Bad experience with KEH camera repair

P

Platinum RF

Well-known
Local time
9:05 AM
Joined
Dec 12, 2006
Messages
529
The Rolleiflex I sent to Essex was returned, I realized that Essex has been out of business. I have had excellent experience with KEH on used gears so I decided to try KEH camera repair. Week later after shipped my camera I got a call from KEH. They told me that they were unable to fix my camera due to too many parts needed. I said Ok ship it back to me, they kindly enough to ship my gear back to me for free. After I received my Rolleiflex, I find the front leather has been damaged; instead of carefully lift the leather move out of selftimer, the technician went to the easier way, cut the leather into half. other leather pieces were also damaged (look from the cutting edge of the leather, the leather is in good condition, not rotted). If KEH does have parts in house to fix camera why bother to offer this service? That flat repair fee is just a joke. Now I am really missing Essex ! I sent an complain e-mail to KEH. No word is back from KEH so far. By the way the technician also left a smudge of contact cement on my taking lens.

Update Note:

Mr. Dan Orchard, Director of Customer Service, e-mailed me back. He offered to take this camera back and repair it free of charge. I accepted his offer. The camera come back in working order. KEH did it right this time. We already lost Essex Camera repair. I think KEH's customer service is topnotch, however, I hope its repair department will up to KEH's excellent reputation.
 

Attachments

  • 2013-05-01 18.04.06ss.jpg
    2013-05-01 18.04.06ss.jpg
    39.1 KB · Views: 0
  • 2013-05-01 18.04.26ss.jpg
    2013-05-01 18.04.26ss.jpg
    39.9 KB · Views: 0
  • 2013-05-01 18.04.16ss.jpg
    2013-05-01 18.04.16ss.jpg
    33.8 KB · Views: 0
A few years ago, I also had a problem with KEH repair. I sent in a camera for a shutter issue. Got an estimate of $125 to repair. About two months went by. Finally get the camera back -- unrepaired and with some new problems created by KEH. I call KEH and am told that they didn't fix the camera because it had "water damage and extensive corrosion." Of course, they never mentioned that at the time they inspected the camera to give me the estimate. They reluctantly agreed to fix the problem they had created, while continuing to insist that the camera had extensive corrosion and water damage. When I took the camera to another repairer, no water damage or corrosion was found.
 
I have always had outstanding dealings with KEH, though admittedly never with their repair department. I would be surprised if they don't address your complaint and make things right. One employee having a bad day is sometimes all it takes to sour an experience. Best of luck with your camera.
 
KEH use to send their Rolleiflex's out to another very qualified repair person who is no longer doing the repairs. If you have a Rolleiflex that needs repair, the two best options are Harry Fleenor at Oceanside and Krimar. Regardless of price of waiting time - it's the only way that you'll get what your Rolleiflex needs, and what you'll get for your money. I've been through all of the other options and they don't pay off in time lost and money spent. Great camera, don't give up.
 
Essex fixed all my Rollefilex cameras, very nice and price is much low for the quality service they provided.

I remembered I went to a small local camera repair shop in South Carolina, the guy showed me a Nikon F2 viewfinder that KEH sent to him for repair. He was looking for a repair manual for this viewfinder on ebay. I guess the quality is much depend on who KEH sent to. Your gears may end up with more problems.
 
IMO, sending a vintage camera to KEH for repairs is akin to using a car dealership to repair a 1969 VW bug. There are plenty of specialized camera techs around. Why use KEH unless you abolutely had to?

On the other hand, you would think that KEH has a sizable inventory of obsolete parts...certainly enough to fix the OP's Rollei.
 
Platinum RF said:
The Rolleiflex I sent to Essex was returned, I realized that Essex has been out of business. I have had excellent experience with KEH on used gears so I decided to try KEH camera repair. Week later after shipped my camera I got a call from KEH. They told me that they were unable to fix my camera due to too many parts needed. I said Ok ship it back to me, they kindly enough to ship my gear back to me for free. After I received my Rolleiflex, I find the front leather has been damaged; instead of carefully lift the leather move out of selftimer, the technician went to the easier way, cut the leather into half. other leather pieces were also damaged (look from the cutting edge of the leather, the leather is in good condition, not rotted). If KEH does have parts in house to fix camera why bother to offer this service? That flat repair fee is just a joke. Now I am really missing Essex ! I sent an complain e-mail to KEH. No word is back from KEH so far. By the way the technician also left a smudge of contact cement on my taking lens.
Click to expand...

no tech cuts the body leather in half unless they don't know what they are doing.

looks like KEH is really hard up for qualified Rollei repair people.

Stephen
 
t.s.k. said:
IMO, sending a vintage camera to KEH for repairs is akin to using a car dealership to repair a 1969 VW bug. There are plenty of specialized camera techs around. Why use KEH unless you abolutely had to?

On the other hand, you would think that KEH has a sizable inventory of obsolete parts...certainly enough to fix the OP's Rollei.
Click to expand...

KEH is the biggest used cars (I mean used camera) dealer in north america, when you have piled up used cars or junk cars, do you have trouble to find parts?
 
