Jump to content

Upcoming visit to Leica Wetzlar


djmay

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have had a running dialog with Leica regarding S system problems since this summer. I have been encouraged by how Leica has responded. Consequently, I am visiting Wetzlar next Tuesday and will be discussing the resolution of the various problems. I will also be touring the facilities and manufacturing operations.

 

If there is any interest, I will provide feedback to this forum.

 

Jesse

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

Please do, I have had the S2-P sensor replaced and on my 3rd AF motor replacement within 12 months. It has cost me nothing financially (they send out postage paid UPS labels), but it would be good to not have to do it ;-) Also no firmware updates for the original S2/S2-P nor standalone updates for the lenses for those of us with original bodies....

 

john

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Guest chipcarterdc

Please ask them directly what the **** exactly they plan to do to permanently repair the AF issue with S lenses (beyond fixing them with the same part *after* they break). In other words, what they will do to restore confidence.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have had a running dialog with Leica regarding S system problems since this summer. I have been encouraged by how Leica has responded. Consequently, I am visiting Wetzlar next Tuesday and will be discussing the resolution of the various problems. I will also be touring the facilities and manufacturing operations.

 

If there is any interest, I will provide feedback to this forum.

 

Jesse

Go for it. Was there in May to drop off a faulty S 006 camera and was very well received. Repair (new sensor) done at no cost and sent back to me within the week. Excellent service. Always good to look around in the store and the museum. Also do not forget the outlet store located in a container-looking building outside.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Ditto, more transparency (as opposed to none) about the AF failure problem.

 

I recently rewatched Luminous Landscape's interview with Peter Karbe about 7 years ago. At some point he talks about how Leica chose the DC motor for the S lenses for their "reliability."

Link to post
Share on other sites

As was so helpfully pointed out to me recently, it's not the motor that fails, but a plastic gear in the AF mechanism. It was a useless distinction in my discussion, but a valid one here where the choice of DC motor seems independent of the problem plaguing S lenses.

 

--Matt

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Please ask about AF issue as it is dominating this forum!

Also, ask if they can reincorporate the LED linked histogram on the next upgrade. With the present upgrade, you can select it but it reverts to default (ie not visible on LED) once the camera is turned off. Can they program it so that we have the option of ALWAYS having the histogram appear on LED? 

A simple and easily granted favor....

 

Albert  :huh:  :huh:  :huh:

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

The following is a summary of my visit to Leica Camera AG in Wetzlar, last week. I had been invited to visit Leica after a catastrophe with my S 006 in July. In short, I was traveling in the U.S. when the S failed and there was no loaner available in the U.S. I was on the way to Iceland to do a shoot that had been planned for six months. I had to do the shoot with my M9, which performed very well. After my return to Germany I had multiple conversations with Leia, and I was invited to Wetzlar to see how committed they were to my satisfaction.

 

Subsequent to the repair of my S 006, I had additional problems that could have been in the camera, the lenses or both. I had random overexposures, slow startup, and depth of field preview button malfunction. I provided a detailed description of the problems to Leica by email. Leica immediately replaced my camera and three lenses with loaners, with the intent that I would exchange the loaners for my equipment when I arrived in Wetzlar.

 

My visit to Wetzlar had positive and negative aspects to it. First the negatives:

They were not prepared very well for my visit, which was agreed one month in advance.

A key person, with whom I was to meet, was on vacation. I was informed one week prior to the visit and a substitute was arranged.

The substitute was not on the premises when I arrived, and another person greeted me. This person was courteous, however did not know the details of my visit. For example, I was to have a factory tour, which no one seemed to know.

The substitute person arrived several hours later.

I had intended to meet with the S 006 product manager, with whom I had spoken during my S failure catastrophe, however he had not been informed and was not available.

 

The positives:

I received an ad hoc factory tour. I did not go into the manufacturing area, because it is a clean room. Camera manufacturing was blocked from view because prototype manufacturing was being done. That should cause a lot of speculation. An interesting note; each M camera is assembled start to finish by a single person. Leica is secretive about the quantity of each individual product is produced. However, 500 finished products in total are produced every day.

 

I also went on the roof of the main building to look over the campus. The buildings are nicely designed, with the layout plan modeled after a camera. The main building is the lens. The heating and cooling is via geothermal. There is quite a lot of construction for new facilities in progress, including a hotel.

 

The exhibits of historic photographs, the history of the products and manufacturing processes are all very well done. The quality of prints from almost 100 year-old negatives is impressive.

 

All my S equipment was checked and repaired. I spoke with the technicians involved with S lens and S body repairs.

 

  1. Depth of field preview malfunction was due to a sticking button on the S body. This was a mechanical problem and repaired.
  2. Overexposure on the 180mm lens was due to a mechanical problem causing the diaphragm to occasionally remain open during exposure. This was repaired.
  3. All S lenses were inspected for the defective focus mechanism component that fails. None of my lenses contain that component. As I understand it, the solution to the autofocus failure is permanent. My interpretation of the situation is as follows:
  • The defective component was not part of the sub-assembly of all lenses.
  • It is not known by Leica which lenses contain the defective components.
  • The only way to know if a lens has the defective component is to open the lens and inspect, as was done with my lenses. Therefore, I would not expect a recall.

 

Lastly, my M9 was upgraded to a M-P 240, due to the sensor glass corrosion problem.

 

Everyone with whom I spoke was knowledgeable, personable and interested in customer satisfaction.

 

I will see how the reliability of the S system holds up over the next months. I remain optimistic, but my confidence needs to be restored. I have told Leica this and they have promised to do everything they can to win it back.

 

Jesse

  • Like 7
Link to post
Share on other sites

 

Lastly, my M9 was upgraded to a M-P 240, due to the sensor glass corrosion problem.

 

 

Jesse, could you share the details. I have an M9 with the corroded sensor and would be real interested to know if Leica is offering an upgrade to the 240, and at what price. Perhaps this was a courtesy deal given your experiences.

Thanks

David

Edited by Deliberate1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Jesse, could you share the details. I have an M9 with the corroded sensor and would be real interested to know if Leica is offering an upgrade to the 240, and at what price. Perhaps this was a courtesy deal given your experiences.

Thanks

David

 

Dave,

 

The upgrade cost me half the price of a new M-P 240. I understand that I am not the only person that has been provided this option. What may have been added courtesy is that it was offered during the planning of my visit. That means the upgrade was waiting for me when I arrived in Wetzlar. I should add that I thought about it quite a bit before I accepted the offer.

 

Jesse

Link to post
Share on other sites

Jesse, could you share the details. I have an M9 with the corroded sensor and would be real interested to know if Leica is offering an upgrade to the 240, and at what price. Perhaps this was a courtesy deal given your experiences.

Thanks

David

 

I can tell you the Euro prices offered if that is of use....

 

john

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...