'Loaner' Ms from Leica during Servicing?

Replies other than "Oh, you shoulda bought a mechanical M6" would be appreciated here..." :-)

 

I have a passported M7 that may need to go to Leica UK for examination re. battery consumption. Leica

have told me this will take about three weeks (and yes, they have advised that it should be looked at). I

have asked whether they can offer a 'loaner' M body during this period (I don't have any other camera),

but so far the question has been studiously ignored.

 

Does anyone know Leica's practice on courtesy loan cameras? Am I flogging a dead horse?

 

Thanks.

 

-- alun

Are you a working pro? Because if not, I doubt you will be successful. Your best chance is

probably to ask your local Leica representative. Sometimes they will have a camera they can

loan out, since they usually have a full compliment of gear to bring to dealers or show at

"Leica Days". But perhaps that is just in the US...

Good luck.

 

My new 50ASPH was sent from Leica NJ to Leica Germany because it wasn't performing even as well as my Jupiter-3. The repair estimate said 8-9 weeks, but the local 'customer service' rep told me 5-7 weeks was more realistic. It came back to me after 11+ weeks, and it was still softer than the $30 Jupiter.

 

All the while, i had been asking for a loaner lens. Initially, I was told 'no,' as at that time, the sales reps were had a "very busy exhibition schedule." Later, my requests for same were completely ignored.

 

In contrast, last week, as a benefit of registering my 5D, i received a large envelope from Canon which contained a coupon for $100 off their repair service, for any work needed after the original warranty expires. And, a notice about their 3-day turnaround for repairs. I was quite impressed.

 

I have heard that some dealers might offer loaners, but i have never been offered such, and i thought such a thing might be done for a prospective buyer of that particular piece. I don't think a dealer could maintain an inventory devoted to supplying customers with gear while that gear was being serviced elsewhere.

i would advise that if you own a M7, as I now do, have a back up -preferrably an M6 Classic (black).

Thanks so far... I agree that it is unreasonable to expect that a dealer might maintain 'loan'

stock but I thought it *might* be possible that Leica Milton Keynes (the UK plant) would

have some courtesy cameras that could be loaned should the circumstances merit it... No,

I'm not a working pro, so I guess that will further reduce my chances.

 

I thought I had read other posters on this forum suggesting that they had been loaned Ms

while theirs were in the repair shop, but maybe I imagined it: wishful thinking is a

powerful delusion...

 

-- alun

The place to get a loaner M camera would be from your Leica dealer. This is when you can see a definite advantage to buying cameras locally over buying "mail-order." Having a good relationship with a real person sometimes means the difference between "getting the best price" and "getting good service."

 

There are two or three people I buy my gear from (all locally) and any one of them would give me a loaner if I asked for one.

About a year ago I posted a Pentax LX to Pentax UK for a service, on a Thursday. On the Monday I phoned them to ask if they'd received the camera. While I was speaking to a confused Customer Service lady there was a knock on the door - it was the postman with a fully serviced LX - same day workshop turnround! And it actually cost much less than their initial estimate.

 

Last year Nikon UK took 6 months to inform me they could not repair a sliding hood on a 135mm Nikkor AIS lens.

 

I'm hoping that I never need to send a Leica for service or repair ...

I once sent in a 28 Elmarit M to Leica USA because the focus (footage scale) ring had

loosened to the point of distraction. When the lens was returned, the solvent that had been

used leaked onto the inner surfaces of the lens, leaving its mark (probably destroyed the

coating). It had to take a trip to Solms and I was provided a loaner 28 for that duration.

Recently, when my DMR needed to go to NJ with the R8, the local sales rep and store offered

me a loaner which I declined. If Leica is directly at fault or if you know the local Leica folks

well, you may receive a sympathetic hearing.

Sadly Bill, that option is not open to as many people as it once was due to attrition, for one or another reason, of Leica dealerships. Most major cities still have at least one, but then there's that issue of sales tax (8% of $3500= $280, vs $25 in shipping from out of state...and yes, I know you're supposed to report and pay the sales tax yourself but I venture to say not many people do, or get caught.)

