[Leica] Looking for Advice: I have an M9 - it's 2024 - should I consider upgrading to an M11?

[Frank Filippone]

Maybe,, but practically?  You believe that there are a lot of repair guys who have the knowledge and ability and willingness to make a part, without 
factory of other specifications well documented, for a LTM camera?  Especially if that specific part is available on a cannibalized, non-working original?

Yes, a rare, very valuable, maybe one of a kind Leica needs that degree of attention, but the sheer number of those cameras is far far outweighed by 
the number of common, everyday LTM bodies (roughly 1,000,000 LTM cameras were made over the production span.  The M3 serial numbers started just 
before this 1,000,000 number) that require repair.

Malcom Taylor is certainly well known for this ability.  I have seen a Stereo LTM Leica he made form basically blocks of steel and a "file".  He is 
magnificent.  Absolutely.  THE Best.

In the USA, Sherry, Don, and Yye are the best known USA repairers of  old Leicas.  I think you would get a different answer to the question of 
cannibalization, rather than to fabricate a part from scratch.....

You will always find an exception to any rule.....You must know that exception has conditions .... Having Malcolm Taylor repair a US based 3c would be 
possible, but why ?  A genuine Null Series? Luxus?, Maybe a good choice.

You would need a pretty good reason... and even a better reason to insist that he hand make parts from scratch if factory original new parts were not 
available.

YMMV


Frank Filippone
BMWRed735i at Gmail.com

On 5/31/2024 8:49 AM, Peter Dzwig wrote:
> Frank,
>
> I think that that's a little unfair to some repairers.
>
> On 30/05/2024 18:21, Frank Filippone via LUG wrote:
>>  Similar to their position on LTM bodies.
>>
>   I suspect the Leica 3c has parts that are also not available
>> new... so what does the independent repair guy do?  He cannibalizes parts from donor bodies and completes the repair. 
> Malcolm Taylor has repaired both my M3 and IIIf. Where he needed to he simply made the required parts from scratch. No cannibalisation.
>
> That of course is why Leica and others turn to him. From talking with him he has worked on everything from Ur-Leicas forwards to Ms.
>
> Of course as we all know you have to be careful who you choose.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Peter