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Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master
  
 
Edward Teller
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


I'm guessing that those noting he sounds "grumpy" have never spent 48 years doing piece work for the public 6 days a week.
Normal public would be bad enough, but this is "Leica public".
In my experience, he's been great to talk to, and sounds just like this, though I don't call any more as it just gets in his way, and he's got a year's worth of repairs staring him down from the shelf.
Apr 26, 2023 at 05:48 PM
lifeandmylens
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


One of my lenses had a strange outlining where the glass met the barrel. I sent the lens into Don to inspect and he said:

“Shawn,
What you see in your Elmarit 28mm lens is the black paint very slightly peeling away on the sides of those lens elements, nothing optically to worry about. Of course if you're a "Leica-Person" you may not be able to sleep, food will taste different and forget about sex.”

He definitely has a sense of humor!
Aug 27, 2023 at 11:01 AM
madNbad
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


Having previously sent a couple of cameras for Don to work on, when I sent him my M4-2, I tried a different tactic. I didn’t call or email him, I wrote a letter describing what services I felt the camera needed and I understood he was always busy. I enclosed it with the camera and was prepared to wait for months. I came back working perfectly within a month. He found and corrected problems other technicians had cause, plus replaced parts they had removed or forgotten to replace.


Aug 27, 2023 at 11:41 AM
Desmolicious
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


lifeandmylens wrote:
One of my lenses had a strange outlining where the glass met the barrel. I sent the lens into Don to inspect and he said:

“Shawn,
What you see in your Elmarit 28mm lens is the black paint very slightly peeling away on the sides of those lens elements, nothing optically to worry about. Of course if you're a "Leica-Person" you may not be able to sleep, food will taste different and forget about sex.”

He definitely has a sense of humor!

So are you a "Leica-Person"?
Aug 27, 2023 at 09:48 PM
madNbad
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


Desmolicious wrote:
So are you a "Leica-Person"?

Do you still have Leica NJ as a "Favorite" in your contacts?
Aug 28, 2023 at 12:10 AM
Desmolicious
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


madNbad wrote:
Do you still have Leica NJ as a "Favorite" in your contacts?
Aug 28, 2023 at 02:14 AM
madNbad
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master



Desmolicious wrote:

Apparently not. 🫢
Aug 28, 2023 at 02:19 AM
Desmolicious
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


madNbad wrote:
Apparently not. 🫢


They do appear on my quick dial list. Unfortunately.
Aug 28, 2023 at 10:21 AM
madNbad
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


Desmolicious wrote:
So are you a "Leica-Person"?

To actually answer your question, over the years I have owned a used several Leica cameras, both Barnack's and analog M bodies. I sold a Wetzlar M6, that I had used and liked for several years, to buy a Hasselblad. One of my worst decisions ever. Around 2005, I sold a different Hasselblad and used that money to buy a M6 TTL and have had a Leica M ever since. I have sent three cameras to Don. A M2 that the initial technician manage to bend the actuator arm and somehow lost the "Bulb" shutter speed setting and never was able to fix it. A second tech manage to get the Bulb setting to work most of the time. Don lubricated it properly and it worked great. The M4 had been initially serviced by Jadon Rosario when he first started at Advance Camera. That went to DAG because I wanted a lens release collar and knew he could do it properly. The M4-2 also got a lens release collar and a new flash block.
I use my cameras and take care of them. I appreciate Don's expertise plus his ability to diagnose problems. Mostly, it's because he has always given me the best service for my money.
So does wanting a properly working camera make me a "Leica Person"? Maybe.


Aug 28, 2023 at 03:10 PM
Desmolicious
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


Am I a Leica Person? If the item I bought is brand spankin new - then most definitely.

I shot three rolls yesterday in my M7 w Summicron 50 v5. That combo is such a joy to shoot. The super quick focus of the Cron - both in throw and weighting - with the perfect aperture ring feel and the camera's AE was a blast to use.
Of course, changing the broken knuckle film advance lever for the solid MP style just added to that.

I've now got a roll of film in my F3P just to see if I want to keep it. Fun factor is lacking compared to the M7...
Aug 28, 2023 at 06:36 PM
 


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cbass
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


I understand Don's saltiness. People are crazy. They bring him 30–40-year-old lenses that they expect to look and function like brand new even if there is no effect to IQ from the defects. One of the most important lessons I learned was from survivalist Ron Hood: "good enough". I don't think he was a photographer, but I am not completely sure about that.


Aug 28, 2023 at 07:58 PM
Fred Miranda
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


Don told me that he gained valuable lens repair knowledge from his father, and I hope he's sharing this wisdom and experience with an apprentice.
Sep 02, 2023 at 01:43 PM
madNbad
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


Fred Miranda wrote:
Don told me that he gained valuable lens repair knowledge from his father, and I hope he's sharing this wisdom and experience with an apprentice.

