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Does Leica service match their brand and their great products? I invite you to an open discussion about this based on my own experience (a little long text maybe). As many others, I contacted Leica due to some suspicious looking rows of dots on my pictures taken at low apertures. Leica Customer care looked at the samples I sent them and told me that I had to send my camera (M9P) to them to have it checked. Here is my first experience with Leica Customer Care described step wise. It is the service experience that I would like to discuss and not the specific technical problem: > I spent 150 Euro on shipping and insurance to have the camera sent to Leica. I had to make them confirm that they had received the camera. They didn’t do that automatically. > After a short while I got a message from Leica that the sensor was not defective but they would clean the sensor and adjust the rangefinder etc. I was happy with that, and said thank you. > After some weeks of waiting I contacted Leica to hear when they would send the camera back to me. I was told by a technician that I hadn’t communicated with before that there was a lead time of an additional 2 ½ months to have the camera cleaned. At that time they had already had the camera for more than a month. > I contacted Leica and told them to send the camera back to me un-cleaned since I had to use it for a field trip. I was the contacted by the first person that I had communicated with and he told me that they could have it cleaned and send back within a week. I was happy with that, and said thank you. > I got my camera back within the week as promised. However, as I went to check it I was really disappointed. The sensor was very dirty and hair-like strands that were not there before showed very clearly on the pictures even at F4. In fact the sensor was much worse than before and the dots that were the reason for sending the camera to Leica were indeed still visible. Along with the camera Leica had sent a certificate stating that the sensor had been cleaned and the camera cap was “sealed off” with the orange sticker. I personally do not believe that the sensor had been cleaned. > I contacted Leica again and told them in a friendly way that I did not see the problem solved. They returned to me and apologized and suggested that they had my camera back again. I told Leica that I was a bit reluctant to just send the camera back without knowing what would be done to it, and how long time it would take. They told me to send some DNGs that showed the problem, and they would find a swift solution – which I did. > After a couple of days I got a mail by accident from Leica. It was internal communication between my contact and a technician. In the mail I was characterized as being very “unzufrieden” which I actually don’t think was quite right. I had only pointed out the problems as described in an objective way. Internal mails ending up at the customer should really not happen. This is a big mistake in my eyes. > After some additional waiting time I contacted Leica to hear their conclusions, and after some more time I got the message that they needed to have the camera back to overhaul the sensor and evaluate if it needed to be changed. That was actually what they should have done when they got the camera in the first place, and they had already stated that the sensor was OK and cleaned anyway. > I contacted Leica and told them that I could not send in the camera right now because I needed it for a field trip, so I would dry clean the sensor myself to remove the dust, and then send in the camera at a later stage for the other problems. I asked if they could provide me with a device and a method for blowing the dust off. > After some more time I got a mail from a Danish agent that had not been in contact before. They told me that they heard I had problems with dust on the sensor and suggested that I contacted a certain Dealer in Denmark who they know is a Nikon/Canon expert??! > I will now search this forum and find a method to dry clean my sensor myself, and subsequently decide further actions…I need to go shooting rather than writing. I have 15 years of experience with technical service, and to me this is a very inconsistent performance by Leica – both in terms of communication and actions. So, my question: is there any learning for Leica here – and could we give them some constructive feedback and ideas for improvement? What is your experience?

Hello everyone! First post – I should warn you that this might be a dumb question, but it's one that I can't seem to find an answer for. Recently, I had an M3 serviced by Youxin Ye (YYe Camera) via the rush option, and it was returned to me quite quickly. At first inspection, everything seemed good. The camera had been experiencing shutter capping, which was no longer an issue, and the rangefinder was clean and adjusted appropriately. The camera itself, a double-stroke with buddha ears, is in pretty nice condition, with almost all of its original vulcanite. More recently, I got my hands on a TTL shutter tester (PulseHPT 3-in-1 Shutter Speed Tester, configured with the light sensor). Based on the shutter tester's readings, the 1/1000, 1/500, and 1/250 speeds are at approximately 1/300, 1/200, and 1/140. All other speeds are accurate, within 1/4EV or less. I've also tested the shutter speed tester with a 500CM and electronically controlled cameras like the Pentax LX, and those cameras do not exhibit the same issue of slow top speeds when used with the shutter tester. I emailed Mr. Ye, and he stated "The speed for a Leica mechanical camera is an approximation, not exact," and that "Even a new Leica MP, due to Leica adjusted speeds in too tight tolerance, we have to readjust the speeds after a few months the camera left the factory, to prevent capping problems." Is it true that the tolerances for the top speeds of Leica cameras, even a brand new one, are this flexible? I thought that adjustment of the shutter speeds, as part of the CLA, is supposed to bring them into spec, not just get it to some degree of 'functional.' Otherwise, what would be the point? (Photos of said camera attached for eye candy)

