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Where to Get a Camera Fixed
If you own an older Canon A-series Manual focus camera, send it to Karl Aimo in Mass.
His E-mail address is AE1REPAIR@aol.com, he cought a problem with my AE-1 and
repaired it for a very good price. He charged $65 to fix a jam, a dead hotshoe, and give
the camera a CLA. The local camera shops in my area wanted $120 to fix the hotshoe
alone. Great service and fast turn-around along with great prices.
-- Chris Pitassy, July 9, 2000
In Philadelphia, try to avoid Camera Brokers of Philadelphia (CBOP). Took a camera
there for cleaning/adjustment in early August. Went back a week later to find out their
repair technician wasn't (and hadn't) been around, so my repair waited until he returned.
Received a phone call from him later, saying that my Canon SLR needed some other
work - shutter repair, mostly - and that it would be another 2.5 to 3 weeks, and I would
get a call.
After waiting for the call (in the meantime missing the opportunity to take the camera on
a trip) I returned to the shop today (October 2) asking the whereabouts of the camera
since I had never been called. I was told that "the camera just got in today" by one
employee, and then "the camera came in a while ago, and we called you." (The number I
provided was a work number, so there's no chance I "missed the call or there was no
answering machine" as I was told. Even so, wouldn't good customer service dictate that
you keep calling until A.) you speak with someone or B.) can leave a message? )
In any case, the second employee I dealt with "didn't like my tone" and told me to "take
my business elsewhere." I suggest you do the same.
-- Michael Kmiec, October 2, 2000
In the Washington D.C. area, I have experience with three repair shops:
Mora Camera Service: Just off Wisconsin Avenue, near Tenley Circle in the District.
Nikon only. Small, personal, and they can do most anything on a Nikon. Reasonable
prices and decent turnaround times. Their work for me has always been first rate. They
also sell used Nikon and Nikon-compatible equipment. Last time I was there, they had a
rare 500mm f5 mirror lens at a competitive price.
Alpha Camera: In the Clarendon area of Arlington, at the corner of Washington Blvd.
and Wilson Blvd. This is another small shop, run by a Vietnamese guy who fixed Nikons
for the war correspondents in Saigon. He has done some first-rate work for me on older
mechanical equipment, cleaning fungus out of lenses and that sort of thing. Rates are
quite reasonable. Don't be put off by the funky storefront, this guy does good work. I
don't know how knowledgeable he is about the latest autofocus wonderboxes, but he is
http://www.photo.net/learn/camera-repair (6 of 8) [5/15/2002 7:15:58 PM]