Recommended Repair Shops???

[xo-whiplock]

I tried a search for recommended repair shops and didn't find anything. Is there a list of shops that are good places to send Minolta manual focus bodies and/or lenses to for service when needed? I don't want to send my stuff to a place that has not been ok'd by others first. I have a XE-7 and an SRT101 that I would like to get a CLA on for a good price with quality work.

Craig

 

[xo-whiplock]

I know KEH is the one to put a top the list, but does anyone have a list of respected repair shops, or is there a data base here on the forums?

 

[upnorthcyclist]

I would highly recommend ACR (Abilene Camera Repair) for Minolta bodies, pre-XD. (They don't do XDs.) Unfortunately, they are very pricey but, depending on the level of service you choose, you can get a virtually new camera back from them.

They have a lens service but I haven't used them for lenses.

Mike

 

[xo-whiplock]

Will do. I have started a group on flickr with name of Camera Repair Shops. I'll add them to the list.

Craig

 

[Focus No. 9]

I sent mine to
Garry's Camera RepairWelcome to Garry's Camera Repair - your one-stop internet photo repair facility. ... Mid range of Canon EOS series, Minolta Maxxums, and Pentax ZX models. ...
www.garryscamera.com/ - Cached - Similar

 

[xo-whiplock]

Focus No. 9, I checked out Garry's and I think that is where I'll be sending my XE-7 I just won awhile back. ISO/ASA/Exposure Compensation knob wiggles and causes light meter needle to behave erratically. Garry's has good prices, just need to wait until I can afford to send it though. I checked ACR and they don't do the XE-7's. I have a bunch of SRT's, but the XE-7 is way cool in how it feels when winding and taking pics. Night and day difference. Makes me want a Leica someday.

Craig

 

[DennisM]

If you're still looking for a repair shop for Minolta repair, I heartily recommend Essex Camera repair in Carlstadt, NJ (on the web). They repaired an XE-7 body (dropped on NJ transit train car floor) and an XD-11 body. Very professional to deal with and excellent quality work.

 

[upnorthcyclist]

I just got my XD-11 back from John Titterington - he did a CLA. Camera looks and works great. Service was fast and fairly priced - I recommend him highly.

Mike

 

[skylinkdave]

I got my 25 year old X-700 back from Garry's, as mentioned elsewhere in this thread. The shutter wouldn't fire (dead capacitor) and the ISO selection dial was all gunked up, and now it's almost as good as new. Don't know if I'll actually ever run any film through it, but this camera means too much to me to not have it operational

 

[Ralph Javins]

Good morning, SkyLinkDave;

Your comment did strike a responsive chord. I too feel that the cameras I have here that I have bought as cameras should be capable of working as a camera. In most cases, it has actually cost quite a bit more to have a CLA performed on the camera than what I paid for the camera. Yes, I know that there are some shops where the price for a CLA is less than what I have been paying, but I can just drive there and not worry about difficulties in shipping the camera across the country. Almost all of the cameras here are taken out probably once a year for some exercise, although some of them are used more often. The real periodic maintenance chore I need to perform about once per month is the fitting of the AC power adapters to charge up and reform the photo-flash capacitors in all of the Xenon discharge tube electronic flash units around here.

Enjoy; Ralph, Latte Land, Washington