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Filter Frustration: mixed messages from Solms


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A very sketchy e-mail response today from the M8 Support Team in Solms suggests that they will only ship registered M8 owners their two "free" IR filters when BOTH filters are available in Germany.

 

Like others, I require E49 and E60 to complete my suite of necessary IR-cut filters. The E60 filters, according to Leica's latest forecast, won't be received in Solms until late next month. Even if the E49 arrives on schedule next week, neither will be sent until both are in stock. (My already-coded 21mm Elmarit continues to sit forlornly while it waits for the now-mandatory 60mm filter.)

 

But that's not all: despite a direct query, Leica won't express any commitment to ship filters according to the precedence of one's registration on their website. Seems like such a simple thing...

 

If you have information that varies from the above, please share your data.

 

-g

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Don't get me started. This is just total BS from Leica. It seems some dealers here in the USA have some size filters instock long before those same size filters are delivered to buyers of the M8. I personally bought 2 Leica E39 (39mm) filters from B&H 2 weeks before I received one of my free filters from Leica (Yes they did send me one of the 2 I had on order) and I think the only reason I got the one I did was because of a nasty email I sent to M8 support.

 

What should of happened is whatever size filters they got in stock should of been shipped to M8 owners FIRST before any were made available to any dealers anywhere in the world and then have some left over, in-stock, at Leica to fill the free filter orders of new M8 buyers.

 

Now they come up with this size will not be available until week X of 2007. That is just total BS. I bought my M8 in late January and at that time the free filters were supposed to begin shipping in Febuary. It is now the end of April and most M8 buyers have NOT received any of the filter that were supposed to be here in Febuary.

To top it off Leica saw fit to change the specs of the Leica filters from a standard type/model from B+W and then tune the M8 firmware to only really work with the Leica filters instead of tuned the firmware to work the B+W spec filters. If they had done that more then likely we all would had our PROMISSED free filter by now.

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Last week Leica sent me one E39 filter, asking me to have a little patience for the second filter which will be shipped separately.

 

So...don't lose hope yet :)

 

Hans

 

Thanks for the encouragement, Hans. But I suspect your location in the Netherlands makes it far easier for Leica to ship single filters. Alas, we in the USA must be considered too far from Solms to experience anything approaching the quality of customer service that you seem to have received. (Leica USA in New Jersey is clearly out of the loop on who gets these "free" filters.)

 

Despite the added shipping costs, Leica should have a common policy for ALL users whatever their location.

 

-g

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Here is a email I just received, so week of June 3rd they may ship. I cannot undestand why it takes Leica so long to do anything.... They better not show up for sale at B&H and the like before we get ours.

 

"Dear ,

because of the large demand at the moment unfortunately we cannot dispatch your filters.

As soon as they are in stock again, they will be sent. They shall be available from the 23rd calendar week on.

Thanks for understanding.

 

Kind regards

M8 Support

Ursula Brand-Gerheim

 

Tel.: +49 6442 208 165

Fax: +49 6442 208 339

M8.Support@leica-camera.com"

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I also recieved last week one filter. And i dont hink it BS, they only can deliver what they have. Dont forgett Leica is a small compay. People who want everything at everytime should go for Japanese products build somewhere in Asia...

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I also recieved last week one filter. And i dont hink it BS, they only can deliver what they have. Dont forgett Leica is a small compay. People who want everything at everytime should go for Japanese products build somewhere in Asia...

 

 

Oh please!

Stop with this "small company" story.... So what???

Most of us don't want "everything and everytime".

BTW, I do have Canons in my bag, and what is wrong with products being built "somewhere in Asia"???

Leica promissed, they don't deliver. Bottom Line. I too received crapy explanation from Miss. Ursula about my free 39/60 filter combo...

Let's just call it as it is...

We got screwed by this one.:(

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I also recieved last week one filter. And i dont hink it BS, they only can deliver what they have. Dont forgett Leica is a small compay. People who want everything at everytime should go for Japanese products build somewhere in Asia...

 

I agree with Steve's post above. Not that I want a Leica built in Asia but that I want the filters that were promised with the purchase of the M8. And the small company doesn't hold water. If Leica has filter they can ship to dealers then they have filters to send to loyal customers and those customers should come first.

 

QUOTE:

"they only can deliver what they have"

END QUOTE:

Well they had 39mm filters to send to B&H and PopFlash but I had to send a fairly nasty email to get one of these. That is NOT RIGHT.

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A very sketchy e-mail response today from the M8 Support Team in Solms suggests that they will only ship registered M8 owners their two "free" IR filters when BOTH filters are available in Germany.

