Jump to content

Surreal waiting times for lens repair and maintenance at Leica Germany

Al Brown

By Al Brown
in Leica M Lenses

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 134
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

hdmesa
hdmesa

Given the average age of Leica owners, I wonder how many of us can afford these repair wait times. Perhaps Leica is just trying to wait us out 💀🪦  

Lonescapes
Lonescapes

I don't understand why they would even want to be in possession of your property for more than half a year. Storing it and keeping track of it must cost them something. They really need to put a

hdmesa
hdmesa

Any wait of a month or longer should automatically extend your warranty by the same timeframe. I'm surprised this has not been looked into by the relevant regulatory bodies over Leica and/or litigated

Posted Images

Derbyshire Man

Derbyshire Man

Posted
Posted

I killed my Porker by rolling it going around a corner. Before I did that, when it was young and I was crazy enough to have a main dealer service they used to lend me another Porsche. These days I think the loan cars are more humdrum (small Mercedes) but still happens every time. 

In an ideal world Leica would have a 1 or 2 day turn around as I’ve always experienced with Fuji/Canon. Failing that I think a ticket system is a very sensible way ahead. Many defects are partial and the loss of kit for 9 months rather offsets the benefit of the fix. I suspect however that Leica realise that a long queue is a method of rationing, it dissuades people from selecting the service at all. They may well be worried that if they make it too easy nearly every item they’ve ever produced will be back at the repair shop. There may be a risk of that but it also of course represents a potential profit source!

Maybe someone should set up a google docs letter for all to sign to go the Leica asking for a ticket system (allow one to register repair with deposit and notify x weeks in advance to send in item)?

Link to post
Share on other sites
TomB_tx

TomB_tx

Posted
Posted (edited)
7 minutes ago, Derbyshire Man said:

Maybe someone should set up a google docs letter for all to sign to go the Leica asking for a ticket system (allow one to register repair with deposit and notify x weeks in advance to send in item)?

I'd rather see them return to selling parts to private Leica technicians. If Leica can't handle the volume they should welcome private techs.

I have been using other techs even for work that would have been covered by warranty.

Edited by TomB_tx
  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
Derbyshire Man

Derbyshire Man

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, TomB_tx said:

I'd rather see them return to selling parts to private Leica technicians. If Leica can't handle the volume they should welcome private techs.

I have been using other techs even for work that would have been covered by warranty.

Why is so much on this forum 'I'd rather'! typically more than one thing is possible at a time. I agree with your suggestion though, that would also be a good idea. Again it suggests that parts production is also an issue. In terms of the European 'Right to Repair' it's possible already illegal not to release parts, although I'm certainly not a lawyer!

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
Robert Blanko

Robert Blanko

Posted
Posted

Looks like my very good friend Niels had a record-breaking (considering the 5+ months discussed here...) turnaround time of not even 6 weeks for the repair of his 50 APO Summicron.

He had dropped his camera with the APO hitting the floor with the lens hood extended, so that the integrated lens hood was tilted and stuck afterwards and could not move forward / backward anymore.

He dropped off the lens at the Leica store in Munich nearby the Odeonsplatz on January 13, 2024 - hoping that they could fix it right away without sending to Leica Wetzlar. However, they had to send the lens to Leica Wetzlar, indicating that the typical turnaround times would be about 5 months. Yesterday he picked up his repaired APO which already arrived on Thursday, all in good shape, as before.

Maybe, there are different tracks, depending on the degree of damage or they hired more technicians?

Link to post
Share on other sites
Al Brown

Al Brown

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Advertisement (gone after registration)

1 hour ago, Robert Blanko said:

Looks like my very good friend Niels had a record-breaking (considering the 5+ months discussed here...) turnaround time of not even 6 weeks for the repair of his 50 APO Summicron.

He had dropped his camera with the APO hitting the floor with the lens hood extended, so that the integrated lens hood was tilted and stuck afterwards and could not move forward / backward anymore.

He dropped off the lens at the Leica store in Munich nearby the Odeonsplatz on January 13, 2024 - hoping that they could fix it right away without sending to Leica Wetzlar. However, they had to send the lens to Leica Wetzlar, indicating that the typical turnaround times would be about 5 months. Yesterday he picked up his repaired APO which already arrived on Thursday, all in good shape, as before.

Maybe, there are different tracks, depending on the degree of damage or they hired more technicians?

One swallow does not a summer make.

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
28framelines

28framelines

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, 69xchange said:

Someone on Reddit posted that Leica is currently not accepting analog repair requests. He states he got his sources from a Leica store which I find hard to believe as Leica site still  currently says 10+ months for analog repairs.

I saw that too. Leica is sinking its own ship.

Link to post
Share on other sites
69xchange

69xchange

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, 28framelines said:

I saw that too. Leica is sinking its own ship.

But I doubt it’s true as there is no official statement from Leica themselves about this. However if this is true, then they’ll further increase their sales on their film M bodies, hitting another record sales record for next earnings.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Al Brown

Al Brown

Posted
  • Author
Posted
12 hours ago, 69xchange said:

But I doubt it’s true as there is no official statement from Leica themselves about this. However if this is true, then they’ll further increase their sales on their film M bodies, hitting another record sales record for next earnings.

Leica Germany is offering a minimum of 800 euros instant rebate if you hand over *any* derelict analog camera towards the purchase of a brand new MP or M-A until March 31st.

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!

Link to post
Share on other sites
odoomi

odoomi

Posted
Posted

I gave them a call the other day asking for an estimated price for a lens repair.

The gentlemen on the phone was very nice and was telling me that in the last year analog photography was getting a serious hype they did not expect and account for. They receive unexpected high amounts of old camera gear to be repaired which also in average takes much longer than just a quick calibration of newer gear here and there. Everybody is taking out their old Leicas and get them fixed right now... that's the problem... 

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites
28framelines

28framelines

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, Al Brown said:

Leica Germany is offering a minimum of 800 euros instant rebate if you hand over *any* derelict analog camera towards the purchase of a brand new MP or M-A until March 31st.

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!

They’re buying parts since they probably don’t have enough! LOL.

  • Haha 3
Link to post
Share on other sites
Anbaric

Anbaric

Posted
Posted
On 2/25/2024 at 4:06 PM, Al Brown said:

It does not have to be a Leica, could be a disposable camera AFAIK.

Maybe it's part of a top secret research programme, researching their competitors' pressure plates and film transport mechanisms so they can learn the dark art of not scratching film?

Link to post
Share on other sites
Al Brown

Al Brown

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, chris7273 said:

maybe two then ? 🙂 I know it's not about a lens but my M11 was back after four weeks, in place of the ten weeks announeced... 

I think the big time trouble is with analog bodies and lenses. M11s have to be done in 45 days warranty period anyway (where applicable).

  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
chris7273

chris7273

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

I think the big time trouble is with analog bodies and lenses. M11s have to be done in 45 days warranty period anyway (where applicable).

oh.... this explains that 🙂    the guys from the leica store in Brussels didn't know this fact. 

Link to post
Share on other sites
vinicio

vinicio

Posted
Posted

I sent my MP in Wetzlar on June 6th 2023; it’s still there and none can tell me when it will be back. When I accepted the proposal to repair the camera, with upfront payment, estimated time to have this back was 27 weeks.

Is this acceptable from a brand like this?

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...