kuzano
Veteran
Just got back a camera from Frank.... over a dozen now.
I sent a recently acquired Fujica GL690 (Texas Leica) and a 65mm f6.5 lens to Frank for CLA... rebuild. The body was tired and rangefinder wonky, the 65mm had a lazy shutter and haze.
I had a problem with the shipping label and got nervous, so I called Frank the same week and before I could ask him if he received the camera, He told me he got it and it was done. He was going to ship it back immediately.
A week before Christmas and I was in no hurry. I almost apologized about the label issue and I was just calling to see if it arrived.
Rebuilt the transport
Rebuilt the rangefinder block
CLA'd the lazy dual shutter and
Rebuilt the film count mechanism
The 65mm...
Cleaned the lenses internally best possible
cleaned and lubed the lazy shutter....
What an amazing man. And I could tell he was smiling on the phone... you know how that is.
Hell, I'm even looking for more Fujica's just so I can talk to Frank.
BTW there are a ton of Fujica bodies w/lenses and 65mm lenses, even 5.6 apertures on eBay and numbers seem to be growing.
YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING... FRANK HAS DONE ABOUT 4 NEW BELLOWS ON THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PAPER BELLOWS ON THE GS645 FOLDER. LEATHER REPLACEMENTS. VERY REASONABLE.
I sent a recently acquired Fujica GL690 (Texas Leica) and a 65mm f6.5 lens to Frank for CLA... rebuild. The body was tired and rangefinder wonky, the 65mm had a lazy shutter and haze.
I had a problem with the shipping label and got nervous, so I called Frank the same week and before I could ask him if he received the camera, He told me he got it and it was done. He was going to ship it back immediately.
A week before Christmas and I was in no hurry. I almost apologized about the label issue and I was just calling to see if it arrived.
Rebuilt the transport
Rebuilt the rangefinder block
CLA'd the lazy dual shutter and
Rebuilt the film count mechanism
The 65mm...
Cleaned the lenses internally best possible
cleaned and lubed the lazy shutter....
What an amazing man. And I could tell he was smiling on the phone... you know how that is.
Hell, I'm even looking for more Fujica's just so I can talk to Frank.
BTW there are a ton of Fujica bodies w/lenses and 65mm lenses, even 5.6 apertures on eBay and numbers seem to be growing.
YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING... FRANK HAS DONE ABOUT 4 NEW BELLOWS ON THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PAPER BELLOWS ON THE GS645 FOLDER. LEATHER REPLACEMENTS. VERY REASONABLE.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Frank built me a custom lens. Bought a 100/3.5 AE that was advertised with a dead CdS cell for no money that had only a good battery check. Bought a chrome 100/3.5 as a manual focus body and had Frank build me a 100/3.5 manual lens that features the multicoated EBC glass.
I'm currently waiting to get back my 150/5.6 and GM670 that was shipped earlier this week.
Cal
I'm currently waiting to get back my 150/5.6 and GM670 that was shipped earlier this week.
Cal
Scapevision
Well-known
How much did this cost you? That's what I want.
Scapevision
Well-known
by the way, i had some leak issues with the camera earlier, and Frank was kind enough to guide me through by email, turned out to be what i was expecting, but not worth shipping out to him from Canada, so I just gaffed it.
nikku
Well-known
Frank is awesome. He overhauled a Fujica for me, and was fast, reasonably priced, and exceptionally friendly. He doesn't have much of a web presence, but is quick to answer the phone and return calls.
raid
Dad Photographer
Does he also handle Rollei TLR?
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
S,
I bought the 100/3.5 AE for $249.00 BIN on EBAY from Japan. The dealer was very straight forward about the bad metering and even wrote to me to confirm that I understood that the metering did not work.
I had Frank check it out, and he confirmed that the CdS cell was dead. Frank even tried to call around, but replacement CdS cells are now extinct. Pretty much had a plan "B" and secured a chrome 100/3.5 for $149.00 from a different dealer in Japan. The bonus was a vintage correct screw on front cap, rear lens cap and a Fujica lens case.
I don't exactly remember the pricing on the transplant and the overhaul of the shutter, but the pricing was very reasonable, especially since I occupied a lot of Frank's attention with basically a custom project. All together it likely set me back about $500.00.
BTW I also own a stock 100/3.5 that has the single coated glass, the 150/5.6 mentioned above, a 65/8.0, and a GL690.
For an ultrawide I use a Plaubel 69W Proshift (21mm FOV).
Good luck in finding another 100/3.5 AE for no money. Know that my AE car-cuss is in mint shelf queen condition with the oval inspection sticker still intact.
Cal
raid
Dad Photographer
I have a very clean and working AE 100/3.5 for my B690GL.
Benjamin Marks
Veteran
Frank is a great fellow. 1994-97 I was living in Charlottesville VA, just over the mountain from The Camera Wiz. He was always reasonably priced and up for a chat. Great work too. He's good people.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Just got back my GM670 from Frank with a repaired 150/5.6 Sonnar and a second repaired 150/5.6 that had shutter speeds that were off. What a great-great job. The camera looks and feels factory fresh.
Cal
POSTSCRIPT: At the NYC Camera Olympics in January I'll be featuring my GM670 with 150/5.6, and my GL690 with the chrome 100/3.5 manual lens with the EBC multicoated glass from a 100/3.5 AE that Frank built for me.
Cal
POSTSCRIPT: At the NYC Camera Olympics in January I'll be featuring my GM670 with 150/5.6, and my GL690 with the chrome 100/3.5 manual lens with the EBC multicoated glass from a 100/3.5 AE that Frank built for me.
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