quicker, but then, while I like him personally, he is not a Leica-trained technician, like Sherry and Don.
 
I just sent my M3 off on Monday for it's (probably first) CLA. I chose Gus at TLC Camera Repair. I emailed Gus on a Sunday night and he got back to me in 15 minutes, very friendly and knowledgeable. Whether or not you like Ken Rockwell, he does come highly recommended. I haven't gotten the camera back yet but I expect it to be in top notch condition. I'll post my opinion when it comes back from the shop.

Chris

Gus Lazzari, TLC Camera Repair
2731 West Lexington Ave. Ext.
High Point, NC 27262-8227
thegreatgus@gmail.com
office: (336) 307-2126
cell: (949) 275-0313
 
Sherry's turnaround time is 3 weeks except she needs some difficult to get spare parts. She recently serviced my 5cm Summarit LTM lens, top-notch work and returned within the promised time.
 
I send stuff to both Youxin and DAG. Both are excellent. DAG can do things Youxin can't as he has equipment that Youxin doesn't (in fact he's got equipment that no one else has.) Youxin will send some of his work to DAG as well.

But an M3 CLA is a standard, every-day event -- what you get from Youxin will be equal in quality to DAG. Youxin also has skill in improving RF patch contrast and other viewfinder issues, and he does them for unbeatable prices in record time, although this only applies to problem M3s.

Both are gentleman and easy to work with. I have sent items to Sherry but for various reasons no longer do so.

It's good to have options.
 
My M3 probably won't need some critical parts as it is except if the repair person see something. I would only need the plugs for flash sync and some adjustments. If Sherry's turnaround is a month or less, I can have it sent to her. I'll email her and see if she will respond.
 
digitalintrigue said:
I send stuff to both Youxin and DAG. Both are excellent. DAG can do things Youxin can't as he has equipment that Youxin doesn't (in fact he's got equipment that no one else has.) Youxin will send some of his work to DAG as well.

But an M3 CLA is a standard, every-day event -- what you get from Youxin will be equal in quality to DAG. Youxin also has skill in improving RF patch contrast and other viewfinder issues, and he does them for unbeatable prices in record time, although this only applies to problem M3s.

Both are gentleman and easy to work with. I have sent items to Sherry but for various reasons no longer do so.

It's good to have options.
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I also think that M3 may not be a complicated CLA as it does not have any electronics in it. Actually my M3 do not have any real problems as of now. I had it for more than a year so far focus and RF patch are good but may need some checking as it does not align well at infinity and looks like the lower speeds need some calibration. Youxin may be 50% off the price of DAG and Sherry and if he can do the work I may consider as well.
 
Just for the record, I once bought an M6 classic CLA'd by Youxin, and I emailed DAG before I bought it to ask if Youxin's CLA jobs are fine. DAG answered that Youxin certainly knows what he's doing. I later sent an M2 to Youxin, and the CLA made the M2 seem like a brand new camera, mechanically.

I prefer DAG over everyone else; he's upgrading my M7 finder to an MP finder, but he takes much longer.
 
I've sent two camera to Youxin to work on and they have come back working great. He's certainly very fast and is an excellent communicator.

I would say if your camera is working without any major problems Youxin would be the one to make it 99%. If there is a major problem then it's DAG or Sherry for that last 1%.
 
I've used DAG for some lens work and been very pleased. But I just sent my M3 and M5 to Sherry for CLA and repairs. For one she lives close enough for me to pick them up and ask questions camera in hand, and she is certainly considered the M5 maven. Within 24 hours she had a good handle on a winder problem the M3 was having and turn around was promised for 3 weeks......Peter
 
Last time I emailed Sherry (just before new year) about upgrading my m6 viewfinder to mp, she said that she can do it. So it is not unique to DAG.

I haven't sent her anything yet though, cause I'm poor :p
 
I sent my M3 into Kindermann here in Canada for Gerry Smith to work his magic. Not cheap because the last person who did the CLA five years ago was hack. Expensive but worth it for the factory tech expertise.

Pity they are not taking on apprentices because this specialized knowledge will disappear when they go.
 
I have CLA services done by DAG, Sherry, Youxin, and Gerry over the years. All of them do excellent work. These days, I only send LTM bodies to Youxin for CLAs. Sherry's turn around time is about 2 to 3 weeks and has been very consistent. But Leica lens focus adjustment, I only sent to DAG. I feel that's what he has advantages over others. But for regular lens CLA, Sherry does an excellent job.
 
Thanks again to everyone. Youxin already replied and I'll send it over next week. Youxin told me he can adjust to 0.7m near focus but it may not be accurate as M3 is not designed for that so I'll just leave it at 1.0m.
 
Because I intend to keep my M3 for as long as I can use it, and because of the thoroughly unpleasant experience which I have written about, I sent it to Don Goldberg. A half million reminders got him to overhaul it in around three months.
 
Wow Youxin has done it in less than a week. CLA, check RF alignment, shutter speeds and shutter brake as it's quite louder than normal for $100.00 plus $15.00 for the 2 plugs.
 
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