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M seriesTri-Elmar 24-28-35


roofus

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Is this M lens discountinued? I couldn't seem to find it on the Leica site, but maybe I wasn't looking in the right spot.

 

Sorry - I meant 28-35-50 but I cant seem to correct the title!

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I am reliably informed that Leica Camera AG does not have glass for the front element at present. As everyone knows, a few years ago Leica Camera AG was in an uncertain financial state and shed staff as well as running down inventory, glass and parts for both cameras and lenses.

 

With the success of the M8 there is now a problem in meeting demand, not only for that camera, but also for new lenses.

 

By way of example, my M7 à la carte has been at Solms for many months for warranty repairs which are unable to be done as LC AG does not have the parts!

 

I hope the Tri-Elmar-M 1:4/28-35-50 ASPH returns to the catalogue for the benefit of future users. As does Luc, my TEM goes with me everywhere with a Summicron-M 1:2/35 & 1:2/75 ASPH in my pocket.

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As a matter of interest, what is wrong with your M7? Seems bizarre that there is a parts shortage for a camera supposedly in current production. Perhaps demand for the M7 is such they are fulfilling what little demand there is from inventory.

 

More generally it does seem that it's one thing for an item to be in the catalogue, another thing entirely for it to be in stock anywhere.

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As a matter of interest, what is wrong with your M7?

 

Dear Mark,

 

My M7 à la carte was configured and ordered a year ago.

 

Upon it arrival it immediately went back to Solms with viewfinder defects including a "finger-print" on an internal element.

 

It returned three months later and worked satisfactorily for a while until it would no longer function at any of the electronically controlled shutter speeds. The two mechanical shutter speeds worked, however eventually they too locked solid and it was not possible to advance the film or wind and release the shutter, so back to Solms it went again.

 

It is now a further three months later and Leica Customer Service informs me there are not parts in stock to fix the camera. I wrote to Stephen Lee twice asking for a refund of what I paid for the camera and he ignored both letters.

 

If it ever returns I will sell it immediately while it still works and rely on my M2, M3 or M5 which can be serviced by a number of other Feinmechaniker.

 

Trust you have more luck with your M7.

 

Justin

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Justin, I think this sorry situation is another reflection of the situation in Leica where they are so busy fighting the M8 fire, filters, firmware, lens backlogs, that users of other products are being side-lined. If I was an M7 user waiting for parts or a DMR user waiting for firmware, news that the M8 situation is an improving one would provide little comfort.

 

The issue with the M7 (and it will apply to the DMR and M8) is that you can't just take it to your knowedgeable camera repairer because of the electronic content and software based setup and calibration. If the M7 is still a current product, I think it's amazing that they do not have parts to fix them.

 

We'll never know just how bad things got for Leica in 2005 but if part of their inventory reduction was to reduce the number of parts stockpiled for future service and support, Leica are betraying their loyal customer base.

 

I don't have an M7 but I do have M8s. At least one of the parts used in it is guaranteed a supply life of 5 years and it's not clear when the start date is/was. 10 years down the road, I can see aggrieved M8 users with dead cameras on their hands which Leica cannot fix because of "no parts".

 

Car companies lay down sufficient parts based on years of experience to cover what they need. In an extreme case, they will go and get more parts made. I don't see Leica being able to do that with Intel...

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*

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Agreed Mark. That is why I am going back to the M2, M3 & M5. At present I am enjoying a Minolta CLE. Its metering is better than the M7, the downside being the short based rangefinder. The camera has not failed me in twenty five years!

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>> Justin

 

 

what a shame !

 

But you could actually be pretty sure your M7 will do a good job once it returns ... You just had bad luck with the electronics in your sample, but since you live a long way away from SOLMS things take much longer.

 

Sorry to hear about your frustration. My M7 is working flawlessly from the beginning, I´am sure the >>returner<< will service you as well !

 

But your statement is quite true, you can never work out reasonably well serviced LEITZ/ LEICA- gear, that´s what I also enjoy a lot about my older equipment.

 

 

 

 

Best

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Justin what a shame !

 

But you could actually be pretty sure your M7 will do a good job once it returns ... You just had bad luck with the electronics in your sample, but since you live a long way away from SOLMS things take much longer.

 

 

Hello Karl,

 

Good to hear from you. Distance has nothing to do with the problem. We have had air-mail to Australia for a few years now, and on average it takes three to five days for a parcel to travel to or from Solms.

 

The delay is because Leica Camera AG does not have the necessary part to fix the camera. Here is an extract from the e-mail I received from the Kundendienst "but for the M7 there is a delay due to the lack of one part".

 

I will probably give the M7 a reprieve and sell it when the warranty expires. A good friend has lent me his trouble free M7 in the meantime and I have grown to like the camera.

 

Kind regards,

 

Justin

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Hello Justin,

 

 

this means you´ll give it a try for at least 4 1/2 years, that´s good to hear.

 

Enjoy the machine during this time and try not to touch an M8, even more of these horrible electronic- parts in there.

 

 

We just had to dump our BOSCH dishwasher due to an electronics- failure. The costs were to high to replace the mainboard. The thing was >>only<< 9 years old. Now it´s a MIELE. It´s also full of this stuff, but they promised it lasts for 20 years.

 

Hopefully.

 

You can´t escape into a mechanics- only world any more these days.

 

 

Best

 

___________________________

 

By the way, do you know how W i l l i a m B e s z is doing ??

Didn´t hear a word from there for months ...

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By the way, do you know how William Besz is doing ??

Didn´t hear a word from there for months ...

 

Dear Karl,

 

I had a long and pleasant lunch with him a few months ago when he visited Melbourne. William is a man who does not sit still and his latest obsession is ultra-light aircraft. That might be why the screams of silence.

 

On the topic of all mechanical, the Miele (mechanical) at the beach house is sixteen years old and hasn't missed a beat. The new one in town is the same as yours, so we will wait and see.

 

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

 

Justin

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