Bloom off the Leica rose

[jrc]

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I sent my M8 off to NJ to be fixed on Dec. 8, and haven't yet heard a word. The whole experience is becoming somewhat sour -- I understand the necessity for an orderly process for the fixes, etc., but this is taking an awful long long time. I also sent five lenses off to NJ to be coded on Nov. 28. Three weeks later, I got four of them back -- the fifth wasn't returned because they lacked parts. Well, now it's another month, and I still haven't gotten it back. An e-mail to Leica in NJ has gone unanswered.

 

I tried to look up the repair slip at Leica in Solms, via computer, but the site warns that it will take nothing but Explorer 6. I use Mac Safari, but I happened to have an Explorer on the drive, so I pulled it up and tried, got no result, and realized that it's only Explorer 5.6.

 

So, some more unsolicited PR advice for Solms.

 

Be proactive about updating customers on where the repairs are at. Send out an e-mail every couple of weeks just to keep them informed. Inform them when you're shipping, too, and give them a tracking number.

 

Every stoner on the net has a website that works with Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Opera, and all the others...why does a big company set up a site that only works with Explorer 6?

 

AND WHERE'S MY 50 SUMMILUX?

 

JC

[thisaccountisdeleted]

I sent my M8 off to NJ to be fixed on Dec. 8, and haven't yet heard a word.

[...]

AND WHERE'S MY 50 SUMMILUX?

 

i'm in the same position --

- M8 to NJ on the 12th.

- 50 summilux sent mid-november.

- repair site tracking doesn't work.

- multiple emails unanswered.

 

i finally called and left a message today. not sure if they were closed for MLK day.

 

others who sent their M8 at the same time have gotten theirs back. i was hoping that mine would be in that batch.

 

sigh.

[John Maio]

I read somewhere that the average American works 1900 hours a year, while the average European puts in only 1500. It could be that's why things take >25% longer to happen

[spersky]

Wow,

 

After spending 5k for a product like that, I really feel for you guys. I sure do appreciate all the heads-up I got about this Leica M8 fiasco launch from these boards. I can imagine that they are really overloaded with repairs etc. I almost sold some existing camera gear to get a Leica M8 site unseen. That would have been one of the biggest mistakes I could have made.

 

Not to mention the dust nightmares I have read about since the camera hs no weather sealing whatsoever. I am sure I will get flamed for being ultra negative, but this is kinda getting ridiculous.

[carstenw]

I had the same experience, and even worse, my M8 came back fixed, but the focusing still not adjusted properly. My advice is just to accept it and try to be happy anyway. It doesn't help to worry and grumble. I have tried it. I still have to send my M8 back, but I don't feel like sending it yet.

 

On the behalf of the not very many people who work at Leica, I really feel sorry for them that what they had clearly thought was a homerun turned out to need so much more work. Apparently the lens mount switchers may be the same people who adjust the camera, so I honestly have no idea how they are getting it all done. It must be hell down there at the moment.

 

For me the repair tracking did work with the tracking number. I don't recall if I used Firefox or Safari, but one of those two should work. IE is not needed.

[thisaccountisdeleted]

For me the repair tracking did work with the tracking number. I don't recall if I used Firefox or Safari, but one of those two should work. IE is not needed.

 

the problem seems to be that the repair numbers quoted on US receipts are not valid. there is a separate repair number that Solms issues.

 

i'm not sure why there is an issue with 50 summilux codings. either it's a very popular lens and they received a lot of them or they didn't anticipate the number that would be sent in.

 

regardless -- it's the lack of communication that is bothersome. i like to think that i've been very forgiving and patient. they really should have just swapped out all our M8 bodies.

[grober]

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From what I've pieced together from talking to Leica in New Jersey, the first batch of M8s sent to them in the first week last month are on their way back from Germany with the re-fit work complete.

 

How long will it take the container to get through U. S. customs and be sorted out by Leica in New Jersey? -- who can tell. Leica worldwide is a closed information system with no provision or thought to feed data updates to non-company mortals who also just happen to be their customers. Get over it: their system ain't gonna change any time soon.

 

I mailed mine to them on 1 December and have hopes of getting it back next week. I'll need to learn the camera all over again.

 

-g

[gesper]

I confirmed with Leica Germany that mine is part of shipment that landed at JFK on Jan 8. Leica USA confirmed that it is held up in customs butshould be on its way to me this week. It was shipped to Germany on December 7.

[jrc]

I confirmed with Leica Germany that mine is part of shipment that landed at JFK on Jan 8. Leica USA confirmed that it is held up in customs butshould be on its way to me this week. It was shipped to Germany on December 7.

 

If it was shipped on Dec. 7, then it was in Germany for four and a half weeks, so it has been out of your hands for what, six weeks and counting? Since mine was logged in at New Jersey on Dec. 12, and I don't know when it was shipped to Germany, I could be another two weeks behind you. Damn! I might not get it back until February.

 

JC

[sean_reid]

Wow,

 

After spending 5k for a product like that, I really feel for you guys. I sure do appreciate all the heads-up I got about this Leica M8 fiasco launch from these boards. I can imagine that they are really overloaded with repairs etc. I almost sold some existing camera gear to get a Leica M8 site unseen. That would have been one of the biggest mistakes I could have made.

