How far will you go?

Frankly Unsharp · Mar 10, 2015

Or rather a few questions about the need for CLA:
1. How far do you send your camera (current situation)?
2. Do You have some limit when it comes to costs, will You stop CLA-ing a camera when shipping costs + work done exceed the value of the camera?
3. If/when Your "own" repairman retires, how far are You willing to send Your camera or cameras? Have You already searched for a successor?
4. What cameras are hard to get CLA:d (You start getting them back with a note saying "impossible to repair, no spare parts".
5. Have You got more than one of Your favorite camera / lens, to use as spare parts, if necessary?

Questions, questions - if You find these terribly boring, make up new ones!

Paul Howell · Mar 10, 2015

As all my MF and LF gear is very used, cost of repair vs. cost of replacement taking into consideration a possible upgrade. I have a Kowa SL 66, my wide angle is stuck to the body the collar on the breach mount is sized. I need to send it off to save the lens, but if total repair is more than a couple of hundred I will replace with a Super SL 66.

BrianShaw · Mar 10, 2015

1. As far as necessary but to date have been able to use local repair shops

2. Not if it is going to be a user. I'll either pay to overhaul or not

3. Nope. No plans yet

4. Haven't really had that problem yet. I always start from a working camera that could benefit from routine maintenance rather than a broken camera

5. Nope

OptiKen · Mar 10, 2015

1. How far do you send your camera (current situation)?
***'near' is better but so long as I don't have to drive it there, there are no limits to where I would send a camera for repair
2. Do You have some limit when it comes to costs, will You stop CLA-ing a camera when shipping costs + work done exceed the value of the camera?
****generally, cost of repair shouldn't exceed or equal cost of replacement, BUT, sometimes you have to bite the bullet realizing that a newly serviced old camera will be better than a 'like new' old camera.
3. If/when Your "own" repairman retires, how far are You willing to send Your camera or cameras? Have You already searched for a successor?
*****hahaha Pretty sure, I'll die first. Not an issue yet and probably won't be.
4. What cameras are hard to get CLA:d (You start getting them back with a note saying "impossible to repair, no spare parts".
*****I haven't run into the 'impossible' yet.
5. Have You got more than one of Your favorite camera / lens, to use as spare parts, if necessary
***** I have picked up a couple of cameras to use for spare parts, if necessary. It is sort of a security blanket.

Frankly Unsharp · Mar 10, 2015

PDH said:
As all my MF and LF gear is very used, cost of repair vs. cost of replacement taking into consideration a possible upgrade. I have a Kowa SL 66, my wide angle is stuck to the body the collar on the breach mount is sized. I need to send it off to save the lens, but if total repair is more than a couple of hundred I will replace with a Super SL 66.

I have the Kowa/SIX and Kowa Super 66, I like the feel of their weight and build quality, but I understand that when they one day stop functioning, there is nothing anyone can do about it...
BTW, I've noticed that it's much harder to mount a lens onto Super 66 than on Kowa/SIX, they must have made some changes to the body at some point.

E. von Hoegh · Mar 10, 2015

Frankly Unsharp said:
Or rather a few questions about the need for CLA:
1. How far do you send your camera (current situation)?
2. Do You have some limit when it comes to costs, will You stop CLA-ing a camera when shipping costs + work done exceed the value of the camera?
3. If/when Your "own" repairman retires, how far are You willing to send Your camera or cameras? Have You already searched for a successor?
4. What cameras are hard to get CLA:d (You start getting them back with a note saying "impossible to repair, no spare parts".
5. Have You got more than one of Your favorite camera / lens, to use as spare parts, if necessary?

Questions, questions - if You find these terribly boring, make up new ones!

1. I don't send them anywhere, I do it myself.
2. See above.
3. No. I'll have a few buried with me, the rest taken care of in my will.
4. A Contax II I received about six weeks ago. No source for the correct shutter ribbons, I'm seriously considering learning to weave.
5. No, not a single duplicate for parts.

Paul Howell · Mar 10, 2015

Frankly Unsharp said:
I have the Kowa/SIX and Kowa Super 66, I like the feel of their weight and build quality, but I understand that when they one day stop functioning, there is nothing anyone can do about it...
BTW, I've noticed that it's much harder to mount a lens onto Super 66 than on Kowa/SIX, they must have made some changes to the body at some point.

I also have a Super 66 which is not giving me any trouble, I could do with just the Super and get the wide off the 66, but I like to carry 2 bodies, with gear over 40 years old it is good to have backup. I think with a Kowa some the parts could be machined, a friend told me that some folks are using 3 D printing for metal parts, don't know how this work but maybe a possibility. Given the question, the SL around $200 to repair, for a Super maybe $400 but not more than the cost of replacement, if repair is even an option.

snapguy · Mar 10, 2015

sending

Sending a camera off to get it fixed to a destination farther than I can drive myself does not fit with my paranoia. I bought two backups for my 1940s era Kodak 35 and the backup/parts cameras are in better shape than my original camera. My go-to repairman --all the way a cross the country -- was flooded out by Hurricane Something-or-other and I am still sore and have not replaced him.

