p.1 #1 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
I’m reaching out for advice regarding an issue I’m having with my Leica M11-D, purchased about 8 weeks ago in London. I’ve been encountering some frustrating problems and could really use some input from those with experience in situations like this.
Initially, the camera intermittently dropped its WiFi connection to my iPhone. I stayed patient, assuming a firmware update might resolve the issue. Unfortunately, things have worsened over the past week:
1. The camera started turning off randomly even when the power switch was on.
2. It began firing exposures at 1/4000 and heavily underexposing, despite my manual shutter speed being set much slower (1/15 to 1/500).
3. Two days ago, it stopped working altogether. It powers up with framelines visible, but the shutter won’t fire.
I visited the Leica store yesterday and requested a replacement outright. However, I was told that corporate policy only allows replacements within the first six weeks. After that, they only offer repairs, which is disappointing given how new the camera is.
The store has offered me a loaner while my camera is sent for repair (a process estimated to take 3 months), but there’s a catch: I have to return the loaner and pick up the repaired camera in London . As I’m currently traveling across Europe with no fixed plans, this isn’t practical for me.
I’d greatly appreciate any advice or shared experiences:
• Has anyone successfully navigated a similar situation with Leica?
• Is there any way to escalate this and push for a replacement instead of a repair?
• Any suggestions for managing the loaner logistics while traveling?
p.1 #2 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
At least they are offering you a solution that keeps you with a usable camera. I am guessing that requiring the transaction to take place in London has as much to do with legal issues as anything else.
Do you know anyone in London that can do the swap for you? Otherwise it looks like a quick same day round trip flight will need to be done. Luckily there are a lot of flights from European cities to London City Airport. That is an easy, fast airport to get through, and it is close to City Center. It is a quick trip to Mayfair for the Leica Store from there. Although a PIA, and will cost some $$$$ it shouldn't be too bad.
p.1 #4 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
I can see from their perspective that it is both a security issue (£8k camera shipped to random hotel address?) but also there probably are all some tax/import/export headeaches they'd have to go through now that the UK is out of the EU.
Alternatively...can you pick it up from Wetzlar? I'm assuming that's where it will go!
p.1 #6 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
ZacP wrote:
I’m reaching out for advice regarding an issue I’m having with my Leica M11-D, purchased about 8 weeks ago in London. I’ve been encountering some frustrating problems and could really use some input from those with experience in situations like this.
Initially, the camera intermittently dropped its WiFi connection to my iPhone. I stayed patient, assuming a firmware update might resolve the issue. Unfortunately, things have worsened over the past week:
1. The camera started turning off randomly even when the power switch was on.
2. It began firing exposures at 1/4000 and heavily underexposing, despite my manual shutter speed being set much slower (1/15 to 1/500).
3. Two days ago, it stopped working altogether. It powers up with framelines visible, but the shutter won’t fire.
I visited the Leica store yesterday and requested a replacement outright. However, I was told that corporate policy only allows replacements within the first six weeks. After that, they only offer repairs, which is disappointing given how new the camera is.
The store has offered me a loaner while my camera is sent for repair (a process estimated to take 3 months), but there’s a catch: I have to return the loaner and pick up the repaired camera in London . As I’m currently traveling across Europe with no fixed plans, this isn’t practical for me.
I’d greatly appreciate any advice or shared experiences:
• Has anyone successfully navigated a similar situation with Leica?
• Is there any way to escalate this and push for a replacement instead of a repair?
• Any suggestions for managing the loaner logistics while traveling?
Thanks in advance for any insights you can offer....Show more →
Ask them when they send the camera off to Leica to include a note that the customer would prefer a replacement unit if possible. I wouldn't be surprised if Leica did that since the D model is not in super short supply.
p.1 #7 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
Thank you all for your thoughtful replies and support. It’s been incredibly helpful to hear your perspectives.
Unfortunately, Leica has fallen short of my personal expectations regarding how this situation should have been handled. Given that the camera is in mint physical condition (not damaged) and I’ve owned it for such a short time, I believe an in-store swap would have been the appropriate resolution. I suspect this is a corporate policy issue, as the store staff know me and seemed willing to help if it were within their power.