 

Like others, I require E49 and E60 to complete my suite of necessary IR-cut filters. The E60 filters, according to Leica's latest forecast, won't be received in Solms until late next month. Even if the E49 arrives on schedule next week, neither will be sent until both are in stock. (My already-coded 21mm Elmarit continues to sit forlornly while it waits for the now-mandatory 60mm filter.)

 

But that's not all: despite a direct query, Leica won't express any commitment to ship filters according to the precedence of one's registration on their website. Seems like such a simple thing...

 

If you have information that varies from the above, please share your data.

 

-g

They sent me one 46 filter, not the two 39 filters, nor the 55. The SAID they would only ship two at a time :confused: Not that I am not happy, the 46 was the one filter I really needed....

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To top it off Leica saw fit to change the specs of the Leica filters from a standard type/model from B+W and then tune the M8 firmware to only really work with the Leica filters instead of tuned the firmware to work the B+W spec filters. If they had done that more then likely we all would had our PROMISSED free filter by now.

 

I certainly understand the filter frustration. The filter change, I believe, was to improve the overall performance of the system (lens + filter + firmware), esp. with ultra-wide angle lenses, so I can certainly understand why they did that. Take a look at the "Beating the Blues" tests, the 486s are fine for cyan drift with the Leica 28 and 35 lenses tested.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

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Oh please!

Stop with this "small company" story.... So what???

Most of us don't want "everything and everytime".

BTW, I do have Canons in my bag, and what is wrong with products being built "somewhere in Asia"???

Leica promissed, they don't deliver. Bottom Line. I too received crapy explanation from Miss. Ursula about my free 39/60 filter combo...

Let's just call it as it is...

We got screwed by this one.:(

 

So what ? Its so easy, if you buy a Leica you should know that they are a small company. When the produce a lens, the lot is about 500-2000 pcs., the dont have a big developing office (even they have the best one).. you had to accept that the try to do their best... but they only can produce what they can... there is NO other possibility. If you cant wait, go to the bigger companys. If you want Austin Martin or Maserati you also had to wait... if you are not willing to do so go for Chrysler.

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So what ? Its so easy, if you buy a Leica you should know that they are a small company. When the produce a lens, the lot is about 500-2000 pcs., the dont have a big developing office (even they have the best one).. you had to accept that the try to do their best... but they only can produce what they can... there is NO other possibility. If you cant wait, go to the bigger companys. If you want Austin Martin or Maserati you also had to wait... if you are not willing to do so go for Chrysler.

 

 

you are missing the point or you are on the paylist at Solms as PR...

Some filters are here in the stores (like 39mm) and not in our hands (as a free offer). What is your answer on that?

 

And please don't give me Aston Marti vs. Chrysler... I am sick of that kind of examples. I don't want Aston Marti or Chrysler. I just want what Leica PROMISSED... And failed to deliver...

And of my replies...:D

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Steven,

 

it is very possible leica is outsourcing several different sources and ordering several different batches to be allocated to different areas so they trickle into the public (via the free filter program, and by retail stores) roughly around the same time.

 

i ordered two E39 black filters at the beginning of march and received them late last week. the slip it came with says they are manufactured from japan, and delivered from Leica germany to me in Canada.

 

so maybe you should consider all the travelling time the filters have to endure....

my advice is be patient and go take pictures. in my opinion leica offers some of the best customer support of any camera company i have experienced/seen in the past.

 

hope this helps.

/a

 

 

 

you are missing the point or you are on the paylist at Solms as PR...

Some filters are here in the stores (like 39mm) and not in our hands (as a free offer). What is your answer on that?

 

And please don't give me Aston Marti vs. Chrysler... I am sick of that kind of examples. I don't want Aston Marti or Chrysler. I just want what Leica PROMISSED... And failed to deliver...

And of my replies...:D

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Steven,

 

it is very possible leica is outsourcing several different sources and ordering several different batches to be allocated to different areas so they trickle into the public (via the free filter program, and by retail stores) roughly around the same time.\

 

 

That is all well and good BUT Leica promised 2 free filter with every purchase of a M8. They said those free filters would start to be delivered in FEBUARY. NOT some time in April for some sizes and then the middle of the year for others and that they would also sell/supply dealers with the exact same size filters that should go to customers that bought a M8.

I really like the M8 but this is a total failure on Leica's part to support the people around the world that have kept the company alive.

 

i ordered two E39 black filters at the beginning of march and received them late last week. the slip it came with says they are manufactured from japan, and delivered from Leica germany to me in Canada.

 

so maybe you should consider all the travelling time the filters have to endure....

my advice is be patient and go take pictures. in my opinion leica offers some of the best customer support of any camera company i have experienced/seen in the past.

 

hope this helps.

