earleygallery Posted September 28, 2009 Share #21 Posted September 28, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Kenneth, you obviously don't know who the owner of Red Dot is....... BigSplash, I'm sure Leica will be happy to have your seal of approval - did you phone Stefan with the news? I think the Leica shop is good from a marketing point of view and essential for their S2 ambitions but the typical amateur is probably better served by one of the recognised dealers from the point of view of offering s/h and other makes, and doing deals. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 28, 2009 Posted September 28, 2009 Hi earleygallery, Take a look here Leica Mayfair Store Open. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Guest BigSplash Posted September 28, 2009 Share #22 Posted September 28, 2009 Kenneth, you obviously don't know who the owner of Red Dot is....... BigSplash, I'm sure Leica will be happy to have your seal of approval - did you phone Stefan with the news? I think the Leica shop is good from a marketing point of view and essential for their S2 ambitions but the typical amateur is probably better served by one of the independant dealers from the point of view of offering s/h and other makes, and doing deals. Kenneth the owner of Red Dot is the previous manager of Classic Camera. He has a huge knowledge of leica and loves the product and has a high level of integrity in my view. I met him again last week and was impressed by the large selection of secondhand mint stuff he has on sale. I have not yet phoned Stefan and in any case I do not believe he is the right person as he is not in charge of w/wide sales at Leica. I fully agree with your assessment of the value of the approved dealers and I think it is worrying that RG Lewis for example seems to be increasingly selling Nikon and currently has very few M secondhand lenses. It would be unfortunate if the dealer network that currently sees Mayfair as a threat starts to see let's say disagreeable commercial practises from Leica. I thnk that they need clarity on who gets product in short supply (Leica M9's, S2, Noctilux, etc) for resale as opposed to demonstration. I also think that Mayfair must hold stock of small items such as M lens rear caps.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigSplash Posted September 28, 2009 Share #23 Posted September 28, 2009 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/97994-leica-mayfair-store-open.html I did see the original few thread but did not see the subsequent ones with photos of the shop etc.....If the moderator sees my thread is irrelevant or not adding value please let's just close it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted September 28, 2009 Share #24 Posted September 28, 2009 All that worrying over nothing. Did you not expect a company such as Leica to do a good job. I am sure they will do very well. I wonder if they would be interested in having a link to thier boutique on this forum? They will certainly eat into Red Dots market share but that is commercial business it happens in many companies. Maybe The Classic Camera knew the writing was on the wall and got into bed with Nikon I suspect that there were other reasons why some dealers in London are no longer official dealers. This new Leica shop won't be one of them. If Leica wish to advertise their new store on the forum, they know where the appropriate button is I also believe that people like Red Dot and Robert White have built up such a loyal following of customers that the boutique will have trouble tempting them away. New users may be different. I will merge these two threads later Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted September 28, 2009 Share #25 Posted September 28, 2009 I also believe that people like Red Dot and Robert White have built up such a loyal following of customers that the boutique will have trouble tempting them away. No complaints about Red Dot from me. Ivor got me one of the very first Noctiluxes and was on the ball enough to reserve an M9 for me without me asking. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenneth Posted September 28, 2009 Share #26 Posted September 28, 2009 Kenneth, you obviously don't know who the owner of Red Dot is....... BigSplash, I'm sure Leica will be happy to have your seal of approval - did you phone Stefan with the news? I think the Leica shop is good from a marketing point of view and essential for their S2 ambitions but the typical amateur is probably better served by one of the recognised dealers from the point of view of offering s/h and other makes, and doing deals. I do James we are not totally cut off up here you know. I think the concept of boutique stores operated or franchised out will increase as our city centres become desolate waste grounds due to the internet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigSplash Posted September 28, 2009 Share #27 Posted September 28, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) No complaints about Red Dot from me. Ivor got me one of the very first Noctiluxes and was on the ball enough to reserve an M9 for me without me asking. When can we see the thing taken apart ! I met Ivor last week but have not met Ivor since his stint in the other place and I value his integrity...enough said. I also value his superb secondhand collection of items I am interested in, once I have "wife" approvals. I have actually bought most of my stuff over 30 years from RG Lewis and I see no reason to change. For me I believe support to those dealers that have knowledge of Leica products, have the cheap but necessary items in stock (eg M mount rear lens cap) and can make deals on Leica equipment (new and old) is key going forward. Having a Leica Mayfair office will hopefully compliment their dealer network. