Mamiya 645 AFD II service problems

Hello All,

This is my first post here, but I have read many discussions over the years.

I recently acquired a Mamiya 645 AFD II with two backs and three lenses for my medium format work.

The camera, lenses and backs were all pretty clean and worked with only one small issue; the 150mm would not allow manual focus by just pulling the barrel. It looked to me that the pin that disengages the AF motor didn’t come out far enough. Otherwise everything was great.

I decided to bring my whole setup in to a local repair shop that got pretty good reviews for a CLA and to see about fixing the minor issue with the 150mm.

Long story short, I just picked up my camera yesterday after 10 days and I’m hugely disappointed.

First, the 150mm was not fixed even though the problem was stated on the work order.

Second, and most disturbing was that I don’t think they really did anything of value. And actually made it worse. It looks to me that all they did was clean the exterior of the lenses and the mirror, but there was a bunch of dirt in the viewfinder that wasn’t there before. I can see where they wiped the mirror, but left residual dirt on it. Same thing for the focus screen. My lens barrels and buttons still have dust in them as well.

They charged me $785 for what I thought was a CLA service and returned it unrepaired and dirtier than before. I’m not sure they did anything of value at all.

I have already called them and expressed my concerns. I told them that I wanted them to send my lens back and give me a refund. The person on the phone said to give her a couple days and see what she could get approved for me. They still have the 150mm that they didn’t fix.

Anyway, now I’m looking for another shop to send it to that will actually perform the work I paid for. I’m considering Forrest Camera Repair and Midwest Camera Repair.

If anyone has any recommendations on what to do about this situation and/or a place to send it that does good work, I would be very appreciative.

Thanks

If you mean Midwest Camera Repair in Wyandotte, MI, I had a poor service experience with them. But that was back in 2002. If they are still in business, they must have some satisfied customers, but I am not one of them. First they fixed a sticky mirror problem with my Pentax MX, but when I got it back, the meter LEDs wouldn't come on until after a delay of 5-60 seconds, or more. The problem was obvious to me, but after I sent back, they returned the camera, stating “No fault found. No repair." We shipped the camera back and forth three times, but the camera that would not work in Missouri always worked in Michigan. They never were able to see the problem. After the third re-do (fourth repair), they were still claiming the meter was working normally, but they also cleaned the meter contacts which seemed to fix it. But only after too many emails, phone calls, and trips to the post office.

I contacted Midwest and they do not service the AFD IIs

I also reached out to Forrest camera but have yet to receive a call back.