I’ve now had 3 x sl2 bodies fail.

[Photoworks]

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On 5/8/2022 at 12:08 AM, lx1713 said:

I used to tell my Nikon friends the reason why Canon has such a great service department is because their cameras and lens are so bad that they had to keep repairing until they got the design right. It's my joke to keep sane.

that is funny. I remember my Nikon time here in NYC. I had to more and more bodies because Nikon service would take 2-4 month to just glues the rubber back on with D1 cameras..

Canon and Sony in NY takes about a week..

 

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[Gavin Cato]

18 hours ago, Photoworks said:

Canon and Sony in NY takes about a week..

CPS here in syd is really good. I spoke to a few local guys before buying the gear. Typically 2-3 day turnaround and loan gear 99% of the time.

Anyway, I started selling some gear today. Really bummed about it. Gripes about failures and service turnaround times I just love these lenses and the way the SL2 feels in the hand so much.

I've kept for personal use 1 x 47mp SL2 and the 50/1.4 (prob my fave lens ever) and the 90-280. As wonderful as it is, I'm selling the 35/2 as I'd prefer to get a 28 or even better a 24/21 when they release it.

 

[panoreserve]

vor 9 Stunden schrieb Gavin Cato:

CPS here in syd is really good. I spoke to a few local guys before buying the gear. Typically 2-3 day turnaround and loan gear 99% of the time.

Anyway, I started selling some gear today. Really bummed about it. Gripes about failures and service turnaround times I just love these lenses and the way the SL2 feels in the hand so much.

I've kept for personal use 1 x 47mp SL2 and the 50/1.4 (prob my fave lens ever) and the 90-280. As wonderful as it is, I'm selling the 35/2 as I'd prefer to get a 28 or even better a 24/21 when they release it.

 

I highly recommend the SL Apo 28 - which is as good as the SL Apo 35 (I'm currently using the combo SL Apo's  28-50-90)...

Edited May 11, 2022 by panoreserve

[PBart]

On 4/12/2022 at 1:34 PM, LBJ2 said:

Do you use Leica SL exclusively for your mostly food and hospitality business? Just curious which are your go to Leica lenses for your food projects? 

I use the 24-90mm for most food work (usually in the 50-90mm range) but also have the 50mm Summicron for some shallow depth of field needs. For interiors I use the 16-35mm. In the future I would like the 90mm but  waiting to see if Leica ever comes out with a macro lens close to that focal length. Right now I have a Sigma 105mm as my macro option but don't use it much.

[lx1713]

On 5/12/2022 at 6:41 AM, PBart said:

I use the 24-90mm for most food work (usually in the 50-90mm range) but also have the 50mm Summicron for some shallow depth of field needs. For interiors I use the 16-35mm. In the future I would like the 90mm but  waiting to see if Leica ever comes out with a macro lens close to that focal length. Right now I have a Sigma 105mm as my macro option but don't use it much.

I still use the 24-90 for most of my shots. It's that good.

I gave up waiting for macro and bought myself a Leica S Apo Macro Summarit 120mm f2.0 and the adapter. It makes scratchy sounds if I autofocused with it but I'm not likely to do much AF with it so I'm fine with it. It's also a pretty awesome portrait lens at 5.0 (haven't tried it at wider apertures)

Edited May 17, 2022 by lx1713

[TiDoc]

Welcome to the world of Leica !

I've had similar complaints regarding digital M bodies.  Some say this company produces too few units to have effective field testing of their cameras.  My impression is that they just don't place a high value on rugged dependability; relying on their lens quality and name to sell more cameras.  I've known hundreds of pro shooters during my life.  I used to know several who became famous for images shot with Leica M film cameras.  I know they exist, because I see their YouTube videos, but I have never known one pro shooter who uses a Leica digital camera. 

If you really need dependability, I would advise that you consider selling your Leica lenses.  Your proceeds will prove more than ample to acquire Hasselblad, Canon, or Nikon gear.

[Gavin Cato]

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8 hours ago, TiDoc said:

Some say this company produces too few units to have effective field testing of their cameras.

