Robin Harrison
aka Harrison Cronbi
Delighted to say I've just had three cameras repaired to satisfaction:
Leica M2 - RF was way, way out. Peter @ CRR realigned the rangefinder prisms.
Hexar RF - RF was way, way out. Kamera Service in the Netherlands was able to fix it.
Bronica RF645 - Camera was electronically dead, and the transport mechanism suspect. Kamera Service have been able to fix both issues, resurrecting the Bronica.
That's one camera that's 50 years old, and two cameras that have long been discontinued that I was able to (reasonably) economically fix. It's never nice when a camera goes wrong, but forking out hard earned cash is less painful than throwing the camera in the bin.
BUT...I worry. My guess is the select number of individuals in the world that can perform these operations is tiny, especially for non-Leica rangefinders. And it ain't getting any bigger. My guess is these guys either worked at a camera manufacturer at one time, or worked through the period when these cameras were introduced and spare parts available. Is there enough demand for this repair work for them to consider apprenticing? I know the two main guys in the UK (Peter @ CRR and Malcolm Taylor) are essentially one-man operations, and I assume (do excuse me if I'm wrong) that they have at least 20, maybe 30 years on me, and I expect them to retire long before I wish to stop shooting film. Would it be possible for someone born today to end up a camera repairman? Or will we soon see the last generation of this venerable profession?
Perhaps we'll just have to get increasingly used to a world in which certain camera are unrepairable. Prices will initially take a drop, but then as the cameras slowly die and become rarer, prices for working copies will rise again.
Leica M2 - RF was way, way out. Peter @ CRR realigned the rangefinder prisms.
Hexar RF - RF was way, way out. Kamera Service in the Netherlands was able to fix it.
Bronica RF645 - Camera was electronically dead, and the transport mechanism suspect. Kamera Service have been able to fix both issues, resurrecting the Bronica.
That's one camera that's 50 years old, and two cameras that have long been discontinued that I was able to (reasonably) economically fix. It's never nice when a camera goes wrong, but forking out hard earned cash is less painful than throwing the camera in the bin.
BUT...I worry. My guess is the select number of individuals in the world that can perform these operations is tiny, especially for non-Leica rangefinders. And it ain't getting any bigger. My guess is these guys either worked at a camera manufacturer at one time, or worked through the period when these cameras were introduced and spare parts available. Is there enough demand for this repair work for them to consider apprenticing? I know the two main guys in the UK (Peter @ CRR and Malcolm Taylor) are essentially one-man operations, and I assume (do excuse me if I'm wrong) that they have at least 20, maybe 30 years on me, and I expect them to retire long before I wish to stop shooting film. Would it be possible for someone born today to end up a camera repairman? Or will we soon see the last generation of this venerable profession?
Perhaps we'll just have to get increasingly used to a world in which certain camera are unrepairable. Prices will initially take a drop, but then as the cameras slowly die and become rarer, prices for working copies will rise again.
rogerzilla
Well-known
It's a moot point if film becomes unavailable, since none of them can repair digital bodies anyway.
I wouldn't worry about it though - Peter is ex-Leitz and there are still plenty of people working at Solms.
I wouldn't worry about it though - Peter is ex-Leitz and there are still plenty of people working at Solms.
nobbylon
Veteran
The way I look at it is like this. Find the old classics that you like using and if you are going to keep them and are worried about future repair etc then get them serviced.
I'm 47 and if I last for another 30 years and still have the eyesight and health to use a manual focus camera then I'm pretty sure my serviced Nikon F and F2's along with my Leica's will still outlast me in a working state.
Peter at CRR along with Will and Cathy at Kamera service have done craftsmen/woman work on my small collection over time. Will, in my book is a wizard at finding out what's wrong and I've had a few baffling problems with M's that he's figured out and Sover Wong makes F and F2's feel and operate better than when they were new.
I'm in the 'don't fix what's not broken' camp but if you want to be as sure as you can that for the next 30 years your camera will work then get it worked on while there are good people around.
I'm 47 and if I last for another 30 years and still have the eyesight and health to use a manual focus camera then I'm pretty sure my serviced Nikon F and F2's along with my Leica's will still outlast me in a working state.
Peter at CRR along with Will and Cathy at Kamera service have done craftsmen/woman work on my small collection over time. Will, in my book is a wizard at finding out what's wrong and I've had a few baffling problems with M's that he's figured out and Sover Wong makes F and F2's feel and operate better than when they were new.
