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Camera Repairs
How I got into the Repair Business: People kept on asking me where to get their camera repaired. The problem is that some repairmen are better than others, especially on classic cameras. Often you don't know your repairman can't handle it properly until they have screwed it up.
I eventually got the picture (what a great pun). I decided to offer repairs, using my own expert repairmen. Factory trained at Leica, they know their stuff and treat classic cameras with the maximum of care.
Turnaround AFTER receipt averages 3 to 4 weeks. Four month warranty on labor.
We Specialize in:
General Classic Rangefinder overhaul and cleaning for: Leica M, Leica Screw Mount Shutter overhaul (and most Leica copies), Nikon Rangefinders, Canon Rangefinders, most interchangeable lens rangefinders: $175 labor plus parts if needed. Please note Leica no longer repairs screw mounts, Nikon no longer repairs rangefinders.
Leica Shutter Curtains $75 each plus overhaul cost for factory curtains, $35 each for non Leica curtains.
RF/Viewfinder cleaning most interchangeable lens RF cameras $75
Leica Screw Mount RF/VF Cleaning and Repair for 2nd RF Image $125 Please note this is a special repair which most people tell you can't be done.
Nikon Rangefinders: CLA general cleaning, lubrication and adjustment of shutter, rangefinder $175 CLA with shutter overhaul and replace shutter curtains with F Titanium curtains on the S3, S4, SP $375. SP Motor repairs: Minimum fee $500 if fixable, $150 fee even if unfixable -- they are a you know what to work on and they eat up hours of the best repairmen. Most common lenses cleaned $50 Exotic lens repairs quoted after we see the problem. We repair the 50/1.1.
Nikon SP Selenium Meter Repairs: Almost everyone will tell you these can't be repaired, so we have just started repairing them. We can repair most, but not all SP meters, it depends upon what is needed. $125 + $20 Fed Ex back to you (within the US).
Contax IIa & IIIa: CLA general cleaning, lubrication and adjustment of shutter, rangefinder $175, we are not able to repair IIIa meters due to lack of parts. We do not repair the earlier pre-war Contax.
NON interchangeable lens 35 Rangefinder Overhaul: for most (but not all such RF cameras such as Olympus RD, RC, SP, XA, Canon GIII QL, Petri 35, Yashica, most of the compact 35 RF's profiled at CameraQuest) includes cleaning, lubrication, adjustment, calibration of shutter, rangefinder, meter, calibrating it to the 625a replacement battery if it is designed for the hard to find Mercury batteries, and replacement of the back door light seals which are almost always spongy: $100 This basic fee does not include replacement of broken parts (if needed).
Most mechanical manual focus 35 SLRs: overhauls $175
Nikon F or F2 Shutter overhaul $175 labor (plus parts)
Nikon F and F2 Photomic Meter Repairs : Repair, overhaul, re-calibration for all F and F2 Photomic DP-1, F2A Meters $125; F2S, F2SB, F2AS overhauls $150, plus parts if any. Almost everyone will tell you these can't be repaired, so we have just started repairing them. For More Info
NEW Rollei TLR repairs, average turnaround 3 to 4 weeks after receipt: full overhaul including lens cleaning, shutter, film transport, focusing: $400. Repairs done by factory trained technician with over 35 years of experience. Parts and installation of parts extra, IF needed. Basic CLA without shutter or transport overhaul $100. Shutter overhaul ONLY $150. Film Transport overhaul ONLY $150.
Lens Cleaning: Most common RF and SLR lenses $75 each. Zooms are a minimum of $125.
Re-lubing a lens requires complete disassembly and much labor, minimum $75
ESTIMATES: The above price estimate schedule works in most instances, but email to make sure it applies to your camera / lens, unless your equipment is specifically listed above. Estimates are just that. Often we can't be sure of the necessary repairs until it has been disassembled. IF more problems are encountered, you will be contacted for your approval to go ahead. Click here for email estimate.
TURNAROUND TIME from receipt to return shipment is an average three to four weeks. If it takes longer, you will be informed via email. "Rush" service is not available.
WARRANTY is 4 months labor, not counting parts or shipping.
SHIPMENT: Ship camera/lens/whatever to me INSURED. I am NOT responsible for something which does not arrive, or is damaged before it arrives. You will be charged a minimum $20 return Fed Ex 2nd day shipment fee within the US. You will be emailed the tracking number. While some may not like the minimum $20 return Fed Ex shipping costs, I believe Fed Ex will result in less lost cameras and hair loss (mine). Outside the US, I will ship by whatever method you prefer and pay for, but I will not be responsible if the shipper loses or damages the camera.
LENS CLEANING is successful most of the time, but not always. Some lenses have damaged glass which is not identifiable until the lens is disassembled.
PAYMENT for amount of the email estimate and return shipping must accompany item in the form of either money order or cashier's check, or a personal check drawn on an American bank account, made out to Stephen Gandy. There is a minimum $20 return 2nd day Fed Ex shipment fee within the US. Repairs exceeding the estimate will be shipped back Fed Ex COD.
MAILING ADDRESS:
Stephen Gandy, 1336 Moorpark Rd, Box 184, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91360-5224 USA
Revised: November 22, 2003 . Copyright © 2003 Stephen Gandy. All rights reserved. This means you may NOT copy and re-use the text or the pictures in ANY other internet or printed publication of ANY kind. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.