steamer
Well-known
I've seen some posting about this Tokyo shop and their Frankenstein lens conversions, anyway I went there yesterday to see about getting my cz 50mm f/1.5 and my zeiss opton 85 f/2 overhauled. Strange place, they are real camera maniacs and their repair section is a sort of club that you have to join in order to get your stuff repaired. The entry fee was 5,000 yen and your first job must be a complete overhaul. There are numerous rules and bylaws that need to be obeyed, but they mostly boil down to "be nice." They let me handle a bessa R2 C and that planted a nasty seed of camera lust in my mind.
The labo guy saw my G2 and said, "We can change your G lens into freakish LTM mount lens." I wondered why anyone would do that, and he said it was so you could use them after your G2 breaks down and can't be repaired. I thought it might be easier and cheaper just to buy a new G2, but I didn't say that.
They don't do any overseas biz because of the difficulty of explaining the myriad rules and regulations and a general fear of sending these valuable lenses through the mail to far away places.
My lenses will be done at the end of March and if anyone cares I will report back then.
The labo guy saw my G2 and said, "We can change your G lens into freakish LTM mount lens." I wondered why anyone would do that, and he said it was so you could use them after your G2 breaks down and can't be repaired. I thought it might be easier and cheaper just to buy a new G2, but I didn't say that.
They don't do any overseas biz because of the difficulty of explaining the myriad rules and regulations and a general fear of sending these valuable lenses through the mail to far away places.
My lenses will be done at the end of March and if anyone cares I will report back then.
furcafe
Veteran
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Sounds like my type of place.
Sounds like my type of place.
steamer said:
steamer
Well-known
Got my lenses back from Hayata Labo yesterday, they are all cleaned and polished and buttery smooth shot a quick test roll on the way home and I am very Happy. I talked to the guy about G2 to ltm conversion and he said another reason the don't do overseas business is because it would be impossible to do any adjustment to the lens without lots of back and forth shipping.
Sounds like a cool shop. I'll have to get in there to check it out.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
They probably would give Brian Sweeney a job with them.
Hacker
黑客
I'm in need of a 45/90mm converted to LTM. I'll pay the entrance fee.
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steamer
Well-known
Let us know how it goes, I gotta renew my membership next week and see if they can clean some fungus off the lens and straighten out a stiff aperture on a Super Ikonta A. Hoping against hope that it won't cost an arm and a leg.
I dropped by Hayata Labo last Friday. Here's a pic of the buidling. Hayata Labo is located on the 2nd floor (curtain is closed). Certainly a plain looking building on the outside, but there are some Frankenstein conversions happening on the inside 
