Question about DAG

[mpaniagua]

Honestly getting a bit frustrated at this point but there’s not a lot I can do.

Sent the m6 back at my cost. Tried to confirm over email it had actually arrived (I’ve had DHL deliver to the wrong house before). No response.

That was a couple of weeks ago

If it is DAG who we are talking about, I would really suggest giving him a call. He actually uses 2-3 hours of his business time reading emails so your may had been missed.

Please call him and check about the camera since thats a serious issue. I can testify DAG is a honest company but they are still human and may made mistakes.


Only technician I had problems over they year was a Rolleiflex tech and yeah, it was a very frustrating (and very expensive) affair. On our modern time, nothing yet beats human contact. Please call.

Marcelo.

 

[Halftrack]

Question about DAG

I've tried to avoid phoning DAG, because he dislikes the interruptions, but my patience is wearing thin. He's had my 50mm Summicron for 10 months to recalibrate the focus. He isn't responding to my emails, nor to a polite letter I sent via snail mail. Maybe a phone call will stir him out of his stupor. If that fails, it's Small Claims Court.

At this point I just want my lens back, fixed or not. If he can't handle all the work he accepts, he needs to hire an apprentice.

 

[spyderphil]

My experience a few months back was very positive in helping calibrate focus issues with a Voigtlander lens and Leica camera. I did have to call and email to get updates then pay and get the gear shipped back. Likely overwhelmed.

 

[Halftrack]

Don is working on my lens

Don is working on my lens

Today I had a brief and polite phone conversation with Don. I apologized for bothering him by phone but said it's been almost 10 months since I sent him my 50mm Summicron to recalibrate the focus. He explained that he had put the lens aside because it puzzled him.

According to his tests, it was front focusing, whereas my tests showed back focusing. We talked a little longer to confirm we were using the same terminology. (We were.) Then I emailed him some photos from last year that showed my test results. I suggested that perhaps the focusing had shifted again in transit. He said he will take the lens apart to check for loose elements or other physical problems, even though it shows no external signs of damage.

I know it's a lens fault, because it always focused perfectly before a car seat and suitcase fell on it last year. Also, all my other lenses focus correctly on the same camera.

This 50mm Summicron is my all-time favorite lens. I hope Don can finally fix it.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

... he needs to hire an apprentice.

Actually, last I knew, he has one - his son! So hopefully a new "DAG" - 3rd generation - is in the works!

 

[Matthew Runkel]

Today I had a brief and polite phone conversation with Don. I apologized for bothering him by phone but said it's been almost 10 months since I sent him my 50mm Summicron to recalibrate the focus. He explained that he had put the lens aside because it puzzled him.

In my experience, he much prefers the phone to email. He can work and talk on the phone. I rarely have had to call him: typically only to consult about a lens once he had it in hand, or to check in once something was a week or more outside the agreed completion timeframe. One time the conversation turned to the closure of Focal Point lens service. Don said he had talked to John van Stelten and there was only one reason he had closed. "Customers," he said in an understanding tone. I found this instructive.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

... Don said he had talked to John van Stelten and there was only one reason he had closed. "Customers," he said in an understanding tone. I found this instructive.

Yes, the "younger" generation of film users are very demanding, rude, and pushy. On many occasions Don has expressed his frustration with this! He is indeed looking forward to retiring!

 

[Hern]

I really do feel terrible everytime I ring him up to ask on how the M4-P and the lens I sent him is coming along, but it has been one whole year since that parcel left my doorstep for what should have been a routine overhaul. Might have to call again tomorrow, my 5th, and 2nd of the year. It really is unfortunate he has been swamped, he used to turn things around for me in a month or so.

 

[Mooshoepork]

Yes, the "younger" generation of film users are very demanding, rude, and pushy. On many occasions Don has expressed his frustration with this! He is indeed looking forward to retiring!

Ah, the “kids these days” effect. Classic.

I’d say I’d fall into this age bracket (maybe only barely), but I don’t see how expecting a basic level of communication and service is demanding, rude or pushy...

