Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/11/11

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] mechanical shutters
From: Walter S Delesandri <walt@jove.acs.unt.edu>
Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2000 08:14:16 -0600 (CST)

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
> 
>