Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/11/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]YES< YES< AND YES<..... Thanks, Javier. Walt On Sat, 11 Nov 2000, Javier Perez wrote: > That's precisely the reason I got out of the repair business after less than a year > in just one shop. You are little more than the slave of the shop owner. > My worst memory is cleaning gravy out of an old view lens. It was a piece > of crap but the guy insisted that he wanted it returned to service. The retard > had dropped it in the bowl and left it there until the gravey cooled off and then let the > thing dry > fully assembled for several months.. His friend the shop owner had me working on the thing > for > what seemed like a whole day. I think I got it running but I don't remember. > > It kinda bugs me to hear some listers talk about some of these select techs as > if they were rocket scientists. I remember some guy a year or so back posted > an article about a no-brainer repair problem on an M and reported that the that the tech > had worked delicate magic on the camera and gotten it back to service. It kinda > got me wondering about just how easily impressed some people on this list are. > > After a couple of years of repairing privately I quickly discovered that > this was a financial dead end. That was around 1982 > > Now I buy broken cameras, fix them and add them to my small collection > It's a lot of fun but I would never ever do it as a job again and refuse a few > job requests and even some job offers each year. > > Lastly, I'de trust Leitz over any of these superstar private techs any day of the week. > > See Ya > Javier > > > > > > Walter S Delesandri wrote: > > > On Thu, 09 Nov 2000 18:17:52 -0500 Emanuel Lowi <mano@proxyma.net> > > wrote: > > > In 25 years, Sherry and DAG and Reinhold will, I hope, be enjoying their > > > much-deserved retirements on the Riviera or some South Seas island. > > > > > > I have yet to meet a younger person keen on mastering the internal intricacies of the > > > Leica M or screwmount cameras, nor, for that matter, any other precision mechanical > > > device. As someone who is still on the south side of 40, I despair about the > > > interests and aptitudes of my own and the following generations, especially when I > > > imagine that I may want to continue using my Leicas in my old age. > > > > > > Given Leica Inc.'s own increasingly spotty performance on the quality control and > > > service score, perhaps moving soon to electronics and their concomitant > > > "broken-replace it" philosophy will be the best way to insure survival for the > > > marque. People like Sherry and DAG and Reinhold are bound to become as scarce as the > > > rarest Leica one day. > > > > > > Emanuel Lowi > > > Montreal > > > > Show me $35-50K a year, retirement plan, health insurance, and LIFETIME > > benefits for my family if I should die/be shot/etc....and I'm yours. > > That's what most college graduates can get, if they pursue the same > > path I did....(although I make less, cuz I'm a lazy shit). > > > > The life of a camera repairman is one of working for shop after shop, mostly > > on shit cameras, for $10 hr/billed, with no commitment of any kind from the > > owner, he himself who is unsure of tomorrow...then dealing with anal retentives > > who blame everything on the gear (pros being some of the worst-the "wedding" crowd). > > No benefits, handle your own IRS problems, cuz you're a "sub-contractor" so the > > owner has no liability, etc. etc. etc..... > > > > Maybe DAG and Sherry have enough Leica-only work, or maybe they have other > > business interests, but it's not for me......I'll take the state teat anytime.... > > been there, done that, seen two companies go out of business while turning > > a significant gross profit....it weren't us that were stealing the money... > > > > Judging from Leica's financial position, I'm just glad I don't work for them.... > > I hate looking for new jobs.... > > > > Walt > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. > http://im.yahoo.com > >