RE: [Leica] Solm's Lack of Quality

["B. D. Colen" <BDColen@earthlink.net>]

Not to beat the proverbial dead horse, but...

I, for one, expect anything in the Leica price bracket, and by that I mean
top-of-the line, whatever the merchandise category is - camera, car,
clothing, audio equipment - to be perfect when purchased new. Anything less,
particularly for a company such as Leitz, turning out a mere 10,000 bodies
per year, really is unacceptable.

I, too, am having problems with my M6, which is now 12 months old: the
rangefinder is not quite "in" when focusing at infinity, and when the camera
has been sitting cocked for a day or two, the shutter hangs up on the first
shot - there's a major hesitation, and then it releases at the proper speed.
This disappears after that first shot. I know, I need to send the camera
back on the Passport (it's just that I love it so much otherwise I don't
want to let it go :).)

Both these problems showed up from the time I got the camera home from the
dealer. Additionally, I have noticed that the corner of the hot shoe rail in
literally sharp enough to cut me - it's done so twice.

Again, I think the equipment is terrific, and by today's manufacturing
standards it is beyond terrific. But...At these prices Leitz should be
putting more money into quality control.

B. D.

- -----Original Message-----
From:	owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of Eric Welch
Sent:	Wednesday, May 13, 1998 8:10 AM
To:	leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject:	Re: [Leica] Solm's Lack of Quality

At 01:03 AM 5/13/98 +0000, you wrote:

>an acceptable, even desirable to some, hallmark of a luxury product
>with more handwork than consumer grade products.

That could be it, but also there is a higher expectation of perfection.
Nobody at Canon expects every lens to be perfect.  But at Leica, somehow
"best" has been transliterated as perfect.

=========

Eric Welch
St. Joseph, MO

After all is said and done, usually more is said.