Every single year, every one of our beloved film cameras gets another year older. Cameras that were 50 years old 10 years ago are now 60 years old, and that trend likely isn’t going to change, and like everything that ages, they’re going to need help to keep doing what they do.
There is a popular saying that “they don’t make ’em like they used to” which applies to a great number of things like cars, appliances, and cameras. And while it is largely true that the concept of planned obsolescence wasn’t common back when many classic cameras were made, it is also true that things were made with the expectation that they would be regularly serviced.
When you bought a mechanical camera, it was assumed that every couple of years, you’d bring it back in for service to clean and adjust anything that was falling out of spec. If you look inside the film compartments of many cameras, you’ll often find hand written stickers on them with a date of the camera’s last service. Professional photographers would get their Leicas and Contaxes serviced annually, sometimes even more often than that depending on their use.
Today, in the 21st century, there are fewer options for camera repairs than ever before. The demand for the necessary skills and tools to properly CLA (Clean, Lube, Adjust) a film camera are not what it used to be.
The good news is that there are still options, and in most cases, you can still get any kind of camera ever made repaired, but that won’t last forever. As discussed on multiple episodes of the Camerosity Podcast, if you have an old camera and are thinking of getting it serviced, do it now while you still can as these people won’t be around forever!
To help you find service for the cameras, I have compiled a list of known camera technicians who are accepting work as of the writing of this post. My intent is to maintain this list and periodically update it with anyone new who has started taking on repairs, and those who have stopped. At the very bottom, I will maintain a list of retired technicians who are no longer accepting work, but since their names are widely circulated on the Internet, I wanted to clarify they have retired.
The following links are to reputable repair shops and what they specialize in. I do not have personal experience with most of these. Each of the references below were recommended to me or have a positive reputation among other collectors and are worthy of looking into. This list is far from complete, so if you have someone that should be added to this list, post your suggestions in the comments below.
Youxin Ye – YYe Camera – Canton, MA – Youxin is one of the most highly regarded sources for screw and bayonet mount Leicas, screw mount Canon rangefinders, and other Japanese Leica copies. He can also CLA the lenses for those cameras, including Nikkor and third party LTM and M-mount lenses. They also offer a variety of upgrades to later model Leica viewfinders. Due to his popularity though, Youxin is extremely busy and his waiting list is growing.
Mark Hama – Marietta, GA – Although Mark Hama can repair almost any camera, he’s probably the world’s authority on Yashica cameras. He bought out the Yashica factory’s entire supply of parts for the Yashica-Mat 124G. Although Mark’s reputation is well known, his repair times can be quite long these days.
Graham Burnett – graflexparts.com – Duluth, MN – Graham is an expert on Graflex and many different types of reflex and focal plane press cameras. He services nearly all types of prewar Graflex press cameras, along with Kershaw-Soho, Mentor, Houghton-Butcher, Thornton & Pickard, Hall Reflex, and others. He also stocks many replacement parts and has a merch store. Graham has appeared on Episode 43 of the Camerosity Podcast.
Sherry Krauter – Campbell Hall, NY – Ms. Krauter is a factory trained specialist for Leica cameras and lenses. She only works on screw and bayonet mount Leica rangefinders and lenses, and some Leicaflex SLRs and their lenses. She has been doing this since 1973 and offers a 6 month warranty on any repair she has done.
Bill Rogers – mamiyarepair.com – Las Vegas, NV – Bill has over 40 years of experience repairing all kinds of Mamiya cameras and has a huge supply of spare parts acquired from Mamiya after they stopped making new ones. He specializes in the RB67s, M645 models, and the Super 23 press cameras. He can repair nearly every model except the 645AF model. Bill has appeared on Episode 45 of the Camerosity Podcast if you’d like to know more.
Harry Fleenor – rolleirepairs.com – Manhattan Beach, CA – Harry is the go-to guy for all Rollei repairs and can repair nearly all Rolleiflex and Rolleicord TLRs, including the SL66 SLR and the compact Rollei 35. He performs full restorations, can upgrade focusing screens, and can even convert some 120-only Rollei TLRs to accept 220. Harry’s work is so well regarded in the Rollei community that some unscrupulous eBay sellers have “faked” his repairs to boost the value of the camera.
Erik Hendrickson – pentaxs.com – Loudon, TN – Erik has been servicing Pentax cameras since 1969 making him one of the most experienced technicians on this list. He specializes in screw and K-mount 35mm Pentaxes and the 6×7 Pentax. He does not work on the Pentax LX, or auto-focus bodies. His services come highly recommended and he even gives free estimates. Erik only accepts work from the United States only.
John Hermanson – Zuiko.com – Huntington, NY – John has over 40 years of experience and specializes in Olympus camera repair. As of October 2022, John states he is semi-retired and is limiting new work to only some OM-series SLRs, the XA, and nothing else. He will not repair any Pen F or regular Pen models, the older rangefinders like the 35SP, the FTL SLR, the later OM-bodies, or any non-rangefinder XA cameras. Please contact John first to see if he will take on your model before sending anything to him.
