Where to service/repair your precious Leica?

Like Mercedes-Benz, Leicas do, alas, from time to time require

servicing, and yes, even repair. There are several questions on this

forum already re CLAs, so I thought it might be useful to tie them

together: where are the best places to send your cherished Leica for a

CLA? Or lens cleaning? Doesn't matter where in the world. Sherry

Krauter gets a good mention, so does the Leica Shop in Austria. How do

they compare? What are prices like? How do you contact them? As an

addendum, how long can your camera/lens be expected to last before it

needs some kind of professional attention?

I would add Don Goldberg DAG Camera Repair:

<p>

Telephone

608-835-3342

FAX

608-835-3342

Postal address

2128 Vintage Drive Oregon WI 53575

Electronic mail

dagcam@chorus.net

<p>

www.dagcamera.com

<p>

Don has serviced all of my Leica screwmounts and I'm very pleased.

CLA's ranged from $200 to $300 per body, $50 to $100 per lens CLA.

<p>

I haven't used anyone else.

<I>how long can your camera/lens be expected to last before it

needs some kind of professional attention? </I><P>

I've used Sherry Krauter, Leica USA and Don Goldberg. All

provide excellent service, Leica USA is most expensive, Sherry

no longer has the time to service R bodies (Leicaflex is OK,

though). I generally don't send the equipment in unless there's

an obvious problem, like uneven exposures, sticky apertures,

loose parts, stuff falling off. I figure 15 years between CLAs for

an R4s (sluggish stop-down ring, weak motor contacts) but

everything else has been repaired only as needed. "As needed"

generally means I dropped something on concrete.

Sherry is great

Chuck

Golden Touch

Sherry Krauter

118 Purgatory Rd.,

Campbell Hall, NY, 10916

krauter@warwick.net

845.496.8834

Fax 845.496.3656

My advice is to fedex it to Leica AG - Solms(Germany). You can find

all information on their web site.

Dear David and Everyone,

<p>

A while back I had a problem with an M6 with a frozen shutter.I live

in Japan where the "authorized" Leica repair outfit wanted 172,000 yen

for the repair and Kanto Camera wanted 250,000 yen. I wrote to a

number of people recommended to me in this forum.

<p>

Sherry's e-mail bounced back. I read somewhere that she prefers

telephones. True or not, I had the bounce back problem several times.

Unfortunately in Japan I need e-mail.

<p>

I wrote to Kinderman in Canada twice. I took about a day or so to

respond to my second e-mail and then they responded to my first right

after. In answer to my question about cost of repair they sent me a

statement that seemed prepared to the effect that they needed to see

the camera first. Fair enough. Fine for shipping in North America

but not from Japan. At least not for me.

<p>

Leica USA's answer to my e-mail was immediate. They quoted their

standard CLA price (around $300) and said that there might be added

costs depending on the degree of repair needed. Very fast and straight.

<p>

Stephen Gandy (Cameraquest) responded immediately. He was personable

and reasured me that a frozen Leica shutter was not the end of the

world. His CLA price was $175. I sent the camera to him. It was not

simply a money issue that made me choose him. Frankly, I liked the

person. He wrote to me when the M6 arrived and when the M6 was

repaired and sent (last Sat. from Los Angeles--about 1 and half to 2

weeks after sending it to him). He gave me the tracer number and told

me exactly what the problem was--a slipped gear (perhaps, he said,

when I was going for the 38th frame). The M6 hasn't arrived yet (as

of Wed. in Japan, but Tues. in L.A.) but I am not worried. Total

cost, labor and mailing to Japan by Express: $209.00. And I get a 4

month guarantee.

<p>

The final chapter to this will, of course, have be written when I have

the M6 in my hot little hands and start using it again (a little more

gently). But so far working with Stephen has been a pleasure. Take

my unfinished story for what it is worth. I am writing now while this

thread is at the top of the list and hot.

<p>

Regarding the general question of how long cameras can go on until

they need service, I must answer: That depends. I bought the M6 I

sent to Stephen second hand in Dec, 1989 at K&S in Palo Alto and have

used the camera steadily until its breakdown in Nov. 2001. I am sure

it was overdue for a CLA before it slipped a gear. For one thing it

didn't work with a demo Leica motor winder I tried in Osaka. It did

in a shot trial with the motor I bought for my M6 TTL. Then a few

days later it slipped a gear. I had the M4 that I bought in March,

1987 serviced by Sukiya Camera in Tokyo shortly there after (10,000

yen) and haven't serviced it since then. My first CLE, after some

immediate problems after I bought it used in 1985, has being going

steadily along for over 17 years--and I've used that guy a lot. CL,

bought in 1984, the same story. Needed service at first and has kept

on going since. Similar story with my SS M3. My M2, bought 1987 for

$300 and in pretty beat up shape, got a frozen shutter in 2000 after a

heavy and steady workout from me. You know what I think?--and you can

flame me for this--I think that if it isn't broke don't fix it.

Really. A camera will be give you little signs that it needs a

doctor--like uneven exposures or bad framing (which I found in my M6's

last roll before the breakdown). If the camera is working well, be happy.

<p>

Best,

<p>

Alex

Past midnight typos above. One might cause misunderstanding. It (not

I) took Kinderman about a day to respond. Should mention that I sent

the first e-mail on a weekend. Kinderman has come highly recommended

from many sources, I must add, and they are no doubt very good. That

they didn't fit my needs does not mean that they won't fit the needs

of others.

<p>

And time I go to bed.

<p>

Best,

<p>

Alex

Gerry Smith at Kindermann Canada (www.kindermann.ca). Factory

trained, Gerry is always a gentleman to deal with. Kindermann is

one of the few depots that is recommended by Leica AG to fix

screwmount cameras and has parts for them. Very reasonably priced.

Recently sent a customers M2 for CLA, rangefinder adjustment and to

have the vulcanite replaced with the current M6 type leatherette.

Total price under 300.00 US. Look fair going in, came back looking

brand new.

See also the detailed list of Leica repairers (with contact email

addresses and phone #'s) in the <B>FAQ</B> at:<BR>

<A HREF="http://nemeng.com/leica/007e.shtml">nemeng.com/leica/

007e.shtml</A>