My New Defective MP

[M9reno]

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The sad irony here is that a defective frame counter on a mechanical Leica would require very little time to fix in the hands of a competent tech.  I doubt this is a matter of finding parts.  The amount of time you have already waited/wasted is already absurd.

[grahamc]

If you haven’t already (although you may have) you could write to them to express your disappointment and how this has, unfortunately, turned you completely off the brand for any future purchases. And that you after several previous successful dealings (on expensive items) with them, you just felt you owed it to them to deliver the feedback. 

It’s what I did (although I was further along the timeline as it was after a 9 months) and they did take some steps to turn my experience around.

My feedback was genuine because I was actually quite annoyed just how much the experience had turned me off and felt it better to communicate that and give them the opportunity to make some amend, rather than feeling bitter.
 

Sadly they weren’t successful just yet as the documents they asked me to send them (including the DAG receipt - their suggestion not mine) were sent almost 6 weeks ago with no response. 

Edited October 18, 2024 by grahamc

[Mute-on]

6 hours ago, photog_6 said:

You are correct about accepting Leica Store Bellevue response. I have a M6 2022 Reissue without any faults. I bought into the accolades about the MP and the Mechanical Perfection rumors. I gave no thought to it also meaning Made Poorly.

On the matter of the camera itself, rather than the manner in which your dealer has responded, it is worth mentioning that I have owned an MP for about 20 years, and I absolutely love it. I didn’t buy it because of a pithy acronym, but because I just liked the form and function.

Notwithstanding your experience to date, I would expect that you will receive your MP back at some point, fully functional. I would hope you have recovered from your disappointment sufficiently at that point to just enjoy the camera! To do otherwise is rather like cutting off your nose ….  (you know the rest)

Good luck!

[Smudgerer]

I know this has been pointed out before on the Forum and elsewhere too but when we have to send a camera into Leica for warranty service / repair that two year new warranty clock is still ticking down whilst your Leica sits in a line at Wetzlar, or NJ in your case, awaiting it's turn on the bench. So effectively the 4-5-7-9 months that they take to attend to your camera can eat away your warranty...........It's this that really gets up my nose

[RMF]

22 hours ago, photog_6 said:

I was outside the 2-week return window when I discovered the defect(s). The return terms & conditions are on the receipt. But this was 4th new Leica camera I purchased from this store (M11M, M6, Q3, and this defective MP). The defective MP could have been replaced  

 

I'm sadden to hear of your experiences with Leica Bellevue and really sorry you are going through this with your new MP. Leica Bellevue is my local in-town Leica Store and I've always found them incredibly accommodating and personable. In fact I've experienced them going out of their way to communicate with me about new cameras/repaired/etc issues. I will say though that my only customer care experience I've had with them for repairs was to fix/replace a Sofort2 that bricked on an firmware update; even though I purchased the Sofort2 from a non-leica owned AD, Leica Bellevue gladly boxed/shipped it off to Customer Care in NJ for me for free, and as promised within a week I heard for Leica NJ (via email) that a replacement was on its way. Certainly a Sofort2 is a quick no-fix/exchange item and not comparable to your MP repair, but I've always found Leica Bellevue a great resource to have here in my own backyard and I've had nothing but great customer service from their team and management there.  Fingers crossed that your MP will be back in your hands fully repaired sooner than expected. 

Edited October 19, 2024 by RMF

[photog_6]

52 minutes ago, RMF said:

I'm sadden to hear of your experiences with Leica Bellevue and really sorry you are going through this with your new MP. Leica Bellevue is my local in-town Leica Store and I've always found them incredibly accommodating and personable. In fact I've experienced them going out of their way to communicate with me about new cameras/repaired/etc issues. I will say though that my only customer care experience I've had with them for repairs was to fix/replace a Sofort2 that bricked on an firmware update; even though I purchased the Sofort2 from a non-leica owned AD, Leica Bellevue gladly boxed/shipped it off to Customer Care in NJ for me for free, and as promised within a week I heard for Leica NJ (via email) that a replacement was on its way. Certainly a Sofort2 is a quick no-fix/exchange item and not comparable to your MP repair, but I've always found Leica Bellevue a great resource to have here in my own backyard and I've had nothing but great customer service from their team and management there.  Fingers crossed that your MP will be back in your hands fully repaired sooner than expected. 

