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Bad Nocti - Mr Magoo still alive and working at Leica


wlaidlaw

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You do wonder how many difficult customer situations AF has to keep her eye on at any one time. It must be draining...

 

Mark,

 

I suspect it is the usual case of “if you want something done - ask a busy person”. She seems to do everything requested of her and remains ever pleasant and cheerful. If it was not for her, I might well have abandoned Leica and jumped ship to Sony + Zeiss.

 

Wilson

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Well my Noctilux is now showing as in repair. I would guess therefore, that the gnomes are hard at work on it, with their Hessian precision adjustment tools. I hope they ring me as requested, after they have tested and confirmed the fault in the Noctilux, to discuss “repair or replace” but I suspect they won’t.

 

Wilson

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Things don’t get any better. I checked the tracking for my repair on the Noctilux today and I see that the repair has been completed and is due to be shipped back out to me. Nobody has contacted me as I requested and made a pre-condition of agreeing to return the lens (and my M240) to Solms, to discuss “repair or replace” once the extent of the required repair was determined i.e. to what extent would the lens have to be disassembled to repair. I have therefore sent the attached to my contact at Leica CS today. It will be interesting to see if I am contacted.

 

Wilson

 

"I see from the tracking (see screen print below) that the repair on the faulty new Noctilux has been completed and is due to be shipped out to me tomorrow. It was my understanding that once the lens had been assessed to determine the fault, we would have a discussion on how the extensive the required repair was, whether it should be repaired and returned to me or if Leica should supply a totally new "non-repaired” replacement lens, mirroring what I thought I was buying as a new lens. I am not keen that I am ending up with what is essentially a factory refurbished lens, not reflecting the price I paid for it.”

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I still wonder why we put up with this crap!!!!!!!!!:mad:

 

Because the alternative is worse. We could end up lugging around a Nikon. :eek:

 

Seriously once the range of Zeiss lenses is expanded for the A7/A7R, Leica is really going to have to pull their socks up. I would not be interested in the Sony lenses. The difference on my son’s Sony DSLR between the results from the Sony and Zeiss lenses is quite marked.

 

Wilson

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This is most disturbing because response from Leica is more likely to decline than improve in 2014... die neue Fabrik Wetzlar :eek:

 

There are several well-regarded reviewers who have moved away from Leica.

 

I have three Leica lenses that are superb on A7R. I guess Leica's distraction is a boon to Novoflex!

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My M240 and Noctilux have arrived back today, unusually by DHL rather than UPS and about two days ahead of schedule so I am not complaining. The Noctilux is now spot on focus and the camera remains correct with other lenses, so at least Leica have paid attention to that instruction from me (if not the others). On the basis that: “A bird in the hand is always worth two in the bush,” I am not going to make a fuss about the failure to offer a new replacement. Given Leica’s current track record with lens final adjustment and checking, there is sadly, a distinct possibility of any new replacement being as bad as the first one was.

 

The other good news is that my new 18mm Super Elmar-M is also perfect, so they can do it when they try. The silly price that I paid for the 18SEM brings an even bigger smile to my face. I had saved a search for S/H 18 SEM’s on Fleabay but every one is coming in at more than I paid for a new one.

 

Wilson

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I am not going to make a fuss about the failure to offer a new replacement.

 

I'm not sure what you stood to gain if you had insisted on a replacement, Wilson? A readjusted (repaired) lens is everything as good as (and possibly better than) another new-in-box lens.

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I'm not sure what you stood to gain if you had insisted on a replacement, Wilson? A readjusted (repaired) lens is everything as good as (and possibly better than) another new-in-box lens.

 

Ian,

 

The things that aways worry me about “rebuilds” are stuff like burred screws, failure to use thread locker, specs of foreign material under a lens seating, etc. Although the main assembly facility is not a dust free zone, I think it is a lot better than what I saw of CS, the last time I visited.

 

The classic howler a few years ago was when I sent my Digilux 2 in for a failing sensor. It came back after 10 weeks away, totally un-repaired with the shutter count having moved on precisely two shots. They had made the mistake of leaving their test SD card in the camera, so I looked to see what the photos were. They were of a “roll up” smouldering in an old tobacco tin on a workbench. Stuart Bean of H.A.Baker’s, my then local dealer and ex-Leica UK service manager, hit the roof and had a new Digilux 2 on its way to me direct from Solms, within a couple of days.

 

Wilson

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I feel your frustration and appreciate where you're coming from - but I tend to agree. You've now got a perfectly functioning system and the lens has been thoroughly checked for quality control issues which is a big plus. When I sent my body and Noctilux off it came back a better functioning tool and I would recommend it to anyone. A pain, yes, but that just the way it is if you want it perfect.

 

Enjoy the lens, it's a cracker.

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The things that aways worry me about “rebuilds” are stuff like burred screws, failure to use thread locker, specs of foreign material under a lens seating, etc.

 

Yes, I see what you mean. However, I suspect as much, if not more, bodging goes on during initial assembly as it does in the hands of the repair technicians. I've become fairly philosophical about lens and RF adjustment and now assume that any new Leica M product I buy will need to go back to Solms for some kind of adjustment.

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I feel your frustration and appreciate where you're coming from - but I tend to agree. You've now got a perfectly functioning system and the lens has been thoroughly checked for quality control issues which is a big plus. When I sent my body and Noctilux off it came back a better functioning tool and I would recommend it to anyone. A pain, yes, but that just the way it is if you want it perfect.

 

Enjoy the lens, it's a cracker.

 

Paul,

 

As I love low light photography and am off to South India in a couple of weeks, there will be lots of chances to use it. The bazaars and stalls after dusk, often only lit by oil/paraffin lamps or low wattage bulbs, are a perfect Nocti hunting ground. In addition, unlike my previous F1.0 Noctilux, the new one is not “a one trick pony” and at smaller apertures, is pretty much as good as an ASPH Summilux. In that it seems less prone to purple fringing, maybe occasionally better.

 

Wilson

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