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gabriel Posted September 28, 2009 Share #28 Posted September 28, 2009 It would be very helpful if the Mayfair store could act as a collecting point for repairs for onward transmission to Milton Solms. Another innovation which would improve Leicas service image would be for them to have a technician on site who could evaluate repairs and carry out minor adjustments on site. Nearby in St James Square Rolex have a similar facility in their own showroom which is widley used Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigSplash Posted September 29, 2009 Share #29 Posted September 29, 2009 It would be very helpful if the Mayfair store could act as a collecting point for repairs for onward transmission to Milton Solms. Another innovation which would improve Leicas service image would be for them to have a technician on site who could evaluate repairs and carry out minor adjustments on site. Nearby in St James Square Rolex have a similar facility in their own showroom which is widley used I whole heartedly and fully agree! I feel that sensor cleaning could be on the "minor adjustment list" and an attitude towards giving excellent service to the Leica client from the factory is what I miss. If I go to Rolex they seem to be ready to check my watch, and give it a superficial external clean...they adjust the time keeping if needed. Leica Solms will do the same if you go there. It will be interesting to see if Leica Mayfair sees their main role as providing an extra level of service for Leica clients or something else. I believe that all of us would welcome an entity that: Has a full range of Leica items on display (even items in short supply such as M9, Noctilux and S2 or Pradovit) Has full range of bits and pieces (Leica badged and possibly from other suppliers such as BW, Metz etc) that photographers need. Some examples: M lens rear cap Shutter release cable M4, M5, M6 and M7 flash socket cover UV / IR filters for every "mainstream" M and R lens Main filters for the most used lenses (Polarisation, UV, Yellow etc) and access to the difficult ones to source within say 4 weeks. Micro fiber cleaning cloths [*]Cases from Billingham and maybe Luigi etc [*]Has LFI (current edition) in stock and the last year of back editions [*]Has a very complete (appetising!) Leica Book Library [*]Had a welcoming ambience with maybe a tea or coffee for serious Leica people. (Red Dot have this mentality incidentally!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted September 29, 2009 Share #30 Posted September 29, 2009 If I go to Rolex they seem to be ready to check my watch, and give it a superficial external clean...they adjust the time keeping if needed. Leica Solms will do the same if you go there. Frank, I'm really impressed that Leica have branched out into the watch repair business. Is that as a result of one of your nuisance phone calls to Stefan? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted September 29, 2009 Share #31 Posted September 29, 2009 Mark, you should know better than to interrupt in the middle of a Powerpoint presentation. Wait for the slide that says "Any Questions" in a cute curly script... Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted September 29, 2009 Share #32 Posted September 29, 2009 Mark, you should know better than to interrupt in the middle of a Powerpoint presentation. Wait for the slide that says "Any Questions" in a cute curly script... Regards, Bill I think I'd be asleep by then... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted September 29, 2009 Share #33 Posted September 29, 2009 Wait for the slide that says "Any Questions" in a cute curly script... That'll be the animated one that 'whooshes' in from the left of the screen. Usually it's somewhere around slide 83. The noise is there to wake people up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted September 30, 2009 Share #34 Posted September 30, 2009 Had a welcoming ambience with maybe a tea or coffee for serious Leica people. I was offered and provided with a coffee and biscuits when I popped into the Mayfair shop. Maybe they didn't think you were one of the "serious Leica people"? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bybrett Posted September 30, 2009 Share #35 Posted September 30, 2009 I was offered and provided with a coffee and biscuits when I popped into the Mayfair shop. Maybe they didn't think you were one of the "serious Leica people"? Frank drinks tea, and he is more serious than he lets on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted September 30, 2009 Share #36 Posted September 30, 2009 Could anyone be more serious? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigSplash Posted October 6, 2009 Share #37 Posted October 6, 2009 Frank drinks tea, and he is more serious than he lets on. Thanks Brett......! The more serious readers may be interested to know that since my visist I have exchanged various emails with Leica Mayfair and Richard Swan of Leica UK (Commercial Manager). I have been very positively and pleasantly surprised by the desire to enhance the activity of the Mayfair facility to benefit dealers and users. Specifics they have fed back to me are: 1 There is a partition being installed today in the workshop area, and an electric drop down blind for the studio area. This means that they will be able to demo a Pradovit properly and not with intense sunlight shining on the screen. I am looking forward to see this item on my next trip to London. 2 I gave a list of small (not very expensive) items that I feel Leica Mayfair should have in stock rather than just having the expensive stuff on display. I identified the following items that I would like to know Mayfair will stock: flash socket covers (M4, M5, M6 in my case but M7 for others!), Lens rear mount covers for M Mount (sometimes not easy to find) Batteries for M4,M5, M6, M7, M8 ....I have had trouble locating the large M6 battery that meets the spec. Memory cards that have a performance that satisfies the M8 and M9 Leica Microfiber cleaning cloth correction lenses of various dioptres and 1.25x and 1.4x viewfinders Filters (especially UV/IR) for all current lenses and fast availability for the older lenses......I still await after 3 months a 58mm UV/IR for my Noctilux! After two months and help from Jaapv plus Andy Barton I managed to get two 48mm filters. Lens hoods and lens caps for all current lenses (plus fast availability for old types) Cases (including Billingham and ideally Luigi) Leica books and LFI Manuals in various languages... I am sure that I have missed items in which case I suggest people contact Mayfair or myself and I shall consolidate and pass it on. Mayfair tells me that they have worked through the list and are trying to keep these items as some are not currently ex stock from Solms as I understand it. It is great that they recognise the need. I also suggested that it would be good if Leica Mayfair had items that are from 3rd parties on display and sale that are relevant to Leica. For example Zeiss 15mm or Voigtlander 15mm .....I would love to try this out on my Leica M8 and compare to Leica 18mm for example. I am not sure if Mayfair will do this. I also have suggested that Mayfair should provide simple maintenance on site such as rangefinder adjustment, and sensor cleaning. Likewise a fast service capability for M film cameras and fast turn around facility for lens callibration and 6 bit coding. Again they are considering how to improve in this area. Hopefully other forum members will push for Leica to offer more in these areas and indeed other geographies I suspect will want to see this as a feature of any Leica shop/boutique. I hope you agree.....the Leica Tea was excellent by the way, and served by very entusiastic people who clearly are proud to work with a brand such as Leica! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted October 6, 2009 Share #38 Posted October 6, 2009 Why on earth would Leica Mayfair want to have Zeiss and Voigtlander lenses on show? And how Leica Mayfair selling all sorts of bits and pieces helps their dealers, I have yet to work out. I am surprised that they don't have all these things in stock anyway - Red Dot Cameras do... What Leica UK should do is make sure that their dealers are provided with stock in a timely manner. Having to wait a month for a 35 ASPH lens cap (and having to pay £21 for the privilege of buying a 10p piece of plastic) is just ridiculous. I would have thought that the rent in Mayfair was far too high to waste on a workshop doing minor repairs to cameras, especially when they have that big shed in Milton Keynes too. What they should do, IMHO, is make sure that the person there who fixes things, isn't the same guy who goes out demonstrating binoculars for weeks at a time. Mayfair could, however, be a receiving and giving point for work to be done at MK. I will make a point of going in there next time I am in London. I was going to go last Thursday, but went to a proper dealer instead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share #39 Posted October 6, 2009 Zeiss lenses in the Mayfair flagship shop? "You cannot be serious" dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted October 6, 2009 Share #40 Posted October 6, 2009 So. You want to dilute the concept, and take the Mayfair shop straight into head-to-head competition with the other London dealers? Unbelievable. Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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