Leica CLA costs?

punkzter · Sep 23, 2019

No doubt, it's not cheap. Youxin is the most reasonable and also the quickest. You rarely hear anything bad about his work. Out of unfounded paranoia, I sometimes send more "important" pieces to DAG, but I'm not sure if I can justify that decision with objective evidence.

DAG does seem to go the extra mile to return a pristine product. Specifically, it usually comes back cleaner (on the exterior) than it was sent. This doesn't typically happen with Youxin...but I can hardly blame him for not doing this.

Wallendo · Sep 24, 2019

punkzter said:
No doubt, it's not cheap. Youxin is the most reasonable and also the quickest. You rarely hear anything bad about his work. Out of unfounded paranoia, I sometimes send more "important" pieces to DAG, but I'm not sure if I can justify that decision with objective evidence.

DAG does seem to go the extra mile to return a pristine product. Specifically, it usually comes back cleaner (on the exterior) than it was sent. This doesn't typically happen with Youxin...but I can hardly blame him for not doing this.

When I sent in a IIIc 5 months ago, he quoted a turn-around time of 6 months. Fortunately, I own too many cameras and have been able to cope.

punkzter · Sep 24, 2019

You must mean DAG, right? Youxin seems to get things turned around within a week or two.

Wallendo · Sep 24, 2019

punkzter said:
You must mean DAG, right? Youxin seems to get things turned around within a week or two.

Actually it was Youxin Ye.
Unfortunately, I cannot find that particular email (I may have accidentally erased it). I was surprised by the wait, but it could be because I need new shutter curtains. I have sent him a follow-up e-mail.

Ko.Fe. · Sep 24, 2019

Patrick Robert James said:
Anyone get the Nikon F2 curtain replacement on an M that the place in England offers? I'd love to have an M with titanium curtains....

I was told my M4-2 needs new curtains to stop random light leak.
I was considering to send it for metal curtains, but place is bad. They sit on cameras for many months and don’t replying. Here is RFF thread about this scam.

darkosaric · Sep 25, 2019

Shutter repair and CLA for M3 here in Germany and in the Netherlands (I got 3 offers) are around 1000€ (600-700€ work, plus parts, shipping and around +20-25% tax on top).

darkosaric · Sep 25, 2019

Ko.Fe. said:
metal curtains

Metal curtains in M body? Something like in Nikon F3, cloth with titanium foil, or? Is this an option, looks like a better one? Still equally silent?

film_man · Sep 25, 2019

darkosaric said:
Shutter repair and CLA for M3 here in Germany and in the Netherlands (I got 3 offers) are around 1000€ (600-700€ work, plus parts, shipping and around +20-25% tax on top).

For reference a service is about £200 on average in the UK. I got my M4 serviced and shutter adjusted for £240 inc all taxes.

darkosaric · Sep 25, 2019

film_man said:
For reference a service is about £200 on average in the UK. I got my M4 serviced and shutter adjusted for £240 inc all taxes.

Can you please PM me with a contact, or write it here? I should do it before Brexit and custom jumps in generating additional costs. Thanks!

film_man · Sep 25, 2019

darkosaric said:
Can you please PM me with a contact, or write it here? I should do it before Brexit and custom jumps in generating additional costs. Thanks!

I used https://apertureleica.com/camera-repairs/ for my M4. They did it in a week.

I've not used these but hear good things about them: https://www.cameraworks-uk.com/

By the way, brexit or not customs should not have an impact as you send an item in and then get it back serviced. So as long as the customs declaration is done properly you'll have to pay nothing extra. I've done that with my Nikonos, sending it to the US and never had an issue with customs.

Ko.Fe. · Sep 25, 2019

darkosaric said:
Metal curtains in M body? Something like in Nikon F3, cloth with titanium foil, or? Is this an option, looks like a better one? Still equally silent?

Just google it. But I’m not going to send it in. Don’t want to wait one year with no communications.

Toasty · Sep 25, 2019

darkosaric said:
Metal curtains in M body? Something like in Nikon F3, cloth with titanium foil, or? Is this an option, looks like a better one? Still equally silent?

IIRC it's cannibalized titanium shutters from a Nikon, Hamish Gill of 35mmc fame has a modded out M3 that he had this done on. In the video he showed, it was actually slightly quieter than the standard M.

Patrick Robert James · Sep 25, 2019

darkosaric said:
Metal curtains in M body? Something like in Nikon F3, cloth with titanium foil, or? Is this an option, looks like a better one? Still equally silent?

I knew this was doable a long time ago, but forgot about it. Then i ran across this recently which is why I asked-

https://www.35mmc.com/22/07/2018/le...m4-p-super-rat-cameraworks-uk-custom-cameras/

Edit-Whoops, looks like I overposted Toasty....

Mauricio · Nov 8, 2020

October 2020 Youxin Ye sent Leica M3 DS, He recovered, skin included, recumbent prism, and CLA $360 shipping included.

