Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/12/21

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Subject: [Leica] Leica M8 -- too fragile for the real world - or don't sweat while using it...
From: red735i at earthlink.net (Frank Filippone)
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:51:55 -0800
References: <95E139E5-CC69-4274-B648-E91650A21F52@frozenlight.eu>

In the US, the Passport is not really all that good for the Digi-Leicas.... 
it does not cover accidental damage... Not sure about the International / 
WorldWide Passport warranty.....

For trips through the Honduran rain forest, where the likelihood of dropping 
your camera into the swamp, the best camera to get is a film Leica..... with 
Passport, where coverage is basically evberything.....

I know you are quite sure you dropped noting onto the camera, but a chemical 
analysis of the residue might prove to find...... hops......?

Frank Filippone, ducking for cover......
red735i at earthlink.net


-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+red735i=earthlink.net at leica-users.org 
[mailto:lug-bounces+red735i=earthlink.net at leica-users.org] On Behalf Of 
Nathan Wajsman
Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 9:30 AM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: [Leica] Leica M8 -- too fragile for the real world - or don't sweat 
while using it...

I love my M8, and I am sure I will love my M9 even more when I buy one 
sometime in 2011 when the price has fallen to my level.

But I must also say that "they don't build them like they used to" and that 
Leica service does not match the premium price charged for the equipment, at 
least in my experience.

Some of you may remember that I sent my M8 to Solms about 3 weeks ago 
because the main switch had become very hard to turn. Today, I received the 
repair estimate by e-mail. Leica's diagnosis is: 

"The main switch sticks and is corroded due to penetration of a sticky 
liquid. Below the top cover the housing is also corroded. Electronic parts 
seem to be O.K"

They then offer to repair it for ? 267.30.

What's wrong with this picture?

Firstly, I know for a fact that during the 1 year I have had this M8, I have 
not spilled any "sticky" or other liquid on it. The only liquid I can think 
of is...sweat. It gets hot in Alicante in the summer, and it has probably 
happened that a drop of sweat would fall from my face down onto the camera 
around my neck. And presumably the air in Alicante has a high salt content 
since we are at the shore of the Mediterranean which has a high salt 
content. But still--does this mean that a camera renowned for its ruggedness 
in the hands of photojournalists is now too fragile to be used in a 
moderately hot, seaside location??

Secondly, in offering me their estimate, Leica overlooked that I bought the 
camera with the 2-year Passport warranty, so regardless of liquid or not, 
this should be fixed for free. Or have I misunderstood what Passport means?

Cheers,
A frustrated Nathan


Nathan Wajsman
Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu
http://www.greatpix.eu
http://www.nathanfoto.com

Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0
PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog




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Replies: Reply from photo at frozenlight.eu (Nathan Wajsman) ([Leica] Leica M8 -- too fragile for the real world - or don't sweat while using it...)
In reply to: Message from photo at frozenlight.eu (Nathan Wajsman) ([Leica] Leica M8 -- too fragile for the real world - or don't sweat while using it...)