AlexP Posted June 17, 2017 Author Share #21  Posted June 17, 2017 Advertisement (gone after registration) Gordon,  after reading your respond, it seem like you're willing to take it in and work around it. That is not really the long term solution. The way i see it is when you're investing into a system, you expect service to come along with it. You just don't work around it. I wasn't really worry about Leica Service UNTIL i visited Leica LA store couple weeks ago and asked them a few questions that i have the concern for my camera. They look at it, and said it can't be fixed in the US. It has to send back to Germany. They can't even tell me how long it will take them to check and get back to me. That is not very comfort thing to hear  I get it..majority of you guy here are old folk, retired and have the lot of time on your hand. You might rarely take your camera out in the field and use it. For me, we use it every week, we'll put lots of mileage into it. I don't mind to have back up BUT to have a back up for the "slow respond" from service time is not make any sense. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 17, 2017 Posted June 17, 2017 Hi AlexP, Take a look here Goodbye Leica SL. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
FlashGordonPhotography Posted June 17, 2017 Share #22  Posted June 17, 2017 Gordon,  after reading your respond, it seem like you're willing to take it in and work around it. That is not really the long term solution. The way i see it is when you're investing into a system, you expect service to come along with it. You just don't work around it. I wasn't really worry about Leica Service UNTIL i visited Leica LA store couple weeks ago and asked them a few questions that i have the concern for my camera. They look at it, and said it can't be fixed in the US. It has to send back to Germany. They can't even tell me how long it will take them to check and get back to me. That is not very comfort thing to hear  I get it..majority of you guy here are old folk, retired and have the lot of time on your hand. You might rarely take your camera out in the field and use it. For me, we use it every week, we'll put lots of mileage into it. I don't mind to have back up BUT to have a back up for the "slow respond" from service time is not make any sense.  Hey Alex,  Part of it will be that I'm getting older myself. 25 years ago, when I shot my first paid job, there was no "pro service". No 3 day turn around. no loaners. The guy who mentored me always stressed that if you rely on others you will be let down and to always have a back up plan. Tape and a jewelers screwdriver set were a part of our normal kit. It was nothing to have to do basic service on a 500C back when it jammed in the field, with a half finished roll of NPS in it. We used to open those and spool off the film with a set of jewelers, while the whole thing was in a dark bag. Those were the days..  So even though I was a CPS member for 20 years I still never relied on their "pro service". Firstly because I only rely on me and secondly because they let me down on more than one occasion.  I never want to be in a position where a camera or lens goes down that I have to stop working. Ever. And my personal opinion is that I am required to have a backup for everything, including myself if something goes wrong. I've broken gear on a Friday night I needed both Saturday AND Sunday. No problem for me. I have a backup plan in place. I live two hours from Canon service, or Leica. If I have an issue I just keep working and next time I'm down that way I take it in. Easy. Low stress. Others have different opinions on this but I'll always be self dependant. You say that it's not really the long term solution but I think it's most definitely THE long term solution. Not being reliant on any other person. Not being reliant on any single piece of gear. Being totally self sufficient. That's the ultimate long term solution because I'm independent of any outside force. And it wouldn't matter if it's Leica or Canon or whoever. So it makes little difference to me what brand I shoot. And I like my SL's.  And it doesn't have to be another SL or some cheap piece of sh*t. You can have another camera that you love . Different size, sensor, brand. As long as it means you don't NEED your camera repaired in three days and you're set. Not to mention how much lower your stress levels will be..... My worst case scenario is that I need to shoot with my M10 rather than my SL for a month. Poor me...  For the time being, extended service times are part of the Leica world. If that doesn't suit then don't buy in. If you do want to stick with Leica then plan a redundancy. Personally I think we should be totally self sufficient anyway.  Gordon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandokan Posted June 17, 2017 Share #23 Â Posted June 17, 2017 Gordon, ... Â I get it..majority of you guy here are old folk, retired and have the lot of time on your hand. You might rarely take your camera out in the field and use it. For me, we use it every week, we'll put lots of mileage into it. I don't mind to have back up BUT to have a back up for the "slow respond" from service time is not make any sense. Old folk have less time ... we know the grim reaper, so stop being insulting. If you found a better system that works for you, good. When my Fuji arrives, it will add to and not replace the SL. Â The advice to you was get a 2nd body. If you are on a shoot and the Fuji fails, will you get the replacement before the end of the shoot? Â Â Â Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest VVJ Posted June 17, 2017 Share #24  Posted June 17, 2017 I am professional travel photographer and travel around the world and  to remote places, i'v used DSLR for 10 year and just 2 month ago ditched my DSLR and going to buy SL very soon already bought Q now reading this makes me really nervous and reconsider it......  1 year with the Leica SL so far and 35K pictures, 2 years with the Leica Q and 10K pictures, I really wouldn't worry too much, I have found both cameras to be very reliable up till now. Enjoy your Q!