XA light seals smudgy - where to fix?

[Daneinbalto]

The light seals on my XA are becoming smudgy. Where should I send it for repair? Olympus USA? A New York camera store? I am not intent on doing it myself except maybe if a kit can be found where all the pieces are cut to size already.

Cheers,

 

[ferider]

Check with Jon Goodman. He used to post here, I believe.

http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/seal/Olympus_XA.pdf

Roland.

 

[John Bragg]

Jon Goodman's kit on Ebay. Best kit around and frighteningly easy to use with all the instructions nescessary. It is really easy and not worth sending your camera to someone else to do and then be charged exhorbitantly for a SIMPLE job...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/The-Truth-About-Camera-Light-Seal-Foam-Please-Read_W0QQitemZ120405628862QQihZ002QQcategoryZ30038QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[John Hermanson]

Olympus Imaging (formerly Olympus America, the importer, not to be confused in any way with OlympusUSA a totally unaffiliated ebay seller) stopped servicing everything in the XA line years ago. If you decide to send it out and not replace the foam yourself, I'd be happy to overhaul it. This also includes a cleaning of the ranbgefinder elements which will improve slightly the brightness of the overlapping rangefinder image. Please visit my site for more info. John, www.zuiko.com

 

[Austintatious]

Just do it yourself !
It's really easy. I have done two XA's as well as other cameras. Jon Goodman is the way to go for sure. I just got a light seal kit from him this week. Fantastic product!

 

[SimonK]

Another vote here for doing it yourself. Frankly, if I can do it - anyone can!

 

[MarkoKovacevic]

Get Jon Goodmans kit! It cost me 12$ US with shipping, and the pieces are precut too. All you do it clean your camera out, and put in the new seals. It took me maybe a hour at most cleaning and replacing the seals, and now my XA is good as new, apart from the brassing! Heres the instructions [PDF] on how to clean and replace your XA seals.
http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/seal/Olympus_XA.pdf

 

[ZeissFan]

Jon Goodman's kits include instructions for those who can't figure out how to handle this task. His kits receive very good remarks.

I'm using material from a craft store that works very well. One sheet (at about $1) can let me service about 50 cameras.

 

[nthearle]

Hi,
I too can heartily recommend Mr Jon Goodman's light seal kits. They are very easy to use. The pre-cut strips for putting in the main channels that the door engages with make it so much easier - you don't have to try and cut a 100mm strip 1mm wide!. The hinge end and latch end on cameras are easy to cut for any camera. I've resealed 5 or 6 cameras including SLRs, which are a touch more complicated. Olympus XAs, XA2s and XA3s are all dead easy. All you need is a good light, a sharp knife, some lighter fuel, an old cotton hankie, a bit of patience and 3/4 of an hour to do produce a first rate job.

The delivery charge, even to the UK was very small and to top it all he will even respond to e-mails and give you advice should you need it. This is not likely as his XA instructions tell tou all that you need to know. To top it all he is a proper gentleman of the old school.

 

[chris00nj]

For my Canonet I used uscamera.com, but I don't see that they have a kit for the XA.

 

[europanorama]

www.kameradoktor.de
if he does not have it in stock you must send him the camera. the best light-seals worldwide. see his comments.

 

[pphuang]

If you really do not want to do it yourself, Essex Camera in NJ does an excellent job. http://www.essexcamera.com/index.php

I had them replace the seals on my Nikon FM2, and they were not very expensive.

 

[bgb]

yeah what they said !
I'm in the middle of doing the seals on my XA. I have taken the old mess out and will putting in the new ones tonight. It's easy even a dummy like me can do it, especially if you follow the instructions.

 

[bgb]

All done 🙂
Used one of Jon Goodman's kits, very highly recommended.
The only piece of advice i would give is that you read the instructions carefully many times before starting.
I had them up on the screen as i was working
http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/seal/Olympus_XA.pdf