TerryMcC
Established
Just letting people know about Paul Lee at Sydney Camera Repairs. Great job done on the second S2 Nikon just sent to him. Both cameras serviced and repaired as needed. Turnaround time quite reasonable.
Sydney Camera Repairs
- Thread starter TerryMcC
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fish1991222
Established
I am thinking about letting him servicing my M6 and SL66
nickthetasmaniac
Veteran
I had them clean the VF on my M2, and fix a jammed shutter on my 35RD. Both jobs were well done for a good price
john_s
Well-known
Very interested in having work done on an SL66. Let us know if you go ahead.
lynnb
Veteran
His workshop has my OM4 (capping shutter) and CL (meter) at the moment. I'll report my experience in this thread when I get them back.
P
PhotoGog
Guest
Paul did an excellent job fixing a sticky shutter and cleaning fungus from internal elements on my Mamiya-Sekor TLR 80mm last year. Affordable rates. I would not hesitate to use him again and will be getting a few Nikkors CLAd soon.
lynnb
Veteran
I am having a less than happy experience with Sydney Camera Repairs. On 15 February on the basis of recommendations I left three cameras with them for quotes/repair:
1. OM4 with capping shutter (random frames not exposed; at higher shutter speeds)
2. Leica CL with inoperative meter, which had been working until recently
3. Perkeo II with problem with film advance/double exposure mechanism
The Order Form states:
"Items will be assessed by our Workshop Technicians, at Sydney Camera Repairs, Sydney. Quotes/estimates will be given based on necessary labour and/or parts which will be communicated to you in due course. If for any reason you decide to decline the quote, there will be a charge of $50."
In early March I enquired about progress and had a friendly phone call from Paul where we discussed the Perkeo, which had been previously inspected by another camera repair centre who had said they could not source parts for it. Paul advised me that a part was missing from the mechanism - this was news to me. We agreed that it would be uneconomic to repair it.
By 13 March having phoned again and being promised a call back from Paul which never happened, I sent a friendly email asking Paul if he had a quote for me for the OM4 and CL, confirmed I agreed not to proceed with the Perkeo as it was uneconomic to repair, and saying I would appreciate an update. I received no reply.
I phoned again a few days ago and was advised Paul would ring back. He didn't.
Today I rang again and after some wait, spoke to the technician after being advised Paul was not available. It was very difficult to understand him (a combination of his english and my hearing impairment). He confirmed he had looked at all three cameras and said they could be repaired but could not give tell me any estimate of repair cost despite my direct question. I then asked him not to proceed further as without an estimate I could not assess whether it would be economic to repair.
He said he is a professional technician and he has spent time looking at all three cameras and there is a charge of $50 each to be paid on collection.
I still have not received a quote/estimate for the OM4 and CL.
I have written to Paul asking him to at least provide me with a quote/estimate for the cameras, as per the service Order Form. I said:
I will report here the outcome. I was really hoping that, as other customers above have reported, I could have my cameras professionally serviced at reasonable cost. As it stands, I have no idea if that is even possible, or not - just a demand for $50 x3 and nothing to show for it.
1. OM4 with capping shutter (random frames not exposed; at higher shutter speeds)
2. Leica CL with inoperative meter, which had been working until recently
3. Perkeo II with problem with film advance/double exposure mechanism
The Order Form states:
"Items will be assessed by our Workshop Technicians, at Sydney Camera Repairs, Sydney. Quotes/estimates will be given based on necessary labour and/or parts which will be communicated to you in due course. If for any reason you decide to decline the quote, there will be a charge of $50."
In early March I enquired about progress and had a friendly phone call from Paul where we discussed the Perkeo, which had been previously inspected by another camera repair centre who had said they could not source parts for it. Paul advised me that a part was missing from the mechanism - this was news to me. We agreed that it would be uneconomic to repair it.
By 13 March having phoned again and being promised a call back from Paul which never happened, I sent a friendly email asking Paul if he had a quote for me for the OM4 and CL, confirmed I agreed not to proceed with the Perkeo as it was uneconomic to repair, and saying I would appreciate an update. I received no reply.
I phoned again a few days ago and was advised Paul would ring back. He didn't.
Today I rang again and after some wait, spoke to the technician after being advised Paul was not available. It was very difficult to understand him (a combination of his english and my hearing impairment). He confirmed he had looked at all three cameras and said they could be repaired but could not give tell me any estimate of repair cost despite my direct question. I then asked him not to proceed further as without an estimate I could not assess whether it would be economic to repair.
He said he is a professional technician and he has spent time looking at all three cameras and there is a charge of $50 each to be paid on collection.
I still have not received a quote/estimate for the OM4 and CL.
I have written to Paul asking him to at least provide me with a quote/estimate for the cameras, as per the service Order Form. I said:
I will report here the outcome. I was really hoping that, as other customers above have reported, I could have my cameras professionally serviced at reasonable cost. As it stands, I have no idea if that is even possible, or not - just a demand for $50 x3 and nothing to show for it.
fish1991222
Established
I found him replying really slow too.
I emailed him last month trying to get a quote for a CLA for my M6. After around a week he replied that we can arrange a time that I can deliver the camera myself to him. I then replied email with a date sounds good to me yet no reply from him. Two days past I rang the phone but nobody answered. I tried to ring him twice later on but still no body answered the phone.
The result is... I put another roll in the camera and totally forgot the CLA stuff...
I emailed him last month trying to get a quote for a CLA for my M6. After around a week he replied that we can arrange a time that I can deliver the camera myself to him. I then replied email with a date sounds good to me yet no reply from him. Two days past I rang the phone but nobody answered. I tried to ring him twice later on but still no body answered the phone.
The result is... I put another roll in the camera and totally forgot the CLA stuff...
lynnb
Veteran
Update: Today I received an update from Paul with repair quotes for the cameras. I've authorised him to proceed with service on two of the cameras. I'm hoping this will be a happy outcome once I have the cameras back and can test them.
Beemermark
Veteran
Are they in Sydney, Ohio? I wish people would give just a little more information on a business, such as location or phone number, when doing a recommendation.
Barry Kirsten
Established
I know that repairers in Sydney was specified, but in view of the poor selection of photographic suppliers and services in Australia, I'd mention Nagami in Melbourne for consideration. I have not used him, but he seems experienced and worth considering: http://nagamicamera.com.au/services.html
lynnb
Veteran
Sydney, Australia
michaelwj
----------------
I believe it is Sidney, Ohio as opposed to Sydney, New South Wales. Of course this doesn't help those from Sydney, Florida, or Sydney, Nova Scotia...
😀
I find it really helps when people include a location in their User Information.
pmviewcam
Member
I can also recommend Nagami in Melbourne. Yoshi is very responsive and has done good work for me, repairing a couple of lenses, including a Schneider G-Claron.
Cheers, Peter in Canberra
Cheers, Peter in Canberra
Richard G
Veteran
Sydney is Australia unless otherwise specified. We had the Olympics here. We have the Opera House. I am not being Australocentric. Paris Texas needs the specifier. Paris France does not. Only Americans use the term Paris France. Just saying.
fish1991222
Established
Nice one, LOL.
TerryMcC
Established
Mea culpa. I have now entered my location as Gold Coast, Australia, to distinguish it from Gold Coast, Africa (now Ghana)
michaelwj
----------------
Should I update mine to explicitly state Australia? I don’t want anyone to get me confused with the fine folks from Brisbane, Austria or Brisbane, Austin, Texas.
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