Leica camera repair - Who is reliable?

Thomas Bertilsson · Feb 22, 2017

Hello,

I am wondering about where to send my M2, which has been broken for a while. It's been with one repair person for six months now, and I'm getting tired of waiting; I am going to ask for them to send it back to me and forget it.

Thanks.

Ian Grant · Feb 22, 2017

The best Leica repair man is Malcolm Taylor here in the UK, he does restoration work for Leitz (the factory). themselves.

Don't Leitz themselves offer a repair service in the US, my M3 went to Leitz in London.

Ian

Thomas Bertilsson · Feb 22, 2017

Ian Grant said:
The best Leica repair man is Malcolm Taylor here in the UK, he does restoration work for Leitz (the factory). themselves.

Don't Leitz themselves offer a repair service in the US, my M3 went to Leitz in London.

Ian

Thanks, Ian.
Leica does have a repair shop, for sure. I have had my V35 enlarger with them for 9 months to be repaired, and they are thoroughly unprofessional about it. So I am looking for a place within the US that people have found reliable and trustworthy.

Ian Grant · Feb 22, 2017

Thomas Bertilsson said:
Thanks, Ian.
Leica does have a repair shop, for sure. I have had my V35 enlarger with them for 9 months to be repaired, and they are thoroughly unprofessional about it. So I am looking for a place within the US that people have found reliable and trustworthy.

Yes, sometimes the official repair shop isn't the best, I found that every time , 3, with the official UK Mamiya and Tamron repair service (same importer). Leitz were superb here.

Ian

jimjm · Feb 22, 2017

Thomas - Contact Youxin Ye of YYE Camera. He's in Camden, MA and does excellent work. Fair prices, good communication and quick turnaround.

There's also Don Goldberg(DAG) and Sherry Krauter who are frequently mentioned, but I don't have first-hand experience with them.

Good Luck!

Pioneer · Feb 22, 2017

Youxin Ye will do a terrific job and a quick turn around. He is my go to repair person for repairs of known problems. His wife is also an awesome lens tech.

Dag (Don Goldberg) also does a terrific job but he is very busy and it will take awhile.

I have not personally used Sherry Krauter but she has a good reputation.

Finally, Gus Lazzari of TLC Camera Repair is my go to person for complete overhauls. Expect a year at least and this type of service costs more than the typical service provided by Youxin.

Thomas Bertilsson · Feb 22, 2017

Thanks for the feedback thus far. It helps. I know of all of them, and my camera is currently with one of them. I think I must be cursed.

illumiquest · Apr 21, 2017

I sent my M2 to Youxin Ye for a rangefinder adjustment. He said the turn around would be a week. Which then extended to two weeks, then four, then six and then an email telling me to "Take it easy, I'll get it done this week" and then the next day an email telling me that there was nothing wrong with my camera and that he was sending it back.

Sherry Krauter never bothered replying to my email asking what her turn around time.

I then sent it to Don Goldberg with a letter explaining that I use the camera daily for work. I mailed it Thursday and it was back the following tuesday. He said the rangefinder mirror was loose and he had re-cemented it.

Your experience may vary but I think I'll send my Leica to Don next time it needs a little help.

guangong · Apr 21, 2017

I recommend Don although not in my best interest because the busier he is the longer the turn around time. Expert repair for Leica and Minox. He recently refurbished my Canon P. Sherry is also very good. Any delay in turn around could be due to health issues.

Pioneer · Apr 21, 2017

Thomas Bertilsson said:
Thanks for the feedback thus far. It helps. I know of all of them, and my camera is currently with one of them. I think I must be cursed.

Thomas. Did you finally get your camera repaired?

baachitraka · Apr 21, 2017

Thomas Bertilsson said:
Thanks for the feedback thus far. It helps. I know of all of them, and my camera is currently with one of them. I think I must be cursed.

May be these are the times to go deeper into Zen and worry less about for gear.

Thomas Bertilsson · Apr 21, 2017

illumiquest said:
I sent my M2 to Youxin Ye for a rangefinder adjustment. He said the turn around would be a week. Which then extended to two weeks, then four, then six and then an email telling me to "Take it easy, I'll get it done this week" and then the next day an email telling me that there was nothing wrong with my camera and that he was sending it back.

Sherry Krauter never bothered replying to my email asking what her turn around time.

I then sent it to Don Goldberg with a letter explaining that I use the camera daily for work. I mailed it Thursday and it was back the following tuesday. He said the rangefinder mirror was loose and he had re-cemented it.

Your experience may vary but I think I'll send my Leica to Don next time it needs a little help.

Your experience matches mine. I did write to Don Goldberg to ask a few questions and he was quick in his response.

My camera is not yet repaired, and I'm a little miffed. Luckily I have plenty of 35mm cameras, so I'm not too worried about it, although I do get tired to hear how it's going to be 'one more month or so' for the last 12 months. I'm very glad you had such a good experience with DAG. That's good to hear. Maybe I'll ask for my camera back and send it to him instead.

Thomas Bertilsson · Apr 21, 2017

baachitraka said:
May be these are the times to go deeper into Zen and worry less about for gear.

Yes, I think it is healthier overall, but thinking about someone like @illumiquest who uses his camera professionally the situation is obviously completely different.

Thanks for your words of advice everyone! You're a really good bunch of people.

removed account4 · Apr 21, 2017

Thomas Bertilsson said:
Maybe I'll ask for my camera back and send it to him instead.

sounds like a great solution !
or maybe ... its going to arrive at your doorstep
tomorrow or monday

"SURPRISE ! "

Louis Nargi · Apr 21, 2017

Pioneer said:
Youxin Ye will do a terrific job and a quick turn around. He is my go to repair person for repairs of known problems. His wife is also an awesome lens tech.

Dag (Don Goldberg) also does a terrific job but he is very busy and it will take awhile.

I have not personally used Sherry Krauter but she has a good reputation.

Finally, Gus Lazzari of TLC Camera Repair is my go to person for complete overhauls. Expect a year at least and this type of service costs more than the typical service provided by Youxin.

I second that

Kshaub103 · Apr 1, 2019

Hello, wanted to update this thread for 2019, who's is reliable today? Any one with recent repair? Or any people to avoid? I was given a gentlemans name out of Chicago, JW Camera Repair, Michelle Lee any experience?

guangong · Apr 1, 2019

Ye, Don and Sherry are the gold standards for Leica repair. Ye specializes in ltm. You won’t go wrong with any of them.

Leica camera repair - Who is reliable?

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