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In need of advice (regarding a repair)


Abram

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So I sent my 28mm Summicron in for repair for having a loose / wobbly front group and I just received it back this afternoon, three months later to the day. However as soon as I opened the box and unwrapped my lens, my heart sank. They seemed to have addressed the wobble I was concerned with but have now introduced an entirely new one. From what I can tell, it is the accessory carrier ring on the front of the lens (where the lens hood and filters attach) that is completely wobbly (it's so loose I can almost spin it in place), now I could attempt to just tighten it down myself, but wasn't that the entire point of sending my lens to Leica in the first place?

 

I admit, I'm frustrated right now and I'm looking for sound advice as to how to approach this situation with a level head (because getting angry is fruitless and that is not the route I'd like to take).

 

I want to have it fixed properly, but I don't want to have to wait another three months to get it back only to have it risked coming back incorrect again. 

 

What is my best course of action? I would assume a call or email to customer support is in order, but should I go to a Leica store? Do I just tighten it myself and hope it stays tightened? Any advice you can offer is appreciated. 

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Check your local dealers to find if they have a service dept. If so explain your situation and most likely it will be fixed while you wait and they buy you a coffee. That's what they did for me. No charge, of course.

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The last time I sent something to E. Leitz for service was some decades ago (USA, At the old address), when my LeicaflexSL came back twice with the light meter way off, after a long wait for its return. Since then I've always used independent Leica techs.

Of course, Leica is really a completely different company today, but from what I hear service in the US may still not be a priority for them. I'd give them a chance to make it right - through a local dealer to be an advocate - and if that doesn't satisfy, try one of the independents who's business depends on pleasing customers through repairs.

Yes, I've had bad luck with an independent once too, when the re-try also wasn't right, so I've stayed with DAG, who has never let me down.

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I've had wonderful experiences with Youxin for servicing, and I have only heard positive things about DAG and Sherry K (minus turn around times), but at the time I had just sent the lens in to Leica and was not wanting to wait multiple weeks for it to return from me cancelling the repair. 

 

I have had a very positive service experience with the Leica Store in San Francisco, but the closest one to me would be Los Angeles, where I've had less than enjoyable experiences, which makes me reluctant to visit them at all. 

 

I don't wish to just slam them and I don't want this thread to take a negative turn, as I do greatly enjoy their products, expensive though they may be, but their service and support has really left me wanting, which is honestly rather disappointing. 

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I gave their customer support a call and explained the issue. They're having me send it back in but this time it's going direct to their service manager. My theory is that this was caused by the lens hood during transit. as we well know the lens hood has been shown to be a root problem when it comes to the front end wobble that my lens exhibited. I had sent the hood in with the lens (inside the leather pouch)and it was returned to me with the hood attached, so my guess is that somehow it worked its way loose while it was on its way back from NJ. 

 

I don't want to think that they just simply didn't complete the work but still filled out the service card and put their signature on a shoddy job. 

 

I'm optimistic that they'll make it right, but I will admit this is going to give me second thoughts about using Leica directly for service in the future. (With the exception of my M240 as independents wont touch it).

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Well considering I only had the lens for a few weeks before I had to send it in, I'm not necessarily inclined to have to shell out for the new one. (The new one got announced right after I bought mine).

Additionally, I have the 35mm Summilux lens hood, and I still had the issue with the front group coming loose. Anyways I'm hoping they'll take care of it and that it won't become a problem again in the future. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

It's been almost two more weeks since I sent the lens back to them and I still haven't been able to get an estimate on when I'll get the lens back and no one has been returning any of my emails. I did get an auto response saying they're transitioning to a new system so I am assuming that can cause some delay, but it would be nice to get at least SOME kind of status update. 

I would love to shoot with the lens again, I'm just starting to wonder when that will be. Next week? Another three months from now? Six months? A year? 

 

I do hope that eventually Leica can step up their customer service game and really improve their level of contact with customers. 

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;) I know. That's my next step. I know it's silly, I just have this habit of dealing with everything over email as it (typically speaking) tends to be faster for me to communicate my thoughts completely. 

 

Ultimately, I'm just anxious to use my lens again (if that isn't made obvious). They haven't lost me as a customer / user as I'm heavily invested in the M system. 

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Tried calling. No answer. 

 

I left a voicemail and I'm still waiting for a reply. I'll have to try calling again, are there any other numbers I can try for the NJ service center?