Platinum RF said:
The Rolleiflex I sent to Essex was returned, I realized that Essex has been out of business. I have had excellent experience with KEH on used gears so I decided to try KEH camera repair. Week later after shipped my camera I got a call from KEH. They told me that they were unable to fix my camera due to too many parts needed. I said Ok ship it back to me, they kindly enough to ship my gear back to me for free. After I received my Rolleiflex, I find the front leather has been damaged; instead of carefully lift the leather move out of selftimer, the technician went to the easier way, cut the leather into half. other leather pieces were also damaged (look from the cutting edge of the leather, the leather is in good condition, not rotted). If KEH does have parts in house to fix camera why bother to offer this service? That flat repair fee is just a joke. Now I am really missing Essex ! I sent an complain e-mail to KEH. No word is back from KEH so far. By the way the technician also left a smudge of contact cement on my taking lens.
Click to expand...

I have over 25 years on the repair bench, and have seen many Rolleis and other period cameras come in with 50 year old "perfect" leather, in the customer's eyes. The issue that the older leather presents is the original "adhesive" was orange shellac thinned with alcohol, and the shellac penetrates into the leather, making it almost impossible to remove without peeling the layers of leather away (picture3) looks like that was tried. I did not have many new Rollei TLR parts since the early to mid 70's, when EPOI had them in NY(IIRC) Compur shutter parts were still to be had from VHI and a few other sources So I still fixed most tlr Rolleis thru the late 80's I still would've touched up the edges on any completed repair and never left anything on any glass.

I would not be too harsh on KEH as they stated no repairs due to the parts needed, When you have a old classic of any type, Camera, Auto, Motorcycle, you must pay top dollar for the old craftsmen to work magic for you,trust me, the fixed or flat rate idea always favors the customer in a major repair / parts replacement....I will tell you a new escapement for a 00 or 0 Synchro Compur MXV was $100 .....in 1985

Find one of the specialists, pay the price, and enjoy your Rollei .

I still have my 2.8D and never could get the two plastic levers up front, The lock lever for the release and the lock for the sync cord, This has never stopped my from my enjoyment of it
 
mikemc_photo said:
I have over 25 years on the repair bench, and have seen many Rolleis and other period cameras come in with 50 year old "perfect" leather, in the customer's eyes. The issue that the older leather presents is the original "adhesive" was orange shellac thinned with alcohol, and the shellac penetrates into the leather, making it almost impossible to remove without peeling the layers of leather away (picture3) looks like that was tried. I did not have many new Rollei TLR parts since the early to mid 70's, when EPOI had them in NY(IIRC) Compur shutter parts were still to be had from VHI and a few other sources So I still fixed most tlr Rolleis thru the late 80's I still would've touched up the edges on any completed repair and never left anything on any glass.

I would not be too harsh on KEH as they stated no repairs due to the parts needed, When you have a old classic of any type, Camera, Auto, Motorcycle, you must pay top dollar for the old craftsmen to work magic for you,trust me, the fixed or flat rate idea always favors the customer in a major repair / parts replacement....I will tell you a new escapement for a 00 or 0 Synchro Compur MXV was $100 .....in 1985

Find one of the specialists, pay the price, and enjoy your Rollei .

I still have my 2.8D and never could get the two plastic levers up front, The lock lever for the release and the lock for the sync cord, This has never stopped my from my enjoyment of it
Click to expand...

I have used Essex Camera repair, all my three Rolleiflex CLAed at the flat fee, $110-170. This Rolleiflex is in working order except stiff film transport, slow shutter speed, meter is not accurate which I indicated I do not care about it. I do not know what parts needed to do the CLA, no list provided to me. Look at the photo, the technician put back the leather in a lousy way. I think KEH needs to do a better job
 
For the Rollei fans, KEH has an assortment of Rollei parts at auction on its kehoutlet.com website. Looks like some interesting stuff!
Paul
 
Paulbe said:
For the Rollei fans, KEH has an assortment of Rollei parts at auction on its kehoutlet.com website. Looks like some interesting stuff!
Paul
Click to expand...

Do you have to be a member of KEH or do they have secret applets that discovered I am an alien?
 
Just search for seller "kehoutlet". If you're using the iPhone app, put "seller:kehoutlet" then bookmark it to get updates.
 
The best thing to do at this point is to follow up when you have settled with KEH. Please do let us all know.
Click to expand...

So far no words from KEH as of today (5 days). I am not expecting any words from KEH, I guess KEH saw the photos and speechless.
 
The best thing to do at this point is to follow up when you have settled with KEH. Please do let us all know.

Interestingly DHW-Fototechnik http://www.dhw-fototechnik.de/ is still on the web.

More on KEH repair here: http://www.keh.com/Repair-Center.aspx

What would be great would be helpful suggestions to "Platinum RF" on where to have his Rollei fixed. Surely with all the revivals of this mark there are repairmen out there iwth parts?
Click to expand...


I would love to find a cache of old NOS Rollei parts, trim, knobs, latches and transport parts. in the USA....But that is wishful thinking, as I doubt any one will re manufacture Rollei parts...I know of a few parts for other cameras that were re poped, like the cocking racks for Retinas and Kodak slide projectors, but cameras are not like classic cars :mad:
 
I got an e-mail back fro the director of KEH customer service. KEH will offer free shipment for both way and correct these problems. I was told the repair center has an new manger. I hope someday KEH's repair center reputation will as good as its used gear part. This is first time I contacted KEH's customer service. The replay is late but they did it the right way. I will keep you post on this issue.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom