As my camera collection has now reached the point where the cameras can be counted in dozens instead of one at a time, there’s one aspect of old cameras I’ve come to know pretty well: getting them repaired. And recent experiences have driven home a choice we often make when having our older cars repaired too — do I take it to a generalist, or a specialist?
To be specific, I’m defining these in this way:
- A generalist repairperson is someone who’ll take-on most anything.
- A specialist repairperson is someone who repairs specific brands, models or types of cameras.
Either may limit themselves in some way or another; perhaps specific models are not their thing (for example). Regardless, there’s certainly a case to be made for both — and I’ve used both in different situations.
As With Cars, Age and Experience Matter
It feels like with cars, there’s sort of an upside-down bell curve involved when it comes to repairs. On one end, there are newer cars, perhaps still under warranty. On the opposite end are cars that are of collector interest, vintage machines that draw big money in specialist auto auctions, the kind of cars that are generally “restored.” And then in the middle is just a bunch of old stuff, some of it taken care of — and a lot of it not. A car’s position in that continuum dictates where you might take it for service. New cars? Dealers, who should be specialists. Collector cars? Likely specialists. Everything else? Well, whoever is willing to cash your check, really — generalists who know how to turn a spanner, and hopefully know the difference between a brake line and a punch line.
Cameras, it seems, aren’t that much different. Just as a vintage Mini Cooper from the 1960s has specific mechanical and structural issues that are unique to the type — and that only someone with deep experience will fully know and understand — something like a 1960s Mamiya Press Super 23 has issues that are unique to it as well, and for which specialist knowledge is helpful. In the case of my own Super 23, the specialist Mamiya knowledge of Bill Rogers (see my Vendor Directory for info), along with the fact that he possesses original factory tooling for rangefinder alignment of the camera, made him a logical choice for tackling the camera. Bill does specialize in Mamiya, but also tackles myriad cameras of various brands; he is, perhaps, both specialist and generalist.
When I bought my first Kodak Retina (a model IIc) not long ago, I discovered that a specialist is actually the best way to go. Initially I was planning to send the camera to Bill for a CLA, but while Bill does do “deep” leaf shutter overhauls in many cases (meaning full disassembly, cleaning and reassembly), as he did it for my Super 23, he will not do them in all cases — and the Retina is a case where he wouldn’t.
Instead, the Retina ended-up with Paul Barden, a Retina-only specialist in Oregon (see my Vendor Directory for info). Paul has restored and serviced tons of Retinas of all types, and knows from experience the specific issues that these cameras often have. His keen eye and experience also informed his ability to identify that the camera had had inattentive service previously — an internal part was missing from the advance mechanism — as well as to see that a part was malformed, perhaps from the camera being dropped.
Parts availability is a challenge on such old cameras, but by specializing in the type, Paul can sometimes keep some donor cameras around, and has knowledge of — and access to — certain reproduction parts, . (See more on parts below.)
As was the case when I sent my Super 23 to Bill, sending the Retina to Paul ended-up being a really smart choice. What I got back was a camera that worked perfectly, was buttery smooth and a true joy to use — and that actually makes me happy I spent the money getting the work done.
Parts is Parts — Unless You Can’t Get Them
As I just noted above, one of the primary challenges of keeping older cameras running is parts availability. Again, as I’ve learned, there are basically three sources of parts for our old film cameras:
- New Old Stock
These are parts that are still brand new, and have been kept in someone’s inventory for a very long time. As camera repair expertise and availability has dwindled, and old timers have retired, large stocks of parts inventories have traded hands. (In other cases, I hear reports of no interest in these inventories, and the parts are simply dumped in the trash, which is a shame.) For the most part, only a specialist would likely to be interested in these parts inventories, and there are some people who’ve been at this game a long time who have such inventories. Bill Rogers, who I mentioned earlier, has a pretty decent inventory of parts himself, particularly for Mamiya cameras. It’s a good reason to use a specialist, although I confess to feeling badly that in servicing my Super 23, Bill used the very last lens focus and mount assembly he had for the camera. (Apologies to whoever down the line needs one.)
