Q3 43 EVF Leica USA Positive Repair Experience

[wontonomeara]

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This is information for anyone considering a warranty repair at Leica USA in N.J.

Three weeks after receiving my brand new Leica Q3 43 from B&H while out shooting at low tide on vacation in San Diego, I noticed a speck of dust or sand in the EVF which had not been there since purchase nor during several hours of shooting that day. I was doing a fair amount of macro shooting that day and maybe by pointing it down so much, the dust dislodged and became visible in the viewfinder. See below. Photos were unaffected so I knew it was in the EVF and not the lens but since it was brand new and a very expensive purchase, I wanted it repaired so I didn’t have continuous OCD about the EVF!

This is my third Q. I also own the Q3 and had the Q2 before that  and never have had any problems in the EVF despite shooting in rain and in extremely sandy conditions such as at White Sands and Great Sand Dunes National Parks. After driving back home to Colorado, I sent it in for repair to Leica USA in N.J. 

Leica USA tells you up front to allow four business days from receipt before they issue confirmation that they have it and that it will soon be inspected which was accurate.  It was confirmed to be in for repair on 4/23 after Fedex delivery on 4/17/25 and it was inspected and put in their repair queue on 4/25 which listed the work to be done as repair and clean EVF and check and update firmware.  Firmware 3.1.1 had just come out while in for repair and my camera was indeed updated.

I received a email with a link to check the status of the repair. The link does not in fact give updates on estimated time for repair so I called and was told yeah, that’s not working but expect eight to ten weeks time for repair from time of inspection  so I was very pleasantly surprised to receive notice on May 29th that my camera was repaired and already on its way back.

I called their technical representative to ask how this happened given that it is weather sealed and he was very helpful and told me that this is a rare occurrence but almost certainly occurred during manufacture and while I used it, the pre existing  speck of dust became dislodged and entered the EVF where it became visible. All in all a good experience.

[Jeff S]

Good to hear. My approach would have been to ask dealer to replace the camera, or at least to get a loaner while they send it in for service.  As the tech said, likely a manufacturing issue.