Mark Hansen – zeissikonrolleirepair.com – Stevens Point, WI – Mark Hansen is a very experienced and well known source for all kinds of German camera repairs and is one of the most respected technicians who still work on Zeiss-Ikon Contax rangefinders. His site lists a long range of folding and solid bodied German cameras, field cameras, TLRs, and others. He doesn’t work on most Japanese cameras, and very few SLRs, so check with him before sending work. Like most popular technicians, Mark has a long repair queue but his work is worth it!
Edit: Early in 2024, Mark Hansen’s website said he was suffering from some medical issue and had stopped taking repairs. Then in September 2024, it changed saying he was taking on new work, however based on feedback from at least 2 people who have contacted me, he is not responding to email requests, so I am unsure if something has changed again. I would advise not sending anything to Mark unless you have actually spoken to him and have a commitment for repair.
Radu Lesaru – 3R Camera – Naples, FL – Radu is a factory trained specialist in repairing Alpa SLRs and Tessina 35 cameras and is considered an authority on those brands. He can also service a variety of of classic German cameras including AGFA, Contax, Exakta, Pentacon, Praktica, Robot, and Voigtländer models. Radu is the only person in the United States I know of who can repair the original Contax I.
Edit: As of May 2024, Radu has been declining repair work on everything except Alpa SLRs. He is limiting himself to just one type of camera. If this changes, I will be sure to post another update.
Jim and Liz McRae – Vermont Camera Works – Pittsford, VT – This husband and wife team have been servicing cameras since 1984. Their website says they work on all makes of film and digital cameras without any particular area of specialty. If you are in need of a repair, definitely give them a call to see if they can take it on! Jim and Liz also have a small retail business for refurbished cameras.
Chicago Camera Specialists – Chicago, IL – This shop claims to be able to repair all kinds of film and digital cameras, offering specialized CCD cleaning for digital cameras, and film camera re-skinning. They also offer rush service for professional photographers. Their site says they’ve been repairing cameras since 1947 and also has a walk-in retail store in downtown Chicago.
Don Goldberg – DAG Camera – Oregon, WI – Don Golderg is a Leica trained technician who used to work for them when they owned Minox. When he left, he took a huge number of spare Minox parts, many of which he still has. He specializes in Leica and Minox repair and has serviced a huge number of cameras for collectors I know. DAG’s website says they have a huge supply of new or like new parts for sale which are no longer available anywhere else. DAG’s popularity has the downside of often long wait times for repair work.
Gus Lazzari – TLC Camera Repair – High Point, NC – Gus’s website says he repairs most types of cameras, but seems to specialize in Leica and Nikon rangefinders, with some Hasselblad and Rolleiflex work. The website is light on information and as of March 2023, suggests he is semi-retired and has recently doubled his repair rates.
Karl Bryan – Oregon, USA – Karl does not have a website, but is one of the most respected repairmen for the Minolta Autocord and assisted me in repairing my Autocord reviewed on this site. Karl specializes in only the Autocord because he says it’s his favorite camera and he enjoys seeing them working again. As of March 2023, he is still active and taking on new work. He can be contacted by emailing: [email protected].
Brandon Monroe – Brookville, IN – Brandon is a young man who has studied pre and postwar Contax rangefinders and can do complete CLAs to them, replacing shutter ribbons, cleaning, adjusting, and lubing the shutter mechanism. He can also adjust and do some repairs to the rangefinders in those cameras, clean and lube the focus helix, and other parts of the camera, getting them to almost new condition. He can take on any Contax rangefinder, except the original Contax I. Brandon was featured as a guest on Episode 41 of the Camerosity Podcast if you’d like to learn more.
Edit: As of August 2023, I have heard that Brandon is no longer responding to any messages and is no longer active on his Facebook page. He may have stopped working on Contax repairs, so until I hear otherwise, I am no longer recommending his service.
Julien Piscioneri – Brooklyn Film Camera – New York City, NY – Brooklyn Film Camera is a retail shop located in New York City, and does all manner of sales, service, and film processing, but the reason they are here is for their reputable repair and restoration service for classic Polaroid cameras. Their lead technician, Julien Piscioneri was trained in the Netherlands and worked for the Impossible Project. He has over 10 years of Polaroid experience and the website says he has serviced over 11,000 cameras. He specializes in the SX-70, SX-70 Sonar, and SLR680.
Retrospekt – Milwaukee, WI – Another option for Polaroid repair and service is Retrospekt. This retail store has a web presence selling repaired and upgraded Polaroid cameras and film. They specialize in the SX-70 and 600 series cameras, and also sell vintage VHS and repair the Nintendo Game Boy! What a cool sounding place!
Dave Easterwood – Dave’s Camera Repair – Chelsea, MI – Dave has been repairing cameras since 1973 and his website says he can take on any kind of work, but I know he specializes in repair of Topcon SLRs. He has a huge supply of original NOS Topcon parts and can take a completely damaged camera and restore it back to new. Dave’s website hasn’t been updated in a while however, and did not respond to an email by me to see if he is still in business, so keep that in mind.
