Garry's Camera Repair videos

[Andreas Thaler]

Just discovered on my daily tour of the web.

SLRs from Canon, Minolta, Pentax, Yashica, Nikon.

Partly spoken and musical accompaniment, calm video work, detailed.

Excellent!

Garry’s Camera Repair

Thank you for visiting my channel. If you’re curious about how cameras work and want to learn the step-by-step techniques behind camera repair, you’re in the right place. We specialize in repairing and servicing classic 35mm SLR cameras—brands like Minolta, Canon, Pentax, Olympus, Nikon, and...

www.youtube.com

 

[MFstooges]

He seems really familiar with dis/reassembly of this camera so this is very helpful except I don't think you should use CA glue for leatherette and the amount of lubricant he use is too generous in my opinion.

 

[armadsen]

Garry worked on my Canon A-1 about 10 years ago and did an excellent job. It’s still working beautifully, and the Canon cough (which he fixed) has not come back.

Nice to see him working.

 

[mtnbkr]

He did a good job on my Canon FT. I sent it in for a CLA and it turned out it also needed a prism (thought the symptom was dirt). A strap lug was loose and slow speed shutter settings were hanging up (1/8th of a second took a full 2 seconds). I sent it off the Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving 2021 and had it back that Saturday IIRC. I've put about 20 rolls through it since. I think I paid $90 for the CLA and repair.

I subscribed to the channel.

Chris

 

[Andreas Thaler]

I always find it interesting to see how others work.

Especially someone who probably has decades of experience and probably often works on the same camera models.

You get the impression that the work is just a game. The result of long practice.

I can compare a lot of things here with my own work and learn a thing or two from them. I'm very grateful for that.

Someone who repairs cameras professionally doesn't have to offer videos like this and take something away from their own business.

 

[Andreas Thaler]

I would like to comment on this video because I have some experience repairing the Minolta X-700 myself.


An artist is at work here.

Garry dismantles the camera down to the shutter with apparent ease, using very few tools - tweezers and a screwdriver seem to be his main aids.

And the soldering iron dances over the soldering points, here and there.

You are amazed at the screws and parts that are obviously scattered around the table above the camera in no order.

Every move is perfect and Garry is at the shutter.

Then everything goes back, just as easily and as if in a dream.

Fantastic!

 

[AC_NMC_1]

I've had him work on something like 15 cameras, mostly Minolta SRT/XE, and I've been really satisfied! His prices are good, I think he usually charges $78 plus a couple bucks for return shipping. He works through them quickly, and lets you know what the issues that he found, if parts are unobtainable, and didn't charge for puling apart a camera he couldn't fix. I've been impressed. My 2 cents.

 

[vandergus]

He seems really familiar with dis/reassembly of this camera so this is very helpful except I don't think you should use CA glue for leatherette and the amount of lubricant he use is too generous in my opinion.

I watched his CLA/overhaul of a Pentax K1000 and thought the same. There was minimal disassembly, very light cleaning and oiling everything in sight. It doesn't really align with how I've seen other professionals talk about a CLA. It also doesn't align with the National Camera Repair Guide, which recommends cleaning a lot more of the individual mechanical parts, and only oiling fast moving parts in the shutter.

At the same time, I've only ever seen good reviews from customers and he does charge pretty low rates for his repairs. So from a repair value perspective, I think the videos are a good illustration of the most straightforward way to get your camera fixed. But from a learning the fundamentals of camera repair perspective, maybe not the best resource.

 

[JParker]

Thanks for posting the info!

 

[Andreas Thaler]

I watched his CLA/overhaul of a Pentax K1000 and thought the same. There was minimal disassembly, very light cleaning and oiling everything in sight. It doesn't really align with how I've seen other professionals talk about a CLA. It also doesn't align with the National Camera Repair Guide, which recommends cleaning a lot more of the individual mechanical parts, and only oiling fast moving parts in the shutter.

If you are referring to the camera repair course on learncamera.com, which edition does the topic come from?

The part that deals with SLRs, especially the shutter, is still missing, at least that's my observation.

 

[Andreas Thaler]

I watched his CLA/overhaul of a Pentax K1000 and thought the same. There was minimal disassembly, very light cleaning and oiling everything in sight. It doesn't really align with how I've seen other professionals talk about a CLA. It also doesn't align with the National Camera Repair Guide, which recommends cleaning a lot more of the individual mechanical parts, and only oiling fast moving parts in the shutter.

At the same time, I've only ever seen good reviews from customers and he does charge pretty low rates for his repairs. So from a repair value perspective, I think the videos are a good illustration of the most straightforward way to get your camera fixed. But from a learning the fundamentals of camera repair perspective, maybe not the best resource.

For my part I'm completely relaxed about repair techniques.

The original instructions from the manufacturer - and these are the only ones that are authoritative - are usually no longer available.

From then on, it's a matter of interpretation and you'll find as many opinions as there are repairers.

I'm therefore very reluctant to criticize the work of others, especially if they've been in the business for a long time and have been successful.

I can agree with that with my own work.

Little of it is done probably according to the manufacturer's instructions; the only thing that counts is whether the repair is a lasting success.

As you gain more experience, you also deviate from the opinions of recognized authors and practitioners.

That's a good thing, because there is no silver bullet when it comes to repairs other than the one specified by the manufacturer for their products.

 

[vandergus]

If you are referring to the camera repair course on learncamera.com, which edition does the topic come from?

The part that deals with SLRs, especially the shutter, is still missing, at least that's my observation.

There's a separate repair guide that focuses specifically on the K1000. You can find it here.

https://www.pentax-manuals.com/markroberts/k1000_man.pdf

 

[Andreas Thaler]

There's a separate repair guide that focuses specifically on the K1000. You can find it here.

https://www.pentax-manuals.com/markroberts/k1000_man.pdf

Thanks!