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: photo at frozenlight.eu (Nathan Wajsman)
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:27:52 +0100
References: <C755DBCB.621A8%joseph@yao.com>

Hi Joseph,

I suppose you are right but I also suspect that Leica UK would have sent it 
to Solms, so I do not see what I would accomplish by sending the camera from 
Spain to the UK, for Leica UK to forward it to Germany. Leica is Leica.

If they give me a hard time over this, then I will really be p****d off. I 
am used to dealing with Spanish government bureaucracy but I expect better 
from a commercial enterprise which needs every customer it can get.

Cheers,
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



On Dec 21, 2009, at 7:13 PM, Joseph Yao wrote:

> Leica AG only offer their standard warranty who covers non-accidental
> damage/failures.  Leica 'Passport Warranty' is issued by selected regional
> Leica importers extends to cover accidental damages.  In your case it was
> Leica UK who issued the Passport Warranty for your M8, not Leica AG.  I
> would take this up with Leica UK.  With hindsight you should have contacted
> Leica UK first for repair.
> 
> Joseph
> 
> 
> On 12/22/09 1:30 AM, "Nathan Wajsman" <photo at frozenlight.eu> wrote:
> 
>> 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
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information



Replies: Reply from joseph at yao.com (Joseph Yao) ([Leica] Leica M8 -- too fragile for the real world - or don't sweat while using it...)
In reply to: Message from joseph at yao.com (Joseph Yao) ([Leica] Leica M8 -- too fragile for the real world - or don't sweat while using it...)