got a question

[back alley]

ok, so i found a place locally that will repair/cla old rf cameras.

some background...
my first camera was a oly 35rc, bought brand new, around 1970. i still have and use that camera. the light seals are now all gummy but the rest of the camera works just fine. it has sentimental value.

i was originally thinking i would bring this cam in for a cla and to replace the light seals. cost was quoted at $100. cdn. (that's about a buck and a half american, i think)😉

but then i started thinking - always a dangerous thing-
what if this repair shop is no good and they mess up my little oly?
maybe i should give them a different camera and then i can see how/what kind of work they do.
but that would cost me a 100 bucks for a trial and a wait of 4 to 6 weeks.

hhhmmm...what to do?

i just bought a konica c35 with a non working meter. i tried to do a home repair and now the film advance doesn't work and i have parts that don't quite fit anymore. i could give them that one.

or one of the minoltas i have with non working meters.

dazed and confused - need help-
please advise...

joe

 

[Rich Silfver]

I severly doubt that a CLA and light seal replacement could damage your camera beyond repairs.

If they are reputable (do you have anything similar to BBB in Canada?) I am sure that they would correct anything that they'd mess up.

If on the other hand you are planning to eventually have BOTH cameras gone over then by all means start with the one you 'care' less about.

But it seems as if the C35 is actually broken and need repair - so not sure if that is comparable to how they would handle a simple CLA.

My recommendation: Take a deep breath and hand it in.

 

[taffer]

Joe,

usually repairmans don't like very much working on a camera which went through a previous (and unsuccessful) repair attempt.

So I would keep the C35 as is (and maybe use it as a repair learning tool) and bring them either one of the Minoltas or directly the 35RC.

The price you were given seems reasonable enough for me, and if you divide it by the numbers of years your beloved RC will keep going strong, it's a pretty modest sum, isn't it ?

If you know of no more local repair/cla places, your alternative would be mailing the camera somewhere, and in my opinion that's exposed to more risks than having it repaired locally...

Good luck with whatever you choose !

Oscar

 

[Stu :)]

Coming from someone who changes his own light seals... (Hasselblad, Polaroid 135 and 185, Canon EOS, my new Bessa R looks easy enough, etc), it's a pretty easy job.
You'd have to be a right mincer to screw up light a seal job, let alone effect the operation of your camera.

If you're paranoid (like me and my first camera), take another camera in first. But at $100 (Canadian I assume?)... OUCH. Sounds like they would rather being something else!
One of the Leica technicians here in Auckland once said to me:
"You want me to CLA THIS?!?!?" <hold up my Canonet like dead rat> Then promptly quoted me $250NZ for CLA! And yet Canon (yes Canon, would you believe it) ended up doing it for $120NZ.

If this repair place mucks up a simple light seal replacement, I wouldn't trust them with a disposable.

Stu 🙂

PS. A 'Mincer' is northern English slang for a particularly dumb and a right ->insert your choice of offensive four letter word here<- head.

 

[wierdcollector]

Hi Joe,
Sending that first camera in for a CLA can be quite a dilemma I know. I'm still debating sending in either my Minolta Autocord or one of my Konica S2's like yourself as a test victim. That being said, I have a Ricoh KR 10 I recently purchased (non-RF I know, blasphemy, but works great) that has a serviced by Precision Camera in Winnipeg tag inside so I guess I'd trust them. Also I've heard nothing but good things about Kominek Camera in Toronto. If you know of any others I'd sure like to know of them and please let us know how you make out. Sure miss the fellow we had here in town. He did great work but moved several years back. Curt

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I sent my Canon 7 into Essex this month. The shutter jammed up on it; oil on the curtains. I sent it in on a Tuesday with a check for the the online-estimate included. It arrived back at the house the following Friday. Eleven days out-of-hand. These guys will take on almost anything, and have never failed me. I suspect you Oly will not run you any more than $100cdn; use the online request for an estimate.