🔴 Asking LEICA Why Repairs Take So Long 🇩🇪

[@thomaschamberlin2485]

Kudos to Leica for still servicing every camera they ever made. In contrast, Japanese camera companies stop servicing cameras (and manufacturing parts) after a relatively short period. I sold a 2003 Nikon 200-400mm f4 lens to a sports photographer because he had the exact same lens develop a problem and Nikon refused to service it and you can't buy parts for it. It has created a cottage industry for 3D printing of parts.

[@stephenedmunds207]

The information statistics we never really see is which cameras go faulty most often , say canon v leica v olympus ? but its good that leica answered your questions about service for faults or wear issues. I use olympus or OM system cameras for wildlife and leica for people and scenic pics and have not yet had any issues luckily , interesting video.

[@mpw621]

Very interesting Matt ! I hope my Leica CL mirrorless never has to be send back to Wetzlar!

[@Dpul945]

I think there is only a couple of things you need to know about Leica CS 1. They don’t care about their professional users 2. It takes forever to do something Canon takes 1 week to do Dreadful CS 6 months to change the shutter and motherboard on a Leica SL2-s

[@LensForgotten]

Leica really needs to create a Pro support program like NPS (Nikon) CPS (Canon) and others. 4-6 months of repair downtime for a professional is unacceptable. And the cost of Leica equipment makes it harder to get a replacement while yours is gone. Now that Leica is growing and making record profits I hope they invest in making their repair services to be more robust. These long delays worry many Leica shooters always in the back of your mind you may have to loose your camera for 1/2 of a year for a repair.

[@Ron-j5m]

Hi Matt, Great information, many thanks! I was very happy for you that your photography allows you to be able to go on such exciting adventures and meet such interesting people All the very best for Christmas and the New Year ahead Very kindest regards, Ron

[@jeffscott2246]

Matt, you should've gotten them to add the "P"! 👊🏽

[@tatihou]

Hope you managed to visit the Solmser Fotobörse, which is held twice a year. In spring and end of November. A legendary event for collectors at the Taunus Halle in nearby Solms (where the Leica factory was located from 1986 until they moved it back to Wetzlar ten years ago).

[@peetje28021970]

Been there this spring/summer and I really enjoyed it. Bought the 28mm Summaron.

[@dr.michaelbraida9186]

Hi there, are you enjoying your Summaron? I just got mine and am looking forward to taking it for a photo walk in London.

[@gvz1538]

Great video Matt; very enlightening regarding Leica's service operations (and it all makes perfect sense). Is the primary reason for M-Cameras coming in for service for rangefinder adjustments, or something else like shutter speed adjustments (I had a Leica IIIf that had an issue with the 1 second shutter speed; it was as if it was in Bulb instead of 1 sec).

[@Mar-n3p-m3l]

10:03 Beautiful Benz!

[@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom]

See part 2 for the Benz model shoot!

[@Mar-n3p-m3l]

@@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom ❤👍👌Benz W124

[@danielscheerer3032]

Very interesting to hear the details. I bought a new 28mm summilux this year and after only a few rounds of light usage, it literally came apart. It took me a while to get to Leica Boston to get support, but they claimed 6-8 weeks (dropped it off in early Nov.), so I'll see how they do with my lens! And as you referenced, would be nice to have it for the holidays! Cheers (Oh, and as a result, ended up adding to the longer end of the mm scale, buying a used 75mm Voightlander from Leica Mayfair when I was in London when the 28 actually fell apart - they were good to work with!)

[@davidhiley7897]

Had intended to comment a few weeks ago that if you were going to introduce more 'watch content' then a factory visit to Wetzlar followed by a trip down the road to the Sinn factory and museum in Frankfurt would make a great video.....but I didn't....

[@bill-ne8kr]

The data is interesting......sounds like more time spent in quality manufacturing would yield a reduced number of returns and hence a shorter turnaround time on repairs........ Kind of shatters my view of Leica quality given the really high number of repairs. So far, I have been lucky with mine.............

[@GrainyByNature]

Reliability is why I still won’t use one when I teach or lead workshops. I can’t afford my camera fail on me when on location. It’s happened to my students with their Leicas. Error messages and faulty exposure metering even when shooting fully manual matching exposures to other cameras.

[@donjagoe]

Bucket list trip!