Now, my priority is to resolve this with the following goals (ranked by importance):
1. Avoiding any changes to my travel plans.
2. Minimizing the time and effort I need to spend on this.
3. Ensuring I have a functional digital Leica body as soon as possible.
I’m fortunate to have an M2, M6, and a Rolleiflex with me, along with a good stock of B&W film, so I’ll still be able to shoot. However, not having a working digital body is frustrating.
As some of you pointed out, the UK being outside the EU adds another layer of complexity. The Leica store confirmed that shipping to/from the UK now involves customs, which adds about three weeks each way to the repair process.
My plan is to reach out to Leica HQ to see if they can offer a better solution. If their stance remains unchanged, I’ll likely wait until I’m back in Paris on February 1st. At that point, I’ll take the camera to a Leica store there and have it sent to Wetzlar for repair. This should significantly reduce the turnaround time (I'm thinking by a month), as customs won’t be an issue.
If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to secure a loaner from the Paris store, though I won’t have a working digital Leica body until I return to Paris, at best.
Thanks again for your input—I’ll keep you updated as this unfolds!
p.1 #8 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. I just picked up mine and been shooting with it without any issues. I do hope this gets resolved for you in the best possible way.
p.1 #9 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
That sounds frustrating. I would recommend starting by emailing Leica customer support. Explain that you're only two weeks past the replacement deadline and ask if they can make an exception. If they can't assist, the next step would be to send the camera in for repair. Keep in mind that repairs can sometimes take over three months, so it's good to be prepared for the wait. You could also request a loaner camera to be shipped to you while yours is being serviced.
p.1 #10 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
ZdevilH1 wrote:
I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. I just picked up mine and been shooting with it without any issues. I do hope this gets resolved for you in the best possible way.
Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your experience. These are truly wonderful cameras when they’re working as they should. I’m sure yours will continue to perform flawlessly—I think I just had a stroke of bad luck with mine.
p.1 #11 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
Fred Miranda wrote:
That sounds frustrating. I would recommend starting by emailing Leica customer support. Explain that you're only two weeks past the replacement deadline and ask if they can make an exception. If they can't assist, the next step would be to send the camera in for repair. Keep in mind that repairs can sometimes take over three months, so it's good to be prepared for the wait. You could also request a loaner camera to be shipped to you while yours is being serviced.
Thanks, Fred, for the thoughtful advice! I’m just about to draft my message to Leica, and I’ll definitely take the approach you suggested.
Getting a loaner isn’t the issue—it’s the inconvenience of having to return to London to exchange the loaner for my repaired camera, as Leica only allows returns or pickups from the location where the repair request was initiated (or so I’ve been told). If I end up going down that route, I’ll handle it in Paris instead, where I plan to be for at least two months—and where there are three Leica stores!
p.1 #12 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
It's been a week since my original post so wanted to post an update.
Leica customer service is not great to put it nicely. The original email that I wrote to Leica Germany asking them to make an exception on the 6 week exchange policy was forwarded by them to Leica UK, the London Mayfair store to be specific. They of course gave me the same options I was told in person at the store.
I re-sent the email to Leica Germany last Friday asking them to directly address my concerns and provide a resolution. No response at all to date although I remain somewhat hopeful that they will respond to me this week.
I reached out to my contact at Leica France who told me that they can provide me a loaner and that the wait is about 1.5 months (1/2 that from Leica UK due to the customs delays). If Leica Germany remains unwilling to provide a replacement outright, that's the route I'll be taking.
I did find out some other interesting info:
1. The only technicians trained to work on M's are in Germany
2. There is specialized equipment required to open an M11 (and maybe earlier digital body?) camera which is only available in Germany
3. Leica UK is able to repair SL and Q cameras in country. I'm assuming that is probably the case in the USA as well. I suspect these cameras probably have a much faster turnaround time for repair than the digital M's.
p.1 #13 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
Interesting facts about M's being worked on in Germany only.