 

Not being a pro photographer I can only go on what I've overheard, but what I have overheard is that quick-turnaround service and loaners are desired perks, which NPS and CPS have (though I've also heard some complaints about them). If Leica did have a working programme, then people like Dr. Knapp wouldn't need to stress about taking film overseas because his DMR is still in the shop.

Alun,-- The reson that Leica seems to be ignoring you is that they haven't stopped laughing at your request.

I make 100% of my living with my cameras. I've used Leica M's for the past 38 years with nikon and now Camon for the past four. Nikon has a program, Nikon Professional Services and canon has Canon Professional Services. I was a member of NPS during the Nikon years and now CPS. Leica to my knowledge has never had such a program. Both NPS and CPS provide loaners during lenghty repairs and loan lenses and bodies at no charge for special jobs for example a 600mm f4 IS from time to time. Both prograps say they provide priority service but in reality the Nikon service is rather slow. I've had firmware upgrades take three weeks. On the other hand canon is three days usually including fedes express each way. You pay the way up and they pay the way back. I've never had a repair from Canon take more than a total of six days and during that time they loaned me a 1Ds. Loaners from canon have never been aproblem and repairs have been first rate.

 

Leica is a relatively small company and very few pros use them today. I'm in the minority that I still do. One thing about the NPS and CPS service, you must prove you are a full time pro.

I can also stress the importance of knowing your local rep or dealer. When my DMR had a

problem, the Southern California Leica rep offered to give me his while the work was being

done. I thanked him, but did not take him up at the offer as I had timed the service to when I

was not going to use it. But in any case, the best option is to know someone. If you haven't

had the chance to meet any of the local Leica people, there are several places in the US that

rent Leicas, even through mail order. You might check with some of the larger Leica dealers

in the UK to see if anyone offers a similar service. If that is not a good option, you might

consider just buying a backup. It is always nice to have a backup, and you can get a used

Bessa R2 for very little money, and it will take all your M lenses.

You bring up an interesting point Stuart. For those still shooting film a backup is economically feasible. But for the digital guy, with the advent of the M8, what choices are there? A film body would require enough film to get through an entire vacation, as outside major cities the choices in film types even now is somewhat limited in scope and usually quite expensive. A backup digital body would be limited to an Epson, which at $2000+ is quite an expense for a just-in-case backup for an amateur on vacation. Or holster $10-15K of Leicas and finish out the trip with a P&S.

"Sadly Bill, that option is not open to as many people as it once was due to attrition..."

 

Unfortunately, that's true. I guess I'm among the lucky ones.

When my son had to send a one month old M7 under warranty in for defective body repairs he was told that they were out of loaner bodies at the moment.

 

This is in the USA & about a year or so ago - My feeling is unless you are a working pro with ties this will not happen. However - they did do a finder upgrade free of charge so it was well worth the wait.

 

Easy enough though to take my Volvo wagon in for service to the dealer & get a free loaner & it's a '97:)

 

 

 

And I have to add that I am not a pro driver ... although I like to think I am:)

I forgot to add that the service was very quickly done as well - under a week.

Vinay -- it is indeed a problem, but as long as you are still willing to shoot film, it is not

much of one. The DMR is of course a special case because when the digital stops working,

you just take it off and throw a roll of film in it. With the M8, I imagine most users will have a

film M camera before they buy the M8. Even if they don't, they can still get the R2 as I

mentioned above and it will still work. Even if you don't like film and aren't used to working

with it, you can still bring it to any lab and either have it scanned or just have them make

frontier prints from it. I don't think there is a particularly compelling reason to insist on a

digital backup to the M8 or DMR.

Nope... whats this M6 stuff, rubbish cameras. Ask for an M5 back up.

 

Seriously the M7 is not the only camera to have QC issues. The M6 and M6TTL.. hey...:-)

 

C.

A couple years ago, I dropped off my M6 at Leica NJ... and it subsequently needed to be shipped to Germany, before it was returned to me. In the interim, I was given a M7 to use. I am not a pro, and don't even think I mentioned being a student at the time.

At the hourly rate that Volvo dealerships charge(I own a Volvo), you should get a free loaner.

 

However, I would expect something later than '97!

Leica is an awsome company!

not so. as a company they are barely afloat. However they do produce a great product in the form of M camera and associated lenses. In the world of corporations it generally takes more than 1 good/great product to stay alive...just the facts. Paul