No contact from repair specialist. What to do?

N

-Nash-

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Hello.
I sent a few camera and lenses to the following repair specialist site - http://www.classicfilmstore.com/ - last year. I was in contact with the owner for a while but now there has been no communications back from him.

He has serviced a camera of mine before, and I do say he is damn good, but the lack of communication has been concerning.

Does anyone know what may have happened to him?
 
Camera repair people seem to be notorious for lack of communication. I dunno what it is, 'cause some have no problems and others have no problems. I have had mixed reviews, depending on the person, but I was relentless and got my camera back repaired....6 months later.

Sorry, I can't give you any advice on what to do if the guy is MIA, but I can only give you my experience.
 
Bad Repair Experience

Bad Repair Experience

I've had two reputable camera mechanics die with my camera in their shop! One, I had to sick the law on his estate but it was the postal inspector that sent back my untouched camera. Mail fraud if it went USPS. The other, the son was very communicative but took forever to get my camera back to me.

Nikon in El Segundo did a good job on my F3. Mark Hansen brought my old Rollei back to life. I just got an F that I bought new in '71 back from Dave Easterwood. Good job, quick response, good communicator.

You pays your money and takes your chances with any mechanic you can't get around the neck.
 
This is a common possibility. Item goes to seasoned veteran for repair. Repairer becomes incapacitated. No one to communicate or return your item. Has happened to me.
 
puderse said:
I've had two reputable camera mechanics die with my camera in their shop! One, I had to sick the law on his estate but it was the postal inspector that sent back my untouched camera. Mail fraud if it went USPS. The other, the son was very communicative but took forever to get my camera back to me.
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There is a point to be made in favour of repair shops that are not one-man operations.

The other is that such shops are often also better at communication, because they can have one person do the communication and organizing while the other is busy repairing stuff.
 
Oh my! Quite a few grim and unpleasant stories in regards to the repair specialists! :(
I sent him a few cameras and lenses. I was hoping that someone else on the forums may have used his services or is a close friend to confirm that everything is alright with him - the repair specialist is pretty young, I can't expect him to part with the earth at such a age!

ray*j*gun said:
Amazing......another place to avoid is http://www.camerarepair.com/
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Several of the repair technicians operate under EssexCamera too. I sent my Canon 7s to them and they restored it to full working order (although I do agree with the 'expensive' part!). Sorry to hear that you received a negative experience with CameraRepair!
 
I have has some completely unsatisfactory repair experiences with some repair persons who had a list of positive statements about their work on RFF. I have a hunch we are too polite - don't want to say negative things, and don't want to contradict the poster who is singing praises.

Like the repair guy - now retired - who "overhauled" a flexaret - and returned it to me with the film transport doing... nothing. Sent it back a few years ago, guess what, no camera.

Or the different guy, also highly praised, who did a complete (and expensive) overhaul on a C33 body and lens... that came back with sticking slow speeds.

caveat emptor!

KenD
 
KenD said:
I have has some completely unsatisfactory repair experiences with some repair persons who had a list of positive statements about their work on RFF. I have a hunch we are too polite - don't want to say negative things, and don't want to contradict the poster who is singing praises.

Like the repair guy - now retired - who "overhauled" a flexaret - and returned it to me with the film transport doing... nothing. Sent it back a few years ago, guess what, no camera.

Or the different guy, also highly praised, who did a complete (and expensive) overhaul on a C33 body and lens... that came back with sticking slow speeds.

caveat emptor!

KenD
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Names? We'd like to avoid some folks.
 
Is it okay if I make a new thread with the camera store name in the title? I think i'll have better luck in trying to find someone else who had their cameras serviced by them then.
 
I Love Film said:
How rude and inconsiderate of them to drop dead whilst they have your camera.
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Well, if it was because they were hit by a truck, then there may be some excuse. But if they are just old and in ill health like me, they should not be taking in work for others. If they want to keep their hand in, they can fix up old cameras and sell them on eBay or such. But they should not be soliciting work.

On the other hand, there are not many young camera repair people around, especially who know how to fix old mechanical cameras.

However, they may not have died or be in the hospital, it may just be that he and his wife decided they had better take that round the world cruise while they were still healthy. So what if you have to wait six months for your camera, it is not like you are going to take it somewhere else now, is it?
 
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