AF Drive Problems Leica S Lenses: Official Statement by Leica

[ynp]

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4 hours ago, albireo_double said:

The system is unsaleable for any reasonable price now and I have a lot of money invested in it. So I may as well use it.

That’s the problem. It’s impossible to sell the S gear. I feel locked in the S system forever. And I agree, the best solution is to keep the system and send your lenses for a fix. 

[BernardC]

55 minutes ago, ynp said:

That’s the problem. It’s impossible to sell the S gear. I feel locked in the S system forever.

That's true of almost any digital still camera system. The only exception is the Leica M, which holds its value surprisingly well over time, and which has a very healthy and active secondary market.

Pity PhaseOne owners, who lose the value of a VW Golf every year! Their only option for getting anything out of their systems is a "trade-up" offer from their dealer.

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[mgrayson3]

10 minutes ago, BernardC said:

That's true of almost any digital still camera system. The only exception is the Leica M, which holds its value surprisingly well over time, and which has a very healthy and active secondary market.

Pity PhaseOne owners, who lose the value of a VW Golf every year! Their only option for getting anything out of their systems is a "trade-up" offer from their dealer.

That's for sure. I spent as much on a single used Phase One back than on all my S gear (I probably exaggerate, but not by much) and the back lost 80% of its value from there.

Cameras are NOT investments. Repeat that to yourself until you believe it.

Edited March 3, 2019 by mgrayson3

[ynp]

44 minutes ago, mgrayson3 said:

Cameras are NOT investments. Repeat that to yourself until you believe it.

Very true.

Some people say that Leica lenses are an investment. Doubt that now, I tried to sell my s- Zoom and got an offer of $2,100.00. 

But my M lenses kept value and when I sold almost all of them, they paid for my daughter’s College in the USA. 

[mgrayson3]

7 minutes ago, ynp said:

Very true.

Some people say that Leica lenses are an investment. Doubt that now, I tried to sell my s- Zoom and got an offer of $2,100.00. 

But my M lenses kept value and when I sold almost all of them, they paid for my daughter’s College in the USA. 

M lenses are a (very) rare exception. Some old Cooke lenses, too.I kept my 35, 50, and 75 Crons, but sold all the rest. Oh, one very early 50 Lux just because it renders like nothing else, and isn't worth much.

Sorry, getting OT. $2,100 for the zoom.... I'd probably sell mine for that. Only S lens I don't love (don't have the 30, though).

[albireo_double]

2 hours ago, BernardC said:

That's true of almost any digital still camera system. The only exception is the Leica M, which holds its value surprisingly well over time, and which has a very healthy and active secondary market.

Don't count on the "healthy secondary market" for M. As I went to the shop on Friday to get my two failed S lenses serviced, I stopped in the second hand department too, to trade in two of my M lenses, with a view of getting the SL wide zoom in parts exchange. Was told they have a bunch (like 10 or more) ex-demo, full warranty, M10 cameras for sale (and a handful of mint SLs, both from Leica Academy) - I won't repeat the prices here but they almost made me weep, considering I paid the full price for my SL only like six weeks ago (ok, I got the M adapter thrown in for free, so at least that). They also said they had a big supply of ex-demo Lux24 and 21 lenses to sell, at crazy prices. They wouldn't even offer a price for my M10...too many to sell. Now, I couldn't offer them my M10 anyway, as the frame preview leaver got loose, fell off and got lost, somewhere in this World, at some point - yes, my M10 is off to Wetzlar, keeping warm company to my two sick S lenses. Now, I don't consider this a proper fail warranting a rant on this forum, as I never use the frame preview lever, but the camera would just look a bit incomplete without it on eBay. My blood pressure is still fine, thank you, it's just cameras, not children, and I have other cameras to shoot with while the "Wetzlar Ferraris" are off to service. Keeping my sarcasms to one side, I really do like the SL and its lenses and I think that system has a future (ok, maybe with a Profoto or Elinchrom HSS/HS flash solution, bigger battery, proper tethering in C1 and a Lemo style tether cable connection like the S). Referring to ynp's comment, I know what you're talking about; my second oldest son has set his mind on studying in the US...having been told the tuition fees and other amounts involved, I don't think a full set of M lenses (or even a Phase One system or Two) would make much of a dent in the budget, so this will have to get covered from sources other than dad's camera bag.

Edited March 3, 2019 by albireo_double

[Photon42]

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My M10 frame selector lever fell off as well a couple of months after I bought it. When you went to "the shop" - was that in Vienna? They do offer some demo M10s for nice prices with full warranty.

 

[BernardC]

42 minutes ago, albireo_double said:

As I went to the shop on Friday (...) They also said they had a big supply of ex-demo Lux24 and 21 lenses to sell, at crazy prices.

Which shop is this? I would certainly be interested in a Lux24 at crazy prices. As long as it's the good kind of crazy!

[albireo_double]

Yes, Leica Shop Vienna. 

Bernard, speak to Dennis in the second hand dept if you want a Lux24.

Edited March 3, 2019 by albireo_double

[xiaubauu2009]

I bought my IQ3 100mp for about 220k RMB here in China. 3 years on and it’s now 100k.... I bought my S007 for about 80k and when I sold it it’s anout 60k. The more ridiculous one is the 006. I bought new at about 70k and now selling for 20k or so... they are all the same. 