[@sunny16portraits]

Why is that handsome blonde fellow taking a picture of an M3 with an M3 ? Pure genius

[@Kokoro-ss5iv]

Last time I drove directly from London to Wetzla, took me 8 hr

[@pdk]

I take a lot of photos at the beach, and there is salt water in the air. I'm wondering what the leica repair folks would say to occasionally rinsing off (a quick shower or just under the tap for a few seconds) a Q2/3 or an SL2/3 camera to clean off the salt water residue from the air. 😃

[@ulyssesnathanialowen3831]

fancy scarf tie , very arty , Darlin !!! :D although you need a more spectacular color and pattern ... you have to go all in , or nothing at all.. .:D

[@fotojobo]

Thats a great excuse to road trip to Wetzlar! Why couldn't you download the firmware online to a computer and load the SW to an SD card for install?

[@ucprof2008]

Because they have abandoned service in major markets like the USA, so if I send my camera to Leica USA they send it on the Germany! Thus guaranteeing delays. That’s why I send my Analog cameras to skilled independent service technicians. I recently received a IIIg with 50 mm collapsible summicron back from a full overhaul. Complete with a complete lens tear down CLA IN 6 weeks from DAG..

[@TobiasSpranger]

Yes, it seems to take a long time to get your Leica repaired. But ask another camera brand to repair their 1930s camera.

[@chrisreich40]

I cannot think of any other company who has customers satisfied with repair jobs measured with waiting time in *months*. Personally, I find that unacceptable and is making me reconsider becoming an owner of a Leica-brand camera. I'll stick with the Voigtlanders for now.

[@delgriffith4629]

do they add the quiet shutter in the M10-to-M10-P upgrade?

[@shaw9881]

I thought you said your camera had a “sh!tter” not shutter. LOL. Carry on.

[@CM_7]

Have been to Leica HQ in Wetzlar several times, and found customer service to be uncomplicated and friendly. Nothing bad to report here, really.

[@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom]

Yes super nice guys and a great experience visiting the HQ. I'll share more about the trip in part 2

[@zenjitsuman]

Matt. I saw you video on sl-2s deal and it was even better. I got a second battery and the leica M to L adapter free plus no tax or shipping.

[@lluisripoll583]

The only point I'm disappointed with Leica service is that they no offer any way to solve the corrosion on the Leica M9sensors

[@62smarty]

9 Months for a CLA for my M240 !!!

[@PhotoArtBrussels]

Long time to wait. I also have a M240; hope it will keep functioning excellently. Hope you where happy with the result of the CLA?

[@johnkasianowicz6536]

And you didn’t buy any vintage goodies while at the Leica Classic Store?

[@MattOsborne-MrLeicaCom]

No I was very good! (We did look!) :)

[@johnkasianowicz6536]

@Now that’s restraint! At Peter Karbe’s suggestion, I got an APO-Elmarit-R 100 mm f/2.8 + APO-R 2x Extender for that lens this past Summer. It’s a great lens for use on my M11 Monochrom. I’m just now testing to see whether it, a Macro-Elmar-M 90 mm f/4 (+ Macro Adapter M), or Macro-Elmar-R 100 mm f/4 will work best at digitizing my ancient 35 mm B&W negatives.

[@ironmonkey1512]

First leica, M3 or M6?

[@seventeendegree]

what focal length do you prefer?

[@lelandfitz1762]

Nicholas Kaufmann? Is that the son of the owner?

[@MB-or8js]

Confirms the bad hype Leica customer service is known for. For the price of camera and lenses, service should be much faster and more efficient. Not enough customer service centers and personnel to cope with the demand. 3 years apprenticeship to become specialized technician is btw normal in Germany since they have to spend 50% of their apprenticeship time in school outside of work. Glad that there are third party repair shops in the US for film-based Leica M cameras. Turn-around time was often less than 4 weeks from my experience. That they didn't do the M10-P upgrade job correctly but fully charged you is really bad.

[@donald5378]

Why is it not possible to book a slot, like a car service, then you can keep using the camera until just before due, rather than have it sitting on a shelf for six months.

[@Bikes-n-Stuff]

Sorry, but what a joke - they're happy to keep selling them but don't update their service processes to keep up with demand. How on earth can they expect people to wait 3-4 months+ under warranty on a camera body that costs £8K!!! Only had my M weeks but I'll sell it soon. So underwhelmed by the camera and the band. They are nice objects to look at and hold, but that's where it ends - the rest is just a mindset that we could apply to literally any camera.

[@RS-Amsterdam]

Be glad you don't shoot Sony it would take you weeks to drive to their factory😂😅