The Definitive Leica Technician List For CLAs and Fixes

SpikeT said:
If you are lucky enough to live in Thailand, AVCamera in Bangkok have a technician who does excellent work. He did a CLA on a Leica 1 and IIIC for me and they came back like new; and has just fixed a sticking shutter on my M3, carried out a CLA, and recovered the leather (which I supplied), for $100!
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i live in Bangkok,How long it takes to Cla M3 camera ?
 
Another recommendation for Youxin Ye. I purchased a CLA through E-Bay, within 4 days he got my M3 back to me complete with a pen picture of its history and his assessment of its overall condition.

His communication from the moment I purchased his service through E-Bay to when he shipped the camera was excellent.

I've popped in a roll of Portra and it feels like a well oiled machine :)
 
This might be a dumb question, but why not just send the camera to Leica for a factory authorized CLA? They still service the M2, M3, etc. Nothing wrong with going with an independent technician. I'm just wondering why going the Leica Service Center route doesn't seem to be a popular option.
 
Ron,

That's a good question. Leica USA Web site still lists Calumet for servicing and lists others who do not advertise Leica servicing themselves.

So for me it comes down to reputation and accessability.
 
Ron Montad said:
This might be a dumb question, but why not just send the camera to Leica for a factory authorized CLA? They still service the M2, M3, etc. Nothing wrong with going with an independent technician. I'm just wondering why going the Leica Service Center route doesn't seem to be a popular option.
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leica commands premium rates for servicing (i asked personally), many independent technicians are a lot more affordable.
 
Ron Montad said:
This might be a dumb question, but why not just send the camera to Leica for a factory authorized CLA? They still service the M2, M3, etc. Nothing wrong with going with an independent technician. I'm just wondering why going the Leica Service Center route doesn't seem to be a popular option.
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Ron, to answer your question, Leica in NJ has a very small staff. Leica has had in the recent past lots of work replacing sensors in digital Ms, and wait times have been described as very long. In Canada, Gerry Smith who was the tech for Kindermann in Ontario has retired.

Don Goldberg (DAG) has been servicing Leica for a very long time (35+ years) i believe & has a very fine reputation. I prefer to know the name of the person who has his/her hands inside my Leica, rather than simply "Leica USA" (for example).
 
Deardorff38 said:
Ron, to answer your question, Leica in NJ has a very small staff. Leica has had in the recent past lots of work replacing sensors in digital Ms, and wait times have been described as very long. I
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The following is the time table for the CLA I had done on my M9, cannot say how things may differ with other models.

08/17/2019 Dropped off camera at Leica DC store
08/22/2019 Received Email from Leica NJ acknowledging receipt of camera
08/27/2019 Received and approved estimate for ClA
09/23/2019 Received notification of completion of CLA
09/26/2019 Camera returned via UPS
 
DAG did my M2 + Lens for 1 month..actually Don told me its 3 weeks , but i hesitate to ask all the time. So when its 1 month i ask him ad he told me its ready to ship within 2 days.. and yes its ship and arrive within 1 week:rolleyes: So i was happy and will send my M3 early this year.:D
 
A number of years ago I got into Leica Ms by buying used. I was aware of DAG in Wisconsin and I sent him the cameras one at a time.
I surprised when I received a call from him about one of the cameras. I prefer a professional CLA with time taken, rather than a hurry up speedie.
 
If any one reading this is based in the UK and is looking for some recommendations, I can vouch for the following three outfits:

-Aperture (London). Ask for Kriton - he's their main repair man for all camera repairs and Leica CLAs. Turnaround time the last time I took in a couple of M6s was within two weeks, however this was during a quiet lockdown period. Kriton is happy to chat over the phone.

-cameraworks-uk. I sent in a lens here, which was cleaned and collimated after having some work done to regrind the helicoid area. Long wait times (many months) but an excellent job done.

-Camera Obscura Repairs (London area). Recently sent an M3 here for a CLA. Alex is the repair man, who also runs the outfit. Turnaround time was 10 days and the camera has never been better. Replaced light seals free of charge and restored my M3's ailing, brittle vulcanite.

I hope this proves helpful for any person seeking some sources.
 
EU-based

EU-based

Since the Brexit, I've been looking for a new repair service - while cameraworks-uk did good work, my M2 was in for 11 months, and they no longer take on work from within the EU

Leica Shop Wien (located in, unsurprisingly, Vienna, Austria) did great work and the price was not dissimilar to what I paid in the UK, so a fear put to rest right there. The turnaround for me was about 1 month. Tangentially related, it was the same camera - the rangefinder went out of alignment and the shutter still capped at 1/1000. I'm sure Alan would take it back and do a warranty repair, but I just know it'd take a good part of a year, and, again, the Brexit thing.

Another skilled technician within the EU seems to be Al of Amsterdam Camera Repairs - though I haven't actually sent a Leica to him yet, he does work on them quite often and has done a great work servicing my Pentax 6x7 and 501C.

http://www.fotomechanik-reinhardt.de/ is no longer an active domain, I presume Claus has since retired?
 
I want to add my name to the long list of satisfied Youxin Ye clients. I am fortunate to live close enough to his home that I can drop off and pick up my equipment which is a big advantage. He repaired a Summicron f50/2.0 collapsible screw mount lens deom my IIIg that had an extremely tight aperture ring and also did a CLA as well as recover and unjam an M3 that belonged to a good friend and for whose estate I will now be selling. The work was ready in less time that he originally quoted and the cost was extremely reasonable. I examined the screw heads under magnification and there were no signs of burring or damage from using the incorrect size tools. Mr Ye is a craftsman of the first order and I recommend him highly,
 
It is amazing how the number of Leica repairers in Europe is dwindling. No one seems to service Leicaflex anymore except from Paepke in Germany. CRR Luton reitred. Samca don't know if still open. No one left in Spain. Photo Suffren in France does not do Leicaflex as well. Know it's rangefinder forum but it's leica related.
Camerawors in UK still does Leicaflexes but then there is tax back and forth with the customs burden adn risk of parcel loss.
Could anyone shine some more light please?
Best regards
 
Hi all.
Currently located in Rome, Italy. Can anyone suggest a competent Leica technician/repair shop?

All the best.

Btw. If you are from Melbourne Australia, I can highly recommend Vic Plant, a former Leica tech operating from home.
 
Halka said:
EU-based

Another skilled technician within the EU seems to be Al of Amsterdam Camera Repairs - though I haven't actually sent a Leica to him yet, he does work on them quite often and has done a great work servicing my Pentax 6x7 and 501C.
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A recommendation for ACR from here. He fixed my badly jammed M2 last summer and it feels like a brand new camera now.
 
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