[Leica] Re: Leitz NJ- poor service

[Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>]

The Minilux is not really a Leica. It is a rebadged Japanese camera. I
would be astonished if anyone in NJ or Solms knew the answer to your question.

A couple of weeks ago I related the story of a friend of mine receiving a
free R8. I called NJ on a Monday and asked for an R8 users manual and
received it the following Friday.

I dripped frozen yogurt on my 135-R lens and froze the f/stop ring (the
goop oozed under it and froze the diaphragm. I sent it in and got it back
in less than three weeks.

My first M6 took a bump which knocked the vertical alignment out and this
was before I got my own alignment tool. I sen it in on a Monday and
received it back the following Monday.

I've been using Leica since the CL came out. R cameras starting in 1976.
I've never ever had a problem getting answers to questions that they are
likely to know or getting what I call good service.

Jim


At 10:10 PM 11/26/00 -0500, Don Lindich wrote:
>I am thoroughly disgusted with Leitz NJ... by far the worst customer
service I have experienced.  Phone calls are not returned, I was
transferred around ad nauseum, and when I got in touch with
>their "technical rep" I found him to be an idiot with an attitude.  I
still don't have an answer to my question:  How does my Minilux control
exposure with flash?  "Very well!" was the answer I
>got.  Duh.  I wanted to know if it used flash cut off, changed aperture
according to distance, etc, especially since it always shows f/2.4 when
using flash.  When posed differently, I got a
>bunch of guesses and it was suggested that I figure it out myself, or that
it doesn't matter.  So much for having control of your camera.  I was under
the impression the "tech rep" had very
>little knowledge of photography, or Leica products.  Not what I expected
from such a photographically "legendary" company.  I emailed Germany in
desperation and I they forwarded it to the US
>without helping me... I got an email from the US distributor telling me to
contact the original "technical rep".  Thanks a lot for the great
service... you really balue your customers...
>
>Given the premium prices of the products and the apparently expensive and
slow service, I don't think I'll be picking up an M6 outfit after all.  The
Minilux was intended to give me a "taste" of
>Leica before commiting the big bucks and by all accounts (and what I have
seen from others) the results from it are fabulous.  (Still waiting for my
first rolls to come back.)  So far the only
>taste I have gotten is a bad taste in my mouth!
>