Going back to your existing issue, if they will not make an exception then the second best choice is to allow Leica to work on your camera while you have a loaner.
I see it in a positive way since they will be hands on, working on your body trying to solve the issue. If the issue being addressed by them directly cannot be resolved then I would think Leica will not have a choice but to replace the camera.
I really do hope a good resolution comes out of this for you.
Side note, I wonder if Leica reads any of these forums.
p.1 #14 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
ZdevilH1 wrote:
Interesting facts about M's being worked on in Germany only.
Going back to your existing issue, if they will not make an exception then the second best choice is to allow Leica to work on your camera while you have a loaner.
I see it in a positive way since they will be hands on, working on your body trying to solve the issue. If the issue being addressed by them directly cannot be resolved then I would think Leica will not have a choice but to replace the camera.
I really do hope a good resolution comes out of this for you.
Side note, I wonder if Leica reads any of these forums. ...Show more →
Thank you for your kind words and perspective—I truly appreciate it. I’m confident they’ll be able to fix the issue (or provide a replacement), but I believe they should handle it in a way that’s more convenient for their customers, especially given their position as a premium brand.
In the meantime, I’m in the process of acquiring a second digital body to tide me over until I get to France and can start the repair process there—something I wouldn’t have had to do if I owned a Fujifilm camera, for example. In that case, I’d likely already have the repaired camera back in hand.
As for whether Leica monitors these forums, I wonder the same—it would be great if they paid attention to customer experiences shared here.
Thanks again for your support—I’ll keep you updated as things progress!
p.1 #15 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
If I am not mistaken, digital Ms have always been sent to Germany and no local servicing is available. The only exception being rangefinder calibration, which does not require disassembly.
p.1 #17 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
Update time: I dropped off my M11-D at one of the Paris Leica stores today for service. It’s being sent to Germany, with an estimated turnaround of six weeks. The store’s service was excellent—they even provided me with a loaner M11 while mine is away. Leica Germany, on the other hand, never bothered responding to my email. Not exactly top-notch… or even middle-tier.
For those following the Leica M/X/T/S/Q/CL/SL Picture Thread, you may have noticed some M11 Monochrom shots from me. That’s because I recently picked up a mint-condition, used M11 Monochrom while in the UK—my first Monochrom body—and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.
p.1 #18 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
ZacP wrote:
Leica Germany, on the other hand, never bothered responding to my email. Not exactly top-notch… or even middle-tier.
I used to talk with them a while back when I had the DMR and many issues with it especially with color profiles. It was great.
The the new management came and made Leica a financial success but they went back to their old behavior of despising their customers and having huge reliability/quality control problems.
p.1 #19 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
Other option is to simply send in your camera for repair at Leica and purchase separately a used older digital M, maybe a M 240-based series or M10. You can always use such camera as secondary digital body even after you will get the M11 back from repair. Alternatively, you can resell the purchased secondary camera with minimal loss if you decide to get back the vested money and only rely one one digital M. I think such solution is more attractive than dealing with any kind of temporary replacement camera as offered by Leica.
p.1 #20 · Leica M11-D Issues: Seeking Advice on Replacement vs. Repair
retrofocus wrote:
Other option is to simply send in your camera for repair at Leica and purchase separately a used older digital M, maybe a M 240-based series or M10. You can always use such camera as secondary digital body even after you will get the M11 back from repair. Alternatively, you can resell the purchased secondary camera with minimal loss if you decide to get back the vested money and only rely one one digital M. I think such solution is more attractive than dealing with any kind of temporary replacement camera as offered by Leica.
Agree that having a 2nd body is essential if you don't want to be inconvenienced. I had and liked the M10-P, but prefer to have cameras in the same series so they all use the same batteries. The only thing I didn't like about the M10-P was how many batteries I had to carry. The resolution was fine. I rarely crank my M11 to the full 60 megapixels unless I am doing landscapes.
So for now, it will be the M11-D (once repaired) and my M11-M.
