Reader's Comments - Index of - Free

Where to Get a Camera Fixed
definitely the first guy I would go to for work on an older camera.
Strauss Photo: Big, institutional, diverse, and slow. In a part of the District I would prefer
never to set foot, Strauss does repair work for most of the camera shops in the DC area.
They are factory authorized by several major manufacturers. I have had mixed results
with them. They are basically good, but the operation is big enough that some sloppy
work can slip through. Their size does mean they can fix a lot of stuff that a smaller
outfit wouldn't have parts for. I don't send them Nikons any more; I wasn't real pleased
with the last overhaul on my F3 and the camera wound up at Mora a few months later. I
would still go to Strauss if Mora or Alpha couldn't help me.
-- Bob Benzinger, May 26, 2001
Stay away from MACK CAMERA and Repair, in Springfield, NJ. They are arrogant,
ham-handed thieves. Unfortunately, they provide lots of extended-warranty service to
camera shops all over, so many consumers may have no other choice.
I live near Mack and recently brought them a Rollei TLR for servicing. I asked
specifically to speak with their repair person before they worked on the camera. In fact,
nobody called me, they went ahead with the work, and they returned the camera to me in
much worse shape than it was before -- an exterior part entirely missing, a lock-lever
detached, damage to the film transport mechanism and to the camera back/latch. This is
beyond belief. When I complained that nobody had called, they said take your camera
and leave, don't pay us--thinking I would be mollified. It was only when I got home that I
saw what a botch job they had done.
Now, the company president refuses my phone calls, ignores my faxes. My next step will
be Better Business Bureau, then Small Claims Court, I imagine.
Clearly, this company knows nothing about fixing real cameras. It is to be avoided at all
cost.
I would be happy to hear of others' experience with them.
-- John Verity, February 4, 2002
I highly recommend Superior Camera Repair and Exchange, in Woodland Hills, CA. The
owner has done excellent work with my Minolta SRT-101 and XD-11 cameras, which
most shops refuse to even look at. I had a short in my XD-11 which drained fresh
batteries in less than a month; no problem, he fixed it inside a week. He loves working
with classic cameras.
http://www.photo.net/learn/camera-repair (7 of 8) [5/15/2002 7:15:58 PM]