[Leica] Re: R problems

[Pascal <cyberdog@ibm.net>]

On 14-11-1998 21:17 Harrison McClary wrote:

> My  R8  is  STILL  in the shop. Part of me is really regretting my
>switch  to  Leica.  I  am  having  the devil of a time keeping working
>cameras around. My Leica R stuff has been into the shop as much in the
>last year as my Canon was in 5 years. The canon stuff went in for user
>mistakes like dropping the damn thing, the Leica for things like a new
>shutter,  180  coming  unscrewed, R8 electrical problems... these have
>kept  the R8  in the shop for at least 1/2 of the time since the middle of
>September.
>The  R8 problem is inexcusable, IMHO.

Harrison:

I feel really sorry for you. I know the feeling, but (touch on wood) 
that's over for me now since everything seems to be working fine.

Now that we are at it, I might as well elaborate a bit.

1. My first R8, one of the first deliveries in Belgium (April 97), showed 
problems after a couple of months use:
- - strange indications on the back panel LCD which were not due to dust or 
so;
- - the knob to close the back on the camera did not work, I had to 
manually press it back into position.
My system was away for two months, after which I got quite angry and 
contacted Solms directly instead of the importer in Belgium (Masson 
Draguet). It was then replaced within the week.
Other serious problems happened with the Elmarit 28 and Summilux 80. Both 
had mechanical faults (the 28 could not be focused between 5m and 
infinity, and the focusing ring on the 80 simply blocked halfway).
These items were also replaced, after two and three months waiting 
respectively.

2. The second R8 has worked fine ever since. However:
- - I noticed that the final result on slide showed less of what I had seen 
in the viewfinder bottom, and more of the top of the viewfinder image. 
Result: feet cut off and so on.
- - There was some play on the camera lens mount with the result that you 
could turn the lens a bit (especially a heavy one) on the mount. This 
had, to my knowledge, no impact on the image quality, but it worried me.
- - when you hold the camera body and press your right thumb against that 
special curved back (at the right side) I can hear a slight crack. Again, 
this does not affect picture quality but is slightly discomforting.

When I was in Solms at the end of September, the R8 got a complete check 
and these 3 problems were mentioned to the Tech Dept.
I got my camera back after two days (which is very fast), and the 
accompanying note said that they had replaced a "switch" in the body and 
the "electrical contacts" on the winder (which had gone to them together 
with the body). Nothing was mentioned regarding the three problems.

Now, 45 days later, I can only tell that there is still some play on the 
lens mount (but I feel assured since the Leica info department has told 
me this is normal and will have no negative impact on the images).
Also, the "crack" on the right side of the back is still there, so I 
guess I'll have to live with it. This is maybe not a big deal but 
something that shouldn't happen on such an expensive camera (the first R8 
did not have it).
And as far as the "cut off feet" are concerned, I have not noticed a 
major difference. I took a test on a tripod (as I had done before), and 
saw a slight difference but there is still some cutoff. I guess I'll have 
to live with it as well and take this into account when actually taking 
pictures.

Pascal

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