Bad CLA Experience

[capitalK]

CLA is probably a bad description. Basically I bought an Olympus Auto Eye at a thrift shop. It was in remarkably good cosmetic condition but the selenium meter did not work. This camera is fully mechanical (no battery) but is capable of shutter-priority. One day the meter kicked in and the camera worked great. I put a few rolls of PANF 50 through it and everything was fine EXCEPT...

The rangefinder itself was out of alignment. No big deal, I could scale focus it or get close enough with the mis-aligned rangefinder.

I knew a local camera store had a repair person who did work for them and having spoken to him before I knew he was familiar with rangefinders because he was a Leica user and boasted about his camera collection. He repaired a jammed Hasselblad 120 back for me for very little money and I thought I'd try him again.

So I sent the camera through the store to him and put a cap on the repair so it didn't get out of hand. Two weeks later the camera store told me to pick it up. "He said it wasn't worth repairing" they said and I thought that was fair and then they handed me my camera... in pieces.

I was flabbergasted, I couldn't get too angry because it wasn't the shop's fault and I go there often. I said as nicely as I could that this was unacceptable and I expect the camera to at least be returned to me in the condition I gave it to him in. The camera went back to him and came back assembled, but improperly and at least one piece missing.

He didn't charge for the mis-repair, and it's not worth taking any legal action. The camera just isn't worth it. I realize now that he isn't really a repairman but someone who tinkers with cameras. If he can fix it... great, if not... tough luck.

I live in such a small town that it's not worth it to give names, anybody in this city on this board knows me and the story. I just wanted to repeat what has been said many times by others... send your camera to a reputable repair person.

 

[capitalK]

Here's an image I took with it pre-repair. I can't even use it post-repair.

 

[pfoto]

Ouch! 🙁 A quick look at the Essex Camera Olympus repair page reveals no Auto Eye. Maybe parts are no longer available?

http://www.essexcamera.com/camera_list.php?brand=OLYMPUS

 

[Roger Hicks]

Without wishing to be unduly unsympathetic, I am repeatedly surprised by people who send in what are basically junk cameras for repair.

When it comes to cheap tat, I'll repair it myself (if I can, or scrap it) but I'd not dream of asking for a repair on a camera that's worth little or nothing. If there's sentimental or other attachment, I'll explain that to the repairer.

One of my first repairers -- dead now, may the good Lord rest his Catholic Polish soul -- once said, when I commented on an unexpectedly cheap repair to a Leica, 'Leica is easy camera to work on, and pleasure, so I do not charge much. But give me Practika, is difficult, is no pleasure, so I charge much more.'

You told him to cap the cost of the repair. Getting it apart probably hit your cap. And you want him to put it back together? He took you at your word. I don't really think you can blame him.

EDIT: The above probably sounds unduly harsh, and sure, you don't want your camera back in pieces. But look at it from his viewpoint. You have pretty much wasted his time. He's right -- it's beyond economic repair by a professional repairer who does a proper job and charges a realistic hourly rate. The same sort of argument applies to those who think you can get a proper professional strip, clean and overhaul (American: CLA) for a Leica for under $100.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[feenej]

There is one on eBay right now.

 

[capitalK]

Without wishing to be unduly unsympathetic, I am repeatedly surprised by people who send in what are basically junk cameras for repair.

When it comes to cheap tat, I'll repair it myself (if I can, or scrap it) but I'd not dream of asking for a repair on a camera that's worth little or nothing. If there's sentimental or other attachment, I'll explain that to the repairer.

One of my first repairers -- dead now, may the good Lord rest his Catholic Polish soul -- once said, when I commented on an unexpectedly cheap repair to a Leica, 'Leica is easy camera to work on, and pleasure, so I do not charge much. But give me Practika, is difficult, is no pleasure, so I charge much more.'

You told him to cap the cost of the repair. Getting it apart probably hit your cap. And you want him to put it back together? He took you at your word. I don't really think you can blame him.

EDIT: The above probably sounds unduly harsh, and sure, you don't want your camera back in pieces. But look at it from his viewpoint. You have pretty much wasted his time. He's right -- it's beyond economic repair by a professional repairer who does a proper job and charges a realistic hourly rate. The same sort of argument applies to those who think you can get a proper professional strip, clean and overhaul (American: CLA) for a Leica for under $100.

Cheers,

Roger

I see where you're going, Roger. I put a cap on the repair cost so that what I paid+repair would not exceed what I could expect on eBay.

If it wasn't worth his time he should have said so before taking it apart.

 

[Roger Hicks]

If it wasn't worth his time he should have said so before taking it apart.

I'd certainly agree with that, but in all fairness, he may not have been able to tell. It is entirely possible that no-one had ever asked him to repair one of these before -- most cheap cameras tend to be discarded when they break, after all -- and that there was far more work in getting into it than he expected.

Add in the possibility of just one seized screw or an unusually stubborn glued joint, and he'd already invested more time than your repair cap would pay for AND felt unable to charge you for finding out that he couldn't do it.

Put yourself in his place. I don't know what camera repairers charge per hour, but I'd be surprised if a good one were as low as $40/hour. He is handed what he sees as a probable scrapper; takes it apart; finds that it is indeed a scrapper...

This is why many repairers charge for a quote (or even for an estimate) but knock this cost off if the repair charge is accepted. Even the diagnosis costs them time, which equals money.

Thanks for taking my response in good part. I can certainly understand your frustration -- but I can understand his, too. In his situation, I think I'd have been inclined to tell you up front that if it wasn't reparable, you'd get it back in pieces, but it's easy to be wise after the event.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[btgc]

If it wasn't worth his time he should have said so before taking it apart.

This is what I were going to say. Imagine doctor, who is doing surgery and suddenly leaving - sorry guys, we just have reached limit, covered by insurance. Further action is not cost effective.

Hope you will find replacement for you.

 

[Roger Hicks]

This is what I were going to say. Imagine doctor, who is doing surgery and suddenly leaving - sorry guys, we just have reached limit, covered by insurance. Further action is not cost effective.

Another interpretation of the same parallel might be that the patient is desperately ill and dies on the operating table, despite the surgeon's best efforts...

Cheers,

R.

 

[btgc]

Another interpretation of the same parallel might be that the patient is desperately ill and dies on the operating table, despite the surgeon's best efforts...

Cheers,

R.

Roger, I feel I can get your point. I know camera repairman, have discussed his pricing policy and imagine what mess can be there with any camera or lens. Even doing easy DIY tasks on my vintage cameras, I see that minor 2hr task can grow into 2 week project. OK, maybe that's because of my very limited experience with camera repairs.

When boys bring digicam with sand in zoom lens, they will be charged to have similar income as from nostalgic Kiev RF user looking for shutter overhaul. And opposite is true, because while working on Kiev he could earn easy cash from digicam's users. Just in case of Kiev there is no guarantee that renewing shutter is only task to do - like owner would like to think. Instead of easy money old camera can reveal hidden defects, needed parts to be replaced or made from "something".
For technician is easier to take digital camera apart, clean it, assemble and get paid.

For this reason he discusses with potential customers that cheap film camera from ebay or closet can cost him in final much more than purchase sum.