[albireo_double]

Two weeks have passed since my two lenses' AF motors failed and both lenses are repaired, waiting in the shop for me to collect them. I am told Leica wanted to charge me for the repair of the older lens (past the 5-year threshold) but my dealer convinced them to fix both for free (thank you, Leica shop Vienna). Obviously, I am satisfied, given the circumstances. As a side note: When one of my Fuji GFX lenses failed and had to be sent for repair, it also came back within two weeks (there is a rather common failure with the Fuji lenses, making the camera demand it be switched off an on, which alas doesn't help). This shows two things to me: (a) Leica is not alone in having lens problems in the MF world, and (b) Leica is competitive (time-wise, at least here in Europe, and cost-wise) in addressing these issues. I have ticked one more positive box in my thought process about buying the S3 when in comes out.

[JerryYordy]

At the end of January, the AF motor on my 35mm CS failed.  So, the first week in February I drove that lens, the camera (S006) to Leica USA.  The camera for CLA, the lens for repair.  A few days later I received an email that the lens and camera were being sent to Germany.  The lens and camera were purchased in spring 2013.  I received the lens back three weeks ago, presumably repaired, no charge.  Yesterday, I received an email saying the camera is repaired and I should receive it in a few days, no charge for the work.  Below is what was done to the camera:

Replaced sensor

Repaired / replaced electronics

Cleaned penta prism

Exchanged leather covering

Cleaned sensor

Cleaned focusing screen

Updated firmware

 

Looks like the sensor had corrosion.

 

I wonder why there is such a difference in charging for repair of out of warranty items.

[hoppyman]

That is great news for you Jerry. My S2 ( bought third hand) was also inspected, cleaned and adjusted at no charge when I sent it thinking it had a card reading fault. It did not. That was my mistake. So basically that was no fault found but we inspectd cleaned and adjusted it for you at no charge as we had to disassemble it .

it looks like they did everything else for free for you as they needed to fix the sensor defect

Edited April 3, 2019 by hoppyman

[dkmoore]

On 3/3/2019 at 12:00 PM, ynp said:

Very true.

Some people say that Leica lenses are an investment. Doubt that now, I tried to sell my s- Zoom and got an offer of $2,100.00. 

But my M lenses kept value and when I sold almost all of them, they paid for my daughter’s College in the USA. 

Community college or did you have a boat load of Leica lenses? College these days ain’t cheap. 

[Jeff S]

In-state (for residents) universities can often be significantly cheaper than out of state, not just community colleges.

Jeff

[ynp]

12 hours ago, dkmoore said:

Community college or did you have a boat load of Leica lenses? College these days ain’t cheap. 

My daughter got her bachelors degree here in Russia, than she was offered a small masters degree scholarship at a reasonably well known university. That university had some relationships with the university my daughter studied at.  I had to pay pay some serious money to supplement her scholarship etc. It was the beginning of the WFC and it affected my business quite seriously. I had one full m7 titanium set, a separate M7ti with the 50mm, an Anton Bruckner, one of my mp3 and several other limited editions and a bunch  of lenses, including the Nocti 1.2. Sold all to one collector and was left with my four Konica lenses and three Leica M lenses. I still have one mp3 beater, m6ttl, M5 and some digital bodies. 

The sell of my Leicas was not a tragedy.  To be honest to myself, I have never been a serious or knowledgeable collector. I am very happy with the decision we made to help my daughter with her education in the USA. It gave her a lot of new opportunities she is trying to explore.

Yevgeny.   

Edited April 22, 2019 by ynp

[Photon42]

1 hour ago, ynp said:

My daughter got her bachelors degree here in Russia, than she was offered a small masters degree scholarship at a reasonably well known university. That university had some relationships with the university my daughter studied at.  I had to pay pay some serious money to supplement her scholarship etc. It was the beginning of the WFC and it affected my business quite seriously. I had one full m7 titanium set, a separate M7ti with the 50mm, an Anton Bruckner, one of my mp3 and several other limited editions and a bunch  of lenses, including the Nocti 1.2. Sold all to one collector and was left with my four Konica lenses and three Leica M lenses. I still have one mp3 beater, m6ttl, M5 and some digital bodies. 

The sell of my Leicas was not a tragedy.  To be honest to myself, I have never been a serious or knowledgeable collector. I am very happy with the decision we made to help my daughter with her education in the USA. It gave her a lot of new opportunities she is trying to explore.

Yevgeny.   

You did it right, Yevgeny. And at least you kept the MP3 you actually seem to use. Focus on what creates return.

[frame-it]

1 hour ago, ynp said:

I still have one mp3 beater, m6ttl, M5 and some digital bodies. 

 

M5...my favorite

[dkmoore]

9 hours ago, ynp said:

My daughter got her bachelors degree here in Russia, than she was offered a small masters degree scholarship at a reasonably well known university. That university had some relationships with the university my daughter studied at.  I had to pay pay some serious money to supplement her scholarship etc. It was the beginning of the WFC and it affected my business quite seriously. I had one full m7 titanium set, a separate M7ti with the 50mm, an Anton Bruckner, one of my mp3 and several other limited editions and a bunch  of lenses, including the Nocti 1.2. Sold all to one collector and was left with my four Konica lenses and three Leica M lenses. I still have one mp3 beater, m6ttl, M5 and some digital bodies. 

The sell of my Leicas was not a tragedy.  To be honest to myself, I have never been a serious or knowledgeable collector. I am very happy with the decision we made to help my daughter with her education in the USA. It gave her a lot of new opportunities she is trying to explore.

Yevgeny.   

This is awesome and I would do the same for my kids. I would definitely miss the gear but the good news is you can probably buy it back over time, or other gear. 

Thanks for sharing. 

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[albireo_double]

Your kids will probably get it back for you at some point. My son says that he'll get me an Aston Martin when he's earned enough after his studies

Edited April 24, 2019 by albireo_double