Update on UK repairers

[Richardgb]

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Although I've always had good quality service from Leica Solms / Wetzlar, the transit and turn-round times I've experienced in the past are frustratingly long. So when I found the rangefinder in my M Typ240 was a bit 'off', I decided to see if there was an alternative on my native soil in the UK.

 

I was not relieved and have just added a summary of this note to the list of repairers in the Blog.

 

Sadly, it seems difficult to find anyone willing to repair digital M in the UK. One (Cameraworks UK) at least said they'd look at rangefinder checking and adjustment but had difficulty getting parts so couldn't 'repair' if found necessary.

Listed but defunct:
– CRR Luton (as mentioned by Wilson Laidlaw in the Blog) not longer taking in repairs
– Optical Instruments (Balham) ceased trading some while ago.

 

Listed but don’t do digital Leica M (even for non- digital adjustments, e.g. rangefinder):
– Protech

 

Not listed but will look at digital M for non-digital adjustment / repairs (e.g. rangefinder):
– Cameraworks UK, Bury

 

Not listed. Will only handle ‘consumer’ Leica, not digital M (although I understand they will clean sensors):
– Leica Mayfair
(‘Digital M has to be sent to Wetzlar’)

 

Possible contact for repairs (suggested by Protech but unknown if OK for digital M):
– Miles H. Whitehead, Kent(?) http://www.mwcamerarepairs.co.uk/

 

So, Leica, if you're listening, what can you do?

[farnz]

Richard,

 

I believe that Red Dot Cameras in London can undertake repairs on some Leica digital models but you'd need to contact them to find out what they offer.

 

As far as I know Malcolm Taylor is still offering Leica repair and CLA services and although his work is exceptionally high quality I don't know whether he will repair digital models.  There have been varying reports on turnaround time but I can only say that service he has provided for me has been first class and prompt.

 

Pete.

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[Richardgb]

Richard,

 

I believe that Red Dot Cameras in London can undertake repairs on some Leica digital models but you'd need to contact them to find out what they offer.

 

As far as I know Malcolm Taylor is still offering Leica repair and CLA services and although his work is exceptionally high quality I don't know whether he will repair digital models.  There have been varying reports on turnaround time but I can only say that service he has provided for me has been first class and prompt.

 

Pete.

 

Thanks, I tried Red Dot but they couldn't help with rangefinder adjustment on the M Typ240, referring me to Leica Mayfair from where the offending camera would be sent to Wetzlar.

 

'All roads lead to Wetzlar' seems a common theme for digital M...

[microview]

As the rangefinder mechanism is mechanical (surely?) someone like Malcolm Taylor could make that adjustment. (DIY solutions have been posted on the forum but I wouldn't be tempted!) Worth ringing Mayfair on a weekday and ask if Jimmy Hughes is able to do this for you in London.

[Richardgb]

As the rangefinder mechanism is mechanical (surely?) someone like Malcolm Taylor could make that adjustment. (DIY solutions have been posted on the forum but I wouldn't be tempted!) Worth ringing Mayfair on a weekday and ask if Jimmy Hughes is able to do this for you in London.

 

Sadly, no, Mayfair refer rangefinder adjustment to Wetzlar.

 

However, I'm in touch with a UK repairer who, although they don't do digital Leica, will look at the rangefinder as it's mechanical. Will keep you posted.

[pgk]

You could try: http://www.newtonellis.com/leica/index.html

[Richardgb]

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You could try: http://www.newtonellis.com/leica/index.html

Been there, done that, as I've used Newton Ellis occasionally before (though not for Leica). On the phone they only said 'Bring it in and we'll see if we can do anything' and 'if we can, we'll give you a free quote'.

 

This was not very encouraging - it would cost both time and money just to get them to have a look.

[jaapv]

Try CameraService - Will van Manen in the Netherlands. He has always done the rangefinders on digital M cameras since day one.