October 2019 Leica USA CLA for a KE7A $1001 USD, It had to be send to Germany

Excellent work by both, huge price difference, I hope this helps

Craig75 · Nov 8, 2020

Ko.Fe. said:
I was told my M4-2 needs new curtains to stop random light leak.
I was considering to send it for metal curtains, but place is bad. They sit on cameras for many months and don’t replying. Here is RFF thread about this scam.

Sorry but they do excellent work and to call them a scam is complete garbage.

Theyve stripped a cl and taken the meter out for me and it came back absolutely stunning.

They took an m4 that had been in a fire and got it utterly pristine and working perfectly.

Yes you might wait a year but they are very good, offer services no one else does, good prices, and have been inundated with cameras from around the world so their queue is pretty huge.

BradS · Nov 8, 2020

Sent the M4-P to DAG for routine service - rangefinder calibration.

five months, $385 + $28 return shipping.

David Reynolds · Nov 8, 2020

I have had a M3 CLA'ed and a M4 CLA'ed and new curtains by Youxin Ye. He has also worked on a collapsible Summicron 50mm f2 (aperture was very stiff). He is presently working on a 111f (CLA) His prices are reasonable $180 for CLA and additional $180.00 for replacing both curtains. His turn around is quick but you have to ask for it.( a week or two at no additional cost)
I have been reluctant to have my M5 worked on (The camera works fine but the meter failed just after purchase in 1974) . After some good advice from members here I will send it to DAG and hopefully have the meter problem resolved.
After getting my collection of Leica all CLA'ed (all within the last year or so) and as I have retired from the photo business I think it is time to put my collection on the market. A couple of Auction houses have expressed interest in selling the collection as a whole but before I take that step if anyone at Photrio is interested I can send them a list of my inventory for their review. PM me if you are interested.

film_man · Nov 8, 2020

Craig75 said:
Sorry but they do excellent work and to call them a scam is complete garbage.

Theyve stripped a cl and taken the meter out for me and it came back absolutely stunning.

They took an m4 that had been in a fire and got it utterly pristine and working perfectly.

Yes you might wait a year but they are very good, offer services no one else does, good prices, and have been inundated with cameras from around the world so their queue is pretty huge.

Yup, agree. I recently had my M4 customised there. I was quoted 3 months and ended up being 5. Had to chase them a bit, however comms was actually very easy if you don't mind giving them a ring vs firing off emails. They have a FB page which they reply to every few days, the phone number is there and they pick it up. In any case, my M4 came back amazingly smooth and with the customisations I wanted, yes they are slow but so are all these one or two people outfits doing this kind of work. Calling it a scam is wrong.

wjlapier · Nov 13, 2020

You have to look for it on DAG website:

"4.5 hours a day spent on emails & phone calls. Getting to the point where I need to only receive repairs through Camera Stores & Camera Dealers. Would be best if individuals sent or brought their repairs to a camera store that would then send me the repairs. That way I would be dealing with a camera store. Since I give camera stores a discount, the repair costs would still be the same for you."

He's done work for me in the past and we have had conversations about extreme modifications to a Leica M3. Right now he has my Leica R-E and I'm wondering how long it'll be until I receive the camera back--fixing a broken film counter.

cliveh · Nov 13, 2020

At the end of last year, I had my 1934 black Leica II serviced and cleaned, including the 3.5 Elmar lens. It cost me £176.40 and I was intending to go on a trip to see what I could do with it and then covid 19 hit. As soon as I get a vaccine I'm on that train to show what I can do with it.

Huss · Nov 14, 2020

wjlapier said:
Y.. Right now he has my Leica R-E and I'm wondering how long it'll be until I receive the camera back--fixing a broken film counter.

I've got a spare, perfectly working R-E..

wjlapier · Nov 14, 2020

Huss said:
I've got a spare, perfectly working R-E..

With the 35mm Elmarit III all the camera I'll ever need.

Huss · Nov 15, 2020

wjlapier said:
With the 35mm Elmarit III all the camera I'll ever need.

It is a superb camera. Everything works just as it should, and the ergos w/ how you select metering mode and meter pattern is just perfect. As how it holds metered value.
I just bought a Pentax LX, and these Leicas are, IMO, far superior just for the meter selection and because you can hold a meter reading in auto. Incredible that the LX does not have an exposure memory function.

Guth · Nov 19, 2020

I was not aware of the Leica R-E until seeing this thread just now. Is it from the series of cameras that was based on, or associated with in some way, the Minolta XD11?

Huss · Nov 19, 2020

Guth said:
I was not aware of the Leica R-E until seeing this thread just now. Is it from the series of cameras that was based on, or associated with in some way, the Minolta XD11?

I think the original R series were based on the XE5, but there is a lot of differences by the time you get to the R5/R-E. The build of course is completely different and to a much higher standard. The shutter is different (Minolta only goes to 1/1000), the mirror box is different, the Leicas have 3 selectable meter patterns etc etc.
The R-E is the R5 but with 'only' aperture priority and manual exposure modes. Which are the two I only use anyway! The R5 offers P and S as well.

Leica CLA costs?

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