VisualDarkness · Mar 10, 2015

1. I just sent a Voigtländer Superb from Sweden to USA so I guess distance isn't a limiting factor.
2. The trip for my Superb will likely cost just as much as I payed for the camera. But since all Superbs for sale likely needs a CLA I guess the cost is pretty much a must if you want a useful one.
3. I haven't done any CLA locally and as far as know there's only two guys really active in Sweden that takes on vintage gear.
4. The Superb was hard to find a repairman for, same as my Voigtländer Prominent, in Europe hence why I sent it to the US.
5. I got a spare Prominent with a broken shutter.

hoffy · Mar 10, 2015

Getting a decent CLA outside of the US is getting harder and harder.

I recently had my Bronica SQAi and 2 lenses CLA'd in Australia. From the date I dropped the camera off until the date I picked it back up, a total of $600 AUD and 10 months elapsed. The biggest issue - parts. The guy who did the CLA had a lot of problems getting some replacement components and when he was able to source them, they weren't exactly cheap.

The little voice in my head kept on telling myself "It will be worth it - You'll have a well functioning camera that should last you a long time when done". At other times, it kept on saying "Are you crazy - just buy another bunch of kit". Whether I was right or wrong, the first voice won out in the end.

For future CLA's, I will be investigating shipping to the US, as ultimately I think it will be quicker and cheaper.

Chrismat · Mar 10, 2015

I've sent some Kodak Retinas from the U.S. to Chris Sherlock in New Zealand for clas, and beside the great work he does, it only takes about 4-5 weeks total. Pretty good for sending halfway around the world, but he is the only person I've used outside of the States (not counting the Zeiss binoculars I sent for repair to the U.K.) If I know a good job will be done, I don't have a problem shipping it outside of the U.S.

Frankly Unsharp · Mar 11, 2015

E. von Hoegh said:
1. I don't send them anywhere, I do it myself.
2. See above.
3. No. I'll have a few buried with me, the rest taken care of in my will.
4. A Contax II I received about six weeks ago. No source for the correct shutter ribbons, I'm seriously considering learning to weave.
5. No, not a single duplicate for parts.

I looked at some pictures of the contax II, it's a real beauty! I can understand why You have thought about taking up weaving, and why not give it a try? If You have managed to do so much yourselves, then this should not be a problem. Post some pics of Your progress!

film_man · Mar 12, 2015

Depends on the camera. If the camera is worth £200+ then I'd rather service it even if the service is a bit more than buying another one, this way I don't risk having issues any time soon. If the camera is a cheap and readily available one (eg Canon EOS 3 which you can get for £100 nowadays) I might as well get a new one.

Saying that, I bought a Nikonos V for less than £100 and sent it to the US for servicing as noone in Europe can do this. Cost me another £150 but a Nikonos without a service is as good as dead so it had to be done. I'll probably do it again next year and again and again.

In the UK it's still ok getting manual cameras serviced, the issue is electronic ones. Which is why I stayed away from things like a Contax 645 and which is why I got rid of a Rollei 6003 (what a fantastic camera!). I do have two Leica R8s that if they have an issue probably noone will be able to fix them but when that happens it will be my excuse to get an M!

Frankly Unsharp · Mar 12, 2015

film_man said:
Depends on the camera. If the camera is worth £200+ then I'd rather service it even if the service is a bit more than buying another one, this way I don't risk having issues any time soon. If the camera is a cheap and readily available one (eg Canon EOS 3 which you can get for £100 nowadays) I might as well get a new one.

Saying that, I bought a Nikonos V for less than £100 and sent it to the US for servicing as noone in Europe can do this. Cost me another £150 but a Nikonos without a service is as good as dead so it had to be done. I'll probably do it again next year and again and again.

In the UK it's still ok getting manual cameras serviced, the issue is electronic ones. Which is why I stayed away from things like a Contax 645 and which is why I got rid of a Rollei 6003 (what a fantastic camera!). I do have two Leica R8s that if they have an issue probably noone will be able to fix them but when that happens it will be my excuse to get an M!

Sometimes You just have to send it to repair/service. I managed to damage my Zeiss Ikon ZI quite badly, had to send it to Oberkochen, Germany, body + Sonnar 1:1.5 / 50mm. Total cost nearly 340 euros.
And the "diving brick", Nikonos V, yes, I had one of those. Small pieces of black plastic started dropping out from the battery compartment, not a good sign! When I heard that I would have to dismantle the whole camera to get to the problem, I sold it for a low price, lost 100 euros.

film_man · Mar 12, 2015

Frankly Unsharp said:
Sometimes You just have to send it to repair/service. I managed to damage my Zeiss Ikon ZI quite badly, had to send it to Oberkochen, Germany, body + Sonnar 1:1.5 / 50mm. Total cost nearly 340 euros.
And the "diving brick", Nikonos V, yes, I had one of those. Small pieces of black plastic started dropping out from the battery compartment, not a good sign! When I heard that I would have to dismantle the whole camera to get to the problem, I sold it for a low price, lost 100 euros.

I sent my Nikonos V to Southern Nikonos in Texas, they guy does the full works with pressure testing and he replaced a few parts that were just about to leak. It is such a nice camera even though I don't dive with it (bit of snorkel/holiday snaps) I will keep it going as long as I can! It's pretty cool on land too, makes everyone wonder what the hell it is!

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 12, 2015

I live in California and I've shipped cameras to now closed Essex Camera repair in New Jersey.

How far will you go?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency