I am a Leica fan. I love their cameras and lenses. I hate the company. Sorry to start such a dull thread, but I feel Leica's attitude is arrogant. I ordered a hood and cap kit for the 50 mm Summicron from a Leica retailer here in Montreal. That was before Christmas. Check it: before Christmas! The retailer apparently ordered it from the distributor in Toronto. To this day, no news. They both tell me the order has been processed. I also wrote to Leica on the subject two months ago. They didn't bother to even ackowledge my message, let alone answer it. Three weeks ago, I asked my retailer to order a spare cap for the battery compartment on my new M7 (I know I will lose it some day.) Nothing yet. Does anybody on this forum know what I am talking about? And how to make Leica more responsive to its faithful customers' needs? And does anybody feel like me, that we should all ditch Leica and go... I don't know... let's say the Contax G2 way?( ;-)

-- Olivier Reichenbach (olreiche@videotron.ca), May 05, 2002

Answers

Oliver- Couldn't you have ordered those items straight from Leica? Maybe it isn't Leica. Maybe it is the dealer. If these are discontinued items, maybe they won't ever be back in stock, and you should get a refund. I have often wondered if a pent up demand for certain discontinued parts causes Leica to go back and manufacture more of them.

-- Frank Horn (owlhoot45@hotmail.com), May 05, 2002.

Thank you for answering, Frank. Well, as I said both the retailer and the distributor (Lisle-Kelco in Toronto) assure me that they have indeed ordered the part. And Leica didn't answer my message on the issue. So, yes, I'm inclined to think Leica is guilty here. I don't even know if you can order directly from Leica, but I will give it a try. I'll keep you posted.

Olivier

-- Olivier Reichenbach (olreiche@videotron.ca), May 05, 2002.

Sure you can order this from Leica. 1-800-222-0118 and hit the router button for the parts department. I've always found them very helpful, though they do get back ordered parts at times that take awhile. Not the fault of the USA people, though.

-- Charles (c.mason@uaf.edu), May 05, 2002.

Knowing where to look for needed items is often the secret to keeping the older Licas working New production items are often in short supply and unavilable. If you think it is bad now you should have tried dealing with Leica U.S.A. when it was owned by Leitz. God forbid that should ever happen again. They have been known to just hang up the phone on people because they didn't have time to deal with your little order right now. Things have improved by a factor of 1000%. Oh and never ever sell your kit because you get angry.You alway end up buying it all back at twice what you sold it for. Leica users rule # 1. Used Leica gear is too cheep to sell and to expensive to buy. ALWAYS! Now we get to hear form the guy who found the black M3 with the first generation noctalux on it for twenty dollars at a yard sale. Yeah right. It says ALWAYS!

-- Al Henry (J Henry@provede.net), May 05, 2002.

Here in the US, the few times I have needed parts, I ordered tham directly from Leica and got them right away. They even sent me an instruction book for an R7 no charge. Don't jump to a blanket rejection based on one bad experience. By the way, don't forget that Leica, the company that builds the cameras, is not the same as your local distributer.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), May 05, 2002.

Oliver,

It's been more than several years since I contacted Leica directly...but my experiences were totaly positive! Once, the plastic tip on my advance lever on my M4-2 broke off. I still had the retaining screw and wrote Leica directly (on my studio stationary) and the sent a new one at no charge. Another time I lost one of the four screws in the bottom of the foot of my metal 21mm finder. It actually slipped off the camera at the Indy 500. I didn't know where or when it had come off, but retraced my steps AND FOUND IT! The finder would not sit level in the flash shoe without the screw. Again I wrote Leica and they sent a replacement at no charge. I think that is great customer relations! Like I said, it's been a while and things may have changed....but their previous service was first rate!

-- Todd Phillips (toddvphillips@webtv.net), May 05, 2002.

Leica is a very small concern and I am grateful that they still make parts and accessories for the older cameras and lenses. This means they run off small batches when there is sufficient demand.

The lens hood and cap you want have been out of current production for many years so it may take some time before they run off another batch. If you are in a real rush there are many available used at the usual stores.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@shaw.ca), May 05, 2002.

I have always had good luck dealing with Leica USA. That goes for ordering the right part. They are faster than most dealers since the usually have things in stock and dealers rarely if ever stock replacement parts.

-- Jack Matlock (jfmatlo@attglobal.net), May 05, 2002.