- Scavenged Parts
We’ve all heard of “donor cameras” — non-working cameras that have been sacrificed to keep their siblings operational. While it’s sad to see a camera end-up with this fate, some or most are basket cases that are not realistic to restore or repair. The problem is that components that commonly wear out tend to wear out in any camera, so it may be tough to find useful candidates to use as donors for such high wear parts. Specialists, of course, don’t have a monopoly on scavenging parts from a donor camera, and it may be the only way a generalist repairperson can help too.
- Reproduction Parts
From what I hear, this doesn’t happen a great deal with vintage cameras (it’s quite common in the automotive world), but reproduction parts are made in some cases. When they are available, it’s something that only a specialist can really tap into easily, which I discovered recently in the case of cocking racks for some of the Kodak Retina cameras. As CNC machines and 3D printers become both more widely available, lower in cost, and more accurate with tight tolerances, we might see this happen more. Let’s hope so.
Common Cameras Are a Different Matter
If there’s a twist to the specialist vs. generalist argument, it might be with cameras that are extremely common. When I decided to get a CLA for my Rolleiflex Automat MX, I had it done at Cameraworks (see my Vendor Directory for info), a used camera shop I regularly do business with. They’ve been able to provide shutter overhauls for Mamiya C-Series TLR lenses and other straightforward repairs, and because they handle a lot of Rollei TLRs, I assumed they had the necessary skills and knowledge to do the job. The results demonstrated that they do. Of course, there are specialists on Rollei cameras, but I’ve also heard mixed reviews on some of them, which impacted my decision. Also impacting it? Lead times… Which is the next point.
Lead Times Matter Too
As the number of camera repairpeople with the experience to repair older film cameras continues to dwindle, the repair lead times for those who remain continues to lengthen — particularly with specialists. Mark Hansen, an often-mentioned generalist repairperson with a focus on Rollei TLRs and various Zeiss Ikon models, currently shows a 16 to 22 week backlog as of the date of this article. David Odess, who repairs Hasselblads, quotes a 12 to 14 week turn. Henry Scherer, a Zeiss Ikon specialist, indicates that he has a “very long” waiting list, without being more specific.
To put that in different words, you may be waiting not just weeks — but months — to get your camera fixed. If you’re unwilling to wait that long to get your camera back, then turning to a generalist of some sort with better availability may be your only real option, and again, with a common camera, that may be sufficient.
Brace Yourself for the Cost
While it seems that film camera values are on the rise, it’s quite possible that you’ll spend more money getting a camera serviced than the camera is actually worth. A full-on, complete, all-encompassing CLA can run anywhere from US$100 to 10 times that amount, perhaps more, depending on the camera, and who’s doing the work. Scherer, the Zeiss Ikon specialist, charges nearly US$900 to completely overhaul a Contax IIIa, as one example — and a complete overhaul is the only service option he provides for the camera; he will not do specific, focused repairs. Given the limited availability of expertise on the camera, he can probably afford to call the shots on price and approach.
Cameras like the Contax IIIa, along with ones like Leicas and Hasselblads, may well justify healthy levels of investment in their maintenance and repair. But, with plenty of lesser cameras that are a lot of fun to own and use, that’s just not the case, and I’d recommend that you be clear on that point going in, especially if surprises come-up along the way, which they often do.
Camera techs are not clairvoyant; only by opening-up a camera and beginning the work can they truly know what might be ailing any particular camera, or what’s needed to rectify it. That rankles a lot of customers, apparently, which is why some repairpeople have adopted a certain “posture,” let’s call it, with potential customers. (Both Hansen’s and Scherer’s web sites go into some ugly details on past customers’ bad faith actions and reactions.) And, I suppose, it also opens-up the potential for unscrupulous repairmen trying to bilk you for unneeded “repairs,” so it’s a good reason to do your homework — something I’ll go into in more detail below.
