Has anybody else had problems with Leica's customer services and support? Re a Q3 purchase.....

[otto.f]

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On 7/12/2023 at 4:43 PM, Midnight said:

was also surprised at the strap that came with the Q3 as it's cheap and nasty and not really usable. I'm very surprised Leica would make something as bad as this so I am concerned about their products moving forward!!

 

I’m surprised that you’re buying from a website for such an amount of money and not having checked the product in a Leica Store whether it’s according to your wishes. 

Edited July 25, 2023 by otto.f

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[MindsEye]

On 7/12/2023 at 7:43 AM, Midnight said:

Customer services were not helpful on the phone so much so I'm considering sending my Q3 back from principle. Has anybody else found Leica to lack in this area? I'm worried that if the camera did have a problem I'd get no support or help which is worrying, so far my experience with Leica has not been good!

Has anyone had similar experiances?

I am a full time professional shooter. No one can beat Sony's pro service and I also had great experiences with Canon's pro service. I've owned various Leica cameras and lenses over the years going back to the early 80s. They have never been my primary system for professional work. You can't count on Sony/Canon level pro service, in spite of the cost of gear. I don't think the typical Leica customer is a full time professional relying on their Leica gear for everyday work and making their living. And no, that's not a good excuse for Leica. But Leica is different than all the mainstream brands.

I've found with my recent Q3 problems that if your are persistent with Leica and/or your Leica dealer you will get help. But one also needs to be patient. I have just taken the viewpoint that my recently aquired Q3 is auxillary gear and I know if I have to send it in for repair it may take a few weeks. If you can find a way to enjoy the quality and craftmanship and realize all of that takes time, including repairs, tech support getting back to you, and so on, you'll enjoy your camera that much more. The Q3 really is fabulous.

If you were able to get a Q3 from an authorized dealer right when you wanted it, you are lucky. There is a huge backlog of orders and limited supply. I feel lucky I only waited a few weeks for mine. My dealer and Leica U.S. have both been great in addressing my concerns.

Edited July 25, 2023 by MindsEye
revisions

[BobsFirstLeica]

56 minutes ago, MindsEye said:

I am a full time professional shooter. No one can beat Sony's pro service and I also had great experiences with Canon's pro service. I've owned various Leica cameras and lenses over the years going back to the early 80s. They have never been my primary system for professional work. You can't count on Sony/Canon level pro service, in spite of the cost of gear. I don't think the typical Leica customer is a full time professional relying on their Leica gear for everyday work and making their living. And no, that's not a good excuse for Leica. But Leica is different than all the mainstream brands.

I've found with my recent Q3 problems that if your are persistent with Leica and/or your Leica dealer you will get help. But one also needs to be patient. I have just taken the viewpoint that my recently aquired Q3 is auxillary gear and I know if I have to send it in for repair it may take a few weeks. If you can find a way to enjoy the quality and craftmanship and realize all of that takes time, including repairs, tech support getting back to you, and so on, you'll enjoy your camera that much more. The Q3 really is fabulous.

If you were able to get a Q3 from an authorized dealer right when you wanted it, you are lucky. There is a huge backlog of orders and limited supply. I feel lucky I only waited a few weeks for mine. My dealer and Leica U.S. have both been great in addressing my concerns.

I will do a plus one on this post.  I think in the second line you meant to write, "You can count on Sony/Canon......."  Sony Pro service, the few times I have had to use them, is great.  In the last year I've used FujiFIlm's Pro service for my GFX cams and they are quite responsive.  The Q3 is my 2nd "Q" cam and feel similarly that it is an auxiliary cam, but the primary cam for vacations because of its smaller size and features.  Because of this website I have had almost no questions of Leica or the store beyond the threads discussed in this forum.  Just looking forward to FW updates that will help the Q3 "mature."

Bob

[MindsEye]

4 hours ago, BobsFirstLeica said:

I will do a plus one on this post.  I think in the second line you meant to write, "You can count on Sony/Canon......."  Sony Pro service, the few times I have had to use them, is great.  In the last year I've used FujiFIlm's Pro service for my GFX cams and they are quite responsive.  The Q3 is my 2nd "Q" cam and feel similarly that it is an auxiliary cam, but the primary cam for vacations because of its smaller size and features.  Because of this website I have had almost no questions of Leica or the store beyond the threads discussed in this forum.  Just looking forward to FW updates that will help the Q3 "mature."

Bob

Bob, Thanks for the plus one and pointing out my wording. I worded it awkwardly. I meant to say that just because Leica is expensive, it doesn't mean you will get the same level of service as you would with Sony/Canon Pro service. They are different markets and handled differently. As mentioned I have had a problem with my Q3 but also feel I've gotten good service from Leica support and the dealer to help me resolve the issue. In fact they offered me a number of options. I have chosen to wait for the firmware update which they said is 2-3 weeks off and will fix some issues including the ones I'm having.

Cheers,

Joel

[BobsFirstLeica]

51 minutes ago, MindsEye said:

As mentioned I have had a problem with my Q3 but also feel I've gotten good service from Leica support and the dealer to help me resolve the issue. In fact they offered me a number of options. I have chosen to wait for the firmware update which they said is 2-3 weeks off and will fix some issues including the ones I'm having.

Joel,

Curious.... what problem are you having, if you don't mind mentioning it?

Bob