CLA of Leica M3 in Canada?

tonyj · 10-31-2009

I have acquired late model M3 (998***) which appears to be in very good condition.

I am located in Alberta, Canada and would like to know of any recommended camera specialists who might be able to do a CLA (Clean, Lubricate and Adjust) on this camera, either in this area or even outside this area.

The camera unfortunately had not been used for quite some time and has probably suffered from lack of use. The shutter looks to be in excellent condition as do the rest of the visible components.

The camera seems to work fine at speeds from 1/60 up to 1/250, but the shutter appears to 'drag' at the slower speeds and doesn't appear to fully open at the two fastest speeds.

I have seen the name of 'Youxin Ye' mentioned often on these forums and obviously he is an expert technician with Leica M series cameras. Does any know how I could contact him, and whether it is possible to send cameras to the US for service? An idea of the costs involved for a CLA would also be appreciated.

Any other comments or ideas on how to go about getting this camera back into top running order would be welcome. Thank you.

david.elliott · 10-31-2009

youxin Ye <wye7@yahoo.com>

Email him directly and ask about his current costs.

Enjoy the camera!

LeicaFoReVer · 10-31-2009

gs.leicaservice@gmail.com

Try this guy called Gerry. They are located in Toronto. I did not test them yet but he says over 20 years of experience on leicas. Give my name "Aykut"

Vickko · 10-31-2009

1. David Yau:
http://harrysproshop.com/Yau/yau.html

2. Gerry Smith at Kindermann
http://kindermann.ca/Service/default.html

...Vick

LeicaFoReVer · 10-31-2009

Ok that is that Gerry, Gerry Smith. His email is in my post.

thomasw_ · 10-31-2009

Kindermann is the best, worth the money.

Nikon Bob · 10-31-2009

I had an M4 done at Kindermann by Gerry Smith and can say the work was excellent. He is on the expensive side IIRC correctly but does very good work. I have also used David Yau to CLA a Canon P and was happy with the result too. If you ship the camera to the US for service be sure to get that little card from Customs, the one you get when you travel outside Canada with personal gear, just in case there is any hassle when it comes back.

Bob

grainhound · 10-31-2009

Gerry has CLA'd all three of my Leicas, among other repairs he's done for me. I have been very happy with his work, and enjoyed the side benefit of not having to ship anything across the border. Highly recommended, and I did try a couple of other technicians before I went to Gerry.

literiter · 10-31-2009

Gerry CLA'd my M2. A little expensive but well worth it. Careful and meticulous, I'll do it again soon with my M4-P.

I think he really understands the Leica M series.

sienarot · 10-31-2009

While I've never used Gerry at Kinderman's services, I was about to when I had a late model M3 that needed its rangefinder CLA'd. I sent him an email and he called me on the phone and we chatted a bit. He seemed like a very pleasant fellow, though he seemed a bit put off when I told him my Hassy was top dog in my stable

. In the end, the M3 was sold before I had a chance to CLA it. I certainly wouldn't hesitate to try his services if the need arised.

dfoo · 10-31-2009

How much did you guys pay for the CLA from Gerry? I'm thinking about getting my M3 CLA'd since the winder is much stiffer than my M4-P.

funkaoshi · 10-31-2009

I had my M2 fixed my David Yau, mentioned up thread. No complaints whatsoever.

grainhound · 10-31-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfoo

How much did you guys pay for the CLA from Gerry? I'm thinking about getting my M3 CLA'd since the winder is much stiffer than my M4-P.

Since every camera is different, your best bet is to email him at gs.leicaservice@gmail.com; I'm sure he responds. As I live in Toronto, I pick up the phone and call him at Kinderman.

SteveM · 10-31-2009

I can also report very positive results from David Yau in Toronto. He did a CLA and repairs on my M4-P and Rollei 35. Turnaround was good and cost was very reasonable

Steve

tonyj · 10-31-2009

Thank you to all who have replied. This is excellent information.

I will now make further enquiries from the names you have provided.

No-one has yet indicated what kind of costs are typically incurred , just to give me an idea. Anyone??

david.elliott · 10-31-2009

When I emailed Youxin some months ago with regard to a possible CLA on a M2 I had yet to buy (and never did buy), he said it was $80 for the CLA plus shipping each way.

sepiareverb · 10-31-2009

Gerry Smith. Top quality, pretty fast turnaround, and fun to talk to.

Gary Sandhu · 10-31-2009

I paid $200 locally in Vancouver for a CLA, including shutter replacement, and modifying the flash plugs to standard PC.

ddutchison · 11-01-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Sandhu

I paid $200 locally in Vancouver for a CLA, including shutter replacement, and modifying the flash plugs to standard PC.

Hi. Could you tell us who it was who did the work?

tonyj · 11-03-2009

Once again thank you.

I emailed both the Canadian 'Leica Repairshop and Service' contacts I was given on this forum, and so far have received an email reply plus a phone call from one of them.

I was very impressed with the gentleman who called me and I feel totally confident that he is more than capable of 'sorting out' my M3.

Thus, and without further delay, I parcelled up the camera and have now put it into the capable hands (I hope) of Canada Post. The camera is now on it's way East for a thorough 'tune-up'. My fingers and toes are crossed. I am hoping that there is nothing else wrong with the M3, and that a good CLAing will bring it back to something like it's former glory.

As I was told, the M3 is a good camera, and taken care of, will last for two or three lifetimes.

The M3 is also too nice a camera to simply use as an expensive paper weight or door stop.

Hopefully I will be getting back to this thread with some good news and with a full update, in the near future.

Once again, thank you for the excellent information provided.