Q&A Leica M (Type 240) Strap Lugs

[LUF Admin]

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Some weeks ago our member Salander opened a thread as the strap lugs of his Leica M were unscrewing.

We informed Leica about this issue, but our first guess was that it was a singular case.

This turned out to be wrong: Many Leica M (Type 240) delivered before April 5 2013 are affected.

Leica asked us to set up a Q&A thread (this one) to answer your questions.

If you have questions not answered by the initial Q&A below please post them here:
Questions to Leica

Once a day we'll summarize all new questions and forward them to Solms, answers will be published here in this thread.
In order to stay on track we'll forward and answer only questions related to this specific issue.

Thanks
Andreas


Here is the official announcement by Leica:

Precautionary Check for all LEICA M (Typ 240) delivered before April 5 2013: Loose Carrying Strap Eyelets 


We are aware of the fact that a few of the Leica M (Typ 240) cameras shipped before April 5th 2013 experienced loose carrying strap eyelets. We identified that these cases were caused by an assembly fault that occurred in the Leica M (Typ 240) production line. Products potentially affected only concern Leica M (Typ 240) cameras shipped prior to 5 April 2013. After identifying what happened, we fixed the production issue immediately. Rest assured that the issue has been completely solved and corrected. We are deeply sorry that this occurred.

What to do now?

For not registered owners:
If you have not yet registered your camera at owners.leica-camera.com we suggest you do so, as it is the quickest means of contact.
Alternatively, you may call our helpline at +49 6442 208 638 (available 24h) or send an email to typ240@leica-camera.com.

For registered owners:
If you have already registered your Leica M (Typ 240) in the “Leica Owners Area”, you will be contacted via E-Mail in the coming days and informed whether your camera needs to be checked or not.


What’s next?

Leica will contact you with detailed information on the further procedure within the next days.
Please do not send your camera in unless you have been in contact with us or with your local Leica distributor first.

If you have any further questions, we have addressed some of them on the next page and we also have an open FAQ on the Leica User Forum http://www.l-camera-forum.com/short/faqlug where we will be responding to any additional questions.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Leica Camera AG

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[LUF Admin]

Questions and Answers:

 

Precautionary Check for all LEICA M (Typ 240) Cameras Delivered before April 5 2013: Loose Carrying Strap Eyelets

 

How do I know if my camera was affected?

 

This issue only affects specific Leica M (Typ 240) cameras shipped prior to 5 April 2013. Those models shipped after that date are not affected by this issue. No other Leica Camera models are affected. If you are unsure whether or not your camera has this fault, you can call our helpline at +49 6442 208 638 (available 24h) or send an email to typ240@leica-camera.com with the camera’s serial number. The best and quickest way to find out if your camera was affected is to register it and we will contact you.

 

When will my camera be checked?

 

Registered customers will be contacted with a proposed timeframe for the check. If the proposed timeframe does not fit to your personal schedule, individual appointments can be arranged.

 

Are all Leica M (Typ 240) cameras affected?

 

No, we have identified individual cases of faulty assembly for those Leica M (Typ 240) cameras shipped prior to 5 April 2013.

 

Do the eyelets fall off suddenly or is it possible that they will become progressively looser?

 

The eyelets should not budge within the camera body. If you notice any movement, caution is necessary. If you are unsure then it is best to contact us.

 

The eyelets on my camera seem to be fine right now, but can they loosen over time?

 

Yes, it is possible that the movement and jolting of daily use may lead to the loosening of unsecured eyelets. Again, it is best to contact us to confirm if your camera was affected.

 

Can I just fasten the eyelets myself?

 

No, the eyelets are secured from inside the camera body. You should not attempt to fix them yourself.

 

What happens if my Leica M (Typ 240) is damaged due to loose eyelets?

 

If your camera and/or lens were damaged due to this fault we will replace them free of charge.

 

Does my camera need to be serviced immediately or can it be done at a later date?

 

You can have your camera serviced at a later date, but we strongly suggest having it done as soon as possible to prevent any further potential damage.

 

How long will I be without my camera?

 

We will be working extremely hard to get the affected cameras fixed and returned to their owners as quickly as possible. To ensure this and prevent any delays we will be processing the cameras successively. Once we receive the camera, the necessary repairs will be made within a 24-48 hour period. Please note that depending on the distance from the factory in Germany, the return shipment of cameras may take some time.

 

I need my camera back by a certain date, can I request to have it fixed before then?