I'm happy to hear you have a good relationship with Leica Store Bellevue. I did too. I purchased 4 new Leica cameras from them: M11M, M6 2022 Re-issue, Q3 and the MP. And a Summicron-M 28. My new MP, as did all of my new Leica cameras, included a card that states "This Leica product was meticulously examined by experienced professionals at several stages of production." The card is signed by a Leica employee. Yet none of these "experienced professionals" found the defect on my MP. It took me, a non-experienced, non-professional retail customer several weeks to find the defect. And because it was outside of the 2-week return window Leica Store Bellevue made it my responsibility to get my new, defective Leica Camera repaired.

It will never happen again.

[photog_6]

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22 hours ago, Mute-on said:

On the matter of the camera itself, rather than the manner in which your dealer has responded, it is worth mentioning that I have owned an MP for about 20 years, and I absolutely love it. I didn’t buy it because of a pithy acronym, but because I just liked the form and function.

Notwithstanding your experience to date, I would expect that you will receive your MP back at some point, fully functional. I would hope you have recovered from your disappointment sufficiently at that point to just enjoy the camera! To do otherwise is rather like cutting off your nose ….  (you know the rest)

Good luck!

Thank you!

[photog_6]

3 hours ago, Smudgerer said:

I know this has been pointed out before on the Forum and elsewhere too but when we have to send a camera into Leica for warranty service / repair that two year new warranty clock is still ticking down whilst your Leica sits in a line at Wetzlar, or NJ in your case, awaiting it's turn on the bench. So effectively the 4-5-7-9 months that they take to attend to your camera can eat away your warranty...........It's this that really gets up my nose

Yes, I have thought about the reduced warranty coverage. One note: on new Leica cameras and lens you can extend the warranty 1 year at no cost by registering the product. 

[photog_6]

23 hours ago, grahamc said:

If you haven’t already (although you may have) you could write to them to express your disappointment and how this has, unfortunately, turned you completely off the brand for any future purchases. And that you after several previous successful dealings (on expensive items) with them, you just felt you owed it to them to deliver the feedback. 

It’s what I did (although I was further along the timeline as it was after a 9 months) and they did take some steps to turn my experience around.

My feedback was genuine because I was actually quite annoyed just how much the experience had turned me off and felt it better to communicate that and give them the opportunity to make some amend, rather than feeling bitter.
 

Sadly they weren’t successful just yet as the documents they asked me to send them (including the DAG receipt - their suggestion not mine) were sent almost 6 weeks ago with no response. 

Thank you for the suggestion.

[T25UFO]

On 10/18/2024 at 9:19 PM, photog_6 said:

The defective MP could have been replaced  

Replace 'could' with 'should' and insert 'definitely'.

[_Alex_]

B&H has a 30 day return period. I've bought almost all of my Leica kit from them. I did buy a 50 'lux from the Washington, DC, Leica store over the phone 10+ years ago. I am usually tempted to buy from a Leica boutique, but then I hear/read stuff like this. If I buy another Leica anything it'll be through B&H. Been shopping there for 25 years and have had plenty of good experiences--they even gave me a rebate retroactively that popped up a week after I bought some Nikon gear once. I'm not affiliated with B&H at all other than I've shopped there for a long time. 

I'm in Washington state as well. This doesn't make me want to drive to Bellevue to check out the Leica store. 

Edited October 20, 2024 by _Alex_
typo.

[delta100]

Camera repairs that arrive at Leica Wetzlar can be tracked on Leica Reparaturvefolgung  website. You do need the tracking number/repair from your dealer. Please be advised Leica are very slow at updating details of your repair on this site.

Edited October 20, 2024 by delta100

[photog_6]

4 hours ago, delta100 said:

Camera repairs that arrive at Leica Wetzlar can be tracked on Leica Reparaturvefolgung  website. You do need the tracking number/repair from your dealer. Please be advised Leica are very slow at updating details of your repair on this site.

Yes, I am aware of the ability to track my Service Order. My new, defective camera was placed in 'Service order in Progress' status 9/16/2024. As of today, 10/20/2024, my camera is still in 'Service Order in Progress' status. I try to check the status every 2 days.

My camera was shipped to LEICA CAMERA, INC in Teaneck, NJ US (LEICA Customer Care). If the camera has been returned/shipped to LEICA Wetzlar, that information is not listed on my Service Order status

Thank you for sharing this information.

[photog_6]

15 hours ago, _Alex_ said:

B&H has a 30 day return period. I've bought almost all of my Leica kit from them. I did buy a 50 'lux from the Washington, DC, Leica store over the phone 10+ years ago. I am usually tempted to buy from a Leica boutique, but then I hear/read stuff like this. If I buy another Leica anything it'll be through B&H. Been shopping there for 25 years and have had plenty of good experiences--they even gave me a rebate retroactively that popped up a week after I bought some Nikon gear once. I'm not affiliated with B&H at all other than I've shopped there for a long time. 

