Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/02/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I just got this info today and am only slowly finding things out. I am going to my dealer to pick up some odds and sods and will try to find out more. My impression is that all the dealers are not too pleased with this and when I talked to Kindermann, they said they would keep repairing Leicas off warranty and so keep all their stock, tools and repairman Gerry Smith. This Gerry is a true Leica God by the way. I once brought him a camera that he had overhauled about two years previously but I asked him a rangefinder question and so did not mention this. He picked it up, ran though the speeds and said there was no need to test as everything sounded great, and then fixed the rangefinder adjustment for free! I had dropped the camera by the way, oops. Talk up low key and not trying to up sale. I have already mentioned how helpful Werner is and I am late to take my beloved to a movie so ..... Cheers John Collier > From: "Robert Bedwell" <rlb@triad.rr.com> > Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2000 19:08:38 -0500 > Subject: Re: [Leica] Kindermann to lose Leica > > John: > > Thank you very much. I understand your concern and it certainly is a valid > one. I will be interested in hearing Leica's response on service from their > new distributor. Are any of the employees from Kindermann moving to > Lisle-Kelco? > > Thanks, > Bob > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "John Collier" <jbcollier@home.com> > To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> > Sent: Friday, February 11, 2000 5:42 PM > Subject: Re: [Leica] Kindermann to lose Leica > > >> Kindermann Canada has the last Leica official repair depot in the world > that >> will service every leica ever made. Many of the people have been with > Leica >> way back (and some even longer) to when all the M cameras were made here. > It >> was Werner Schmalz of Kindermann who pushed Leica for years to rationalise >> the 135s into a single f3.4 offering. He was also the source on why the M >> winder was discontinued, announced then discontinued again. He showed me > how >> to properly load my M4-2 and no misloads since then. When I had problems >> with my new projector, he emailed with HIS phone number to call. When > Leica >> USA has technical problems with older Leica equipment, they do not call >> Solms, they call Werner. I have been at many Leica clinics run by him and >> was always impressed how he would eloquently encourage people to try Leica >> but would never say that the older stuff was not good enough and that you >> needed new to have the best. I was looking at a 135 tele-elmarit vs the > APO >> and he said they are all good lenses even the Hektor. The repair service > was >> absolutely fantastic. Once they did not have the parts for my M2 in stock > so >> they sent it back freight free, even though I offered to pay, and phoned > ME >> to tell me the parts were in! I had dealt through the local dealer so they >> would have had to phone the dealer to get my number. That is service. One > of >> the big reasons I was not considering a Hexar RF is the wonderful support > I >> get from Kindermann which no other camera company has even come close to >> matching. Well I had better stop now but just imagine right about now the >> new distributor is hiring some smuck and sending them to a three month (or >> what ever) school and then letting them loose on my cameras!! It does not >> bear thinking about. >> >> John Collier >> >> >>> From: "Robert Bedwell" <rlb@triad.rr.com> >>> Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2000 16:33:05 -0500 >>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Kindermann to lose Leica >>> >>> John: >>> >>> Would you kindly explain what affect this will have on Leica users in > Canada >>> and the U.S.? >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Bob >>> >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "John Collier" <jbcollier@home.com> >>> To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> >>> Sent: Friday, February 11, 2000 3:30 PM >>> Subject: [Leica] Kindermann to lose Leica >>> >>> >>>> Well it is a very sad day Leica-wise up here in Canada. Leica Germany > has >>>> decided to switch distributors. I received an email from fellow > leica-user >>>> Ken Bodnar saying that he had just got off the phone with a store in >>> Calgary >>>> where he was told that the distributor was switching to Lisle-Kelco > (who >>>> supplies Hasselblad in Canada). I promptly phoned Kindermann and they >>>> unfortunately confirmed it. I am completely devastated and do not know >>> what >>>> to say that would suitable for delicate ears to hear. If you are > Canadian >>>> and you feel the same way I do about Kindermann then email those twits > in >>>> Germany and let them know. Their email page is: >>>> >>>> http://www.leica-camera.com/feedback/feedb_e.phtml >>>> >>>> >>>> John Collier >>>> >>> >> >