Hi all,

By now I'm very disappointed in the level of Leica's quality control.

Two years ago I bought an M6 TTL (brand new). Right out of the box, the meter didn't function properly.

Just today, I found the film advance lever on my R6.2 to be stuck (no film inside). I bought the R one year ago, brand new.

How can I fix this stuck lever? There is a similar thread else where on this forum where the poster had exactly the same problem, but the suggestions didn't seem to help. ( See: http:// www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 007RUG ) Must I send this camera in for a repair? (Still on USA warranty.) If so, how do I initiate this and is there some reputable repairman that I should contact.

Thanks!

-- Maestro Logos (maestro_logos@mac.com), March 23, 2002

Answers

Hmm... my long lost brother perhaps. Call Leica USA at 1-800-222- 0118 or see here:

Leica USA Service Info

Keep in mind that Leica USA in NJ is the only authorized repair station for Leica cameras in this country and letting anybody else open up your unit will void your warranty.

-- Anon Terry (anonht@yahoo.com), March 23, 2002.

I used to sell cameras (not Leica) for 7 years and I believe that from what I've heard (not direct experience) Canon, Nikon etc and are more reliable comming out of the box than a Leica. Remember that I was selling about 50 odd cameras a week and very rarely would I find a fault. Leica's don't sell as many and I seem to hear more problems about Leica than one would think.

Leica maybe better build but quality control is shifting towards machines as technology improves at a rate that not even a human mind can keep up with. I think that Leica's best (most reliable) days are long past us now. It would be wise of them to either go back to their old ways of quality control (not cost effective) or invest towards improved technology (the way of the future). It seems as if Leica is caught in between.

Still I love my Leica and don't expect it to last forever. All I need to do is appreciate the time we have together and stop chatting on these posts so much and get out there and take some pics!

-- Kristian (leicashot@hotmail.com), March 23, 2002.

Hello Kristian, itīs really a pity you made such a bad experience with your Leica-gear. But I wonder how many of your 50 cameras a week sales still do good service to their owners today. If you would carry out a follow up study about those units today you might find out, that 60 % and more of them are not beeing used now or couldnīt be repaired after 3- 5years.

Iīam still quite pleased with my old M2, M5, my SL2 (and the odd more modern LEICA) which still gets technical support even 40 years after itīs production. It is hard to believe that todays LEICA- production is still servicable in 40 years, but buying a LEICA M today might still be supported by LEICA in 2020 if they should manage to survive and digital hasnīt killed everything.

Best wishes

-- K. G. Wolf (k.g.wolf@web.de), March 23, 2002.

KG, as one of the more knowledgable members I am not about to get into an argument with you. But, I was only making a comparison. I wasn't trying to bag Leica. Sure, many of the cameras I've sold have probably required servicing, but isn't it more important that it works in the first place?

And you are talking about the M2, M5 cameras that have served you well. My point exactly.

-- Kristian (leicashot@hotmail.com), March 23, 2002.

If the camera doesn't change a lot mechanically during 40 years, of course you will get technical support from the factory. I understand from reading postings on this site that some spare rangefinder bits for the M3, different from M2>M6 are not easy to find.

-- sait (akkirman@clear.net.nz), March 23, 2002.

I'd say one was defective, and one was broke. Don't make it sound worse than it is.

-- Willheulmn (wmitch3400@hotmail.com), March 23, 2002.

Willheulmn,

While I've had the R6.2 for a year, it hasn't seen much use because I couldn't afford my first R lens for it until very recently. Only 2 rolls I've shot with it....

Chris

-- Maestro Logos (maestro_logos@mac.com), March 23, 2002.

I have used a R5 second hand fot 3 years no probs.Have new M6 no probs Maybe someone has to be unlucky.

-- Allen Herbert (allen1@btinternet.com), March 23, 2002.

FWIW my 2nd Leica M3 brand new,arrived without rangefinder.... It was repaired and apology letter from Leitz,in 1967. The camera is my faithful companion till very recent,the M6 kinda getting the front.About 6000 films thru it!Travelled from the Arctic freeze of Canada,thru Africa,Europe,Scandinavia and the States,mostly Southern California.My Nikons(F's)worn out,the Spotmatic ok but the Leica is carried everyday everywhere. Press,photojournalism,documentary,weddings,portraits,publicity, personal snaps and whatever.Even the best of the best can give trouble.I agree Japanese stuff is more reliable out the box but in the long run,no comparison.I purchased a Canon Rebel and lenses for certain jobs.If its worn out in 2~3 yrs could'nt care less.Will replace with newer more features! side note,in L.A. did Diamond Promotion job in famous restaurant,so dark not able to focus SLR.The other and wiser pro had a small video lite on top of his EOS-1.Pulled out the M3,50mm Summicron.No lite rqd could focus in near darkness.THe photos preferred 'cause other photographer used wide angle and "distortion" in portraits.

-- jason gold (leeu72@hotmail.com), March 23, 2002.