Re: [Leica] Pros and Leica sales! was vanc.

[Walter S Delesandri <walt@jove.acs.unt.edu>]

Factory defects aside (yes, they have those with final adjustment 
and occasional curtain bar failures)  I'd say you hit the nail on the 
head!! the M problems I saw in the repair shop were generally:
Lack of use (coagulated lubricants, surface corrosion on the pallet 
wheel in the s-s geartrain/self timer, "dry" curtain drum shafts, etc)
Frame line problems (sticky, etc. --probably same causes)

Water/humidity -- PLEASE don't subject them to this.

Rewind shaft/assy -  user abuse

Flash sync/curtain brake problems -- usually related in that order

The biggy-- also in cost-- Impact damage to RFDR prism

In summary, on my own M-s (10-12 over the years)  I'd say that 
after the 'initial' CLA (stored, older bodies)  with consistent 
use or at least exercise, I've NEVER had to open one!!  Owned a 
couple for 18 years or so, same result.  My wife has 2-M2s (she 
hates later bodies), same stories -- only one repair, flash sync/
first curtain brake sluggish on one of them.  You can see it coming 
on -- the curtain bar won't quite clear the film gate at slower speeds-
easy, but not necessarily cheap clean/adj/repair.  

So use 'em.  Don't drop 'em. Don't get 'em soaked.  They won't 
let you down after the initial quirks are solved (new or used)

CU later,
WaltOn
Sat,
14 Nov 1998, Eric Welch wrote:

> >Now that my work is less hard news and more documentary I use my Leicas a
> >lot more and am upgrading my system accordingly.  Imagine my disappointment
> >when I learned that Leica does not have a dedicated "Professional Services"
> >dept.
> 
> They aren't big enough to do it on the scale that Nikon and Canon do it
> (and now it looks like Minolta is making a run at the pro market). But they
> do treat pros well, will speed up your service if you send it directly to
> Ernst Hartmann, and for documentary work, nothing can be an M6 and a few
> 1.4 lenses. How often does it need service to start with? My answer is
> likely going to be "How often do I drop it?" :-)
> -- 
> 
> Eric Welch
> St. Joseph, MO
> http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch
> 
> More hay, Trigger? No thanks, Roy, I'm stuffed!
>