2-3 Month Calibration Turnaround...

[colonel]

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Out of interest, can one book a repair time if you visit Wetzlar personally ?

I wouldn't mind flying over if I needed something done in a day

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Manoleica]

My Patek Phillipe went in for service in January this year and was returned to me last week. The estimate did, however, forewarn me that the service would take 7 months to complete. Actually IME, 7 months is indecently swift by Patek standards.

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Having read the above + the turn round times on Leica equipment, I have a thought"

Are these companies "Pawning" the equipment & then retrieving just before the cut off date?

If a Porsche or even a Ford needed a service how long before a public outcry if the vehicle was in the workshop for 5-6months, even 3 months!

I love Leica, but am not prepared to accept the current QC on the M range... With my XV

I can always buy another if my original goes back to the mothership..

[Exodies]

During this morning I was at the door when it opened and spent a good deal of time in the waiting area. In a 2 hour span I witnessed groups of 8-10 people going out for coffee, smoke and/or cell phone use. They were back in about 20-25 minutes. Group after group did this.Then after a one-on-one session in an office and back out in the waiting area, I witnessed nearly the same group go out for another break and it was not yet anywhere near lunch time.

 

I wouldn't like my repairs to be done by someone who had been working 4 solid hours. A twenty minute break every hour and a half must surely improve the quality of the work. One in the morning, one in the afternoon and a two hour lunch, giving them time to go home and eat with the family, have a power nap. It's supposed to be employment, not slavery.

[indergaard]

Out of interest, can one book a repair time if you visit Wetzlar personally ?

I wouldn't mind flying over if I needed something done in a day

 

Shouldn't be a problem. I was invited to visit and observe the service process when I complained about the service of my camera and lens some time ago. Just ask Leica CS about it and I bet you'll be very welcome to visit.

 

Getting things done in a day, however... A queue system is a queue system because of a reason.

[tobey bilek]

Long turn around has been the norm for 30 years. Don`t know if they are unwilling to hire enough people or what.

 

I use DAG or Sherry whenever possible. Their work is better.

 

I know of one case where a remap was sent in, camera was mint and came back damaged, focus was found to be off, returned, 2+ months again and returned with wrong finder mask, back again for 2/3 months. NEW lenses were sent at the same time for calibration. They were repaired, but sustained damage.

 

I can abide the wait usually, the damage and poor quality work is NOT ACCEPTBLE.

 

DAG has had a minor error or two over 30 years, BUT HE MOVES REREPAIRS TO HEAD OF LINE AND STUFF COMES RIGHT BACK.

 

My Nikons go to APS, drop off, 5 days or less, pick up.

[Dikaiosune01]

Does anyone have any tips for calibrating multiple lenses and multiple bodies?

 

On My M240; I had it calibrated to my 50mm summilux. However, when i put on a 35mm summicron, in near distances approxmately 1.5 metres or closer, the lens tends to front focus a few centimetres. This is a problem when I'm trying to take photos of textured surfaces. I also notice that the EVF red / blue blinking is not contrasty enough to pick up these textures.

 

That being said; my 50mm lux can pick up the fine textures with the rangefinder; but not with the 35mm summicron.

 

The local dealer (schdmict) would not calibrate both my lenses to the 240.

I'm looking for tips to get them calibrated perfectly.

note: I also use a MP and a M3 side by side too.

[colonel]

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The only way is through Leica. Leica does not calibrate the Lens to camera (if sent in together). This is a common misconception. Leica calibrates the Lens and Camera to the new digital normal standard.

[thighslapper]

 

On My M240; I had it calibrated to my 50mm summilux. o.

 

...... and therein lies the problem ....... the 50/1.4 with floating elements appears to be a real pain to get accurately calibrated ...... I have had 3 at various stages ...... all have been off and had to go back to be adjusted ...... and the one I have kept is still not 100%.

 

I would NEVER EVER use this lens to calibrate a RF ........ when this was done 'manually' Leica used to use a 50/2 with a series of sloping targets at various distances...... Many of these fast lenses also have focus shift wide open that makes using them to calibrate a RF problematic.

 

A 50/2, 75/2 or 135/3.4 is a much better bet for consistency in RF calibration. I have 3 various M digital bodies and my dozen or so lenses now work fine with all of them ...... not 100% accurately ..... but close enough for it not to be a practical issue. This has taken a lot of testing and head scratching to work out whether it is lens, camera or both that are off ... and when I finally located the rougue lenses and had them re-calibrated by Leica the problems have vanished.

 

One lens needs looking at ...... all you have to do is work out which one ....

 

RF calibration is not difficult ...... and although not eveyone is willing to do it themselves I cannot see why Leica cannot train up at least one or two dealers per country to do this rather than send everything back to Germany. Leica Mayfair in the UK are now doing repairs to Leica compact cameras and hopefully this will be extended to the M range .....