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashkanani1985 Posted June 17, 2017 Share #25  Posted June 17, 2017 1 year with the Leica SL so far and 35K pictures, 2 years with the Leica Q and 10K pictures, I really wouldn't worry too much, I have found both cameras to be very reliable up till now. Enjoy your Q!! Thanx  To be honest I found something wrong as every pice of equipment has a chance to fail and when it fail there should be a backup plan as many of u said I use to travel always with 2 bodies Canon 1DX and another 6D or 5D, even thought 1DX is one of toughest bodies of all brands but I leave no chances.... I got worried that SL has a major prob that someone is swapping the whole system after all is alot of money to invest..... any way I've read maybe 10 or 15 reviews from photographers about it and everybody agrees on one thing it is well made and tough body to carry around the world.  Now talking about service When i spend alot of money on a camera that is made in japan or germany i dont want some technician in a shop just because that shop is a dealer open the body and fix it, I want it to be fixed in the main factory.... yes thats me! So the issue that I have to wait for my camera to be sent to Germany is actually what I would ask any Leica store to do it if my camera need a repair and I would do the same even if its Canon or any brand..... so many thanx you actually gave me another reason to go ahead and buy the SL Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott kirkpatrick Posted June 17, 2017 Share #26 Â Posted June 17, 2017 .... Â Somehow (cutting a few corners) this reminds me of an unforgettable short story I read at school more than 30 years ago: SAKI (H.H.Munro) "The open door" or maybe rather "the open window". Sorry, it's very long ago. But it has a remarkable end. Â I love that story. Â here's how it ends: Â Â Â Â "I expect it was the spaniel," said the niece calmly; "he told me he had a horror of dogs. He was once hunted into a cemetery somewhere on the banks of the Ganges by a pack of pariah dogs, and had to spend the night in a newly dug grave with the creatures snarling and grinning and foaming just above him. Enough to make anyone lose their nerve." Â Â Â Â Romance at short notice was her speciality. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
almoore Posted June 17, 2017 Share #27  Posted June 17, 2017 Advertisement (gone after registration) 25 years ago, when I shot my first paid job, there was no "pro service"...even though I was a CPS member for 20 years I still never relied on their "pro service". Firstly because I only rely on me and secondly because they let me down on more than one occasion. Of course there was professional service, rapid turnaround and loan equipment 25 years ago.  My experience of Leica and CPS is that they can both be relied upon to provide consistently good service. Canon's CPS scheme is remarkably good and a major factor in the company's success with professional photographers. If you're not getting good service you need to talk to them and find out why, because it's not the norm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafikiphoto Posted June 17, 2017 Share #28  Posted June 17, 2017 For those looking to satisfy chronic GAS in a much cheaper way, the original Holga is back!!!  http://www.freestylephoto.biz/144120-Holga-120N-Plastic-Medium-Format-Camera  Including light leaks, vignetting, softness and no support at all...!!!  Offered with an impressive array of accessories too! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marac Posted June 17, 2017 Share #29 Â Posted June 17, 2017 I have used Leica service and on every instance been totally satisfied, i was given a loaner while my MM had a sensor replaced free, even had a loaner when i had a lens repaired. 2nd to none, brilliant. Â Fuji service & company are literally 15 mins from my house and they fixed a friends X-Pro 1 while we waited when we just dropped in, so good news for you there too. Â The fuji GFX felt clumsy in my hands, but i guess its horses for courses ... Yes im a pro, yes i have a back up (never needed it). Â Enjoy life, do what makes you happy & crack on Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramarren Posted June 17, 2017 Share #30  Posted June 17, 2017 I'm an old, retired guy. I use my cameras every single day, but I no longer make a living with them.  I work the 'backup' thing this way now: If I have to send the camera in and it takes longer than two weeks to get back, I buy another. So far, I haven't needed a backup of either the SL or the M-D. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted June 17, 2017 Share #31  Posted June 17, 2017 Shhhh... You are motivating Leica to boost sales by worsening service! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookbook Posted June 17, 2017 Share #32 Â Posted June 17, 2017 btw, i still keep the Q. So i'm still be hanging around. If you spurn the SL, you may not own the Q !! : ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramarren Posted June 17, 2017 Share #33  Posted June 17, 2017 Shhhh... You are motivating Leica to boost sales by worsening service!   LOL! I don't think you can convince me that Leica would consider that a sales tactic... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingo Posted June 17, 2017 Share #34 Â Posted June 17, 2017 Do you need a new playground after testing all 3rd party lenses on the Sl? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaemono Posted June 17, 2017 Share #35  Posted June 17, 2017 You guys probably shoot several events a week, often using at least a second shooter, I would guess. So you can't have back up for all your equipment all the time and you certainly can't wait for it be sent overseas to be fixed. You also have alternatives for good IQ like using the great Sony sensors and slapping on that Zeiss Otus 55/1.4 as you show in the picture. Fine. What I don't get is why you say you hate the SL50. This lens is everything the Otus is and more due to AF and state of the art weather sealing. I was listening to Richard Schleuning from Zeiss in this video here:   Everything he says applies to the SL50 but not the restrictions he makes after 12:22 (except for sports). He says: "Our lenses are well suited if you have the time to focus and compose." My point is, with AF on the SL50 one can spend more time composing and less time focusing.  Anyway, the reason I'm bringing this up is that I will be renting the Otus to compare it with the SL50. I really want to see how it renders, what the colors are like, how much micro contrast is has and how sharp it looks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tthorne Posted June 18, 2017 Share #36  Posted June 18, 2017   I get it..majority of you guy here are old folk, retired and have the lot of time on your hand. You might rarely take your camera out in the field and use it. For me, we use it every week, we'll put lots of mileage into it. I don't mind to have back up BUT to have a back up for the "slow respond" from service time is not make any sense.   We get it, we get it, you are a working photographer, but remind us all one more time please. My SL gets used for work every day and I never worry about it because I have 2 of them. If work is that critical to you then redundancy is an absolute must, and that is how it is handled professionally. So you are making a big deal out of the reliability of a camera that has not broken on you and service that has not failed on you, and yet that level of angst mixed with professional obligations has not prompted you to carry a second body? That doesn't add up.  And for the record, Leica's pro service is fantastic when it comes to maintenance, repair, loaners, demos... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglas fry Posted June 18, 2017 Share #37 Â Posted June 18, 2017 If you are a professional photographer then register your company with Leica, providing proof with a company number and/or VAT number, then the turnaround time is about a week. I have used them 3 times and each time the longest wait was 10 days that includes sending to and from Wetzlar by DHL. I have found the service in London to be excellent and too the team in Germany. I shoot corporate work during the week and weddings at the weekend, and have found the Leica cameras to be utterly reliable (so far) - I had just over 300 shoots last year so my kit does get well used so if it was of poor design or had an inherent weakness it would have shown up by now - obviously your experience may differ. Â I have only sent lenses btw to Wetzlar (that I had dropped (aargh) or needed 6bit encoding) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted June 18, 2017 Share #38  Posted June 18, 2017 But I must add that one must register up front, trying to do so with a camera in repair does not work, as Gordon's post testifies. This is still a German company. Your letter must be opened by the Mail Gnome Apprentice, the contents must be sorted and filed by the Head Mail Gnome, the Messenger Gnome must take the application to the Gnomes of the Judging Committee, who will forward a recommendation to the Big Head Gnome. His decision must be entered into the Big Book by the Writer Gnome, and formally announced at the Gnome Meeting, which only takes place in the Forest under a Full Moon. All the while the Cuckoo Clocks keep ticking and calling out... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irakly Shanidze Posted June 18, 2017 Share #39 Â Posted June 18, 2017 Alex, sell the Q. What if it needs service at some point? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunil Posted June 18, 2017 Share #40 Â Posted June 18, 2017 It was a fun adventure with the SL. I was fortunate enough to own/use all the SL lenses (loved 24-90 and 90-280, HATED the 50) all the Canon/Sigma lenses and the TL lenses. I love the design, the color the SL produces. But after seeing all the issue dealing with Leica support, i don't think i have the patient to wait for the turn around time when i have to send in the equipment for service. Â I still keep the master list of Novoflex SL/EOS lenses tested here: Â http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1476135/0#13926323 Â Thank you for all the hospitality you guy have for me when i fist join this community. Time to move on to a new adventure. Â btw, i still keep the Q. So i'm still be hanging around. Â Â I agree, their service is crappy, quality sucks and the SL is going to break down frequently. Er...uh... how much do you want for it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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