Re: [Leica] Saving Leica (from Solms)

[Harrison McClary <hmcclary@earthlink.net>]

Stephen wrote

>1)  Produce Leica R lenses in Canon EOS and Nikon manual focus mounts.

I don't think any manual lens would work very well on an EOS since ALL of 
the lenses aperture ect are controlled by the body.  Leica would have to 
redesign the lens to handle these capabilities, also the EOS line has 
very dark viewfinders, not at all friendly to manual focus.  In my 
experience at least.

>In the US Leica is suffering an identity crises among the rank and file
>photog.  Say "Leica" and many will give you a blank look and reply "Like
>a what?"

Funny, but I have not run into this.  Most photographers I meet are 
somewhat jealous that I am shooting Leica.  They all know what it is and 
the reputation the lenses have.  Admittedly most of them have no ideas of 
the capabilities of the R8 and upon hearing of what it can do they are 
very impressed.

>Horror stories of four to six week repairs are common.  There is really
>no reason why a world class camera company should be run this way--into
>the ground.    Maximum turn around should be two weeks, with a one week
>not unusual.

Unless things have changed at other repair shops this is pretty normal 
for standard turn around times.  I know when I send in a camera for a 
non-pro friend it is 4-6 weeks for the repair, if I send a camera of mine 
and get the pro rush it is 48 hours.  I have had the same experience with 
Canon, Nikon and Leica equipment repair times.

>Then there is the question of competency.  A friend of mine bought a
>black M2.  It was his first, and he was very proud of it.  It needed a
>shutter overhaul, so he asked me who to send it to.  I recommended  a
>local repairman who would have done a great job within two weeks.  Well,
>he wanted it done "right" and was willing to pay the bill.  So off to
>Leica's repairmen in NY.  8 weeks later he gets it back, at over double
>the price he could have paid locally.  There was just one small
>problem.  The elves in NY had substituted nice new shiny chrome screws
>for the ugly old black enamel screws  his M2 should have.  No prob he
>thought,  just send it back and get the right ones.  Surprise!  They
>don't have them. 

Hmmmm......what would Nikon say if he sent in an F for a complete 
overhaul, or Canon if he sent in an FTB, or old F1.  I know I called 
Canon about repair on an FD 600 4.5 lens - much more expensive than any 
body they made, and they said they no longer worked on them, so now it is 
on the way to a friend of Donal's and I am hoping he can work magic on 
this very nice piece of glass that is now little more than a paper 
weight, because Canon has turned their back on it.

>6) Lower the price of R8 and M6 bodies to sell the lenses and
>accessories.
>
>Sell the bodies at cost to get people into the system.   It keeps your
>factory employed and will pay off in the long run.

People are always talking about how terribly expensive Leica is, but the 
pro line of Nikon and Canon is not that much cheaper.  Leica just does 
not offer cheap plastic cameras like the EOS rebel and Nikon N70.  Yes 
Leica is somewhat more, but everything is on par, or better than the best 
the others make.  Plus the Leica stuff is made to last and they stand 
behind products made decades ago.  Everyone is always asking about the 
cams on the R lenses and how much it costs to get a 1 cam lens 3 cammed.  
Just try getting a Canon FD lens converted to EOS...HA what a funny joke 
the repair shop will tell you!

Leica is not for everyone, just as the EOS is not for everyone, nor is 
Nikon, or your brand of choice. I really don't understand all of this 
bashing of Leica over a few reported problems.  I used to work at a daily 
newspaper in Atlanta with a staff of 5 photographers.  Of the 5, 4 of us 
had the "new" F4 and ALL of us had to send the camera back at least once 
(one guy 3 times) in the first year for mechanical problems.  That is a 
bad case of quality control.  Every company is going to have a few 
lemons, it simply can't be helped.  Yes there have been several 
complaints on the LUG, but how many subscribers are there?  If quality 
control was horrible I guarantee there would be nothing but complaints on 
this list.

Harrison McClary
http://people.delphi.com/hmphoto