I sent one email 6 months in politely asking for an ETA. This email was ignored or missed. Whatever, it happens.

At the 7 month mark it turns out my camera was ready, Don apologised for the delay and sent it off.

A month later the camera arrived in the post and it had someone else’s top plate attached to it. Well, mistakes happen.

From memory I believe you said that I can be assured my property was returned to me. Well, it wasn’t.

Don couldn’t understand how this happened but the zinc oxidisation on top, damage on the side and completely lack of Leitz logo was a pretty good indicator that somewhere in the repair process something was mixed up.

Don offered to replace the top cover with another one “at no charge” (I mean, why would I be charged? But whatever. At this point I just wanted a similar condition top plate to the original which is obviously long gone now to end this saga)

Perhaps at some point Don realised I wasn’t making the story up and offered to replace it with a particular mint minus Ernst Leitz plate that would match the era of the camera (rather than just any plate he had kicking about)

Great, I’m happy with this solution so I pay $150 to have it sent via DHL back to the states and I’ll have to pay the same again to have it returned.

Once it arrived in the states, I again, politely emailed asking to confirm it’s arrival so I didn’t have to worry about it going to the wrong address. This is not unreasonable given the value of the equipment.

I didn’t get a response to this email so I waited 3 weeks and sent another...again, this email was polite and briefly explained why I was asking.

This time Don did reply, mentioned he had misplaced the plate he was going to use and that he would try to find it. The same day he sent another email mentioning he found it and it wouldn’t be much longer.

That was about a week ago and that’s the story so far.

If any part of this is demanding rude or pushy I’d love to hear it

 

[Timmyjoe]

I'm sorry some folks here have had trouble getting their equipment serviced by DAG. I've been using him exclusively since 2009 and he has done over a dozen cameras and lenses for me in that time. And his work is always top notch.

I used to service Arriflex motion picture cameras and I know how busy and confusing it can be with multiple customers from multiple countries sending you equipment for service. I have a lot of sympathy for Don and know he is in much more demand than I was, so it must be insane at his shop. Imagine receiving dozens of emails a day from people asking you to explain things that aren't summed up in a ten word answer. It's not surprising that many emails go unanswered. And if you have people phoning you all hours of the day and night, it gets difficult to get any service work done.

What I have found works best is a short phone call to Don before I send him something, telling him the issue I'm having with the equipment, and asking him if he can turn the job around in a certain period of time (depending on the issue, like two weeks, or a month, etc.) When he lets me know what is possible, I carefully pack the equipment and include a letter describing exactly what we discussed on the phone, the issues with the equipment and what date I need the equipment returned by. Then about a week before that date, I give him a quick call to remind/check with him about getting the equipment back on time. And that's been working for me for years.

He does excellent work, but he is human, and sometimes things get screwed up, but he has always stood behind his work and made things right if there were any issues.

Best,
-Tim

 

[das]

We are pretty lucky, 20 years after the "death" of film photography, that independent repairpeople are fixing film cameras all. My attitude is to give these folks as much time as they need. And you know what? I have plenty of other cameras and format to shoot with in the meantime. DAG, Ms. Krauter, and Mr. Ye provide a service that you would pay 2-4x more for if sought from Leica itself, and possibly take just as long. And there are at least a half dozen independent shops in the USA that can do Leica stuff beyond them. Aside from the smaller shops, the big operations can also do repairs in-house or contract it out. It is always a good idea to get a sense from any repairshop of how long it will take, and then in your mind double it, and see if you can live with it.

At the end of the day, I find that, unless you are a pro who absolutely needs a set up repaired to make a living, having multiple cameras solves the anxiety problem that comes from waiting for one of your cameras to be fixed.

 

[Mooshoepork]

Imagine receiving dozens of emails a day from people asking you to explain things that aren't summed up in a ten word answer. It's not surprising that many emails go unanswered. And if you have people phoning you all hours of the day and night, it gets difficult to get any service work done

Solution 1. Stop taking on new work
Solution 2. Hire someone to help with admin

 

[Halftrack]

DAG, Ms. Krauter, and Mr. Ye provide a service that you would pay 2-4x more for if sought from Leica itself, and possibly take just as long. And there are at least a half dozen independent shops in the USA that can do Leica stuff beyond them. Aside from the smaller shops, the big operations can also do repairs in-house or contract it out.

