Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/12/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]For many years, Leitz recommended yearly CLA's. In those days, every photo store had a repairman, and Leitz went out of their way to ensure that these folks received factory training and literature. The store owners like the policy, as it brought a good customer back on a regular basis. Economics changed all this. Camera stores stopped employing repair guys. Customers no longer wanted a camera which required an annual maintenance. (This is the same period which saw car oil change intervals go from 3,000 miles to 6,000 miles or more.) Leitz' response, in part, was to reduce the number of adjustable parts within the later M cameras. Hence, a lot of those widgets which mandated the annual service were no longer an issue, and the cameras can go many, many years between service. Admittedly, when something DOES go bad, it is now a much more serious issue -- but the cameras are more durable in daily use. Marc msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!