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 sweatwhile using it...
From: tedgrant at shaw.ca (tedgrant at shaw.ca)
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:04:20 -0800
References: <95E139E5-CC69-4274-B648-E91650A21F52@frozenlight.eu>

Nathan Wajsman offered:
Subject: [Leica] M8 -- too fragile for the real world - or don't sweat while 
using it...


Hi Nathan,
Passport means passport! They should fix it pronto for free! That's what we 
buy passport warranties for!
 I'd send this report right back to the owner of Leica questioning the 
report, the reliability of the camera for photojournalists etc.

There are two ways, well maybe three ways to address this situation?

One could be all sweet and happy faced gently explaining your experience 
with the camera and you can't understand this description of "sticky gooie" 
stuff when you know it has never been in the hands of another human and 
you're always careful covered extra with all the nice sweet talk! I don't 
think it'll get you any where!! Certainly with these people.

Then there is the cut and slash attack!! Show no mercy, take no prisoners 
and gut Leica with a pitch fork!

I certainly wouldn't sit back and take the report at face value under the 
circumstances of you in handling gear and your years of experience as a 
photographer regarding looking after equipment!

Given what we pay or these M cameras one would think it quite reasonable 
Leica should jump very quickly in servicing as that would enhance their 
image as standing by their warranty and their equipment.

Good luck with it.
cheers,
ted



>>>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 sweatwhile 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...)