Repairs / service in Europe

[smarit]

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Hi all! I’m currently shooting film + Hasselblad X1D II for digi, but before plunging more money on a lens I realized the SL2-s with 24-70 kit is now available for the same price of two Hassy lenses. This offer is appealing to me because I need the wider focal lengths for work, but I’d get more personal use out of a 24-70 so hitting two birds with one stone. Hassy sadly doesn’t have this zoom option, they make mostly primes. I’m new to Leica and from my research so far I gathered Leica has pretty bad customer service, turn around times and loaner options for pros. This comes as such a surprise and it’s a real drawback. However I really love those colors and lens options so I’m on the fence. I’d love to hear how your experiences have been getting repairs and loaners from Leica in Europe? Do you need to be partnered with them to be eligible for a temporary replacement? Thanks a lot! 

Edited August 17, 2024 by smarit
typo

[jaapv]

Leica does supply loaners but at their discretion and according to need. The best thing to do is to buy through a top dealer like Meister. Or (I see you are in Amsterdam) Henny Hoogeveen. ( Lisse) 

[siddhaarta]

Can't comment on turn around times (this should vary according to model and demand situation) and loaner options for pros, but I can comment on general customer service (Leica S, Leica SL and Leica M). This has been (during the last 15 years) very good in my case (European customer).

In case of service need, I would also recommend directly communicate with Leica Wetzlar (contact is on their homepage and they all speak English) and not via the dealer you bought the system. This only puts another element in your communication pipeline and I can't see any real advantage. But that is me and my experiences, others may have other preferences.

In case of Germany, "Meister" does not exist anymore more. They are now Leica Stores. The tendency is less and less real Leica dealers and more contact directly via Leica Stores and Leica service HQ.

Negative comments regarding Leica-Service often (not always) come from US clients. I imagine, this has to do with communication problems between certain US-dealers and Leica headquarters in Germany and also export-import delays, etc. Within the European Union, there is clearly an advantage.

In my case, communication has been always fluid and turn around time decent. But sure, they don't have a Nikon or Canon Pro Service.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 18, 2024 by siddhaarta

[Photoworks]

1. SL2 Sl2-s are very stable cameras and can be gotten for little money.
2. The SL2 is very stable and very few need repairs. I have been operating two SL2 as a professional for the last 4 years. No issues on my side. The are others that had to send in the cameras.
3. Service of SL cameras and Lenses is only in Germany, if you need large or minimal service, it all has to be shipped to Germany. In the future, the USA will have a few more options. But the company is small and the SL system has very tight technical specs.

4. the 24-70 is really a version of the Sigma L lens, Sigma has in the time come out with v.2 that has little AF improvement and F-stop on the lens. I would buy that one.

5. Service time. I had 2 lenses sent in for repair in the last few years, the estimated time was 4-7 months for service. Again small company!
in reality, the repairs came back in half the time.

There is no Leica Pro service anymore, Sometime they give out loaners, but there is a waiting list, and it is not always what you need.
In a pinch, I look for Panasonic and Sigma alternatives. I do have backups of the important parts of a system.

I think Hassy and Leica have similar service options.
 

[Stuart Richardson]

This thread should be forwarded to Leica…extreme service wait times and lack of pro support drive customers away. Even though sales are good now this is laying the groundwork for problems if times change. 
 

I would say my experience with Leica service has largely been good. I deal directly with the factory. They care about the equipment and listen to the customer in my experience. But no longer having a real pro service (officially) is a problem, as are extreme service wait times (such as a year for analog M cameras). I hope they use some of their record profits to mitigate these issues. 

[LocalHero1953]

UK owner here. My last need for Leica servicing was about three years ago, when it was very poor: 9 months to repair a lens, with zero feedback about likely return times. I could tell that Leica UK, through whom I dealt, were embarrassed by the whole  thing. 

Edited August 18, 2024 by LocalHero1953

[smarit]

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21 hours ago, Photoworks said:

1. SL2 Sl2-s are very stable cameras and can be gotten for little money.
2. The SL2 is very stable and very few need repairs. I have been operating two SL2 as a professional for the last 4 years. No issues on my side. The are others that had to send in the cameras.
3. Service of SL cameras and Lenses is only in Germany, if you need large or minimal service, it all has to be shipped to Germany. In the future, the USA will have a few more options. But the company is small and the SL system has very tight technical specs.

4. the 24-70 is really a version of the Sigma L lens, Sigma has in the time come out with v.2 that has little AF improvement and F-stop on the lens. I would buy that one.

5. Service time. I had 2 lenses sent in for repair in the last few years, the estimated time was 4-7 months for service. Again small company!
in reality, the repairs came back in half the time.

There is no Leica Pro service anymore, Sometime they give out loaners, but there is a waiting list, and it is not always what you need.
In a pinch, I look for Panasonic and Sigma alternatives. I do have backups of the important parts of a system.

I think Hassy and Leica have similar service options.
 

Thanks a lot for your helpful comment! From the research I’ve done 50% had to send in SL gear for repairs, the other 50% was fine. Loaners only seem to be given to pro photographers who are in some way partnered to Leica. Hassy seems to repair & return gear in a matter of weeks, usually less than a month. However, that doesn’t fix the lack of a 24-70 or 16-35 Hassy lens. The only work around I could find is adapting a Canon 16-35 lens through a Techart adapter (20-28mm equiv). However the Techart adapters have to be bought from eBay China and the electronics have issues… I’m quite excited to learn about Sigma’s lenses, the 24-70 II you mention looks truly incredible! I might have to stop by the Leica store on my way home to see how the SL2-s feels in the hand 😉 If I can somehow partner with Leica to be assured of replacement gear in case anything breaks, I might be able to jump ship. Thanks a lot! 

Edited August 19, 2024 by smarit

[Jon Warwick]

22 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

UK owner here. My last need for Leica servicing was about three years ago, when it was very poor: 9 months to repair a lens, with zero feedback about likely return times. I could tell that Leica UK, through whom I dealt, were embarrassed by the whole  thing. 

UK owner here too, I dropped off my M lens in January 2024 at Leica Mayfair, it came back “repaired” by March (which was pretty quick I thought), but unfortunately it still wasn’t focusing correctly, so back it went to Germany, and I have not heard anything much since.