Recommendations for Nikon MF lens CLA's?

[AnselMortensen]

Hi, I have a couple really nice Nikon manual-focus lenses that could use a CLA...
Anybody have any recommendations on places that would work on them....reasonably?
One has hardened grease in the focusing helical making it next to impossible to turn, the other has a crazy amount of zoom creep.
Thanks!

 

[BrianShaw]

The last one I had overhauled went to Steve’s Camera Repair in Culver City CA.

 

[Nitroplait]

A location would help pointing you in the right direction.
A full CLA will always be costly - qualified labor costs the same regardless of the value of the lens itself. But you may not need a full CLA. Some techs like Sover Wong will do a focusing clean/lube for a lower price if that’s all that’s needed - without the long wait of his F2 CLAs .

 

[AnselMortensen]

I'm in Northern California, but I don't mind shipping.
Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Huss]

Give Walter's Camera in LA a call. They fixed a Nikkor GN 45mm 2.8 for me.
Also Dean's camera in Torrance, CA. Nikon trained expert.

 

[spark]

International Camera Technicians in Mountain View, CA (ictcamera.com) did a good job on my Nikkor 105/f2.5 a few years ago, it had a similar problem with grease. They are still around, not far from 101 freeway.

 

[AnselMortensen]

Manfred retired and sold the business.
The new owner is moving it to San Diego.

 

[BradS]

I always sent lenses and a few bodies to Pro Camera Service down in Thousand Oaks...not sure if they're still in business though.

 

[BrianShaw]

I always sent lenses and a few bodies to Pro Camera Service down in Thousand Oaks...not sure if they're still in business though.

They were good. I had them overhaul my Rolleis long ago. I think they are gone, though. I actually thought they were gone for quite some time. Their website name expired earlier this month. I didn't dial their phone number so can't be sure that I'm absolutely correct about their demise.

 

[Huss]

A couple o years ago Pro Cam Svc 'serviced' my nephew's malfunctioning Canon A1. He got it back just as malfunctioning, but $$$ poorer.

 

[logan2z]

There's been a bunch of different recommendations for repairers in this thread. Is there no one who is considered the 'go to' guy in the US for servicing Nikon film cameras and MF lenses? Someone analogous to David Odess (Hasselblad), Don Goldberg (Leica), Sover Wong (Nikon F2), etc? When I was researching this a while back I kept running across recommendations for Gus Lazzari but I don't think anyone in this thread has mentioned him.

 

[spark]

Manfred retired and sold the business.
The new owner is moving it to San Diego.

He kept threatening that. Bad for people needing cameras fixed but good for him.

 

[BrianShaw]

Logan… at one time, a long time ago, the first recommendation would have been Nikon Authorized Service. But for film cameras that is no longer an option. Lens overhaul is rather simple for any competent camera tech.

 

[beemermark]

There's been a bunch of different recommendations for repairers in this thread. Is there no one who is considered the 'go to' guy in the US for servicing Nikon film cameras and MF lenses? Someone analogous to David Odess (Hasselblad), Don Goldberg (Leica), Sover Wong (Nikon F2), etc? When I was researching this a while back I kept running across recommendations for Gus Lazzari but I don't think anyone in this thread has mentioned him.

Doing a re-lubrication and cleaning of a lens isn't rocket science. Any competent repair shop should be able to do it. i always go to the Nikon USA page and pick an authorized repair shop. In my experience with older Nikon lenses the price is about the same +/- $15 from any shop.

 

[Huss]

There's been a bunch of different recommendations for repairers in this thread. Is there no one who is considered the 'go to' guy in the US for servicing Nikon film cameras and MF lenses? Someone analogous to David Odess (Hasselblad), Don Goldberg (Leica), Sover Wong (Nikon F2), etc? When I was researching this a while back I kept running across recommendations for Gus Lazzari but I don't think anyone in this thread has mentioned him.

I used him once for a Leica M3. Ship him your camera, don't hear back. Doesnt respond to emails. Only when after months pass with radio silence and you ask for your camera back, suddenly it's done!
His work is good. The rest not so much.

 

[logan2z]

Logan… at one time, a long time ago, the first recommendation would have been Nikon Authorized Service. But for film cameras that is no longer an option. Lens overhaul is rather simple for any competent camera tech.

Doing a re-lubrication and cleaning of a lens isn't rocket science. Any competent repair shop should be able to do it. i always go to the Nikon USA page and pick an authorized repair shop. In my experience with older Nikon lenses the price is about the same +/- $15 from any shop.

I guess I broadened the topic to camera repair as well. Bummer that Nikon no longer repairs film cameras.

I used him once for a Leica M3. Ship him your camera, don't hear back. Doesnt respond to emails. Only when after months pass with radio silence and you ask for your camera back, suddenly it's done!
His work is good. The rest not so much.

This is not the first time I've heard that. Not something I'd be willing to put up with.

 

[madNbad]

Advance Camera in Raleigh Hills, Oregon has serviced a number of lenses for me including a 45 GN. It does help the shop is two miles from my house but they do good work. A full CLA on a MF Nikkor is about $125. There is also Legacy2Digital in Eugene, OR. Mostly their specialty is chipping MF Nikkors for use with digital bodies. They also offer CLA services for manual lenses.

 

[Dismayed]

There's been a bunch of different recommendations for repairers in this thread. Is there no one who is considered the 'go to' guy in the US for servicing Nikon film cameras and MF lenses? Someone analogous to David Odess (Hasselblad), Don Goldberg (Leica), Sover Wong (Nikon F2), etc? When I was researching this a while back I kept running across recommendations for Gus Lazzari but I don't think anyone in this thread has mentioned him.

Gus Lazzari is not currently accepting new work because he has a large backlog.

 

[BradS]

I used him once for a Leica M3. Ship him your camera, don't hear back. Doesnt respond to emails. Only when after months pass with radio silence and you ask for your camera back, suddenly it's done!
His work is good. The rest not so much.

This is similar to my experience with the other famous Leica repair guy. Absolutely zero communication until months and moths later, an email shows up asking for payment. He does pretty good work but the customer service aspect is horrible.

 

[MultiFormat Shooter]

I guess I broadened the topic to camera repair as well. Bummer that Nikon no longer repairs film cameras.

Nikon still repairs/services the FM10, and the F6.

Concerning manual lenses, LeZot repairs them, but I have no personal experience with LeZot, one way or the other.

 

[benveniste]

I just had a CLA done on a Nikon FE by Zacks Camera Repair, which is a Photio sponsor. Recommended.
https://zackscamerarepair.com/

 

[beemermark]

Authorized Nikon Repair shops repair anything Nikon.

 

[MarkS]

Nippon Photo Clinic in NYC. They've always done well by me- although I've had little need for Nikon repairs over the years.