Precision Camera Works

[colrehogan]

Has anyone used Precision Camera Works for camera repair? I have a Mamiya 7II that needs to be looked at.

 

[Richard Wasserman]

Diane,

I have used Bob Watkins at Precision Camera many times and have always been happy. I live about 15 minutes from him which makes it easy. He recently CLA'd a Mamiya 7 for me and did it well and quickly, I highly recommend him.

Richard Wasserman

 

[wildbill]

Not for camera repair but they are the only repair center for arca-swiss ballheads in the U.S. They fixed something that wasn't wrong with my brand new ball head after arca and b&h wouldn't replace it. Mistakes happen i guess. They were very nice on the phone.

 

[Gardenerbob]

Does Anyone Have the Address Phone # ?

 

[resummerfield]

Does Anyone Have the Address Phone # ?

Dead Link Removed I've used them also, but only for Arca. They do excellent work.

 

[colrehogan]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[Peter De Smidt]

I've had very good experiences with them.

 

[herb]

Bob is a very honorable guy. He mis matched a Compendium hood mount for my Arca and on his on nickel made a new bracket so it would fit.

good man

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I just got my Arca-Swiss B2 back from an overhaul, and I think it was the quickest turnaround on any camera repair I've ever had done (in one day, estimate by phone, and out the next I believe), the price was fair (around $150), and the head is operating really smoothly.

 

[vdonovan]

He just brought my Mamiya 6 back from the dead. It had been severely damaged in shipping and now looks and works like a brand new camera. The price was extremely reasonable.

One caveat. It took FOREVER. Over three months. During that time he was a little short on communication, to the point where I was wondering if I would ever see my camera again. I called and emailed many times but got only one response before the camera was ready.

That said, I would not hesitate to use him again.

 

[SuzanneR]

Vince, I had a similar experience with getting a Mamiya 7 repaired. It took three months, though I had a bit more communication from them than you. They said they were waiting on a small cheap part from Mamiya, and that's what caused the delay.

The camera works great now... I had had it repaired earlier someplace else, and it jammed after about three rolls of film, but the repairs done at Precision Camera Works have endured my using the camera!!

All in all, it was good if slow experience.

 

[RJS]

They did warranty work on my Arca, which is good. Shouldn't have needed the work but that is an Arca issue. Fine camera. Good work in a timely fashion.

 

[colrehogan]

Well, I am still waiting for my Mamiya 7II to be repaired. I have the whole string of emails and I first sent it to him back in Aug. 2008 and haven't heard back from him since the end of March. Seems he had to replace the whole PC board. Time for some more nagging emails/help from photogs in the Chicago area.

 

[lns]

Well, I am still waiting for my Mamiya 7II to be repaired. I have the whole string of emails and I first sent it to him back in Aug. 2008 and haven't heard back from him since the end of March. Seems he had to replace the whole PC board. Time for some more nagging emails/help from photogs in the Chicago area.

You know, he did a wonderful CLA of my Mamiya 7 and lens in just a few days. So I'm a little puzzled. Bob is great. Of course, I live nearby and just dropped it off and picked it up in person. Also, my camera didn't require parts or anything complicated like your does.

Here's my recommendation: call him. He's very accessible by phone and very nice. Remind him about your camera and get a status report. It sounds like it's been more than a month, so you shouldn't feel bad about calling. There are some people for whom email just doesn't work as well as a friendly phone call. I would assume your job just slipped through the cracks somehow, or he's having trouble fixing it. It's still got to be frustrating for you, of course, and you have my sympathy. Good luck.

-Laura

 

[vdonovan]

Laura, I called many, many times during the months he had my Mamiya 6 and left many, many messages which were never returned. I honestly thought my camera was gone for good. Finally the phone answered by a real person, a woman who was very nice and knew about my camera and told me that they were waiting for a part.

Bob does excellent work at a very reasonable price and I will certainly use him again. It wouldn't hurt, however, for him to improve his client communications. Especially now that most people use email, it would be quick, cheap and easy to keep his customers up to date.

 

[lns]

Laura, I called many, many times during the months he had my Mamiya 6 and left many, many messages which were never returned. I honestly thought my camera was gone for good. Finally the phone answered by a real person, a woman who was very nice and knew about my camera and told me that they were waiting for a part.

Bob does excellent work at a very reasonable price and I will certainly use him again. It wouldn't hurt, however, for him to improve his client communications. Especially now that most people use email, it would be quick, cheap and easy to keep his customers up to date.

Boy, I am so sorry to hear that. How frustrating. And how unnecessary. It would have been so easy to just tell you they were waiting for that part. I guess I just got lucky being able to reach them so easily. I do agree about Bob's excellent work and reasonable prices, but I also have to agree that a bit of communication is essential.

-Laura

 

[colrehogan]

After my last post, I actually did get an update from Bob. I know that he is still working on my camera, so I will be patient.

 

[5stringdeath]

I had my AE-1 CLA'd ... fast turnaround, good rates, and I received both a phone call at the end and an email update. I will use them again. Probably not as complicated as the Mamiya repairs mentioned above, but I had none of the communication issues.