Brand Snobbery

[Guest badbob]

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Total nonsense. I've had very good experiences with both Leica and Sony.

 

So I guess that means we can buy Sony and be guaranteed that when it breaks, we won't have to mail it to that fly-by-night outfit in Florida, correct? That is your answer, yes?

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[Guest badbob]

Rangefound: Snob value...? Regards, Bill

 

Snobbery is just an impression, an opinion. The price, and the fact that you can't buy it, is the reality that separates you from them. And by 'you' I mean people in general.

[peterv]

So I guess that means we can buy Sony and be guaranteed that when it breaks, we won't have to mail it to that fly-by-night outfit in Florida, correct? That is your answer, yes?

 

How would I know. I don't guarentee anything, take it easy. I was merely sharing my personal experience, not looking for a fight. Besides, I'm not from the US, don't even want to know what's in Florida. Although this forum is in the English language, doesn't mean we're all Americans.

 

I'm just saying that when it comes to having to repair your equipment Leica is not automatically giving better service than for example Sony, as the OP suggests.

The internet fora are filled with complaints about every brand, there's good and bad everywhere. It's just the same for both 'Leica snobs' and "lowly Canikony photographers', you can get lucky, or you can be in trouble.

[AlanG]

I've been trying to figure out what fast repairs have to do with brand snobbery. I had a "lowly" Sigma lens that came with a 4 or 5 year warranty. Once I returned it because the diaphragm control was malfunctioning and they fixed it with a one week turn-around door to door.

 

Another time I sent it in feeling the focus was off a little bit. Even though I explained the problem in writing, the technician called me to discuss exactly what I felt was off. He said he owned the same lens and was very familiar with it. I was impressed by his thoroughness. Again the turn-around was a week. Out on Monday, back by Friday.

 

I don't think there are many Sigma snobs. No doubt there are some "Leica snobs" but I don't think repair service is the reason.

[zipper]

I never did buy into the 'people buy Leica because of brand snobbery' stuff. For sure there are those who will always want a new Louis Vuiton edition M9, but I think the majority of us buy gear because it works, is reliable, and one can get parts and service when necessary, period. Billingham replaced the leather straps on my knackered old camera bag and did a fantastic job - but German manufacturers in particular often seem to have a 'Langzeit' commitment to servicing even their 'obsolete' products, Leica of course we know about. But my Steiner binoculars are 15 years into a 40 year warranty and have just been adjusted and repaired 'gratis' by the factory even though it was not a manufacturing fault, but me who was daft enough to drop a pair of heavy 10x50s onto a steel deck. Porsche still supply and re-manufacture components back to their earliest 356 models, Mercedes has the same policy and I know from experience that 30 year old BMW motorcycles are similarly catered for.

[gib_robinson]

Leica NJ is a pain in the arse to deal with... it takes months for a repair. That's really unexceptable.

 

That has not been my experience this past year-18 months. I have gotten good service and a reasonable level of attention from customer service.

 

--Gib

[RichardM8]

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I never did buy into the 'people buy Leica because of brand snobbery' stuff. For sure there are those who will always want a new Louis Vuiton edition M9, but I think the majority of us buy gear because it works, is reliable, and one can get parts and service when necessary, period. Billingham replaced the leather straps on my knackered old camera bag and did a fantastic job - but German manufacturers in particular often seem to have a 'Langzeit' commitment to servicing even their 'obsolete' products, Leica of course we know about. But my Steiner binoculars are 15 years into a 40 year warranty and have just been adjusted and repaired 'gratis' by the factory even though it was not a manufacturing fault, but me who was daft enough to drop a pair of heavy 10x50s onto a steel deck. Porsche still supply and re-manufacture components back to their earliest 356 models, Mercedes has the same policy and I know from experience that 30 year old BMW motorcycles are similarly catered for.

 

This is way too much to grasp for most in one go...

 

+ 1

[zipper]

This is way too much to grasp for most in one go...

 

+ 1

 

?

[RichardM8]

Just a joke. I agree completely with your post.

