Q3: The Last Leica Product I Will Ever Buy (**Jump ahead to post #141 by the OP**)

[fotografr]

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1 hour ago, bobtodrick said:

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

[BruceRH]

5 hours ago, fotografr said:

The image below is the one I posted that alerted me to the dust. Aram was the one to point out that there appeared to be a dust spot and he was right, however, when looking more closely at the image (not pixel peeping) the spots I've circled were very apparent.

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Yeah, that is definitely not acceptable and very disappointing. 

[Lelmer]

9 hours ago, fotografr said:

I just checked and the dealer I bought from has no Q3s in stock. The one I got was one of only two they had received for a few weeks. I think this clearly calls for 3 or 4 fingers of my best scotch.

Don't worry too much, Brent, and enjoy your M's 🙂

[gordec]

Another reason to buy used. Ask seller to send you a defocused f16 raw before purchasing and save some money. Every fixed lens is at risk. I do agree Leica shouldn’t let this happen during production at all. My Q2 was super clean even after 4 years of regular use, so I guess once sealed, Q3 should keep dust out.

[ajmarton1]

Strange.  I wonder what's the percentage of Q3s with this issue.  Mine is fine.  As a side note, if you purchased the Q3 from an authorized dealer new it should still be under warranty.  I would just take care of it and move on.  Even $100,000 cars have warranty issues when new.  If you didn't buy it from an authorized dealer I would be concerned about the history of this Q3.  Perhaps it was a 'factory second' that was being sold to you.  

[bobtodrick]

5 minutes ago, ajmarton1 said:

Strange.  I wonder what's the percentage of Q3s with this issue.  Mine is fine.  As a side note, if you purchased the Q3 from an authorized dealer new it should still be under warranty.  I would just take care of it and move on.  Even $100,000 cars have warranty issues when new.  If you didn't buy it from an authorized dealer I would be concerned about the history of this Q3.  Perhaps it was a 'factory second' that was being sold to you.  

This in my experience is true.

We’ve sold about a dozen Q3’s this year.  None have had any issues.  I do feel that in that respect Leica’s QC and glitches aren’t really any worse than anyone else’s.

But I do agree, when there is an issue you will wait longer to get back from service.

We are in Canada and deal with Leica USA.   Whether it be cameras or sport optics too often we hear the dreaded ‘we can’t fix it in New Jersey…it has to go to Germany’.  That becomes a four month repair 😢

[fotografr]

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32 minutes ago, ajmarton1 said:

Strange.  I wonder what's the percentage of Q3s with this issue.  Mine is fine.  As a side note, if you purchased the Q3 from an authorized dealer new it should still be under warranty.  I would just take care of it and move on.  Even $100,000 cars have warranty issues when new.  If you didn't buy it from an authorized dealer I would be concerned about the history of this Q3.  Perhaps it was a 'factory second' that was being sold to you.  

I did buy it from an authorized Leica dealer. I'll be having a conversation with him later this morning. I'm as certain as I can be that it's not a factory second.

[fotografr]

I am seriously considering just sucking it up and keeping the camera as is. The spots only show up in very specific conditions, such as clear, light blue sky, and I can just be alert to the possibility and use my clone tool or healing brush as needed. Everything else about the camera has been fine. No freezes, accurate autofocus, etc. Who knows what kind of problems I might end up with if I exchange for a different camera? If I depended on the camera for income, I'd feel differently about this but I'm retired now and it's just an avocation.

Funny how a glass of excellent single malt and a good night's sleep can mellow one's attitude.  🙃

[fotografr]

19 hours ago, hepcat said:

When you think about all of the issues Leica has had with digital cameras over the years...  the purple-black of the M8, the M9 sensor corrosion issue... I seem to recall issues with the M240 when it was released, and the freezing issues with the M11...  while I'm disappointed, I can't say I'm surprised.  Send it back to the dealer and see if the replacement has the same issue.   The one you got may have just been THE sensor that wasn't properly cleaned before the camera was buttoned up.

The main problem with that is the potential long wait for a replacement. I got one of two cameras my dealer received and they are now again out of stock. I was told they were being received very sporadically.

[lct]

A free sensor cleaning is at least due to you so i would not wait too long for asking it.

[fotografr]

20 hours ago, SLamb said:

So, as one would, I decided to take some pictures of a blue sky at f16. Not something I'd ever really do, but wanted to see if my sensor is clean. 

I have a big mark on the sensor that shows up on every picture, so it looks like mine will be going back to Leica to have something done about it.

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I'm very sorry to see that I'm not the only one.

[fotografr]

2 minutes ago, lct said:

A free sensor cleaning is at least due to you so i would not wait too long for asking it.

If it can be done quickly, that's definitely what I'll do. I have no intention of going into a queue of four to seven months.

