Nikon F3 Repair

Is there a good F3 shop for repairs out there? The early model F3 has the standard missing Exposure Lock button. Sent an Email to one shop. Specific in needing the missing exposure lock button replaced. Received back a standard we will evaluate... if needing parts... no sign they ever read the email. Or they read it and were caging me for the evaluate price knowing they didn't have the parts. I responded , your wasting my time if you do not have this specific part and can replace it.. No answer when asked specifically if they had the parts.


Never explain with malice what can be explained with stupidity....
I feel sorry for those in technical business these days.
But I would like to know who has the good technicians not marketing clowns.

F3s are plentiful enough on the used market and buying another working body will be cheaper than doing the repair thing. It will also get you shooting again much faster. Keep this broken body for parts.

+1. The last two F3HP bodies I snagged on ebay set me back $70.00 and $85.00 USD respectively. The price combined, sad to say, was very likely less than the cost of repair. Scour carefully and, taking John L's advice, look for bids that end at un-Godly hours; you may find a gem at a give-away price...

Yep. IIRC, to replace the exposure lock button, the mirror box has to come out. So, you're looking at ~$158-$170 in labor right there. Add a foam job, and you've an extra $10 or so in parts. It adds up. If the camera was an F3P, F3/T, F3H, or Limited, I'd say go for it. Otherwise, find a different body. In fact, I have a pretty clean F3HP that I'm selling right now. I don't think I can get as low as what BradleyK paid for his, but I am open to offers. May '95 build, btw.

If you are attached to the camera, there are a couple shops here in the PacNW that are good with respect to servicing F3's.

1) Camera Clinic, Shoreline, WA - 206-367-2440. Hours are 10-2 PDT (or 1-5 EDT) Tues-Sat. My F3P is currently there, being overhauled - major project with this one, but...

2) Northwest Camera Repair, Everett, WA - 425-252-0932 or Dead Link Removed. Hours are 10-5 (1-8) Mon-Fri. Repaired a previous F3P of mine, then a Nikomat FT2, and just recently fixed up a DP-12 finder for my F2AS.

-J

I'd ask Vermont Camera Repair. They seem to do a great job with Nikon stuff.

I've used Midwest Camera repair for all my Nikon gear, bodies and lenses, routine and not so routine issues. They're excellent, affordable, fast and an authorized Nikon repair service. PLUS they give free estimates online here http://www.midwestcamera.com/estimate.html which are realistic and accurate.

Here's their home page. http://www.midwestcamera.com/index.html

Personally, I'd much prefer an authorized repair service CLA any of my F bodies or AI lenses before buying another used one from someone. Reason being I'm not really positive about what I'd be getting and as we know, there is no such thing as a good time for camera failure.
Take it light
Mark

Pro camera repair on the bay has a bunch of parts available.