Leica M4 catastrophe... Need advice

[awty]

I dropped my Leica MD-2 on the concrete and bent up the rewind crank, but because it had no rangefinder that was the only damage. I fabricated a new rewinder and it works well. I use it with my 25mm and 15mm lenses that don't have a rangefinder coupling. Use the appropriate view finder and guess the distance.

 

[remjet5219]

https://www.reddotrepair.com

Jadon Rosario worked on my M4 when he was a technician at Advance Camera in Portland, OR. I don't know what his turn around times are but it's worth a quote.

Thanks I’ll shoot him an email or phone call!

I really appreciate everyone’s help!!

 

[remjet5219]

Few repair people will JUST fix the rangefinder -- the problem is that whenever they open the camera up they immediately become responsible for how it works when you get it back, so they will insist on doing a full service even if all you want is the rangefinder fixed.
An M4 is about 40 years old and a good service is well worth the cost. It will last you the rest of your life, if not longer.

That’s a great point. I actually called Yye this morning after everyone’s responses and he asked me just that: do you want the rangefinder fixed AND a CLA or just to fix that one problem? I opted for both.

That’s so true about these things lasting a lifetime. I just hope film is still around to use them!

I really appreciate your advice!

 

[250swb]

I'm a bit discouraged from that price point and confused how it came to be such a costly repair that costs more than a new one in a better condition. I'm relatively new to the Rangefinder and Leicas, so any advice would be appreciated. Would I even be able to sell it?

I'm sure $1800 will include a full service as well. The policy is to cover Leica based on the fact that amateurs may say the fault is one thing, but it turns out to be something else, so whichever it is the customer is sure to get back a camera that can go on for another three decades (unless you drop it again). This is the value in buying a camera with a warranty and which has already been serviced at somebody else's expense. If it's a very ugly camera sell it for parts and put the money towards another one in better condition, or pay Leica, or DAG, but not somebody who says they will just repair the viewfinder because quite frankly they can't know until they open it up all the things that could need doing.

 

[faberryman]

I'm sure $1800 will include a full service as well. The policy is to cover Leica based on the fact that amateurs may say the fault is one thing, but it turns out to be something else, so whichever it is the customer is sure to get back a camera that can go on for another three decades (unless you drop it again). This is the value in buying a camera with a warranty and which has already been serviced at somebody else's expense. If it's a very ugly camera sell it for parts and put the money towards another one in better condition, or pay Leica, or DAG, but not somebody who says they will just repair the viewfinder because quite frankly they can't know until they open it up all the things that could need doing.

Leica has a two year warranty on new cameras. I could not find the warranty on repairs because the repair page would only partially load. In the US, the repair turnaround appears to be six months. Maybe if you are Ralph Gibson or Joel Meyerowitz you can get your camera repaired more quickly.

I am sure if Leica finds things wrong with the camera in question in addition to the viewfinder, they will send a revised cost to repair those things as well.

 

[logan2z]

Leica has a two year warranty on new cameras.

You get an additional 1 year of warranty if you register the camera online.

 

[faberryman]

You get an additional 1 year of warranty if you register the camera online.

Great! You also get three complementary digital issues of Leica Fotografie International magazine, a Є12.25 value.

 

[Oldwino]

Great! You also get three complementary digital issues of Leica Fotografie International magazine, a Є12.25 value.

so...totally worth it.

 

[faberryman]

so...totally worth it.

Absolutely. The additional 1 year warranty covers the time it is at Leica for repair.

 

[dave olson]

With the exception of my M7, all my other M's were bought used. My M2 had a CLA'd before I bought it from a Leica dealer, the M4-P was mint and again CLA'd before I bought, lastly the M6 also had a CLA'd before I bought. My thought is if it has had a CLA'd I won't have to send it to DAG, if not then it goes to DAG.

 

[Pioneer]

Think of it as a little Porsche. They are expensive when you buy em and expensive when you fix em. And you WILL need them fixed eventually. Unless you just set them on a shelf to look at when you walk by.

 

[snusmumriken]

For those of us with modest funds, is it wise or unwise to risk the major surgery of a CLA even when there are no signs of malfunction? ‘If if ain’t bust, don’t fix it’ springs to mind.

I’m always puzzled that cameras need so much cossetting. Earlier in this thread, somebody mentioned fine mechanical watches and their need for regular maintenance. But a watch works continuously. Cameras work at most for a few fractions of a second per day, are nowhere near as complex or delicate as a watch, yet seem to cost a lot more to service or repair.

 

[Don_ih]

is it wise or unwise

It would always count as "wise" to get a camera given a once-over if it hasn't been serviced in a long (or unknown) time. Whether or not that would be necessary? depends on the camera itself and if anything was wrong. A professional, though, needs their tools operating properly and as-expected, so getting them serviced regularly is preventative medicine - although a lot of cameras are getting reaching an age that part-failure can occur at any time and won't necessarily be anticipated or prevented by a service.

I'd only get a camera serviced if the value of the camera was considerably more than the price of the service. As in, I wouldn't get a Nikon F2 fixed, but I'd get a Leica M4 fixed. And I'd only get a camera I wanted to regularly use fixed. ... And there would need to be something obviously wrong with it. But I'm not a professional.

 

[guangong]

I don’t quite understand the OP’s desire to buy a “beater” in the first place. A Leica would only be recognized by a very tiny part of population...such as readers of photrio. Most of the contemporary population has no idea that film is available, let alone recognize a Leica.
The lessons to be learned here: buy one in the best condition you can find (but still be prepared to have camera serviced); carry camera in some kind of case (my cameras have survived drops, falls, and bangs while in some kind of case); watch your step.
I have bought “bargain “ cameras from KEH, and could never figure out why so classified. Recently, from a reputable dealer, with a choice of one model, I bought the one recently CLAed for $100 more. Shipping alone for a CLA would cost almost as much.

 

[snusmumriken]

I don’t quite understand the OP’s desire to buy a “beater” in the first place. A Leica would only be recognized by a very tiny part of population...such as readers of photrio. Most of the contemporary population has no idea that film is available, let alone recognize a Leica.

The OP said he bought the camera to use, not to wear as a badge! It wouldn’t matter whether anyone else recognised the brand. And he wanted one that was not so smart that he would be reluctant to use it.

The lessons to be learned here: buy one in the best condition you can find (but still be prepared to have camera serviced); carry camera in some kind of case (my cameras have survived drops, falls, and bangs while in some kind of case); watch your step.

You can’t protect the rangefinder except with an all-encompassing Never Ready case. I sympathise with anyone who wants the camera to be ready at all times.

I doubt the OP is going to find “Watch your step” terribly helpful advice in the circumstances!

 

[Sirius Glass]

It would always count as "wise" to get a camera given a once-over if it hasn't been serviced in a long (or unknown) time. Whether or not that would be necessary? depends on the camera itself and if anything was wrong. A professional, though, needs their tools operating properly and as-expected, so getting them serviced regularly is preventative medicine - although a lot of cameras are getting reaching an age that part-failure can occur at any time and won't necessarily be anticipated or prevented by a service.

I'd only get a camera serviced if the value of the camera was considerably more than the price of the service. As in, I wouldn't get a Nikon F2 fixed, but I'd get a Leica M4 fixed. And I'd only get a camera I wanted to regularly use fixed. ... And there would need to be something obviously wrong with it. But I'm not a professional.

I agree. A check over of a new purchase is wise. One of the reasons I buy at KEH or Samy's Camera is that a CLA is covered if needed on a new purchase.