My Q is stocked on F2.8

[Leica Guy]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

th

 

 

that's a lot of money....it seems in poor taste that others should joke about it

 

I get the impression that the Q is very expensive to repair. Mine is well out of warranty, and I'm thinking about selling it, and getting a used M9 (a camera I miss hugely). I'd probably think about getting a Fuji or Sony if I had to cough up nearly 1,400 EUR to repair my Q.

So sorry to hear of the repair costs. Jokes were not in any way meant to make fun of your situation. I fear someday something will fail on my Q and I’ll face similar costs. Good luck.

[pr28893]

Well first of all it is not a Porsche or a Ferrari. it ain't that fast

 

They want 1.380,00 EUR to fix it, nearly 1/3 of the New price. My love for Leica has cooled. sadly.

I would argue this out with Leica. A product this expensive should not fail this early in its life. I used that argument at Wetzlar on an out of warantee M-E successfully. Certainly there are consumer laws in Europe which state 6 years for manufacturing defects. In the UK it is called the Consumer Rights Act.

[Advertisement]

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

[jaapv]

I hope there is some kind of warranty recourse. Otherwise, that would seem totally ridiculous!

There is - it is called a letter by a lawyer explaining consumer law.

[jmschuh]

In Germany, a 2-year warranty is mandatory by law. After 6 months there is a reversal of the burden of proof and the customer must prove that it is a manufacturing defect. This should hardly be possible in most cases or so expensive that you can buy a new Q.

Furthermore, in Germany a distinction is made between warranty and guarantee. Guarantee is a voluntary service of the manufacturer and warranty is a legal obligation, which does not apply to the manufacturer, but to the seller(!).

Insofar as the goods were not purchased directly in Germany, only the local statutory warranty regulations apply first.

I would ask Leica for an accommodating solution.

[marcg]

When did you purchase the camera and who from?

[Mute-on]

There is - it is called a letter by a lawyer explaining consumer law.

Of course the specifics of consumer law will vary by country, but I was hoping the OP might have precisely this form of recourse.

 

Australian consumer law provides certain protection regardless of the manufacurer’s warranty.

 

In this instance, it it not clear whether the failure occurred before, or because of, the installation of a new software version. If the latter, it is clearly a fault of the software that affected the OP’s individual camera.

 

In any event, a no fault (no damage) repair cost of 25% of the purchase price on a Leica under 3 years old is utterly preposterous given the initial purchase cost.

 

Of course, this is only possible in the digital age in which repair means replacement of major assemblies. This would have been highly unlikely on a film Leica. How times have changed!

 

J

[HenrikP]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

This I goot from Leica!

 

Dear Hendrik,

 

Thank you for your mail.

We sincerely regret that our estimate gives you reason to complain. Unfortunately, your camera's warranty expired in 12/2017.

Your Leica Q is not a hermetically sealed system. Due to Macro function as well as the lens volume air permeability is constructively necessary and particles can enter. Coarse particles inside the gears impaired the proper and even movement of the lens which caused the electronic to fail.

Electronic components have a shorter lifespan than mechanical ones due to the higher susceptibility to external influences (temperature / humidity, cosmic radiation, etc.). A Leica, however, is not immune to this. It is not a serial problem. In your case, some large particles entered under the aperture ring and the reason why the lens is now defective. Unfortunately, the aperture ring is not a single component that can be exchanged. We have to replace the entire lens of your camera in order to bring back the full functionality of the lens.

Our repair policies are deliberately made to ensure fair service to all customers. We therefore ask for your understanding that a free repair is not possible.

 

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / kind regards

 

Liberty Seria

 

Leica Camera AG

Customer Care

 

Sorry to say I am not impressed!

[jaapv]

Well, if there is indeed a mechanical reason for the failure (i.e. sand in the gears) as suggested in this mail, that is another aspect. You might even try to get your insurance to pay up. I would ask Leica for a clear confirmation of the cause.

[HenrikP]

I always use my Canon gear if I go to the Beach so! But good point I take it up with insurance!

[Guest tofu_man]

I'm trying to baby my Q now as potential repair costs are so high, and the lens assembly doesn't seem to be servicable.

 

My colleague needed to have his Q repaired back in late 2015 when the MF-AF focus tab lock wouldn't engage when moved to AF.

 

Leica quoted USD 1,600 even though it was still under warranty as the camera had scratch marks on the bottom plate and hood. The bottom plate scratch was caused by scraping along some broken concrete in a Phnom Penh slum while on a photo project. Leica wouldn't accept that the focus tab lock issue existed before the scratches.

 

General conditon of product: Trace of used, display scratched, impact. See photos

Necessary labour costs: Exchange focal length adjustment ring, exchange lettering ring/ classification, adjustment of all parts.

Necessary materials: Lens, complete.

 

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[marcg]

When did you purchase the camera and who from?

 

Still waiting for an answer to this.

[HenrikP]

Sorry for that 28/12-2015 at Goecker in Denmark

[marcg]

Thanks for that.

 

I was asking because if you had been in the United Kingdom, then in all likelihood you would have been able to assert your consumer rights and to insist that the seller of the camera took responsibility for the problem and had it repaired at their own expense.