So I recently got (for lack of a better word) scammed into buying a Summaron 35 2.8 with a cracked goggle (let's not get into it). The lens functions okay, but I'm wondering what my chances are of replacing the glass on the front of the goggle and what this might cost. The lens is over 60 years old, so I'm not very hopeful but wanted to check anyway. Thanks in advance for any responses.

My Tele Elmarit M 90 shows these marks when inspecting under a certain angle. It looks like dried water behind the front-element of the lens. It does not show in photos but still it concerns me. Is this serviceable? Have you ever seen something like this?

Liebe Mitglieder, ich war mal wieder zu Gast bei Michel Birnbacher. Diesmal ging es um meine Servicearbeiten für Leica Kameras und Gehäuse. Hört rein: https://leica-enthusiast.de/2023/07/klaus-gamber-2/ Und wer Fragen hat, darf mich gerne anschreiben!

Hi, bei meiner R8 klappt der Spiegel nicht mehr weg, wenn es kälter ist. Kennt ihr jemand im Rhein-Main Gebiet (+/- 100km, ich will die nicht schicken), der das einstellen kann? Benutze sie trotz ihres unangenehmen Gewichts sehr sehr gerne ;-) Grüße Rolf

I am restoring a Focomat 1c (complete with Ilford Multigrade HLZ system) and all seems fine except it is missing one small but important part. I attach a photo of the part on another 1c as well as the bare spindle/screw on mine. I don’t know what it is called but I’m guessing it is a roller bearing and is roughly 10mm in diameter. It supports the curved autofocus cam and without it I need to manually focus all the time. Now I am aware that Leica stopped support for enlargers some time ago but I wonder if anyone could help: is this a standard component I could source from a roller bearing supplier or would I need to have it fabricated? Second query is does anyone know of a good lens repair place that could clean the haze from a couple of Focotars I have. Leica no longer provide this service. I'm in the UK. Thanks

I have recently got my 75mm Summilux back from service because of back focusing. It is a bit better, but still far from perfect. At a distance of one meter, the focus is very good. But at three meters the focus is about 10 cm behind. And the back focusing increases even more at longer distances. Is this a well known problem for this lens? Shouldn't it be possible to get a better result, or is a visoflex the only safe alternative for accurate focus? I will mainly use this lens wide open. Would it be easier to calibrate it for f/1.4 only, instad of all apertures? Do I have to pay for another service if I am not satisfied?

I am planning a visit to Leica Park, Wetzlar in the near future. I've heard it said that you can get a service on your Leica camera whilst there. I'm not sure how true this is so wondered whether anyone had any details. And do you think it would stretch to carrying out lens alignment? I have an M10-P and a Summilux 50mm which I'd like to get aligned (in a short period of time) and wondered whether it was something I could ask them to do, or is that stretching their assistance/generosity a bit far? If it's not something you think they could/would carry out does anyone have any recommendations of good authorised Leica lens alignment outfits in the UK? Thanks in advance for any assistance. Jim

is this manual actually from 1959 ? https://photographysgoldenageii.wordpress.com/2019/02/08/leica-m3-service-manual/

Hallo, bin gerade durch Zufall auf folgender Seite der Leica Homepage gelandet: https://de.leica-camera.com/Service-Support/Serviceleistungen/Service-Certificate Hat hier jemand schon Erfahrung mit diesem Service? 200,-€ für ein weiteres Jahr Garantie bei Bestehen aller Tests hört sich gut an.