I'm in Washington state as well. This doesn't make me want to drive to Bellevue to check out the Leica store. 

Yes, I am aware of B&H. I have been a customer for 35+ years. Most of my Nikon gear has come from B&H. Their store is worth visiting if you are in New York, NY. My experience is they are at or near the top of best in customer service.

[photog_6]

On 10/18/2024 at 3:05 PM, 69xchange said:

I wouldn’t have accepted Leica Bellevue’s response. I would have demanded to speak with a manager if only two weeks have elapsed and they weren’t willing to provide an exchange (given the repair times at Germany). If they refuse an exchange, I would have escalated this my credit card company. And the least they SHOULD offer is to handle the situation for you rather than delegating the responsibility to you. Horrible customer service…

Thank you for the suggestions. I want to be clear that it was after the 2-week return period in which I discovered and documented the defect(s). I was scheduled for multiple trips and delayed the departure of the first one until my MP arrived. I went through the unboxing ceremony (admiring, handling, dry-firing and all the other things we Leica nerds do when receiving a new or new-to-you Leica) but did not load film and did not notice the frame counter defect. Due to the other trips and family commitments I was unable to spend much time with the camera for weeks. Besides, I had a M6 2022 Re-issue (from Leica Store Bellevue) to use for film shots.

Regardless, when I did identify the details of the defect, I contacted Leica Store Bellevue and provided, in excruciating detail, the reasons for the delay reporting it and all the frame counter defect details. 

But I agree, horrible customer service. Especially in lieu of my relationship with that dealer.

[Fotoklaus]

vor 6 Minuten schrieb photog_6:

Thank you for the suggestions. I want to be clear that it was after the 2-week return period in which I discovered and documented the defect(s). I was scheduled for multiple trips and delayed the departure of the first one until my MP arrived. I went through the unboxing ceremony (admiring, handling, dry-firing and all the other things we Leica nerds do when receiving a new or new-to-you Leica) but did not load film and did not notice the frame counter defect. Due to the other trips and family commitments I was unable to spend much time with the camera for weeks. Besides, I had a M6 2022 Re-issue (from Leica Store Bellevue) to use for film shots.

Regardless, when I did identify the details of the defect, I contacted Leica Store Bellevue and provided, in excruciating detail, the reasons for the delay reporting it and all the frame counter defect details. 

But I agree, horrible customer service. Especially in lieu of my relationship with that dealer.

Perhaps the should hire a bunch of those nerds before they put them cameras into boxes and ship them.

[Fotoklaus]

vor 22 Stunden schrieb Al Brown:

Germany announced recently it will import workers from India to fix workforce shortage and is mending and adjusting its legislation to simplify paperwork procedures as we speak. https://www.dw.com/en/germany-takes-steps-to-attract-skilled-indian-workers/a-70517896

Perhaps they should try to take not so many taxes from their own people away that a craft profession is still worth doing it.

It is funny to read discussions about the "lower quality" products from Leica Canada or Portugal. Now we would longing for this quality.

But indian workers will make the new "Made in Germany" happen, I´m sure...

 

Edited October 20, 2024 by Fotoklaus

[Helge]

A lot of nonsense.

That has nothing with taxes😀😀

Germany has a major lack of workers, workforce in all levels of qualification. This affects all sectors of business in Germany, not just Leica. That can (at the end maybe only) be solved by more immigration.

Edited October 21, 2024 by Helge

[photog_6]

I want to share a positive update on my situation. Today I received a call from the team at Leica Store Bellevue. A very productive call. They listened to me rant and complain and whine. Then we had a very productive conversation. The net of it all is that we both will be satisfied very soon with the resolution. 

Since I have used this forum to complain about Leica Store Bellevue, I now want to use this forum to publicly thank them for their ongoing efforts and their commitment to resolve all the issues with my MP purchase. I have already taken down the MP story on my Instagram page and will provide a final post here when everything is complete.

It's time to get back to photography.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[kivis]

I have used Leica Miami for the past 20 years. I have had only one repair come up. Brought the rig to them (it was an M7), they gave me a loaner and sent the body off to Solms (at the time). They monitored it for me and I got it back in 4 or 5 weeks, which was certainly acceptable. Plus David and Josh are awesome. So there you go.