 

I'm not sure what the consumer rights are in Denmark. In the UK they are excellent and not only that there is an excellent small claims procedure in the County Court which allows you issue the court papers online and to bring your action against a retailer fairly speedily and with very little risk even if you lose your case. For claims less than £10,000, each side as to bear their own costs other than the claim fee and the hearing fee.

 

It is very empowering of consumers.

 

If people buy in the United Kingdom then they should ignore manufacturer's or retailers warranties because they should consider that they are properly protected under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

[HenrikP]

 

After a long talk with Leica, we have reached agreement. They can not give me any price reduction. but they have given me the opportunity to choose leather from their A la carde program at no additional cost.

Henrik

So

[prk60091]

Well first of all it is not a Porsche or a Ferrari. it ain't that fast

 

They want 1.380,00 EUR to fix it, nearly 1/3 of the New price. My love for Leica has cooled. sadly.

 

i have visited this thread several times since it was first started.  It has been bugging me.  What if something like this were to happen to my out of warranty Q (my warranty just expired in july of this year)?  Do I trade it in while it is still working/ before anything happens to it? What are the risks and benefits?

 

Unless I went full analog (which is not going to happen anytime soon) there  risks for all digital equipment. (analog equipment have their own risks-- water damage among them).

 

It is not surprising that a repair to the lens would be costly.  

 

I imagine if you had a  CL or SL  and one of those lenses acted similarly for a similar reason -- the repair cost might be as much or more.  

 

Quality costs.

[bags27]

i have visited this thread several times since it was first started.  It has been bugging me.  What if something like this were to happen to my out of warranty Q (my warranty just expired in july of this year)?  Do I trade it in while it is still working/ before anything happens to it? What are the risks and benefits?

 

Unless I went full analog (which is not going to happen anytime soon) there  risks for all digital equipment. (analog equipment have their own risks-- water damage among them).

 

It is not surprising that a repair to the lens would be costly.  

 

I imagine if you had a  CL or SL  and one of those lenses acted similarly for a similar reason -- the repair cost might be as much or more.  

 

Quality costs.

I don't understand the particular water damage risk to analogue. What do you mean (as I also shoot analogue, and now I'm nervous  )?

 

Selling an out-of-warranty Q to buy a new in-warranty Q would cost you around $1500, I figure. An interesting symmetry to the cost of repairing one. There are excellent folks in the U.S. who work on Leicas for a lot less, of course, but they are not warranted Leica repair people, and I don't know the range of what they can fix especially with digital. I doubt they could/would fix what the OP's camera suffers from. But other things, certainly.

Edited August 8, 2018 by bags27

[prk60091]

I don't understand the particular water damage risk to analogue. What do you mean (as I also shoot analogue, and now I'm nervous  )?

 

Selling an out-of-warranty Q to buy a new in-warranty Q would cost you around $1500, I figure. An interesting symmetry to the cost of repairing one. There are excellent folks in the U.S. who work on Leicas for a lot less, of course, but they are not warranted Leica repair people, and I don't know the range of what they can fix especially with digital. I doubt they could/would fix what the OP's camera suffers from. But other things, certainly.

 

i remember in my fathers camera store.... people coming in having gotten their cameras wet (rain/in the pool etc) and having to send it 'in' to get fixed .....  my point was there are risks to all cameras (digital and analog)

 

i did come to my senses and am not going to sell my Q-- nothing out there compares and like my post said going completely analog is not an option at this point in time... for the time being i  do not have the luxury of all the time in the world to shoot and set up and use a darkroom then scan to my computer.  what i really want to do is  go to a iiif  with an old elmarit -- zone focus & exposure and pretend i am 16 again shooting with  my dad's camera... (i did not get to touch the m3 right away) --

[jaapv]

i have visited this thread several times since it was first started.  It has been bugging me.  What if something like this were to happen to my out of warranty Q (my warranty just expired in july of this year)?  Do I trade it in while it is still working/ before anything happens to it? What are the risks and benefits?

 

Unless I went full analog (which is not going to happen anytime soon) there  risks for all digital equipment. (analog equipment have their own risks-- water damage among them).

 

It is not surprising that a repair to the lens would be costly.  

 

I imagine if you had a  CL or SL  and one of those lenses acted similarly for a similar reason -- the repair cost might be as much or more.  

 

Quality costs.

If it bothers you take out full insurance, including repairs. It'd probably be more expensive than replacing the camera by another used one, but that is the price of peace of mind.

[earleygallery]

 

 

After a long talk with Leica, we have reached agreement. They can not give me any price reduction. but they have given me the opportunity to choose leather from their A la carde program at no additional cost.

Henrik

So

Amazing generosity especially as the repair quote will include a replacement (standard) cover. Well done Leica.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica Q

[prk60091]

If it bothers you take out full insurance, including repairs. It'd probably be more expensive than replacing the camera by another used one, but that is the price of peace of mind.

 

Thank  you for the idea.  I just added a rider to my homeowners policy includes accidental damage and theft  110USD / year with no deductible.