Follow-up: Leica quality - failing R equipment

[Pascal <cyberdog@ibm.net>]

On Aug 5, 1997, I posted a message on the list concerning serious flaws I
had encountered with almost all of my new Leica R equipment. As a short
reminder:
- - the R8 body's back wouldn't close any more, and the back LCD panel
sometimes showed strange and unknown indications;
- - the Elmarit-R 28mm f/2.8 wouldn't focus smoothly between 10m and infinity,
the focussing ring became very hard to turn;
- - the Summilux-R 80mm f/1.4 had dust and hair pressed inside the lens, and
the focussing ring was blocked somewhere in the middle.

I promised the LUG to report on the results. Here it goes.

Everything was sent to the Belgian Leica importer, Masson-Draguet, through
my local dealer, and sent on to Leica Solms for inspection. This was done
the first week of August.

By mid-September, because I had heard nothing from either Leica Solms or the
Belgian importer, I sent an E-mail message to the Leica information service
in Solms, who forwarded it to the technical service. Two days later I got an
E-mail from them, saying that they were replacing all of the equipment!

By the beginning of October, I had received a new R8 body and a new
Elmarit-R 28mm f/2.8 lens from the Belgian importer. I am still awaiting,
however, delivery of the Summilux-R 80mm f/1.4 .

I am glad that Leica has really made good on my investment and replaced all
defective items as requested. The R8 works fine now, and the Elmarit-R 28mm
can focus smoothly.

Although it took long (and I am still eagerly waiting for my Summilux-R
80mm), Leica has showed itself from its best side. This shows that Leica
really cares for its customers! I am sure that many other companies,
contrary to Leica, would just have dragged their feet...

My confidence in Leica is fully restored! :-)

Pascal

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