The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Official M8 upgrade info for US customers

dfarkas

Workshop Member
Just posted this on the L-Camera-User forum:

I got a memo from Leica this morning regarding how M8 upgrades will be handled in the US. Interesting to see how custom engraving and vulcanite have made their way into the program as well.

If anyone wants to get an uprgade at this point, I've started a waiting list. Priority will be on a first come, first serve basis.

David


To: All Photographic Division Represnetatives / Dealers
From: Marketing Department
Date: March 4, 2008
Re: Leica M8 Upgrade Service


Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

Since our first announcement about the M8 upgrade service, we are now able to offer detailed information on the program. All M8 owners have the option of the following upgrades:


Sapphire glass cover and the silent shutter
Sapphire glass cover only
Silent shutter only
Personal/Signature engraving on top plate
Vulcanite leatherette body

M8 upgrade option
Shutter & Sapphire Glass
$1,450

Shutter Only
$1,025

Sapphire Glass Only
$ 950

Personal engraving on top plate
$ 260

Signature engraving on top plate
$ 425

Vulcanite leatherette body
$ 330


The M8 upgrade service:

Is scheduled to start in late August 2008. An announcement will follow.
The sapphire glass cover & silent shutter will be done at our facility in Allendale, NJ.
The engraving and vulcanite leatherette body will be done in Solms, Germany.
Will be considered as part of a regular repair service.
Payment will be through dealer or directly via credit card, Visa or Mastercard.
Customers/Dealers must call Leica Camera Inc. starting August 1st to schedule the upgrades before sending their M8.
Turn around will depend on volume for the M8 upgrades.
Will have trained technicians to work only on the M8 upgrades.
Warranty of the M8 with the upgrade will be extended by another year from the original warranty expiration date.
Upgraded M8 will be shipped back to customer/dealer via UPS.

It is important for you and your customers that no M8s can be shipped to Leica Camera Inc. until the service department is ready to perform the upgrades in late August 2008. Any M8s received for the upgrades before the start date, will be returned. Cameras received without prior scheduled date may experience longer wait times.

For the personal/signature engraving on the M8 top plate and/or a vulcanite leatherette body, the M8s will have to be sent to Germany. For the signature engraving, the customer must supply a signature using black ink on white paper. Any upgrade service sent to Germany will take a longer turn around time. If you have any questions about the M8 upgrade service, please do not hesitate to contact Leica Camera Inc.

Thank You.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Thanks David and BTW folks a plug for David at Dale Labs in florida. Great guy and great leica dealer
 

stephengilbert

Active member
Whatever one thinks about the prices for the upgrade, the recent "performance" of the dollar almost makes these prices look good. The Euro has passed $1.50 in the past week, making the $1450 option close to 1000 Euros.
 

Maggie O

Active member
A new shutter, vulcanite and have them engrave a proper "Leica" on the top and I'm good to go!

I mean, you could have them engrave it with an MP-style "Leica" instead of your signature, right?
 

jlm

Workshop Member
personal engraving, $230? signature engraving, $460?
1 year warranty with either?
 

dfarkas

Workshop Member
Strange they won't take AMEX.
Leica won't take AMEX directly, but some dealers (like ourselves) will. I have heard from some of my customers that there are some dealers that refuse to take it as well as it costs about 1% more in fees.

David
 

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
I would think, AMEX Platinium card holders would be a major demographic for Leica marketing.
 

johnastovall

Deceased, but remembered fondly here...
Yep, I would think Leica should cut a deal with AMEX to include both and M and Digilux -3 in one of AMEX's special gift mailing and also let customers apply Amex point to the purchase. It would get the Leica name out to a demographic which is a natural market of Leica and should generate some sales.
 
S

sirvine

Guest
"Warranty of the M8 with the upgrade will be extended by another year from the original warranty expiration date. "

This does NOT say that you will be given a 1 year warranty from the time repairs are completed if you are out of warranty. Isn't anyone at Leica screening these public statements for consistency?
 

Terry

New member
it is probably worded this way simply because of the way the question was asked of them. The issue stems from owners like me who, under the first plan, were not going to upgrade until we were close to warranty expiration.
 

LJL

New member
By the time this program comes into play, the M8 will be nearly two years old, and those that bought in at the start would be nearing the expiration of their existing warranties. I do agree with Sol, the wording, though seemingly clear to most, and surely to the person that posed the question, still seems ambiguous for those that opt for service beyond the expiration of their current warranty (late October/early November for the earliest adopters).

LJ
 

jonoslack

Active member
"Warranty of the M8 with the upgrade will be extended by another year from the original warranty expiration date. "

This does NOT say that you will be given a 1 year warranty from the time repairs are completed if you are out of warranty. Isn't anyone at Leica screening these public statements for consistency?
I think this has been done to death - look at this information from Stefan to Scott:

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=937

and the second post where :

The answer from Leica on when does the warranty start is that it is for oneyear after upgrade, never less.

Really - surely we can put this one to bed now?
 
S

sirvine

Guest
Jono,

I couldn't agree more, which is why it boggles the mind that Leica's notice to its dealers contradicts what Leica is telling everyone who asks for clarification.

I'm certainly not up in arms about it, by any stretch. In the context of this offer which fluxuates from month to month, I think Leica owes itself a little clarity!

Also, this kind of slip-up is charming, but ultimately not indicative of a professional operation. I'm OK with charming.
 

Maggie O

Active member
Could anyone in a position to do so please ask Leica if it would be possible to get an MP-style engraving done on the M8 along with the upgrade?
 

scott kirkpatrick

Well-known member
i
...t boggles the mind that Leica's notice to its dealers contradicts what Leica is telling everyone who asks for clarification.
I'm pretty sure that the person who wrote the first statement clarifying the warranty offer is the one who clarified it once several of us pointed out that in the future there will be cameras out of warranty. And he has better things to do with his time, so let's leave it for now and let the dealers do the talking.

scott
 
S

sirvine

Guest
If you think an email response or a forum posting is more definitive than Leica's communication to its dealers, I'm not going to try to convince you otherwise. I'm sorry for wasting your time.
 

scott kirkpatrick

Well-known member
If you think an email response or a forum posting is more definitive than Leica's communication to its dealers, I'm not going to try to convince you otherwise. I'm sorry for wasting your time.
Let's cut out the rudeness. I made the forum post, and the email response was from a Leica VP.

scott
 
Top