 

Not to mention the dust nightmares I have read about since the camera hs no weather sealing whatsoever. I am sure I will get flamed for being ultra negative, but this is kinda getting ridiculous.

 

The sensor dust has nothing to do with the lack of weather seals and it's an issue for most digital cameras with interchangeable lenses. My Canon FF cameras collect more dust on the sensor.

[enboe]

I purchased mine new on 11/9, received it on 11/10 with a buckled shutter fresh out of the box, mailed it back to the dealer the same day (11/10), had it sent in for repair at Leica's advisement, and still have no camera! I missed the whole Christmas season including 2 weeks of family vacation, and have had 4 chances to buy a new one in the mean time, but I listened to the company and did not request a refund because they (Leica) stated the repair would be expedited and this would be the fastest way to assure me a working camera. Want a little salt on the wound - cameras submitted to New Jersey as late as 12/7 have been reported on this site as back in their owners' hands last week.

 

I am not a happy consumer right now. I just emailed Mr. Fisk, with a more pleasant tone than this posting, and asked if there is anything he can do to help a multi-multi-camera and lens repeat customer.

 

Bottom line: Don't expect your camera anytime soon. Consider it a miracle if you get it back in less than 10 weeks.

[woodyspedden]

The sensor dust has nothing to do with the lack of weather seals and it's an issue for most digital cameras with interchangeable lenses. My Canon FF cameras collect more dust on the sensor.

 

Sean

 

Based on my own experience I believe that most of the dust is a result of manufacturing processes where lubricants etc have contaminated the sensor. I found that after two or three serious cleanings the dust was gone and now is no worse and perhaps better than similar cameras. I would specifically mention the Canon 1DsMKii which is the most dust prone sensor I have found. My NIKON D2X was considerably better and the R9/DMR the best 9 and the easiest to clean when dust does intrude. I agree that the intrusion comes when a lens is changed and particularly if the lens is changed with the power on. Turning the power off first assures that the capacitance is discharged and static charges are minimized thus the least chance of dust attraction. But having said all that, dust on sensors is a fact of life in our digital world. As always in an imperfect world for every step gained there is something lost.

 

Woody Spedden

[marknorton]

Regarding Leica repair numbers, they are a 6 digit number, currently beginning 44 or 45, so if your number isn't like that, it's not one which will show up on the repair tracking.

[dennersten]

JRC, Leicas repair tracking system works excellent in Safari at least the latest version. I sent mine 2/1 and according the tracking system it's on its way back since yesterday

[Guest malland]

...Every stoner on the net has a website that works with Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Opera, and all the others...why does a big company set up a site that only works with Explorer 6?...

But Leica is a tiny company with total sales revenue of only about 100 million euros and about 900 employess.

 

—Mitch/Johannesburg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10268776@N00/

[carstenw]

Leica is a company in three pieces. I don't know how much Leica Camera makes, nor how many employees they have, but it is less than the above.

[jaapv]

:confused: I get correct mails about repairs, telephone contacts and camera collection were flawless, site works with Firefox. It seems there is something going wrong halfway the Atlantic. I do share Carstens experience of something going wrong with a repair,on a Digilux2, but that was in the pre-M8 period. Turnaround to correct 5 days including shipping, profuse apologies and a free battery (not that I needed one, but still) Btw repair tracking works with the camera serial number as well.

[earleygallery]

As someone else pointed out, dust may also be slightly more of a problem with a digital rangefinder as the rear of the lens is that much nearer to the sensor than in a DSLR, so any dust on the back of the lens (when changing lenses) may find its way onto the sensor when the shutter is fired.

[jrc]

After it was pointed out here that the repair numbers from New Jersey and Solms are different (and I have no idea what the German number would be) I tried to get into the repair site using both Explorer and Safari, using the camera's serial number. Nothing happens at all. If I re-submit the request (by hitting refresh) I get back a sharply worded note that I shouldn't try again for a request that was already rejected, even though there was nothing to say that it was rejected. I tried this shortly after Christmas, decided that the line might not be working because everybody was on vacation, and then again yesterday, and the response was the same both times. Nothing. If anybody from Leica reads these things, I would appreciate a note about what's happening with my camera.

 

JC

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Hallo,

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[sean_reid]

As someone else pointed out, dust may also be slightly more of a problem with a digital rangefinder as the rear of the lens is that much nearer to the sensor than in a DSLR, so any dust on the back of the lens (when changing lenses) may find its way onto the sensor when the shutter is fired.

 

Hi James,

 

Perhaps that is true in theory but I've shot many thousands of exposures on two R-D1 bodies for the past two years and it wasn't any more prone to collecting dust than, say, a D200. As Woody suggested, it seems that some M8 sensors have initially picked up a bit of grease that is flung from the shutter blades although I've worked with five M8 bodies and haven't seen grease spots on the sensors of any of them.

 

It is certainly nice that the 4/3 Olympus cameras and others have self-cleaning sensors but otherwise dust is just part of life with photography - film or digital.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean