Technical repair advice on body and lenses for cameras

kurtscamerasdca · Jan 17, 2024

I'm one of the owners at Kurt's Camera in San Diego. We troubleshoot and repair Canon, Sigma, Sony, Fuji, Olympus, Nikon, and much more. We've been around for 50 years. We have fast turn around time and take repairs from all over the US (through mail-in-service). Happy to answer any questions folks have about lens or camera repair or error codes.
Sometimes it's a quick and easy fix. Would love to be a resource here for anyone, especially if they need it fast. Ask anything here and I can probably ask a tech what to do.

RalphLambrecht · Jan 17, 2024

kurtscamerasdca said:
I'm one of the owners at Kurt's Camera in San Diego. We troubleshoot and repair Canon, Sigma, Sony, Fuji, Olympus, Nikon, and much more. We've been around for 50 years. We have fast turn around time and take repairs from all over the US (through mail-in-service). Happy to answer any questions folks have about lens or camera repair or error codes.
Sometimes it's a quick and easy fix. Would love to be a resource here for anyone, especially if they need it fast. Ask anything here and I can probably ask a tech what to do.

good mechanical cameras (Nikon,Canon, Hasselblad)have come of age and started needing more and more repair. You seem to be in the right business. But people in the EU are unlikely to send cameras for repair. How about an overseas branch in Germany?

ic-racer · Jan 17, 2024

I repair my own stuff, but my expertise is only in like 0.5% of all the cameras made. For all other stuff I go to a pro for repairs. Nice to see another resource!

I see Nikonos V on your list. That is one I'd rather send out that do myself due to all the o-rings.

Andreas Thaler · Jan 18, 2024

kurtscamerasdca said:
I'm one of the owners at Kurt's Camera in San Diego. We troubleshoot and repair Canon, Sigma, Sony, Fuji, Olympus, Nikon, and much more. We've been around for 50 years. We have fast turn around time and take repairs from all over the US (through mail-in-service). Happy to answer any questions folks have about lens or camera repair or error codes.
Sometimes it's a quick and easy fix. Would love to be a resource here for anyone, especially if they need it fast. Ask anything here and I can probably ask a tech what to do.

Thanks for the nice offer, which I would like to use to get a question anwered

How do you deal with errors in the electronics of the Canon A and Minolta X cameras? Do you do any troubleshooting or do you replace the electronics completely if possible?

Looks interesting:

Camera Repair Services | San Diego, CA | Kurt's Camera Repair

In need of camera repair? Look no further than with Kurt's Camera Repair in San Diego, CA. Give us a call today at 619-286-6093.

www.kurtscamerarepair.com

Andreas Thaler · Jan 18, 2024

Further questions

Do you train your technicians yourself or do people apply to you? What is the personnel situation, is there enough competent staff or is it difficult to find someone?

Would you like to tell us briefly about your company?

I am very interested in the topic, especially how professionals are organized and work.

Andreas Thaler · Jan 18, 2024

RalphLambrecht said:
good mechanical cameras (Nikon,Canon, Hasselblad)have come of age and started needing more and more repair. You seem to be in the right business. But people in the EU are unlikely to send cameras for repair. How about an overseas branch in Germany?

I wouldn't mind sending a device from Austria to the US if it was well looked after there.

The only problem is the customs and duties, which make things more expensive and possible problems with declaration.

You don't want to argue with customs, but if not only the repair but also your own camera has to be declared through customs, you have to do that

kurtscamerasdca · Jan 18, 2024

Andreas Thaler said:
Thanks for the nice offer, which I would like to use to get a question anwered

How do you deal with errors in the electronics of the Canon A and Minolta X cameras? Do you do any troubleshooting or do you replace the electronics completely if possible?

Looks interesting:

Camera Repair Services | San Diego, CA | Kurt's Camera Repair

In need of camera repair? Look no further than with Kurt's Camera Repair in San Diego, CA. Give us a call today at 619-286-6093.

www.kurtscamerarepair.com

Andreas,

Checking with my techs on this to give the best answer. Want to hear their take on it too.

KurtsCameraSDCA

kurtscamerasdca · Jan 18, 2024

Andreas Thaler said:
Further questions

Do you train your technicians yourself or do people apply to you? What is the personnel situation, is there enough competent staff or is it difficult to find someone?

Would you like to tell us briefly about your company?

I am very interested in the topic, especially how professionals are organized and work.