 

Of course we will do our best to have your camera fixed and returned to you by the date you request. We will keep you informed of the anticipated service date.

 

Can I bring my camera in to a Leica repair center closer to my home instead of sending it back to Germany?

 

Presently, these repairs can only be done by the Customer Care department in Solms, Germany.

[Leon_B.]

Currently my camera is being monitored in Solms. Will the strap lugs also be controlled?

How can I find out if they were checked, when my camera comes back?

 

Of course we are checking the strap lug issue on all M cameras that have been returned

for service for other reasons. If your camera was sent to Solms for viewfinder calibration for

example, we´ll check the strap lugs on it automatically, too.

The customers will be contacted individually by e-mail. To make sure that the camera was

checked, you should register either on owners.leica-camera.com, send us the serial number

of your camera to typ240@leica-camera.com or call our hotline: +49 6442 208 638.

[Leon_B.]

Is there any reason to be concerned about the lug straps on other M cameras,

such as the M Monochrom, made during this same time period?

 

No, only the first Leica M (Typ 240) cameras are affected. Loose strap lugs in

other camera models are individual cases.

 

Why the inspection/repair of the strap eyelets and the setting of the rangefinder

can’t be done by a local service center of Leica?

 

Because the global Customer Care agencies are not yet equipped with all necessary

adjustment and quality control tools.

 

Does the level of disassembly of the camera required to resolve the problem mean

that critical and time-consuming alignment processes - specifically the alignment of the

sensor parallel to the lens mount and the rangefinder - have to be repeated on re-assembly?

Given the likely volume of work and time pressures to complete it, can we be completely

certain that repaired cameras will operate correctly?

 

The cameras have to be disassembled partly. Even if not all adjustment steps had to be

re-done, every camera will be tested again to ensure full functionality and precision.

[Leon_B.]

Is the strap lug issue going to delay production and/or delivery of new M (240)'s?

If so, for how long?

 

The strap lug issue is being tackled by the customer care center in Solms with the

help of colleagues from our Portugal plant. It will thus have no influence on the

production and delivery of M cameras.

 

Why are you using 3 day shipping to/from Leica USA. This alone will delay our

repair at least two weeks (6 days transit to/from NJ + 6 days to/from transit Solms).

Im not to excited about being with out my brand new camera for what is likely going to

be a month or more. I do appreciate the proactive approach to fixing the problem.

But this is a brand new camera, losing it for 30 days is not acceptable imo.

 

We are sorry that new owners have to part from their camera. We find that making

precautionary check in Solms is necessary to guarantee the level of security that

customers expect from us. We are trying to reduce delay to a maximum by allocating

precise repair time slots for each region to ensure that your camera will be checked

and repaired as soon as it is in Solms. We however have little influence on transit time.

[Leon_B.]

Q1: A quote from a recent answer about the M recall:

"The strap lug issue is being tackled by the customer care center

in Solms with the help of colleagues from our Portugal plant.

It will thus have no influence on the production and delivery of M cameras."

My question: how will this influence the repair times for other jobs

already at Solms Customer Care? According to their repair tracking,

nothing whatsoever has happened to my M9 and lens for 2 weeks...

A1: the strap lug issue is being tackled by a special shift at the

customer care centre in Solms so the regular customer care output

is fully available. The repair tracking does not provide an overview

about how far we are with any repair so please contact the customer

care directly for precise information about a repair.

 

Q2: Thanks for the reply to my question:

"We are sorry that new owners have to part from their camera. We

find that making precautionary check in Solms is necessary to

guarantee the level of security that customers expect from us. We

are trying to reduce delay to a maximum by allocating precise repair

time slots for each region to ensure that your camera will be

checked and repaired as soon as it is in Solms. We however have

little influence on transit time."

Unfortunately, this does not address my concern. You clearly have

"control" over transit times. You have selected 3 day service for

shipping, which directly impacts the delay I have questioned. My

question was why did you select a 3-Day service over faster options?

Could we choose a faster service, say overnight at our expense on

both ends?

A2: please be in touch with us directly if you wish a quicker service.

 

Q3: What is the serial number range that can be published that identifies

affected or unaffected m240s ?

So that if we are about to make a purchase we will know if the product is affected ?

A3: We have checked the cameras which you can now find in the trade and

all cameras on offer now are safe. Once we have fixed the strap lug, the camera is

100% good. Therefore the information whether the camera has been sent back to

Solms or not is of no use to potential buyers.

 

Q4: Has Leica already "recalled" all unsold M240s for fixing ?

A4: yes, see A3