Thank you all for your answers. So, you all seem to have had good experiences with Leica. Am I the only one out there? I mean, nothing will change the fact that they never responded to my first e-mail, and that the Leica distributor in Toronto says he is still waiting for the order. After six months. I can understand that discontinued parts represent a problem, but why don't they notify us that they don't have it, don't plan to re-tool and make a few new ones or whatever? At least, say something. By the way, I actually found the hood and cap on eBay. As for the replacement cap for the battery compartment of the M7, we'll see. That is certainly not discontinued. And we'll see if they answer the two e-mails I sent today to the Parts department. I will also try the 800 number tomorrow Monday, but I have the feeling it won't work from Canada, as is often the case. Thanks for your help and cheers,

Olivier Reichenbach

-- Olivier Reichenbach (olreiche@videotron.ca), May 05, 2002.

I wanted you all to know that this morning (Monday, 6th) I received an e-mail from a guy at the Leica Parts department in Germany, who says that you can't order parts directly from them (no surprise there), and that a hood for the 50 mm Summicron will be available around August later this year. Maybe some of you will be interested to know that. But that's what I am complaining about: why did it take them six months and three messages to tell us that? Anyway... Oh, and the replacement cap for the battery comparment of the M7 should be available from the distributor. Or so they say... We'll see. Thank you.

-- Olivier Reichenbach (olreiche@videotron.ca), May 06, 2002.

Hi Olivier!

Maybe you're not going to like to hear this, and no, it's not a hint to move countries, but here in Leicaland I've never had any trouble with any Leica contact at all. All the stores specialized in Leica (that I know of), new and/or second-hand dealers, as well as Leica itself in Solms, have always been most helpful, and immediate, on the phone, e-mail, or even personally. I'd say you just have a bum store on yours hands. Get a new one. Today.

Mike

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), May 06, 2002.

I suspect it's a country agent problem. Leica Italy is absolute crap - but then so are all services in Italy. They'll sell you the camera at premium prices and after that you're on your own. That's why my cameras are only half functional - I'd rather put up with them half working than send them off for a month and then get them back in the same - or in one case worse - condition. The only place I've had a good and prompt repair done on a Leica (R6) was Calcutta.

I doubt I'd ever buy a Leica body again, but the lenses are pretty much problem free.

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), May 06, 2002.

Too bad for your experiences with Leica direct. I can tell you this though (from someone who has sold Leica for 20 years in Alberta). For years the distributor of Leica was Kindermann Canada, and though they had the odd problem with supply, on the whole it was not excessive, and Werner Schmalz, the owner, was always willing to step in and lend his considerable weight when there was a problem. Due to 'politics' (Werner stepped on more than a few toes at Leica H.O. when he intervened for his customers) Leica gave the dealership to Lisle Kelco a few years ago. Most people in Canada (saleswise) knew this was a huge mistake. I do not want to go into specifics but supply and service has definitely gone downhill since the changeover. Too bad.

-- Bob Todrick (bobtodrick@yahoo.com), May 06, 2002.

Olivier,

Sorry to hear about your experience. I once ordered front and rear lens caps for a Rodenstock taking lens for my large format gear that I had bought used. The caps had to be ordered directly from Rodenstock.

I am a little pickey about my gear being perfectly cared for and accounted for so I wanted "Rodenstock" caps. Well I now admit it was a BIG mistake. I ordered them and five months later I got the front cap at a cost of $21US. It was a $21 piece of plastic! Seven months later the rear cap came at a cost of $19US. In total it took 12 months to get both caps at a cost of $40US of which about 90% was shipping! Big mistake.

I thought you may feel a little better knowing that you are not the only one who has been put through so much. Good luck.

-- Rob Schopke (schopke@attbi.com), May 06, 2002.

Bob (Todrick) I think I know what you're talking about. Just today, I was told that, indeed, Lisle-Kelco seems to be the problem, more so than Leica. Isn't it a shame that THE Leica distributor in Canada is not up to par? What can we do to wake them up? Oh, I got it: I'm gonna tell them to get on this forum and read this particular thread. Who knows... As for Kinderman, I wrote them a few months ago to ask a few questions about dealing directly with them for servicing and repairs. Guess what? They never answered. What is it with this Leica service in Canada? And Rob, thanks for the (small) solace.

-- Olivier Reichenbach (olreiche@videotron.ca), May 06, 2002.

Boy, sure am happy there are so many Canadians around here!

... Oh Camera, my home and native lens...

Why don't you guys all get together and buy Leica out? Fire Lisle-Kelco. Tomorrow.

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), May 07, 2002.

I suggest Robert White on the UK for prompt service on Leica and assorted equipment that is often cheaper than it is in the US and probably Canada. Even Billingham bags are a lot cheaper there. Also check out KB camera, a California company that is expert in all things Leica. You don't have to stick with Canadian shops do you? Then there is a store in Boston that had things no one in NY or UK had. I could go on.........

-- Ed Robbins (earobbi@hotmail.com), June 07, 2002.