We typically train them in a specific brand, since there are differences and we can't be experts at everything. It's always hard to find great staff in technical work... but we have an excellent (small) team. We look on Indeed for technical skills and then train them. We've been around 50 years and have the whole story on the website. We live-eat-sleep camera/lens! -KurtsCameraSDCA

kurtscamerasdca · Jan 18, 2024

RalphLambrecht said:
good mechanical cameras (Nikon,Canon, Hasselblad)have come of age and started needing more and more repair. You seem to be in the right business. But people in the EU are unlikely to send cameras for repair. How about an overseas branch in Germany?

Possibly, but some of the camera brands have "locked up" repairs with software and making it harder to get parts... so we've had some serious challenges.

jimjm · Jan 18, 2024

I've had cameras repaired by Kurt's in the past. Always great service and knowledgeable techs!
Welcome!

Two23 · Jan 18, 2024

I mostly buy cameras made 1920 to 1960. These are usually easy to repair except for the shutter. The exception is I have a Vitessa L that the rangefinder mechanism has come unattached from the focus wheel. Is this something you work on? And, what about 1930s to 1950s Rolleiflex?

Kent in SD

Andreas Thaler · Jan 19, 2024

kurtscamerasdca said:
Andreas,

Checking with my techs on this to give the best answer. Want to hear their take on it too.

KurtsCameraSDCA

Thank you!

Andreas Thaler · Jan 19, 2024

kurtscamerasdca said:
I'm one of the owners at Kurt's Camera in San Diego. We troubleshoot and repair Canon, Sigma, Sony, Fuji, Olympus, Nikon, and much more. We've been around for 50 years. We have fast turn around time and take repairs from all over the US (through mail-in-service). Happy to answer any questions folks have about lens or camera repair or error codes.
Sometimes it's a quick and easy fix. Would love to be a resource here for anyone, especially if they need it fast. Ask anything here and I can probably ask a tech what to do.

From a PR perspective, I think it's a great thing to be present here and to build contacts with future customers. After all, you are investing time and know-how into it. I have rarely experienced such a personal connection. Very personable and I hope it brings you some additional business.

Maybe it would be an idea to offer extended professional DIY advice for a fee. For example, an hour with one of your technicians via Skype? Many of us do our repair projects as a hobby but don't have anyone to coach us. But of course you have to weigh up whether it's worth it for your business.

Andreas Thaler · Jan 19, 2024

kurtscamerasdca said:
We typically train them in a specific brand, since there are differences and we can't be experts at everything. It's always hard to find great staff in technical work... but we have an excellent (small) team. We look on Indeed for technical skills and then train them. We've been around 50 years and have the whole story on the website. We live-eat-sleep camera/lens! -KurtsCameraSDCA

Thank you!

The team of KurtsCamera:

About Our Camera Repair Services | San Diego, CA | Kurt's Camera Repair

Learn more about cameras at Kurt's Camera Repair in San Diego, CA. Give us a call today at 619-286-6093.

www.kurtscamerarepair.com

Bill Burk · Jan 19, 2024

kurtscamerasdca said:
Possibly, but some of the camera brands have "locked up" repairs with software and making it harder to get parts... so we've had some serious challenges.

Ralph has a problem with a Hasselblad 501c lens that won’t mount.

Thread 'Hasselblad 501c issue' https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/hasselblad-501c-issue.203860/#post-2755423

kl122002 · Jan 21, 2024

kurtscamerasdca said:
I'm one of the owners at Kurt's Camera in San Diego. We troubleshoot and repair Canon, Sigma, Sony, Fuji, Olympus, Nikon, and much more. We've been around for 50 years. We have fast turn around time and take repairs from all over the US (through mail-in-service). Happy to answer any questions folks have about lens or camera repair or error codes.
Sometimes it's a quick and easy fix. Would love to be a resource here for anyone, especially if they need it fast. Ask anything here and I can probably ask a tech what to do.

Hi!
I recently serviced a Rolleiflex SL35M and it is working now. The only minor flaw is the winding process gets hard near the end section . Perilously it was jammed seriously so I had used naptha to flushed out lots of dried old lubtricants. Is that the cause ? And which area should I put in new lubricant?

Laurent · Jan 22, 2024

Hi Kurt,

this is very kind of you!

I'm currently restoring a F1 Old, and there is a light baffle at the back of the mirror box. I suppose the purpose is to shield the lightmeter from light coming through the eyepiece.

This is falling to pieces, and I'm wondering what could replace it. Microtools sells material for shutter curtains so that would be my choice, but I'd appreciate a reality check.

Also, would you know what the special tool to align prism rails for the F1 looks like?

Thanks in advance
Laurent

kurtscamerasdca · Jan 23, 2024

jimjm said:
I've had cameras repaired by Kurt's in the past. Always great service and knowledgeable techs!
Welcome!

Thank you for your business!

kurtscamerasdca · Jan 23, 2024

Andreas Thaler said:
From a PR perspective, I think it's a great thing to be present here and to build contacts with future customers. After all, you are investing time and know-how into it. I have rarely experienced such a personal connection. Very personable and I hope it brings you some additional business.

Maybe it would be an idea to offer extended professional DIY advice for a fee. For example, an hour with one of your technicians via Skype? Many of us do our repair projects as a hobby but don't have anyone to coach us. But of course you have to weigh up whether it's worth it for your business.

We're always happy to help the community... the repairs are tough sometimes! I'll brainstorm with the team and see if they'd like to do that. Great idea!

Andreas Thaler · Jan 23, 2024

kurtscamerasdca said:
We're always happy to help the community... the repairs are tough sometimes! I'll brainstorm with the team and see if they'd like to do that. Great idea!

I would like to do the following, also to thank you for your support here:

I have cameras here from five manufacturers, many of which I don't touch for repairs because it's above my level, especially with more valuable devices.

As for me a first-class repair takes priority over costs (within reason), I will send you a camera from Austria with a request for repair. I'll report on my experiences here, including dealing with customs.

I just can't say when that will be because I'm systematically checking my inventory and there are currently no serious cases. But since I don't have a good workshop in Austria, I'm very excited

This is also a PR project, but I should have earned a good name here and always make my articles serious, anything else is not worth the time.

PR isn't actually a bad thing, it's just that its image is sometimes not good, which is paradoxical since PR is also responsible for image

kurtscamerasdca · Jan 24, 2024

Andreas Thaler said:
Thanks for the nice offer, which I would like to use to get a question anwered

How do you deal with errors in the electronics of the Canon A and Minolta X cameras? Do you do any troubleshooting or do you replace the electronics completely if possible?

Looks interesting:

Camera Repair Services | San Diego, CA | Kurt's Camera Repair

In need of camera repair? Look no further than with Kurt's Camera Repair in San Diego, CA. Give us a call today at 619-286-6093.

www.kurtscamerarepair.com

Andreas,

The Minolta X are the cameras that are known for having leaky capacitors. They used fish oil in the capacitors and when it leaks out, it's highly corrosive to the electronics. Other than that, it could be several other issues. Does you get a certain error code?

-Kurt's Camera SD CA

Andreas Thaler · Jan 24, 2024

kurtscamerasdca said:
Andreas,

The Minolta X are the cameras that are known for having leaky capacitors. They used fish oil in the capacitors and when it leaks out, it's highly corrosive to the electronics. Other than that, it could be several other issues. Does you get a certain error code?

-Kurt's Camera SD CA

Thank you very much, it was just a general question about whether you invest time in finding errors in the electronics or whether you replace the entire board.

But its true that can't be answered in general because it depends on the error, see the example with the electrolytic capacitors, which you can simply change.

The thing about fish oil in electrolytic capacitors is new to me, it's really unsavory

Bushcat · Jan 25, 2024

If a leaky capacitor smells slightly fishy, then the electrolyte is probably based on DMF. If replacing the cap(s), I'd be tempted to use tantalums for space and performance reasons, as in the original Minoltas.

kurtscamerasdca · Jan 25, 2024

Two23 said:
I mostly buy cameras made 1920 to 1960. These are usually easy to repair except for the shutter. The exception is I have a Vitessa L that the rangefinder mechanism has come unattached from the focus wheel. Is this something you work on? And, what about 1930s to 1950s Rolleiflex?

Kent in SD

Kent in SD,

Yes, we can work on Rolleiflex. They take a little longer than others... Sounds like you're in SD like us... you can always just stop in. For the Vitessa, we don't work on them.... you may want to do-it-yourself, I'd find the part on Ebay and trial/error.

Thank you,

Kurt's Camera SD CA

kurtscamerasdca · Jan 29, 2024

Bill Burk said:
Ralph has a problem with a Hasselblad 501c lens that won’t mount.

Thread 'Hasselblad 501c issue' https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/hasselblad-501c-issue.203860/#post-2755423

Bill, we replied to that post today. Not much to add on that thread, lots of similar comments... "The lens needs to be cocked so the timing is accurate. If he cocked the camera and not the lens, they won't sync up."

Kurt's Camera SD CA

Technical repair advice on body and lenses for cameras

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