Repair shop swapped my shutter R8

[Feralhumn]

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I think the repair shop swapped out my near mint shutter mech for a damaged one. Could I get an R8 owner post a photo of their shutter in the cocked position. I can’t believe this,  my camera was returned with a damaged shutter and when in the cocked position the hinges are in a different location. The photo shown in the cocked position is before taking to repair. Note the hinge location is in lower 2/3 of frame and the surfaces are mint. The damaged shutter has scratches on the film plane surface and when cocked the hinges are in the upper 2/3 of the frame. I suspect they had a damaged shutter from an R7, R6 because of the hinge location when in cocked position changed.

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[LeicaR10]

Feralhumn,   You might want to double check the serial number on the "repaired" camera to see if its even your camera.  I would be on the phone with the repair "chop shop" and find out what did they do.  If you had photos of your camera before you sent it in, that would also help.  Most people don't do that, but I always take photos of any gear that I send in for repair.  It saved me one time with Leica that returned my SL lens with a dent in the filter thread.  I sent in the pre-ship/drop off photos that I took at the store, next thing Leica sent me a brand new lens.  Turns out the lens was dropped by staff and was captured on video.  I would not accept the "repair" under any circumstances to include stopping payment or dispute the charge if need be with the card company.  r/ Mark

Edited March 8, 2023 by LeicaR10

[dpitt]

This is the first time I heard about this kind of fraude. Maybe your shutter was damaged by an employee?

This is my R8 with shutter cocked

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[Herr Barnack]

@Feralhumn  This is truly a new low.  It is mind blowing that a so-called Leica repair shop would try to screw over a client in this manner.  I would stop payment - without question - and I would be seeking out an attorney to deal with this travesty.

In the interest of saving others from a similar ripoff, it would be great if you would name the shop that did this.

I wish you all the best in getting this set right.

[Huss]

4 hours ago, Herr Barnack said:

@Feralhumn  This is truly a new low.  It is mind blowing that a so-called Leica repair shop would try to screw over a client in this manner.  I would stop payment - without question - and I would be seeking out an attorney to deal with this travesty.

In the interest of saving others from a similar ripoff, it would be great if you would name the shop that did this.

I wish you all the best in getting this set right.

It happened to me with my M5.  That famous M5 tech returned my camera, but with the condenser missing, so the RF patch flared badly.  When questioned about it, she refused to engage.  DAG had to fix it.  But I think Feralhumn's is worse, as there is serious damage there to that shutter.  Something much harder to fix.

[Herr Barnack]

1 hour ago, Huss said:

It happened to me with my M5.  That famous M5 tech returned my camera, but with the condenser missing, so the RF patch flared badly.  When questioned about it, she refused to engage.  DAG had to fix it.  But I think Feralhumn's is worse, as there is serious damage there to that shutter.  Something much harder to fix.

Huh. 

Perhaps I have been dreadfully misinformed,  but I had always operated under the belief that when you send off a multi-thousand dollar M camera to a repair technician, the object of the game was to NOT have it returned to you more f***ed up than when you sent it off. 🙄

[Feralhumn]

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Leica did not do any work on my R8. I am selling the camera and left it with a local repair shop to have it evaluated, shutter speed etc. It was the local shop that damaged or swapped the shutter. Unfortunately, the only photo I have pre evaluation is the shutter in the cocked position. When in this position the damage is not seen. I have no way of proving my assertion that they damaged it. Lesson learned, document item condition before handing it over to another person’s care. Thank you all for the responses and the photo.

[Feralhumn]

I did check the serial number, it’s mine.

[Herr Barnack]

20 minutes ago, Feralhumn said:

Leica did not do any work on my R8. I am selling the camera and left it with a local repair shop to have it evaluated, shutter speed etc. It was the local shop that damaged or swapped the shutter. Unfortunately, the only photo I have pre evaluation is the shutter in the cocked position. When in this position the damage is not seen. I have no way of proving my assertion that they damaged it. Lesson learned, document item condition before handing it over to another person’s care. Thank you all for the responses and the photo.

I think this debacle that @Feralhumn was subjected to is a learning experience for all of us - if you have to have a camera or lens worked on - R, M, S or any other kind - photograph the hell out of it before you hand it over or ship it off for repair. 

[LeicaR10]

Feralhumn,  Comparing your 2 initial photos, before and after, there are 2 scratches to the left that are not on the before photograph.  That alone proves damage was done to the film back.  The dent in the shutter although can't be proved, it looks like the "repair" shop did damage your camera at least with the two scratches.  The dent was extra.  I would not pay the bill on the repair and tell the store to compensate you for at least the 2 scratch damage.  r/ Mark

[earleygallery]

I have always said here when people talk about’CLA’s’ for no specific reason that if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Whenever someone takes something apart it’s always going to introduce the chances of something going wrong.

I recently heard about someone who sent their Amplifier back to the manufacturer for a service and subsequently had issues. They sent it to an independent repairer who found that some components had been removed but not replaced!! 

Just don’t!!

[Feralhumn]

On 3/10/2023 at 4:23 PM, LeicaR10 said:

Feralhumn,  Comparing your 2 initial photos, before and after, there are 2 scratches to the left that are not on the before photograph.  That alone proves damage was done to the film back.  The dent in the shutter although can't be proved, it looks like the "repair" shop did damage your camera at least with the two scratches.  The dent was extra.  I would not pay the bill on the repair and tell the store to compensate you for at least the 2 scratch damage.  r/ Mark

I agree, but once again I dropped the ball. The vendor had the camera nicely wrapped in plastic upon return. I paid and walked out. 

[Feralhumn]

One of the reasons I think the entire shutter mech assembly was swapped is because the scratches in question look like long term wear. Most of the scratch damage doesn’t look like a one time repair type engraving. I recently returned an Amazon purchase, I video taped and photographed everything, then put a big note in the package, it was photographed and documented damage free. … got the refund fast. Anyway, lessened learned.

[LeicaR10]

Feralhumn,  It makes no difference if the vendor had the camera nicely wrapped in plastic.  You stil have the right to contest the swap of the internal shutter back/guts for a defective one.  DId you call or take the camera back on discovery?  I would have done so immediately.  You still have time.  The scratches look long term as you wrote.  You also have the photographs of the camera before sending it in for repair.  I would definitely take it back with your photos and tell them to make it right.  No doing so, IMO you are letting the vendor off the hook.  Mostly likely the camera was wrapped nicely so you wouldn't inspect the camera...IMO a really shady vendor and IMO knew what they were doing.  If you don't tell them, then you will eat the defect and dodgy repair cost.  An honest vendor would make it right.  Your choice.  Personally, I never accept or reward faulty repairs on anything.   r/ Mark

Edited March 12, 2023 by LeicaR10

[ruiespanhol]

The biggest problem is the fact that Leica stop to do repairs on R system and left the R costumer's at own risk/lucky.

It's a shame that Leica to refuse to do a simple CLA or others maintenance jobs on R cameras or lenses, a company like Leica should treat much better the R clients in my opinion.