That's my guess. I told the Sydney store that when they said I was the only person this has happened to.

I think I was probably the only person in the world doing 10-20 weddings a month on the SL system.

(yes I know those numbers are absurd, it's a backlog from covid).

[robb]

I shoot about 15 days a month on the road and so far so good since last august with the sl2 and sl2-s.  Each day on location I go through maybe 500-1000 images so likely fewer than a typical wedding.  

i know the Leica’s will probably go down at some point so I kept the canons in a case in my closet waiting patiently for their owner to come home.  Loved canon dependability and Cps and don’t think in 30 years ever had to send one in That was broken.  Really just annual/bi-annual maintenance.  They always came back in 3 -4 days… I sent in a lens for a sharpness issue left to right twice and it came back aok finally.  Also had them mate some fast primes to dedicated bodies for exact focus.

My main issue moving on is not wanting to shoot what everyone else is using and I really think Leica optics and the new sl2 features are top notch.

and I no longer shoot pro sports, so I can take a little more time with my selective shooting.

I could not be happier and am happy to have backups to continue to shoot Leica.  Sorry it did not work out for you.
Robb

[BernardC]

12 hours ago, Gavin Cato said:

I think I was probably the only person in the world doing 10-20 weddings a month on the SL system.

I worked for someone who shot at least 3 weddings a weekend with SLs, more during high season. No issues. I seconded for her on her bigger shows, also with an SL.

[Gavin Cato]

6 hours ago, BernardC said:

I worked for someone who shot at least 3 weddings a weekend with SLs, more during high season. No issues. I seconded for her on her bigger shows, also with an SL.

I'm really glad it's worked for her, still it's obviously not a common use case (I've done 62 weddings already this year and 72 to go until mid December). Most wedding guys consider 40+ a year busy  Next year looking much more normal again!

Unfortunately Leica are refusing or ignoring my requests for why the cameras failed. I've asked so many times now I've lost count. So I'll never know why, which could have helped in my decision before I got all the Canon gear. I've got 3 x R5's now and pretty much every RF lens a wedding guy would use so I'm done now. 

 

13 hours ago, robb said:

My main issue moving on is not wanting to shoot what everyone else is using

Yeah I agree. I loved using gear the mainstream wasn't using. And I absolutely loved the lenses. I kept my 2 faves and a SL2 body for personal.

[robb]

You have an outstanding library of images on your website for your wedding photography.  Well done.  

Robb

[Gavin Cato]

Thanks so much Robb, really appreciate it.

Website edit to remove Leica references next week

 

[Jeff S]

15 hours ago, Gavin Cato said:

Website edit to remove Leica references next week

 

And to correct spelling of ‘experience’ on home page (under second pic).

Jeff

[Gavin Cato]

Well guys, a final update. I didn't want to go into much detail at the time in case they were reading this thread but I had a bit of a drama with the Sydney store where they didn't act - shall we say - very nice over the final faulty body.

It put a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, and combined with the fact I now have a perfectly good Canon RF system, which certainly doesn't feel as nice as the SL2 but is certainly a very competent piece of gear, finally pushed me over the edge and I sold my last SL2 body, and lenses. So I don't have any Leica gear anymore.

For my personal (i.e. non wedding kit) camera, I went out and bought a GFX100s and 23/4, 45/2.8, 80/1.9 - it's a wonderful piece of gear and the IQ is extraordinary.

So I'm out of Leica now, and I don't think I'll be buying any more in the future. It's a shame as the lenses are wonderful. 

Thanks to everyone for the advice & messages.

Gav

 

[frame-it]

32 minutes ago, Gavin Cato said:

80/1.9

gorgeous lens

[hamey]

1 hour ago, Gavin Cato said:

Well guys, a final update. I didn't want to go into much detail at the time in case they were reading this thread but I had a bit of a drama with the Sydney store where they didn't act - shall we say - very nice over the final faulty body.

It put a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, and combined with the fact I now have a perfectly good Canon RF system, which certainly doesn't feel as nice as the SL2 but is certainly a very competent piece of gear, finally pushed me over the edge and I sold my last SL2 body, and lenses. So I don't have any Leica gear anymore.