Jadon Rosario of Red Dot Camera repair of Oregon is one of the better new technicians In 2019 when I bought my M4, Jadon had just started working at Advance Camera in Portland, Oregon. My camera was the first one he worked on and fixed a number of problems. I only had to bring it back once because the accessory shoe needed a new spring. He started working on making M9 replacement sensors and after about a year he left Advance to start his own business. Matt Day has a short video about the work Jadon did on his M6. He can be found on Instagram.
Don has the big advantage over the other shops with not only having the training and experience but also a huge supply of parts. If he needs a part, he has it on hand and isn't waiting for one to be shipped.
Sep 02, 2023 at 02:31 PM
Desmolicious
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


cbass wrote:
I understand Don's saltiness. People are crazy. They bring him 30–40-year-old lenses that they expect to look and function like brand new even if there is no effect to IQ from the defects. One of the most important lessons I learned was from survivalist Ron Hood: "good enough". I don't think he was a photographer, but I am not completely sure about that.

I think that many people are ‘crazy’ because they have unrealistic expectations. It happened to me when I first got back into film photography with Leica. A notorious online presence championed his tech, saying the gear comes back looking like new etc. How the tech fixed little cosmetic issues too, even beat out a dent on the top plate from the inside when the camera was apart..
That sounds amazing! I thought to myself and sent my M3 in. Got it back months later, did not look like new - the tech hadn’t bothered to replace a couple of trim rings (I would have paid extra and at least expected him to ask if I wanted that). Basically it seemed the same as before -also because the turnaround was so long (with no communication I only got it back when I demanded it returned then miraculously it was worked on).
So what’s my point? Some of these reviewers are basically going over the top in their claims, I’m assuming in exchange for free work. When the reality is we are sending in old gear that can be improved with an appropriate service but you cannot wind the clock back.
Don is excellent and must deal w so much cr@p thanks to people thinking they will get a new camera or lens back.
Sep 02, 2023 at 03:49 PM
Matthew Runkel
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


cbass wrote:
I understand Don's saltiness. People are crazy. They bring him 30–40-year-old lenses that they expect to look and function like brand new even if there is no effect to IQ from the defects. One of the most important lessons I learned was from survivalist Ron Hood: "good enough". I don't think he was a photographer, but I am not completely sure about that.

In my experience, the wish to use old lenses in as close to their new state is among the most rewarding reasons to work with Don. If you start with the right copy, Don can return it with no haze, mechanically perfect, collimated, interior shiny bits repainted black, etc. Then you have established a baseline and perhaps saved some (crazy or not) future wondering whether there is “no effect” to IQ from uncorrected optical issues, and maybe also saved some frustration from fighting with uncorrected mechanical quirks. These aren’t concerns everyone has, but this is Don’s wheelhouse as far as I’m concerned.
Sep 03, 2023 at 05:03 PM
thrice
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p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


When I worked at Leica I had an awesome colleague in the sport optics (binoculars, riflescopes etc) division who would help at the larger photographer conventions as you need quite a few boots on the ground.

He came up with a great term for photographers (and I mean no offense to anyone here); half-men. ie. something is missing in their brains. I think that term applies to the sort of photographer who goes and hassles someone on a stand about their singular personal experience/opinion like they care. Obviously not tarring all photographers with the same brush but a lot of those people are attracted to photography and likely the sorts that Don would deal with all too often.

Another former colleague (this time at Sony) coined the term punishers, I find that an appropriate term for many customers I've encountered across multiple sales professions over the years.
Sep 03, 2023 at 07:34 PM
Jaree
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p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


I have found the best way to reach Dan is via email. He has always replied to me within a day or two. One of the lenses I sent to him for a CLA was the Zeiss ZM 85 F4. When it came back, I had a hard time believing that the glass could actually look so pristine.

In another instance, he fixed my Leica R 80-200 that Leica themselves did not want to touch due to lack of parts availability. It came back perfect with a note from Dan - "I took over a dozen photographs with this lens to make sure the focus is perfect."
Sep 04, 2023 at 12:13 PM
Gary Clennan
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p.2 #18 · p.2 #18 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


Fred Miranda wrote:
Don told me that he gained valuable lens repair knowledge from his father, and I hope he's sharing this wisdom and experience with an apprentice.

Hi son.
Sep 05, 2023 at 03:56 PM
graham_c
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p.2 #19 · p.2 #19 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


Gary Clennan wrote:
It's worth a visit to his website just to read through the FAQ's. Absolutely hilarious.

thanks I just did that. very entertaining. always been great when I've contacted him and his work is first class


Sep 06, 2023 at 03:38 AM
cbass
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p.2 #20 · p.2 #20 · Interview with Don Goldberg (DAG): A Leica Repair Master


Fred Miranda wrote:
Don told me that he gained valuable lens repair knowledge from his father, and I hope he's sharing this wisdom and experience with an apprentice.

I hope he is as well, but unless he has someone interested in pursuing this skilled trade it is unlikely. The reality is most modern lenses are built like IKEA furniture. Intended to be assembled once and repair or disassembly is flakey.

I would pay him to ask questions, but at my level of skill with service and repair of lenses I imagine by dumb questions would only piss him off and disappoint him.
Sep 10, 2023 at 02:22 PM
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