Is this normal? 1100 bucks for repairing a R lens?

[hasselbladfan]

I was a little chocked when I got a 1100 dollar repair estimate for my R 280mm.

The lens is still focusing, but there is some noise when you focus.

Is this normal?

 

[algrove]

Yikes. They must have heard you like Hasselblads.

 

[Vivek]

I was a little chocked when I got a 1100 dollar repair estimate for my R 280mm.

The lens is still focusing, but there is some noise when you focus.

Is this normal?

Lucky guy! You actually heard back from Leica service?!

Take a look here: http://www.getdpi.com/forum/leica/59271-leica-service.html

 

[hasselbladfan]

Yikes. They must have heard you like Hasselblads.

Yes, I do, but also Leica, since 25 years. Then I decided to stop working with japanese stuff and support our own European industry.

 

[glenerrolrd]

I was a little chocked when I got a 1100 dollar repair estimate for my R 280mm.

The lens is still focusing, but there is some noise when you focus.

Is this normal?

YES ..if the lens is estimated to require major parts . My highest lens repair has been around $700 which was for a 75 summiux M but this was almost 10 years ago .

DAG is a much better choice in the USA for this type of repair and would be less than half that expensive .

Paying for Leica factory service is no guarantee of quality work as almost 50% of my lens repairs we sent back for a 2nd try . For me ..M and R lenses always go to DAG . S lenses directly to Wetzler. Film bodies to DAG.

Digital camera bodies are a different story and my experience has been mostly good with things sent to Wetzler and even NJ has been excellent with M bodies.

Don t even think about handling any S repairs without a good dealer .

 

[Bernard]

$1100 isn't out of line for a high-end lens like an R280. I've seen similar quotes from Zeiss and Hasselblad. For that price you get back what is essentially a new lens, ready for 10-20 more years of abuse. It's not such a high price when you consider the replacement cost, and the fact that they aren't making any more of those particular lenses.

 

[doug]

I was a little chocked when I got a 1100 dollar repair estimate for my R 280mm.

The lens is still focusing, but there is some noise when you focus.

Is this normal?

Not atypical. At least you got an estimate. I sent my 280/4 to Leica USA for repair in May (this year) and I have yet to receive an estimate.

FWIW, to my knowledge DAG hasn't done any repairs on the 280/4 yet and he describes it as a 'difficult lens to service'. I'm not sure I'd want mine to be the first one in his shop (aside from the 3-cam conversion he did on my lens 11 years ago).

 

[hasselbladfan]

Not atypical. At least you got an estimate.

I cannot complain about the speed of service.

I got an estimate in two weeks. It just looks like I am paying for all the guys who are getting free service (AF issues, sensor corrosion).

They estimate 8h and 5 min (!) work at 120 euros per hour! Woow.

 

[doug]

... I sent my 280/4 to Leica USA for repair in May (this year) and I have yet to receive an estimate...

Correction: it was April, not May. How time flies...

 

[Vivek]

I cannot complain about the speed of service.

I got an estimate in two weeks. It just looks like I am paying for all the guys who are getting free service (AF issues, sensor corrosion).

They estimate 8h and 5 min (!) work at 120 euros per hour! Woow.

That 5 minutes should raise a few flags, especially given how they screwed up the sensor cover plates after coming from the M8 fiasco.

 

[jaapv]

YES ..if the lens is estimated to require major parts . My highest lens repair has been around $700 which was for a 75 summiux M but this was almost 10 years ago .

DAG is a much better choice in the USA for this type of repair and would be less than half that expensive .

Paying for Leica factory service is no guarantee of quality work as almost 50% of my lens repairs we sent back for a 2nd try . For me ..M and R lenses always go to DAG . S lenses directly to Wetzler. Film bodies to DAG.

Digital camera bodies are a different story and my experience has been mostly good with things sent to Wetzler and even NJ has been excellent with M bodies.

Don t even think about handling any S repairs without a good dealer .

I think you'll find that DAG does not do most repairs on APO lenses. At least the parts for this lens are still available. Many R lenses cannot be repaired at all.