Yashica TLR CLA

DougS

DougS

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Feb 22, 2008
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I apologize as I know it's been asked before but I am looking for a CLA on a clean Yashica Mat with slower shutter speeds occasionally sticking and an aperture that could be smoother. I know Mark Hama is there (at $135) but who are the others? The number of technicians/shops that work on these seems to be shrinking daily. I do some work on my cameras but after screwing up the shutter on a really nice Diacord, discretion is the better part of valor.
thanks,
Doug
Buffalo, NY
 
Mark Hama is way more then $135 USD. Last year when I priced getting mine done it was nearly $200 for a CLA. And his lack of communication does not make sending a stranger my beloved gear and handing him $200 feel safe or right.

There's also http://www.camerarefurb.com/ who does Yashica gear and may do TLRs too. He has never replied to my request for a CLA/repair on my Electro 35 GSN so I am also wary of using him.

If Youxin Ye did TLRs and Yashicas, he'd be who I'd suggest as top choice. But he doesn't sadly.

I am watching this thread myself as I have need of CLA for my 124G still and I would like a good quality alternative to the above mentioned.
 
I have used Paul Ebel in WI with great results. He brought my Rollei 3.5f back to life.
I believe I paid $ 160.00 two years ago.

Another very good guy is David Easterwood, from Michigan. He has worked in a few of my cameras with excellent results. As of late, his turn around times are below his 2-3 weeks average, because of family commitments. Very good communicator and truly knowledgeable about his craft.
Hope this helps.
Giorgio
 
The prints are OK but I am taking a 2 week trip of a lifetime to Italy this fall with my wife and I want the cameras I take along to sing. The price I got from Mark was via a phone call this week, so unless I didn't hear him correctly $135 was the price. This is a non-metered Yashica Mat. About 5 years ago I sent him a Mat 124 G with a non-working meter. I didn't hear from him for months. Turns out he was waiting for a donor camera for it's meter. I will say to this day the camera is flawless. I just want other options than him. I can't see spending twice what I paid for the camera in a CLA.
 
DougS said:
I just want other options than him. I can't see spending twice what I paid for the camera in a CLA.
Click to expand...

A new, nearest equivalent camera is over $5K. Puts the CLA in proper perspective.

The price of a CLA is not tied to the cost of the body. In many ways the price of the body is so low because the price of the CLA is fixed.

$135 gets you 1-1.5 hours of an expert technician's time. Would you like less time spent or a less expert technician?
 
Scrambler said:

A new, nearest equivalent camera is over $5K. Puts the CLA in proper perspective.

The price of a CLA is not tied to the cost of the body. In many ways the price of the body is so low because the price of the CLA is fixed.

$135 gets you 1-1.5 hours of an expert technician's time. Would you like less time spent or a less expert technician?
Click to expand...


My tlr rate in 1985 was 105.00 . CLA new MS if needed, test and guarantee for 6months.

135.00 today for known quality seems to be a no brainer :bang::D
 
Scrambler said:

A new, nearest equivalent camera is over $5K. Puts the CLA in proper perspective.

The price of a CLA is not tied to the cost of the body. In many ways the price of the body is so low because the price of the CLA is fixed.

$135 gets you 1-1.5 hours of an expert technician's time. Would you like less time spent or a less expert technician?
Click to expand...

Piling on, I concur. Mark Hama is probably the last surviving technician on Earth who can say he has over 40 years experience on Yashicas dating back to having built them new in the factory. That kind of knowledge is priceless, so when he's willing to offer it at a finite price, that's rather charitable of him.

By the way, if taking the trip of a lifetime--so the camera must not fail--get a Rolleiflex. Faux-rent one if you have to for financial reasons (i.e., buy, use in Italy, then resell).

--Dave
 
DougS said:
The prints are OK but I am taking a 2 week trip of a lifetime to Italy this fall with my wife and I want the cameras I take along to sing. The price I got from Mark was via a phone call this week, so unless I didn't hear him correctly $135 was the price. This is a non-metered Yashica Mat. About 5 years ago I sent him a Mat 124 G with a non-working meter. I didn't hear from him for months. Turns out he was waiting for a donor camera for it's meter. I will say to this day the camera is flawless. I just want other options than him. I can't see spending twice what I paid for the camera in a CLA.
Click to expand...

I've worked on a number of Yashica-Mats. Probably overhauled and sold 15 in the last couple of years. But I stopped doing this when i relaized that I had one donor camera for every two cameras I could make work. Yashica-Mats are NOT well made cameras. They have almost no adjustment points, and the quality of the machine work is mediocre.

At the same time, they have one thing going for them: they used Rollei as their starting point. So the basic design does work, and is capable of giving great results, as many people can testify.

With this prelude- send it to Mark Hama, please. His experience is the difference. I feel pretty certain that there were parts I would put back in that he would have looked at and seen the problem right away. That there are nudge points he knows and can finesse. I'm not saying that others can't work on Yashica-Mats; I can and many others can. But if you want anything close to certainty, have Hama do the work.

Asto the money- well, $200 is a good price for a solid TLR like the Yashica-Mat.

Enjoy your travels.
 
Well, this is only my 2 cents, but Mark Hama did a terrific CLA on one of my Yashica TLR's about 4 months ago, and it cost me $135 plus shipping - came to a total of $141 I think. Turnaround time was less than 10 days. I am more than pleased with the results.
 
Of the many cameras I've stripped for minor repairs ( and some not so minor) I can tell you that the most complicated part of that job is removing and replacing the covering. The lens are easily removed and then cleaning out the shutter is an easy flush. Take a few close ups or careful drawings and you can do it. There's also more than a couple of sites with good coverage of that camera. With a bit of care in handling they can last a long time and the glass is great!
Peter
 
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