Eddy Smolov is "The Man!" for fixing anything

raid

raid

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I am expecting in the mail a Contax III from Eddy. He called me yesterday, and we chatted about camera and lens repair. In his heavy Kiev accent, Eddy asked me [again] :" Raid, you know, how many parts in Contax"?
I guessed: 200?
Eddy: "Raid! 1725 parts! I know two people in USA who know how to fix."

Eddy is a treasure to have access to for people on low budgets and with a love for old mechanical cameras.

I now have a Contax IIa, IIIa, and finally, a III.
The III was a mess, I am told, but Eddy took his time to fix it up for me.
One day I will travel to NYC to meet Eddy.

The Contax RF camera (any!) with a CZJ 5cm lens (any!) make together an awesome set for photography and enjoyment of truely first class craftmanship.

By the way, Eddy fixes any non-electronic camera. He also fixed for me a Bessa T with a broken mirror. The problem was mechanical, so he will fix it.

I just felt like praising this man.
 
I searched and found my dad's iia CD hidden under a desk that I remember him using all the time, growing up in the 60's. I put myself on HS's list and then realized the wait time was in years, not weeks. So rather than let it sit some more, I found Eddy's name, sent him the iia and now all is smooth again. I even picked it up in person since I work in NYC. He was very nice and personable and we chatted for a while. My Nikon F will go to him sometime soon.
 
Eddy has worked on many cameras and lenses for me. In fact, I have sent him so many different camera systems that he often laughs on the phone and tells me that I have too many systems. He keeps repeating that he only knows how to repair the cameras but that he does not know the value of a specific lens or camera.

I got to know him by having a broken Contax IIIa. Someone at photo.net advised me to give Eddy a try.
 
Eddy is very proud of his craftmanship.
He is 70 or 71 years old now.
He is a master repairman indeed.
His golden heart makes him special.
 
Wow!

I have a WW2 "BRINGBACK" 1938 Contax that needs work, was that same guy in 9th Armored who had my 43' IIIC K ~ I also have his 1939 Rolleiflex Automat I ~ that also needs repairs.

I never used Eddy for CLA's/repairs, but I certainly have bought some kool stuff off him n the past, mostly WW2 Leitz lenses, Summitar's and Elmar 50's.

Tom
 
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Eddy sometimes does not have the spare parts for some older equipment that is not common, but he will look for the spare parts everywhere.Once, I did the search for the part, and I found it at Krikor. Then Eddy fixed the Rolleiflex TLR.

Nobody has a "spare" aperture mechanism/blades for a Zeiss 85/1.4 in QBM for the Rolleiflex 35mm SLR. Not even DAG could help me. Eddy will not be able to do the reapir, and I use the lens wide open.
 
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It may be serious since he left a message on his answering machine that he is getting treatment. I don't want to guess.
 
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