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DAG Camera repair


LDHaber

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I sent a M4-P into Don Goldberg (DAG) around two and a half months ago for a CLA. I haven't heard from him, there has been no response to emails and the phone is always busy.

 

Is there a problem there people are aware of?

 

 

I exchanged about 4 E-Mails 2 days ago about a problem I had and he was good enough to take the time to help me.

 

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MachineGun

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I sent a M4-P into Don Goldberg (DAG) around two and a half months ago for a CLA. I haven't heard from him, there has been no response to emails and the phone is always busy.

 

Is there a problem there people are aware of?

 

You have not stated if DAG has definitely received the camera. Did he acknowledge receipt?

 

dunk

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.

You have not stated if DAG has definitely received the camera. Did he acknowledge receipt?

 

Not personally by Don, hence my question.

 

But, yes, I am quite certain the camera was received and signed for, according to UPS.

 

I've sent at least four emails and have had no response and everytime I call I get a busy signal.

 

I was concerned that something bad happened, perhaps sickness or such

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.

 

Not personally by Don, hence my question.

 

But, yes, I am quite certain the camera was received and signed for, according to UPS.

 

I've sent at least four emails and have had no response and everytime I call I get a busy signal.

 

I was concerned that something bad happened, perhaps sickness or such

 

But surely a UPS POD is no proof that DAG has actually received it ... anyone could sign the POD ... This happens occasionally in UK when the postman steals the package. Unless DAG acknowledges receipt to you personally there is no 100% certainty he has got the camera.

 

dunk

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I sent a M4-P into Don Goldberg (DAG) around two and a half months ago for a CLA. I haven't heard from him, there has been no response to emails and the phone is always busy.

 

Is there a problem there people are aware of?

 

Call him first thing in the morning ..thats when I catch him 9am EST. I ve had the same problem ....CLA take for ever ..calibration ,adjustments he is pretty fast.

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It took two weeks from my lens was delivered to I got a confirmation from hit, but he managed to repair my lens, something which Leica did not.

 

And yes, he always claims to have lost all his mails :)

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Before I send anything out to DAG (or anyone else) I always want to have contact to discuss the equipment issue and have a contact name and what I need from the standpoint of time.

 

I then ask if that will be possible. Sometimes it will take longer and I expect it to be. He is very busy, and he is very, very good at his craft.

 

Keep trying and if time is of the essence, make it known. I never call at or around lunch (central time) because everyone else usually does, as is the case first thing in the morning. I rarely use emails, and he has told me a pesky thorn in his side is people not sending a return/shipping address.

 

Keep trying.

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As far as I can tell, DAG has been swamped since the beginning of the LDE (Leica Digital Era). So many lenses were OK on film but needed calibration. And for anything that's not a warranty problem I'd send it to him rather than Leica, who take even longer. He's a master craftsman, & Leica NJ seems like a squad of Keystone cops in comparison.

 

in my experience, he answers all e-mails promptly except those about when things will get done.

 

Kirk

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I had DAG do a number of CLA on several of my R lenses. He informed me by way of telephonics that I had purchased wisely as all three Rs needed only his 3/4 service rather than the full 100%. Don is extremely busy and he runs his business his way. Not for the customer. On average it was about 3-4 weeks from time I sent each individually, by US mail, return receipt requested, till they arrived back. He takes pride in what he does, don't push him. If you have a question, pick up the phone and call. Don hates email. He is a true pleasure to talk to about Leicas. By the way he did my R 7, and two R 6.2s and they operate like new. Who cares about scratches? They don't affect my photo making. Most of his work come with a 6 month warranty.

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Another positive vote for Don - he has calibrated everything from a badly setup new Noctilux through to a complete M9/lens collection calibration for me and his work has been spot on - perfect first time. I wouldn't hesitate to use him even if he were more expensive or even slower than Leica. (sad to say).

 

Sherry is also a good resource for lens work - she did a perfect job on a 35 'cron I dropped and a full CLA on a 90 'cron too. Probably faster on a CLA than DAG actually.

 

My Leica experience by comparison hasn't been so great for coding, although my $$$$ M8 upgrade was ok & quick. The lenses came back from NJ with some minor cosmetic damage which annoyed the he'll out of me but tough to prove as I didn't have before/after shots.

 

If your gear is with DAG, have faith that at least the job will be done well even if you have to wait.

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I have been sending Don a couple of boxes a year for the last few with various equipment. I have never received any feedback from him until he emails me what he has done and the total he wants paypaled. The wait can sometimes be ling, but I forgive him because of the beautiful work he does.

 

Carl

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I would like to close the story here off.

 

After innumerable attempts to contact Mr Goldberg via email, fax and phone we finally spoke. After having my camera for 10 1/2 weeks, he said he hadn't touched it. I suggested he just return it to me then and there. But he offered to complete the work in the next day or two. I agreed to this.

 

I received the camera yesterday on August 12. I had dispatched the camera on May 24. So, it took almost a quarter of a year (80 days to be exact) to have my M4-P CLA'd. I would also mention that he enclosed a note telling me that "these M4-P cameras never feel as smooth as the earlier M cameras". I am not certain if that is an insult or a warning. A note saying "sorry for the delay" might have been nice.

 

I am glad you all had such good experiences with DAG. But, I did not nor do I consider charming that he makes no effort to communicate with customers or that he agrees to take on more work than he can handle.

 

This forum lists him first on the list of camera repair specialists and from my perspective that is not an appropriate choice.

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There are frequent posts on RFF about Don, most of them about elapsed time/communication issues. He has done work for me and it was perfect but I don't send him repairs any more because he takes so long. There are others on the list who use email and can turn round a repair in two or three weeks, and they are very good too.

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As far as I can tell, DAG has been swamped since the beginning of the LDE (Leica Digital Era).

 

Kirk

 

No. Well yes, but not for the same reasons as you think. What the digital Leica M era has done is suck up many newbies, wannabes and amateurs that have no clue how a rangefinder works.

And all those unneeded "CLAs".

 

This CLA thing is so silly that people were buying Leicas and were asking the sellers to send the camera to Don for a CLA before they even saw the camera they purchased. Totally crazy.

 

Who knows how much money Don has made with those unneeded CLAs. As a matter of fact, I am quite sure many of those cameras have just sat for months before being returned to their owners without even being touched.

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Can we try and clear this up and move on? Don ranks in that group of which there are two in the US. He and Sherri. I 'm tired of seeing your emails which are all about the same thing. You post, we post back. When ever you plan on shipping use the USPO (in the states). Request (insured) a return receipt and the sticker of who actually signed for it. I had one of my R6.2's sent, and I called Don to verify and discuss a viewing screen. Yes he had it, it had been left in safe keeping of his next door neighbor. As Don said several times since he works alone he sets his own hours. Have you bothered to check with UPSO? You can do that from your computer with your delivery number. By sending the package USPS, insured means that every postal employee who touches it has to sign for it. Registered and insured. Period. Don't forget a telephone contact number and return address. If you sent it by United Parcel you can start checking with the delivery code number on your receipt. If they sent it call them, not us. They can do a tracking number.

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