I'm in the 'don't fix what's not broken' camp but if you want to be as sure as you can that for the next 30 years your camera will work then get it worked on while there are good people around.
Hatch
Established
As long as there are people shooting these camera's there will be people that repair them.
I'ts not rocket science, just demands a bit of mechanical insight.
A good watch maker should be able to make the switch.
(My brother happens to be one
) and they often need to fabricate new gears, levers, spring etc to get an old masterpiece working again.
So there will allways be people filling in the void.
I'ts not rocket science, just demands a bit of mechanical insight.
A good watch maker should be able to make the switch.
(My brother happens to be one
) and they often need to fabricate new gears, levers, spring etc to get an old masterpiece working again. So there will allways be people filling in the void.
kshapero
South Florida Man
I mourn the loss of guys like Pete Smith and Al Kaplan (RF provactor) but I am 62 so there are younger guys out there who will outlive me.
Bob Michaels
nobody special
I suggest you not sell these guys short. I have seen an excellent Hassy and Leica repairman dive right into pro level Nikons and Canons and fix some things that factory service said were non-repairable.
I saw my friend fix a problem with a Nikon SB-900 flash in 5 minutes. After the local pro left, he told me that he had actually never seen that model before.
ColSebastianMoran
( IRL Richard Karash )
The number of repairmen and women is decreasing. On the other hand, it is getting easier to find the good ones remaining.
Vickko
Veteran
Got to learn to do your own repairs
It ain't rocket science.
Vick
It ain't rocket science.
Vick
Robin Harrison
aka Harrison Cronbi
Got to learn to do your own repairs
It ain't rocket science.
Vick
Well, I tried to adjust the Hexar RF myself, and in the words of Kamera Service: "the camera was heavily mistreated by somebody"
I think I ought to practice on cheaper cameras. I have a Fed-2 and a Balda 6x6 that have rangefinder misalignments. Maybe that's a better place to start...
nobbylon
Veteran
Got to learn to do your own repairs
It ain't rocket science.
Vick
As folks here already know, I do a lot of my own tinkering and repair however there are things like:-
detached curtain on an M2
slow speed mechanism on MP not working due to misaligned bent plates(missed by quality control at Leica)
intermittent winding problem on M6 caused by worn clutch in winding head
elusive light leak on an M6ttl that 2 other places couldn't fix,
lens cleaning, focus helicoil relubing, hood misalignment(v4 35)
all fixed by Will and Cathy that I simply don't have the expertise to do.
I've had all my Nikon's done by Sover because he has all the correct, model specific tools and they dont come back with wrecked screws and scratches.
I'll have a go at most things but I know my limits
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-Nash-
Established
I've been pondering the very same thought recently. I only know a few repair specialists that deal with rangefinder cameras. I'd be hard pressed to name more than ten (although i'm sure members on this very board can easily do so!).
I ended up buying two broken FED-2 units for a cheap figure, so that I can learn how to dismantle, repair them and - eventually - repaint them. Such skills are rare thus incredibly desirable, just like the cameras themselves!
I ended up buying two broken FED-2 units for a cheap figure, so that I can learn how to dismantle, repair them and - eventually - repaint them. Such skills are rare thus incredibly desirable, just like the cameras themselves!
Vickko
Veteran
Practice is very very important.
And there are some unique Leica defects - like the felt light shields coming loose and jamming the shutter.
And there are some unique Leica defects - like the felt light shields coming loose and jamming the shutter.
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
Well, the operation of one of Berlin's best camera repair shops (Kamera-Service Ostkreuz) passed from father to son a few years ago. Apart from the father/son bit, this is how these things should work - pass on the operation to somebody else. If you see an obscure trade somewhere that has been preserved, it is almost always through apprenticing. This will be necessary in mechanical camera repairs, too.
Are the "usual suspects" like DAG etc. apprenticing? If not, why not - are they afraid of effectively training their replacement? But that's kind of the point of the exercise.
japancamerahunter
Established
Both the Konica and the Bronica can still be repaired in Japan by the manufacturers without any trouble.
Nikon still repair a lot of cameras, but the older ones they do not. But, the good news is, there are a number of specialist shops in Tokyo that will repair classic cameras and lenses.
Drop me a line if you need more info.
Thanks
Japancamerahunter
Nikon still repair a lot of cameras, but the older ones they do not. But, the good news is, there are a number of specialist shops in Tokyo that will repair classic cameras and lenses.
Drop me a line if you need more info.
Thanks
Japancamerahunter