For my personal (i.e. non wedding kit) camera, I went out and bought a GFX100s and 23/4, 45/2.8, 80/1.9 - it's a wonderful piece of gear and the IQ is extraordinary.

So I'm out of Leica now, and I don't think I'll be buying any more in the future. It's a shame as the lenses are wonderful. 

Thanks to everyone for the advice & messages.

Gav

 

Hello Gav.

I think you did the right thing, ten years ago. I stopped buying Leica's after using them for over 40 years. still have a few but they are only to fondle with.

Considering what we pay to buy Leicas in Australia it's ridicules and their service is 2nd rate.

Currently now I am using Fuji gear, and I love e'm, they have never failed me except the crappy lens hoods but what I paid for this gear is amazing.

My XT-1, XT-2, AND my XH-1, with their battery packs plus 18-55, 16-55 2.8,  50-140 2.8, 10-24 f4, 35mmf2  the total cost for all this gear was still under The price for one SL-2 and SL-R adapter and my Fuji gear was all NEW when I bought them, all MADE IN JAPAN.

Hoping to add the new Fuji XH-2 to my collection if I like it.

Now if I lived in Monte Carlo instead of Melbourne then I would probably buy another Leica  just to pose around the casinos, this is the perfect place for Leicas.  (lol)

Good Luck with your new gear.

Edited June 25, 2022 by hamey

[Darthaddie]

On 4/7/2022 at 4:43 AM, Gavin Cato said:

Some of you might remember earlier I posted that I had a sl2 body fail with the red system error message. Then shortly afterwards my 2nd sl2 body failed. 
 

Because of the very long repair times I bought 2 x sl2-s bodies at considerable expense. So I now own 4 x sl2 bodies. I’m a wedding photographer.
 

Well yesterday Leica messaged me to say the first sl2 body is repaired. Took pretty much exactly 4 months by the time it got sent to Germany. They are posting it to me and I’ll probably get it in a couple of days.

I’m at a wedding today and one of my sl2-s bodies - 4 months old - just failed in the exact same way.

What on earth!!?? I bought into this system knowing the af was not up there with Sony but assuming the hardware at least would be strong and well built.  

I mostly use these cameras in silent mode / electronic shutter outdoors and switch to mechanical shutter indoors. So this body that failed would have hardly any mechanical actuations on it and again is only 4 months old. 

I really don’t know what to do. I love these lenses but can’t stay on the system if they are so ridiculously unreliable. 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the club! Wedding photographer here and was shooting excessively Leica. I had the same exact issues as yours and waiting on my equipment to be repaired. Both my SL2 and SL2s. Sheesh!!! This is absolutely pathetic. 

What I may have realized is that the SL line isn't good for stress work. It will fail you in the most unlikely situations.

[idusidusi]

On 4/10/2022 at 2:43 PM, Gavin Cato said:

Regardless - needing a 4 month turnaround on repair of such an expensive piece of gear is utterly absurd and probably worth leaving the system for just on that point alone. 

 

 

I certainly agree that several months for repairs or any sort of maintenance, even coding of lenses take months......... is just unprofessional and not doing the brand any good publicity. I find that sad and I hope and pray I don't have to send my M11 away for months.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[frame-it]

interesting reading..Leica Australia...

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Leica/comments/vi0hvt/when_did_leica_forget_how_to_make_cameras/

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Leica/comments/vjmxdy/when_did_leica_forget_how_to_make_cameras_part_2/

 

 

 

Edited June 26, 2022 by frame-it

[hossegor]

vor 15 Stunden schrieb Darthaddie:

Welcome to the club! Wedding photographer here and was shooting excessively Leica. I had the same exact issues as yours and waiting on my equipment to be repaired. Both my SL2 and SL2s. Sheesh!!! This is absolutely pathetic. 

What I may have realized is that the SL line isn't good for stress work. It will fail you in the most unlikely situations.

i shoot a lot of motor sports and events,  just switched back to Canon for my main workhorse (R5).   Could not deal with the Quirks of the Sl2 anymore.  But i will continue to use the Q2 and my film Ms