/a

I also received one 39mm filter from Germany 2 week after I bought 2 from B&H and the slip inside said made in Japan. Also the one I got from Germany was shipped on the 10 of April and I received it on the 11th. It came in the same package as the 2 bought from B&H. How did B&H get 39mm filters before I got mine, that is what I want to know.

Now I have to wait until some time in May or June for the other promised filter that should of been in my hands and on one of my Leica lenses a month or more ago. More then likely some dealer somewhere in the USA will have that same size filter for sale before I get the one that was promised to me for purchasing a M8.

THIS IS TOTAL BS.

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That is all well and good BUT Leica promised 2 free filter with every purchase of a M8. They said those free filters would start to be delivered in FEBUARY. NOT some time in April for some sizes and then the middle of the year for others and that they would also sell/supply dealers with the exact same size filters that should go to customers that bought a M8.

I really like the M8 but this is a total failure on Leica's part to support the people around the world that have kept the company alive.

 

 

I also received one 39mm filter from Germany 2 week after I bought 2 from B&H and the slip inside said made in Japan. Also the one I got from Germany was shipped on the 10 of April and I received it on the 11th. It came in the same package as the 2 bought from B&H. How did B&H get 39mm filters before I got mine, that is what I want to know.

Now I have to wait until some time in May or June for the other promised filter that should of been in my hands and on one of my Leica lenses a month or more ago. More then likely some dealer somewhere in the USA will have that same size filter for sale before I get the one that was promised to me for purchasing a M8.

THIS IS TOTAL BS.

 

Friends,

Please, understand that I intend no insult and I certainly do not want to make anyone angry but I must say that I DO enjoy reading all of the comments from those complaining (and it's your right to do so). I too am waiting for filters BUT I'm not going to lose sleep over it! I just hope you all enjoy writing the comments as much as I enjoy reading them. Surely there are better things to complain about. Sorry for the interuption..........CD

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I am not losing sleep over it and my M8 has performed flawlessly and the images I'm getting from it with the lenses that have filters are great.

That is not the point.

The point is we have all been lied to by a company that needs its base customers to survive.

This is NO way to treat the people that have kept the company alive.

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thank you!

 

this is exactly what i am trying to get across. it may be slow, but leica is getting to what they promised (firmware updates and filters). in the meantime, why not enjoy what one can do with this amazing little camera.

 

 

/a

 

 

Friends,

Please, understand that I intend no insult and I certainly do not want to make anyone angry but I must say that I DO enjoy reading all of the comments from those complaining (and it's your right to do so). I too am waiting for filters BUT I'm not going to lose sleep over it! I just hope you all enjoy writing the comments as much as I enjoy reading them. Surely there are better things to complain about. Sorry for the interuption..........CD

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I think the issue most people are having is that Leica is selling the filters before sending them to registered customers that have already purchased the camera and told that they would ship in February 2007. That is the problem I have with this issue. Big company or small company this is blatant disregard for their core audience. I ordered mine December 6th almost 5 months ago.

 

This is my correspondance with Leica:

 

Dear Leica,

I purchased my M8 the first day it was available and registered for the filters the first day the program started. I have not received any as of yet. I did see the new April FAQ and it says the 39's are shipping. When should I expect mine?

Lisa Osta

------

On Dec 6, 2006, at 7:25 PM, m8.support@m8registration.leica-camera.com wrote:

 

Dear Mrs. Osta,

 

here is a summary of your order:

 

 

Amount Designation available as of Order Nos.

1 E39 black Feb. 07 13410

1 E55 silver Feb. 07 13419

------

Dear Mrs. Osta,

because of the large demand at the moment unfortunately we cannot dispatch your filters.

As soon as they are in stock again, they will be sent. They shall be available from the 24th calendar week on.

Thanks for understanding.

 

 

Kind regards

 

M8 Support

 

Betreff: Re: Leica Camera - your UV/IR filter order

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Guest guy_mancuso

Well I am in the same boat here so yes i do understand the frustration BUT look at this from a different prospective. Example i walk into my favorite camera store and I want to buy a M8 and i already know that this needs filters to work properly. If the store owner does not have at least one or two filters do I walk out or make a purchase. Face it folks the leica dealers deserve a bone too and need to put food on there table also. Besides all that you can buy a couple too. I bought 4 of them so am i wrong even though I am entitled to 4 for free. So i don't look at this as getting screwed over , but i do look at this as the demand is much higher than there vendors can produce a tough filter to make and it is not entirely leica's fault. This happens everyday in the manufacturing world of being promised a deadline to deliver and it keeps slipping the deadline. leica does NOT make this filter but vendors do to Leica specs.

 

Sorry not a popular comment or reply but reality

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