Question about DAG

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xasthur

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Hello all,

First I would like to say I never sent a camera to anyone for repairs so this is all new to me.

I originally sent Don an email about the issues and we talked back and forth and he eventually said he will need me to send it to him so he can look at it in person so I sent it to him. So I sent my M2 to DAG about a week in a half ago or so and it was received according to the tracking.

I did email him a few days ago just to confirm he got it, but haven't received a reply yet.

I'm not freaking out or anything and I don't plan to spam email him. I'm just curious of how this process typically works with him? I've read many times that on here and other places that it can take him some time to get to it and start working on it.

Also, In the box I supplied a print out of our original emails and all my contact information so that should be good.

If anyone can shed some light on the process that have used him in the past I would appreciate it.
 
Yes, he’s the best, which means he has a never ending lineup of things to fix. :)

You might drop him an email in another week just to touch base or ask a simple question about the job. Something he can quickly answer and get back to the backlog. :)

I’ve sent him lots of gear over the years and he’s always been prompt with replies, but he won’t write a tome, it’s direct and to the point.
 
Something I've learned from having Don service cameras for me for over a decade, you can call him on the phone, but don't pester, and make sure you let him know when you need the camera back. He is always swamped, but if he knows you need the camera by a certain date, he is good about making that happen. If you send him a camera with no date of when you need it back, it just goes into the cue and he services it when he gets to it.

Best,
-Tim
 
EdwardHopper said:
He's a legend . Be patient .
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+1
Don is one of the calmest guys I know, but I also know he get's irritated (irritated for him, that is) when he gets calls or emails asking for confirmation of shipping when you already have confirmation from the source.

If you do call him don't do it on a Monday (he takes the phone off the hook on Mondays); when you do talk to him just say when he received it according to tracking and ask him for a turn-around time.

Please note: If you're rude or pushy (he'll still be a "nice guy" not responding in kind) don't expect any favors from him.
 
I'll email him a request then wait for an answer. Pack the camera with the appropriate instructions then wait about eight weeks. Send a note asking how things are going and more often than not the response is he's just about finished. A week later, like magic, your camera appears.
 
Don gets a lot of work and doesn’t give updates or reply to status requests. He fixed a 28mm Elmarit for me a few months ago and only took about a month. If it had taken 6 months I wouldn’t be surprised.
 
You received confirmation by tracking that the package was delivered, so why do you need to ask him if he got it?


Don is a one man shop and he's never lacked for work as long as I've known him (30 years or so). If you check his FAQ page you'll see he can either spend the day talking to customers and/or reading emails. Or repairing cameras. Not both. You should wait at least 3 months before calling.
 
He's great. Just super busy these days. With Leica Service going partially offline with the pandemic, i heard he was swamped - maybe still is.
 
He overhauled an M3 for me a couple of months ago. It took him 3 months to do so, even though he had originally said it would be approximately 4 weeks. It was totally worth the wait, however. He fixed things that another well known repair person had said were normal in an old camera.

Concur with others that phone is best if you want to reach him.
 
One thing about DAG, his father was NYC repairman for Leica cameras (for major newspapers and magazines) and designed many things like motor drives for Leica before Leica did. Don was educated at Leica in Germany. Cameras prior to the M4-2 were precision built like a watch and had many available adjustments not available on later models. So Clean, Lubricate, and Adjust just doesn't apply to models before the M4-2. Don did my M7 last year for $180. He quoted me ~$500 for my M4. I've used Ye a lot, generally for cameras I want to resell. He does the basic CLA and he does it quick. You have to decide what you want and how long you plan keep the camera.
As an aside I had my Omega watch CLA about 10 years ago for $700. About 4 years ago I had my newish Hamilton (again all mechanical) CLA by a watch smith for about $500. An M4 (m2,M3) is like a craftsman mechanical watch. So Don's price are in line.
 
From his website. You'll have to dig to find it:

"4.5 hours a day spent on emails & phone calls. Getting to the point where I need to only receive repairs through Camera Stores & Camera Dealers. Would be best if individuals sent or brought their repairs to a camera store that would then send me the repairs. That way I would be dealing with a camera store. Since I give camera stores a discount, the repair costs would still be the same for you."
 
Whenever I have something to send to Don I call him to describe/discuss what I think needs to be done. I ask if X time interval (almost always three weeks) sounds about right, he says yes, and I send the item(s) with a cover letter reciting the details of what we decided he would do, and saying something like “as discussed, I would appreciate three-week turnaround.”

Then if it’s something routine I will just wait, and within three weeks will come an email saying “Your Leica lenses are ready” or whatever and the cost. If there is some non-routine variable to the work, I might call and check in after a week or two. If the “ready” email has not arrived after four weeks, I will call and check. I think I needed to do this one time.

This approach has always worked well for me and the work speaks for itself.
 
I'm in a similar boat. Sent Don my M2 in mid-Sept following email discussion about the required work. I asked for confirmation that he had the body when tracking said it had arrived, and he replied promptly. I haven't heard anything since (about 9 weeks).

Resisting the urge to email again, mostly due to countless threads like this making it clear that he will get to it when he gets to it. I sent it over knowing this would be the case.

Bill Blackwell said:
+1
Don is one of the calmest guys I know, but I also know he get's irritated (irritated for him, that is) when he gets calls or emails asking for confirmation of shipping when you already have confirmation from the source.
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Beemermark said:
You received confirmation by tracking that the package was delivered, so why do you need to ask him if he got it?
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Because it's not uncommon for couriers to 'deliver' items that haven't been delivered at all, or have been delivered to the wrong address, or left in the wrong place, or signed by the wrong person... Etc. etc.

This isn't a dig at DAG, just an awareness (from experience) that postal services are not perfect. When it's a $2k item, I want to know that it is where it is supposed to be.
 
Don is a treasure. I have only had great experiences with him. His knowledge and expertise are second to none. It is always worth the wait.
 
I have trusted Don with some rare, unique gear that frankly I would never send to anyone else. When I was working at a camera store (are there any left?) I’d send him new, out of the box M9 bodies and lenses for focus calibration. He made a special effort to turn those in a day or two, knowing the circumstances of a $10k+ end user purchase.

None of my gear has had any urgency, so I never ask for expedited service. I figure the one time I *do* need a quick turn someday, I’ve built up some credits. :)
 
I sent my M2 to DAG late last year. He fixed a light leak that others refused to even look at. There was an initial 2 month period in which he misplaced the camera and did not respond to emails. I reached him after a few phone calls and he eventually located the camera. At that point, he fairly quickly diagnosed and fixed the light leak. He even identified other minor issues that needed work and fixed them free of charge. Even after the delay, I would use him again.

As others have said, just be patient.
 
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