Mechanical Perfection

[gabrielaszalos]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

In the spirit of raising positivity, I'd like to invite you to post a response here if you've ever bought a new MP or M-A which was completely flawless for the first 5 years. I mean not one single problem, ever. I don't mean excluding "acceptable defects". I mean no issues at all, no problems, no imperfections, no service whatsoever.

I already know plenty of stories of the opposite

Edited April 13, 2021 by gabrielaszalos
Clarify new only

[Advertisement]

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

[RayD28]

Are you talking about new or used or either?

[gabrielaszalos]

1 minute ago, RayD28 said:

Are you talking about new or used or either?

I'd say "new". I edited my post. But your post is very welcome, and it's good to know that you've bought a used one which was flawless for 5 years, if that's why you've posted. Thanks!

[a.noctilux]

As I wrote so many times, ...I'm lucky guy.

Two M-A from 2014, nothing to complain, I'm really happy with those new M.

Before that I had for many years two MP second hand, nothing to talk about, they just did what I waited from them in "soft" everyday use or "hard motorcycle" travels.

I won't call them "Mechanical Perfection" though, as for me nothing IS perfect.

Edited April 13, 2021 by a.noctilux

[wattsy]

The MP I bought new in, I think 2011, was flawless after Leica sorted out some initial serious focussing problems (I was told by Leica CS that the RF mechanism had to be "rebuilt", whatever that means).😀 My second M-A (a replacement of my first) has been faultless and I've had that more than 5 years (although it does have the same roll of film in it from early 2020 so I clearly don't use it much). My first MP, which I bought used in around 2007 was superb and I should have kept it.

I've become quite philosophical about these things and think it might be an advantage if the camera does have to go back to Wetzlar for service early on. There seems to be a policy there of giving the camera a full CLA (at least that's what they call it) and I reckon they come back perfectly set-up.

Edited April 13, 2021 by wattsy

[Matlock]

I have both a MP and a M-A, (the MP from 2008 and the M-A from 2019) both have been flawless and I personally know of no one who has had any problems although I do read of many on this forum. Sometimes it seems there are more problem cameras than the number that were actually made.😄

[Guest]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Two MP bought in 2005 and 2006. No problems.

[logan2z]

Not quite 5 years yet, but I've had my M-A for 4 years and have had no issues of any kind.  

[250swb]

I got my MP is 2003, one of the very earliest, and it has never needed a service or had a problem other than the need to change the battery.

[anonymous]

I picked up an MP in January, so I can't speak years out.  So far I've got about 20 rolls through it and haven't had a single hint of an issue.  Each roll is smoother than the last.

[Ouroboros]

I bought my MP new in 2006 and I've put 100's of rolls of film through it without a problem. 

[maate]

My M-A is from 2016 and running perfectly. I've droppede it twice on concrete from which it earned a dent or two. But it still works flawlessly, and the rangefinder is still accurate.

It is only natural that the negative stories is what people write about. But I find it hard to imagine quality control should really be so low as the impression one can get from reading stories and comments online.

[mole73]

vor 6 Stunden schrieb Matlock:

I have both a MP and a M-A, (the MP from 2008 and the M-A from 2019) both have been flawless and I personally know of no one who has had any problems although I do read of many on this forum. Sometimes it seems there are more problem cameras than the number that were actually made.😄

You're absolutely right! That's the problem with our "internet age". Hypothetically spoken: if the internet would have been present in the second half of the twentieth century the M3´s, M4´s and M6´s wouldn't have got the reputation they nowadays have.

And the people with flaw camera models are more active in the internet than the ones with flawless camera models.

[mole73]

Two years ago I had the opportunity to visit the Wetzlar manufacturing facilities of Leica. The head of the manufacturing department told me that the MP and M-A run through a manufacturing process with one (!) person while the M10 as the digital pendant runs through a manufacturing process of more than 10 stations with 10 different persons. The effort in teaching this one person for the analogue models is much higher than the 10 persons for the shorter manufacturing stages of the M10.

[trisberg]

FWIW, I bought a new M2 in 1972 and a new M6 in 1994, both had to go in for warranty repair due to some issue with the shutter. After that, they were working fine for years until I sold them to get something different.

-Thomas

 

[caymanlawyer]

I have had a new M6TTL since 2001 and a new MP since 2003 with no problems at all, and a 1953 iiif (new to me) since 2010 - again with no problems. Then again, I had a Pentax ME super for 30 years with no trouble until it was burgled (they left the Leicas!)

[humerc]

Got a new MP a few weeks ago (build October 2020). No problems - perfect so far.

[earleygallery]

40 minutes ago, humerc said:

Got a new MP a few weeks ago (build October 2020). No problems - perfect so far.

It's obviously not right, I would send it back and ask them to check it for faults!

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[ianman]

On 4/13/2021 at 9:40 PM, mole73 said:

The head of the manufacturing department told me that the MP and M-A run through a manufacturing process with one (!) person while the M10 as the digital pendant runs through a manufacturing process of more than 10 stations with 10 different persons.

I've seen similar reports over the years, but it's still not clear.

Did he mean that all of the MPs and M-A are buil by one and the same person? Or that a camera goes through all the build processes with one person, but there could be multiple people building an analog camera from start to finish?

On 4/13/2021 at 9:40 PM, mole73 said:

The effort in teaching this one person for the analogue models is much higher than the 10 persons for the shorter manufacturing stages of the M10.

That would seem perfectly logical as they need to master every stage of the build whereas someone in the digital manufacturing process would only need to master a single skill. I don't believe that putting together or installing the rangefinder in an M10 is any easier than the same process for an MP.

[jakontil]

i picked up 2020 july production black paint mp, the metering was off, no power at all, just like MA, returned it and swoop to a silver one, the focus finder was misaligned vertically, which was a pain too with some ghosting

live with it, sent it to local repair, back and work flawlessly

recently acquired another mp black paint for the love of it  production 2021 march, perfect out of the box... couldnt be happier