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This is getting kind of silly. I've been calling every day and I've never been able to get through to actually talk to someone. I can no longer leave a voicemail as it says "message quota exceeded". No one is returning my initial call or replying to my emails. 

 

I have to admit it's getting a bit frustrating. I'm not trying to be demanding or cause problems, I just want them to repair my lens properly. It's been three weeks now on top of the initial three months for the first repair.

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@Abram,

 

Did Leica NJ do the initial repair, or did you send the lens to Wetzlar?  Just wondering, because I have always had good communication and good service from Leica NJ.

 

Since you are in California, you might contact Camera West at their Walnut Creek store.  Ask for Dan Leto, the store manager.  They may be able to help you get this resolved or if nothing else, send your lens to their Leica repair specialist to have it repaired for a modest fee; it doesn't sound like too complex a repair but I would advise against do it yourself repairs; tightening a loose screw is one thing (if you have the right size screwdriver for the job), but beyond that, it is too easy to do more damage than good. 

 

Here is Camera West's contact information - http://www.camerawest.com/locations/

 

Hope this will help.

Edited by Carlos Danger
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@Abram,

 

Did Leica NJ do the initial repair, or did you send the lens to Wetzlar?  Just wondering, because I have always had good communication and good service from Leica NJ.

 

Since you are in California, you might contact Camera West at their Walnut Creek store.  Ask for Dan Leto, the store manager.  They may be able to help you get this resolved or if nothing else, send your lens to their Leica repair specialist to have it repaired for a modest fee; it doesn't sound like too complex a repair but I would advise against do it yourself repairs; tightening a loose screw is one thing (if you have the right size screwdriver for the job), but beyond that, it is too easy to do more damage than good. 

 

Here is Camera West's contact information - http://www.camerawest.com/locations/

 

Hope this will help.

Carlos, 

 

I appreciate your response. I did send the lens (after communication with) to Leica NJ directly. This was around late January. I received the lens back from repair towards the end of April and when I opened the box fresh from repair is when I discovered the loose front accessory ring. The front group wobble seems to have been addressed but I didn't get a chance to use the lens to confirm, it would show up after a few hours of use. I got ahold of Leica NJ to inform them of the state of their repair and they asked me to send it back to them, directly to their head of service. I did that the same day but haven't heard back from them since. No acknowledgement of receipt (though UPS tracking shows it as confirmed delivery), no contact, no returning of my emails or calls. I don't even have a new work order to reference. 

 

I'm not trying to blatantly badmouth them as I really and genuinely do enjoy my Leica cameras and lenses, and I'm also not looking for special treatment, but I feel like this is kind of absurd at this point.

Edited by Abram
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...I'm also not looking for special treatment, but I feel like this is kind of absurd at this point.

 

I would agree 100%.  What you are looking for is acceptable and professional treatment; what you have gotten is anything but. 

 

There is an old saying - "The squeaky wheel gets the grease."   At this point, I would say it's time to do some squeaking.  I always seen to be able to make contact with the tech guy at Leica NJ.  Give him a call, explain to him the unsatisfactory nature of the "service" (  :rolleyes: ) you have received and ask him to look in to it and get back in touch with you. 

 

If that does not work to your satisfaction, call Leica NJ again and ask to speak to whoever next up the ladder over the service department and complain to him/her.  At some point on the totem pole, you should be able to contact someone who will light a fire under the appropriate ass or asses.

 

I am not sure what has caused this nonsense to transpire, but any paying customer deserves better - particularly in consideration of the premium prices of Leica M kit.

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Still continue to call every day and I'm still unable to actually speak to a person. I get the voicemail, no matter which directory I try. No returned emails either. 

 

I'm feeling a bit stumped and more than a little frustrated at this point. I'm sorry to keep whining on the forum here, I'm just trying to figure out a solution. Do you think it would be beneficial to reach out to one of the Leica Stores and see if they can help me get my lens repaired and back in my hands?

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Still continue to call every day and I'm still unable to actually speak to a person. I get the voicemail, no matter which directory I try. No returned emails either. 

 

I'm feeling a bit stumped and more than a little frustrated at this point. I'm sorry to keep whining on the forum here, I'm just trying to figure out a solution. Do you think it would be beneficial to reach out to one of the Leica Stores and see if they can help me get my lens repaired and back in my hands?

I would in this instance, write a very stiff letter to Both the Head of Leica USA & also to the CEO @ Leica Corp.. Send it Registered (requiring a Signature).. explain the facts & wait..  

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