[hepcat]

10 minutes ago, fotografr said:

The main problem with that is the potential long wait for a replacement. I got one of two cameras my dealer received and they are now again out of stock. I was told they were being received very sporadically.

Oh, I understand, Brent.  Believe me.  Just think of it as a part of the "Leica Mystique."  You know... a value-added service...  that thing we've all done for years... buying a camera and then waiting interminable periods for repairs/updates/fixes.  

I'm sorry this happened to you.

[SLamb]

8 minutes ago, fotografr said:

I'm very sorry to see that I'm not the only one.

I too am sorry that you have what appears to be a much worse and, quite honestly, unacceptable amount of dust on your sensor.  Mine looks like a bit of grease smear or a fingerprint rather than a dust speck but it only shows up at f/16, which I would rarely use.  I may just live with it or I may ask for something to be done about it as my camera is only one month old and has spent a total of eight says outside of my home.  Very little time to get dust inside it, and my issue looks like a grease smear rather than dust anyway.

I have learnt from owning many exotic cars that the more handmade they are the more unacceptable quality issues you get.  The deciding factor for me whether to stay with a brand is how those issues are resolved.  If I was in your position, I would not accept anything less than a direct new replacement.  Having to lose your new camera for a few months to have it dismantled and the sensor cleaned is beyond ridiculous and I hope Leica, as all manufacturers of high-end handmade products, accept the fault is theirs and replace your camera.  I hope they will do the same for mine 🤞

[frame-it]

32 minutes ago, fotografr said:

I am seriously considering just sucking it up and keeping the camera as is. The spots only show up in very specific conditions, such as clear, light blue sky, and I can just be alert to the possibility and use my clone tool or healing brush as needed. Everything else about the camera has been fine. No freezes, accurate autofocus, etc. Who knows what kind of problems I might end up with if I exchange for a different camera? If I depended on the camera for income, I'd feel differently about this but I'm retired now and it's just an avocation.

Funny how a glass of excellent single malt and a good night's sleep can mellow one's attitude.  🙃

way too many dust spots for a brand new camera...if it was a brand new lens, it would have been returned already

Edited May 20, 2024 by frame-it

[fotografr]

7 minutes ago, SLamb said:

I too am sorry that you have what appears to be a much worse and, quite honestly, unacceptable amount of dust on your sensor.  Mine looks like a bit of grease smear or a fingerprint rather than a dust speck but it only shows up at f/16, which I would rarely use.  I may just live with it or I may ask for something to be done about it as my camera is only one month old and has spent a total of eight says outside of my home.  Very little time to get dust inside it, and my issue looks like a grease smear rather than dust anyway.

I have learnt from owning many exotic cars that the more handmade they are the more unacceptable quality issues you get.  The deciding factor for me whether to stay with a brand is how those issues are resolved.  If I was in your position, I would not accept anything less than a direct new replacement.  Having to lose your new camera for a few months to have it dismantled and the sensor cleaned is beyond ridiculous and I hope Leica, as all manufacturers of high-end handmade products, accept the fault is theirs and replace your camera.  I hope they will do the same for mine 🤞

I wonder if the problem in Germany is similar to here in the States. It's very difficult to find and keep skilled workers and people who care about the products they help make. I have no idea what the wage scale is at Wetzlar, but if it's low it would certainly explain some of the QC issues.

[SLamb]

Sadly, the diminishing of pride in people's work occurs in many countries, and often not directly associated with the remuneration that the workers receive. 

I've had some expensive exotic cars that have had problems that defy belief, not least because they got through a so-called quality assurance process. I remember speaking to a friend of mine who worked in a factory producing handmade sports and hyper cars. He said the assembly lines get lazy about the quality of what they do because they assume any issues will be identified in QA.  

Maybe that is part of the problem, especially if the QA process is to do random sample testing rather than testing all units. Leica had such great demand for the Q3 maybe they dropped the ball on quality to rush the production to meet the demand 🤔

[bobtodrick]

1 hour ago, fotografr said:

I wonder if the problem in Germany is similar to here in the States. It's very difficult to find and keep skilled workers and people who care about the products they help make. I have no idea what the wage scale is at Wetzlar, but if it's low it would certainly explain some of the QC issues.

I think this is a real problem

For the last few years there has been a real movement about work/life balance.  In the past work was a very major part of your life and to some degree you identified with what you did for work.  And you took great pride in what you do.

Thankfully many still feel this way but there is a growing trend to consider work just something you have to do to afford what you want to do in your free time.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica Q

[fotografr]

Well, it does pay to have an established relationship with an authorized dealer. I've just had a very pleasant conversation about my problem and they have agreed to provide me with the next one they receive as a replacement. Fingers crossed that it comes soon as is a good one. 🙂 

[SLamb]

That's great news! I bought mine from the Leica online store so hopefully they will be as accommodating 🙏