Can you please share with us the contact information of those half-dozen independent shops in the USA that can repair Leica equipment? I have asked the same of other people who have made similar claims in this forum, but they don't respond. Also, which "big operations" do you mean? We need more repair services that have reliable, proven experience with Leica.

 

[Hern]

Just a short update on how things have been going on my end with DAG:

He finally got some things moving and my now very smoothly running camera is back home with me. What is slightly different about the camera when it did come back though, was that the bottom plate was an entirely different one than what it went off with.

Now, my old black chrome baseplate was beat to heck and scratched and brassed all over, and this new one is a lot better looking than that, but I would have definitely liked to have retained my own baseplate. Also, this being my fault too, was that I had sent the camera off with a TA softie, and it has come back without it. I'll ring him to see if he has it lying around somewhere, but if not I'm really the one to blame here.

 

[das]

Can you please share with us the contact information of those half-dozen independent shops in the USA that can repair Leica equipment? I have asked the same of other people who have made similar claims in this forum, but they don't respond. Also, which "big operations" do you mean? We need more repair services that have reliable, proven experience with Leica.

Off the top of my head.

Pro Camera
KEH - Big Operation Cameraquest
Precision Camera

You could try calling the big shops like Tamarkin and ask them for recommendations. Or other Leica retailers. Or ask your favorite shops. There are probably lots of small shops around the country as well.

 

[oldwino]

A lot of people mention Red Dot as being good. I’ve had Steve’s Camera in SoCal do some minor stuff for me.

 

[Mooshoepork]

Just a short update on how things have been going on my end with DAG:

He finally got some things moving and my now very smoothly running camera is back home with me. What is slightly different about the camera when it did come back though, was that the bottom plate was an entirely different one than what it went off with.

Now, my old black chrome baseplate was beat to heck and scratched and brassed all over, and this new one is a lot better looking than that, but I would have definitely liked to have retained my own baseplate. Also, this being my fault too, was that I had sent the camera off with a TA softie, and it has come back without it. I'll ring him to see if he has it lying around somewhere, but if not I'm really the one to blame here.

well this is the same that happened with me except it was the top plate and the one I got back was trashed

 

[Halftrack]

Pro Camera
KEH - Big Operation
Cameraquest
Precision Camera

Thanks for the tips. KEH confirms they will accept Leica equipment for repair and quoted me some estimated prices for cameras and lenses. However, Cameraquest stopped accepting equipment for repair when the pandemic started and apparently hasn't resumed (according to their website). And today, Pro Camera responded to my query by saying they are phasing out repair services. I haven't contacted Precision Camera yet.

Conclusion: experienced Leica repair people are still relatively rare, which explains why they're so busy. I wish they would hire apprentices. There seems to be plenty of demand.

 

[Mooshoepork]

Just a short update on how things have been going on my end with DAG:

He finally got some things moving and my now very smoothly running camera is back home with me. What is slightly different about the camera when it did come back though, was that the bottom plate was an entirely different one than what it went off with.

Now, my old black chrome baseplate was beat to heck and scratched and brassed all over, and this new one is a lot better looking than that, but I would have definitely liked to have retained my own baseplate. Also, this being my fault too, was that I had sent the camera off with a TA softie, and it has come back without it. I'll ring him to see if he has it lying around somewhere, but if not I'm really the one to blame here.

Any update?

 

[Pablito]

Anyone who can wait that long to have a camera serviced or repaired doesn't really need the camera to use. Therefore, I have always thought of that guy as someone to whom collectors and hobbyists send their cameras. They can afford the time. Sherry, on the other hand, will do the job and get it back to you within a reasonable period. She also has a reputation as "the best". It's beyond my comprehension why someone would be willingly wait so long for a repair. But lots of things are beyond my comprehension. Back when the Leicas were my bread an butter it would have been inconceivable to wait so long for a repair.