Kodak Retina IIA repair in the US

beemermark · Feb 24, 2022

Any recommended repair persons for the Kodak Retina IIA in the US? Not interested in shops overseas, so please don't comment about what a great job so and so does that doesn't live in the US.

mshchem · Feb 25, 2022

What's wrong?

mshchem · Feb 25, 2022

United Camera Rock Island Illinois

http://www.united-camera.com/

madNbad · Feb 25, 2022

Advance Camera Repair, Portland, OR: https://www.advancecamera.com
It will take about twelve weeks and cost around $150 usd but the camera will be like new when it returns. They have done two IIa's, two IIc's and a IIIc for me and the work has been excellent. It also helps they're within walking distance of my home.

madNbad · Feb 25, 2022

Here is a link to Paul Barden from the thread about smallest mechanical cameras:
https://kodakretina.exposure.co/the-story-of-the-kodak-retina-camera

mgb74 · Feb 25, 2022

You might give a shout to https://www.dandanielcameras.com/

bdial · Feb 25, 2022

Or Zack's camera

beemermark · Feb 25, 2022

Thanks all I’ll contact some of them next week.

GRHazelton · Apr 21, 2022

I have a Minolta Autocord that Dan Daniels worked on. It looks and shoots like new. Zack's did a thorough CLA on a Werra camera; Michael Zack does good work. I don't think you'd go wrong with either.
Advance Camera in Portland Oregon would be a good shop to contact. Advance did a thorough CLA on my Contax IIa; the camera looks and feels virtually new. Considering the complexity of that shutter the cost was reasonable.
Now....If you had a Bronica S2a which needed a thorough CLA, that would be a different proposition;e I can tell you from experience.
I have not one, but THREE Pentax LXs which could use some tender loving attention. Zack's won't touch them. Any suggestions?

Tadeusz123 · Jun 10, 2022

This page was so useful that I created an account to weigh in!

After browsing my options, I settled on Paul Barden for the repair of my Kodak Retina IIa. In short, the service was excellent, and I am a very happy customer!

When he was working on the camera, he emailed out an update and offered me a few options when it was revealed that the film counter spring had snapped. The price for a spring salvaged from a parts camera was very fair, and the price of the work as a whole was fair as well. After having watched hours of Chris Sherlock's videos, I had no desire to attempt the CLA myself, and Paul's pricing and quick turnaround made me a very happy customer. Return shipping was quick and securely packaged, and the camera performs excellently and looks great.

Alan9940 · Jun 10, 2022

And, another happy customer of Paul Barden. He did a CLA on my IIa and it now hums along like new! Highly recommend his services!

__Brian · Jun 11, 2022

I've dealt with the winding mechanism several times on the IIa. Learned to tape it closed when taking off the camera and to use dental floss to hold back the clutch when putting back on.

I found Paul's Email. 20 years ago bought a flat-rate box of Kodak repair parts, mostly for top and bottom plates. Sounds like Paul could use them, I'm clearing out my stuff.

guangong · Jun 11, 2022

The main problem with Retina repair is that the chief culprit is the wearing of the winding mechanism. The problem is then one of finding parts, since this part is the one that goes bad. Otherwise any competent repairman will do.

__Brian · Jun 11, 2022

Microtools still lists the cocking rack as being available. I bought one from them for my Retina IIC. Followed Chris Sherlock's instructions, but getting the shutter in phase with the rack is not easy.

Of course you could go with the post-war Retina II, which skips the cocking rack and has a manual shutter cock. Mine has the Ektar 47/2 on it, and a second with the Schneider Xenon.

Hunter_Compton · Jun 11, 2022

Since the original question was about a Retina IIa, it should be pointed out the cocking rack in the IIa is not the same as in the IIc and IIIc. The rack on the IIa is larger and seems a lot more robust, and I have rarely heard of one breaking. The only real issue with the IIa, is the small film counter flat spring in the film advance lever, which can break and leave the film indicator inoperative.

StanMac · Dec 3, 2022

GRHazelton said:
I have a Minolta Autocord that Dan Daniels worked on. It looks and shoots like new. Zack's did a thorough CLA on a Werra camera; Michael Zack does good work. I don't think you'd go wrong with either.
Advance Camera in Portland Oregon would be a good shop to contact. Advance did a thorough CLA on my Contax IIa; the camera looks and feels virtually new. Considering the complexity of that shutter the cost was reasonable.
Now....If you had a Bronica S2a which needed a thorough CLA, that would be a different proposition;e I can tell you from experience.
I have not one, but THREE Pentax LXs which could use some tender loving attention. Zack's won't touch them. Any suggestions?

Try Eric Hendrickson on pentaxs.com. He’s done my Pentaxes from Spotmatic through every M-series I sent him. See if the LX is one he’ll work on.

stan

Kodak Retina IIA repair in the US

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