[Richardgb]

Try CameraService - Will van Manen in the Netherlands. He has always done the rangefinders on digital M cameras since day one.

 

Thanks, but sending a camera (from the UK) to the Netherlands would be no different to sending it to Germany. The only advantage over Wetzlar would be if Will van Manen could offer quicker turnaround. Nevertheless, as an authorised repairer (which the UK does not appear to have), he's worth bearing in mind

[Jerry Attrik]

Newton Ellis have cla'd a Cannon f1/1.8-50mm and a Leica f1/2-50mm 'cron for me. The 'cron had a clunky focus mount. Both came back in superb condition. They now have a 3f. for cla and rangefinder re-silvering. Must gee them up.

Malcolm T. did my two 3f's one in 1998 and one in 2002 longish time but topnotch work.

Will post comment when my 3f. is returned from N-E.

D.Lox  

[Planar9192]

As far as I know Malcolm Taylor is still offering Leica repair and CLA services and although his work is exceptionally high quality I don't know whether he will repair digital models.  There have been varying reports on turnaround time but I can only say that service he has provided for me has been first class and prompt.

 

Slightly off topic here (and at risk of being chased out seeing as this is my first post!) but based on recent experience I can't recommend Malcolm Taylor... I sent a film M body into him for an repair based on his fantastic reputation in mid 2016 as it had started leaking light, it came back to me after 6 months and still had the issue so I returned it for further inspection - over a year later I was still waiting. I had to chase with multiple phone calls to get the body returned, the problem had still not been fixed so I have had to send out again to one of the other techs listed in the OP (who have now resolved the issue in an 8 week turnaround). 

Sorry that my first post has to be so negative but I feel that I need to make this known somewhere!

[Jerry Attrik]

Further to my post, #10, N.E. have returned my IIIf.

Operationally superb. Rangefinder bright as the day it was made.

Shutter very quiet. Talking to ian, at NE, he told me that the shutter was a little off kilter.

The capping blind spring was over tight, could answer a lot.

It was with them a while, 9 weeks, but they seem, as reported elsewhere, to be very busy.

Now saving up to send my other IIIf.

D.Lox

[Richardgb]

Update on my opening post...

 

I sent my M Typ 240 to Cameraworks in Bury where the rangefinder was checked (all OK) and the sensor cleaned. They also fast-tracked it (~2 week turn-round), not I hasten to add because I'd been nagging but maybe because they had more interesting work to do, like complete strip-down and rebuilds of mechanical Leicas...

[earleygallery]

Update on my opening post...

 

I sent my M Typ 240 to Cameraworks in Bury where the rangefinder was checked (all OK) and the sensor cleaned. They also fast-tracked it (~2 week turn-round), not I hasten to add because I'd been nagging but maybe because they had more interesting work to do, like complete strip-down and rebuilds of mechanical Leicas...

 

2 weeks to clean a sensor? No 'work' required on the rangefinder?

[Richardgb]

2 weeks to clean a sensor? No 'work' required on the rangefinder?

 

Well, it seems to take Leica (Germany) a week from receipt just to issue an estimate whenever I've used them, and then how-long-is-a-piece-of-string to do the work. A month is pretty typical in my experience, depending on what's needed.

 

Cameraworks did test the rangefinder, and sent me the results, but concluded it was functioning as it should; sensor cleaning didn't affect the timing.

[Boojay]

Just reading through this felt the need to add from my own experience.  Malcolm Taylor sorted out my M240 rangefinder problems last year, I had the camera back in a little over two weeks, as promised. 

 

I have today been to collect my 75mm Summilux, focus was off, clicks on aperture ring were not very obvious, and I asked him to code it while he was at it.   When I dropped it off he anticipated around month turnaround as he had a few other jobs on the go,  that was fine for me, it turned out to be under three weeks.  Malcolm is based just a little over an hour away from my home, I feel very lucky to get to spend some time with him and get my stuff fixed too!  

 

I would recommend giving him a ring for any lens or rangefinder issues.