Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/12/07

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: Unreliable Leica or unreliable user ?
From: "B. D. Colen" <BDColen@earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 7 Dec 1998 16:53:28 -0500

My M6 - purchased new - had focusing misalignment problems from the git-go -
problems since corrected by Leica USA within 2 weeks of receiving the
camera.

My 35 Summilux ASPH Titanium - purchased new - literally began to fall apart
inside of a month. Leica USA fixed it within three weeks.

On the other hand, my Summicron 50 and Summicron 90, both of which were
purchased used and both of which look to be more than a decade old, have
performed flawlessly - as has much older used Leica equipment which I have
owned in the past.

Nothing today is as it was yesterday, and the goodies produced by the nome
of Solms are no exception. :-)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Nathan
> Wajsman
> Sent: Monday, December 07, 1998 4:22 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Unreliable Leica or unreliable user ?
>
> e
> Pascal,
>
> I wonder how this percentage compares with other high-end cameras
> (i.e. the
> Japanese). My own experience is limited, as both my M3 and M6
> were purchased
> second-hand, so the only new Leica items I have bought are the
> 24mm, 35mm and
> 135mm lenses and my Pradovit projector. All of those work fine.
> Nonetheless,
> I would find it quite unacceptable to buy a $2000 camera and have it
> misaligned out of the box. Leica should test them before they go
> to dealers,
> or the importer should do it.
>
> In the end though, what really matters is how well Leica deals
> with problems
> once confronted with them. You seem to have had a good
> experience, others on
> the LUG apparently less so.
>
> Nathan
>
> Pascal wrote:
>
> > Well, I could add to this debate that I have it from a very reliable
> > source that about 15 to 20 % of all first R8 shipments that were sold in
> > Belgium during 1997 had to be sent back to Solms for repair or
> > replacement because of different flaws.
> > Happily, the situation is now stabilised and you're safe in buying a
> > current R8 body.
> > I suffered from this too, but I must really commend the people at Solms
> > who exchanged it for a new one that has worked flawlessly ever since.
>
> --
> Nathan Wajsman
> Overijse, Belgium
>
> Photography page:  http://members.tripod.com/~belgiangator/index.html
> Motorcycle page:  http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/downs/1704/index.html
>
>
>