[ChiILX1]

I had to get a 1 year old Discman fixed by Sony once. I had to pay for them to look at it and then they said they didn't have the parts anymore- that they would give me an EXTREMELY weak credit / voucher towards the purchase of a new one. It was something like a $75 credit for a discman I paid $250 for.

 

Casio cameras always crap out on me for BS internal reasons. They always fix them for them to break down again in less than a couple weeks. Worthless. This happened with 3 Casio cameras we owned.

 

My experience with Casio is why I bought my girlfriend the White C-Lux 3 instead of the panny equivalent (3 year parts & labor warranty for registering online versus the Panny's 30 day labor 90 days parts warranty) and a major plus when I decided to lay down for the 2 year warranty of the X1.

 

Sony makes you buy extended warranties if you want it to be decent. I have experienced a Mack extended warranty on a Casio (considered the best aftermarket extended warranties) as well as a Best Buy warranty and they are absolutely worthless. Their fine print is riddled with unreasonable limitations.

 

One of the fastest up and coming markets in the US is extended warranties because they are such a scam (if you haven't noticed all the US sells anymore is either debt or nothing for something, such as scammy insurance for just about anything, extended warranties, or other monthly services to which the purpose is that you will never have to use them, or will never be able to use them). It's refreshing to see a standard 2 year warranty n the Leica X1. It gives me confidence and I know that those German assemblers had to do a good job if Leica intended to stay in business when they created that kind of warranty.

[phancj]

I had to get a 1 year old Discman fixed by Sony once. I had to pay for them to look at it and then they said they didn't have the parts anymore- that they would give me an EXTREMELY weak credit / voucher towards the purchase of a new one. It was something like a $75 credit for a discman I paid $250 for.

 

Casio cameras always crap out on me for BS internal reasons. They always fix them for them to break down again in less than a couple weeks. Worthless. This happened with 3 Casio cameras we owned.

 

My experience with Casio is why I bought my girlfriend the White C-Lux 3 instead of the panny equivalent (3 year parts & labor warranty for registering online versus the Panny's 30 day labor 90 days parts warranty) and a major plus when I decided to lay down for the 2 year warranty of the X1.

 

Sony makes you buy extended warranties if you want it to be decent. I have experienced a Mack extended warranty on a Casio (considered the best aftermarket extended warranties) as well as a Best Buy warranty and they are absolutely worthless. Their fine print is riddled with unreasonable limitations.

 

One of the fastest up and coming markets in the US is extended warranties because they are such a scam (if you haven't noticed all the US sells anymore is either debt or nothing for something, such as scammy insurance for just about anything, extended warranties, or other monthly services to which the purpose is that you will never have to use them, or will never be able to use them). It's refreshing to see a standard 2 year warranty n the Leica X1. It gives me confidence and I know that those German assemblers had to do a good job if Leica intended to stay in business when they created that kind of warranty.

 

Agreed, the 2 year warranty on the X1 is a big bonus for me in terms of quality assurance.

 

But frankly, I would have bought it even if it were a one year warranty.

 

But the name Leica speaks volumes for assurance of quality, as compared to japanese manufacturers. The fact that product renewal happens so quickly for japanese manufacturers tell me that they do not stand by older products, but expect customers to continuously buy newer models. That at least is the impression that they strongly give to customers.

[Guest badbob]

How would I know. I don't guarentee anything, take it easy. I was merely sharing my personal experience, not looking for a fight. Besides, I'm not from the US, don't even want to know what's in Florida. Although this forum is in the English language, doesn't mean we're all Americans.

I'm just saying that when it comes to having to repair your equipment Leica is not automatically giving better service than for example Sony, as the OP suggests.

The internet fora are filled with complaints about every brand, there's good and bad everywhere. It's just the same for both 'Leica snobs' and "lowly Canikony photographers', you can get lucky, or you can be in trouble.

 

So you've rephrased your arguments, and the best you can come up with is "everything is equivalent - all manufacturers." That's amazing.

[peterv]

Whatever

Have fun trolling!