For me, the joy in old film cameras is using them more than owning them. And if the camera doesn’t act right, or the rangefinder is dirty, or the shutter is slow, or whatever else is going on with it? Well, it’s not particularly enjoyable to use — or may not be usable at all. I have little interest in shelf queens, and thankfully, none of the cameras I’ve chosen to have repaired have ended-up unserviceable. It may happen at some point, but in the meantime, I’m happy to spend a reasonable amount of money getting a camera going again — knowing full well that I won’t be getting that money back in the unlikely event that I want to sell the camera later on.
So, Which is It? Specialist or Generalist?
I wish I had an easy answer to that question, but unfortunately, I don’t. The following is a list of things you may wish to consider when choosing someone to repair your camera:
- Is a Specialist Available (or Needed)?
If you need service on a particularly valuable or sought-after camera, or perhaps a popular niche camera, a specialist might be your best choice — especially if you suspect that more than a simple cleaning is necessary. I’ve cited examples above, but whether you find or consider a specialist or a generalist, it’s worth asking your potential camera tech what experience they have with the specific camera you need serviced, and what limitations they may have in performing the work. One example I mentioned earlier: One of my techs prefers not to do full teardowns of leaf shutters except on specific cameras. - Do Your Homework
This is sage advice for any service you’re considering buying, but do your homework, and ideally speak to real people who’ve had real work done with the person or people you’re considering. Paul Barden, who serviced my Retina (and is servicing another as I write this article) came highly recommended by a trusted acquaintance; turns out, it was a very good referral. - Ask Questions
Again, this is general advice that could apply to about anything, but I find it essential to really probe the person or people you’re considering before you send your camera anywhere. The answers they provide can be truly insightful, both in form, and in substance. Brief, unclear and incomplete answers convey a lot about the person responding, while thoroughness and clarity do as well. A repairperson may not be a great e-mail communicator but still be good at what they do, but I’m unlikely to take a chance on someone who can’t clearly articulate their answers to general questions from a potential customer about something they should have expertise with. And if someone doesn’t answer at all? Check spam folders and so on just in case, but for me, someone gets two chances to reply before I move on; they must not want my business. An often-mentioned repairperson of a popular TLR camera falls into this category; there was no response to my messages two times, so I moved-on to someone else. - Know the Costs — and What Might Alter Them
Yet again, this is good general advice when seeking services, but I go out of my way to understand costs, scope and more importantly, the potential variables. You may not be able to do much comparison shopping given the shrinking number of options for service, but getting it all spelled out ahead of time saves misunderstanding and heartache later. But you need to be prepared to trust your repairperson if things pop-up — which they very well might. When I had Bill get my Super 23 running, there were two separate waves of unexpected issues that required spending more money. Bill was clear about the situation, explaining things in great detail (another reason they should be a good communicator). He also sent pictures along the way to show me what was going on. It’s the nature of the beast; be ready for unexpected challenges — and costs. - Ask How Long
I mentioned backlogs and timelines earlier, but it’s another area where clear communication up-front will save some heartache. An experienced and competent repairperson should know what their backlog looks like, and the approximate timeframe in which they should be able to get to your camera. - Be Willing to Take the Risk
A lot of my cameras were relatively low cost, so working with someone I didn’t know very well was something I deemed to be a reasonable risk in the event that something went terribly wrong. In short, I work with someone completely unknown and new to me only if I’m willing to lose the camera and never get it back; that’s extreme, and unlikely, but it sets expectations, and saves disappointment later. When something went wrong with my Hasselblad, however, which would be very costly to replace, I had Bill do the work — I’d developed that trust with previous interactions. (I also carry specialized commercial insurance on my cameras, so even if something did go wrong, I was covered.)
The Bottom Line
With the dwindling number of camera repair options available, be prepared to wait if you have problems with your cherished film cameras. Do your homework, ask questions, get references (independently), and be prepared for what might come-up.
And if you have specific experiences you’d like to share, or repair options not shown in our Vendor Directory, please let us know. We’d like to hear about it.
