Re: [Leica] Problem statistics

[Alan Ball <AlanBall@csi.com>]

Doug Richardson wrote:
>...<CUT>..
> This makes it all
> the more important that those of us who have no problem report this
> fact to the list. However, this raises a security problem - listing
> one's purchases could make the individual who owns a lot of equipment
> a target for burglary. Perhaps we should look for a long-established
> list member who would be prepared to receive such "no problem"
> reports, remove the poster's name, then repost weekly or monthly
> summaries to the list.

Doug,
That is a very good proposal, if there is a willing victim of course. I
would certainly like to have an idea of the percentage of out of the box
problems, with a range going from futile (a small trace of a mark on the
body) to deadly (uncalibrated rangefinders, stuck rings on lenses, etc). 

But I do not see why the selling side (maker, importers, dealers, repair
techs) should be considered monolithic and globaly non-cooperative
beforehand. I'm sure a lot of data is readily available. I would be
happy with official statements saying there is no QC problem as such: if
that was a lie, there would be plenty of honest dealers ready to correct
it. Or am I dreaming ? I would also be happy with an official statement
announcing reorganisation steps in order either to correct the QC
problem, if that problem should exist, or to make QC more efficient than
it is today.

> >I have read posts of users ... arguing that the process of
> degradation is evident since the first milligram of plastic entered
> Wetzlar.
> 
> If this is a reference to my own recent posting concerning plastic
> components in the M4 and Leicaflex, can I remind readers that I was
> reporting the view of a long-dead Leica user who had his first shave
> long before the Leica I was launched.....<CUT>....

Yes, I think it was your post I had in mind. But not only yours: there
had been previous threads about quality degradation between the M4 and
its M4-2 reincarnation. The result of such threads, when cumulated to
the various horror stories, is that they end up tracing the picture of a
very long process of lowering quality. For the new Leica users, or the
potential Leica users, this picture is scary. It scares me anyway,
though my personal experience is up to now 100 pct problem-free. I felt
much more confident in Leica quality before joining this list, though
that confidence was then not based on any personal experience....

Friendly rgards
Alan
Brussels-Belgium