Paul Barden – Corvallis, OR – Paul is relatively new to repairing cameras and studied under Chris Sherlock in the repair of Kodak Retina cameras and has since built up a very good reputation of being able to bring back Kodak Retinas to live. Unlike Chris though, Paul will not touch the SLRs or any of the S models. He only takes on pre and postwar folding Retinas.
Garry Airapetov – Garry’s Camera Repair – Buffalo Grove, IL – This shop is located in the Chicago Suburbs and takes on all kinds of film and digital camera repairs. His site doesn’t give a lot of specifics into what he specializes in, but suggests you contact him before sending anything to see if he can take it on.
Ryan Jones – Pro Camera – Charlottesville, NC – Pro Camera has been in business since 1983, but Ryan Jones was an employee and after the owner wanted to sell the business, he took it over and runs it repairing all sorts of film cameras. Although Ryan can repair a lot of things, he has a unique way of accepting cameras in that he has windows where he “opens and closes” accepting new work. This means that Ryan can only take on new work when the repair window is open, but this has the benefit of not letting his repair queue get long, so that he can get it back to you sooner. He offers priority repair for pros. Ryan appeared on Episode 34 of the Camerosity Podcast.
Kurt’s Camera Repair – San Diego, CA – A favorite of Ken Rockwell, Kurt’s can take on any camera and is factory licensed to repair Nikon cameras under warranty. His site has a long list of film camera repairs he can take on, but suggests you contact him before sending anything to discuss options.
Henry Scherer – zeisscamera.com – Los Angeles, CA – For many years, Henry Scherer has been well regarded as the “de facto” standard for repairs of the Zeiss-Ikon Contax rangefinder, Contarex SLR, and Super Ikonta folding cameras. Henry’s reputation is that of an extremely detailed artisan who can not only repair, but restore your old camera to its original factory condition, even though these are some of the hardest cameras to repair. The catch though is that Henry’s waiting list is famously long. Last I heard, he’s telling people the list is over 10 years long, and his services typically start at $1250 and up. With a list that long, he has no reason to lower his prices, but I am not certain how many people out there would be willing to wait that long. Even if you don’t hire Henry to repair your camera, his website is full of a lot of great reading material.
Zacks Camera Repair – Providence, RI – Zacks Camera Repair comes highly recommended from several people and handles repairs of all types of film cameras and can service digital cameras and does VHS and motion picture film to digital transfers. Their website says they also sell Used Cameras, but as of March 2023, have none for sale. They also say to contact them first before sending anything in for repair.
Yuri Boguslavsky – Fedka – New York City, NY – Yuri has both a Fedka store and sells on eBay under the same name and was born in Ukraine before moving to New York in 1990. In the years since, he has developed a large collection of Soviet gear and has developed contacts back home in Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and regularly imports repaired or good working condition Soviet cameras and lenses. Although Yuri does not take in repairs himself, his online store has a large selection of stuff for sale and comes with a very positive reputation from many happy customers.
Camera Clinic – Mandan ND – Steve from Camera Clinic has over 40 years repairing cameras and started his current business in 1995 repairing all sorts of cameras. His website talks about a variety of digital camera repairs including LCD replacement and sensor cleanings, but he also services film cameras too, giving CLAs, replacing light seals and more. If you’re in the area and need your camera looked at, give Steve a call!
Precision Camera Works – Lakeway, TX – Bob Watkins from Precision boasts a long line of camera brands that other technicians won’t touch. Recommended by a site reader, Bob can repair Widelux, Noblex, and Fuji G617 panoramic cameras, along with Hasselblad, Horseman, Mamiya Professional, Linhof and other high end cameras and lenses. If you have a camera that you’re struggling to find someone to look at, see if Precision can help you.
Scott Nielsen – Nielsen Photographic Services – Oakdale, CA – Scott Nielsen comes highly recommended from a number of readers and is factory licenses to repair the Minolta CLE rangefinders, the Minolta XK and other electronic cameras. He stocks a huge number of replacement parts, allowing him to take on repairs for more difficult cameras that others won’t touch.
Advance Camera Inc. – Portland, OR – Another highly recommend do-it-all shop is Advance Camera. According to their website, “We can work on pretty much anything within reason; in the past year we’ve rebuilt or serviced APS, 35mm, Half-Frame, Panoramic, Medium, and Large Format film cameras from pre-war German rangefinders to modern field cameras. One of our technicians is a veteran of the Pentax Service Center, and we specialize in Pentax 67 and 67IIs.”
Midstate Camera Repair – Providence, RI – Midstate is a family run business that has been around since 1978 and employs a variety of repair technicians who were all trained at the National Camera Technical Training School. They take on all kinds of professional film and digital models, along with a large number of consumer digital models as well.
Blue Moon Camera and Machine – Portland, OR – Blue Moon has a pretty good reputation for repairing cameras and is the only one on this list who also can repair old typewriters too! How cool is that. Their Repair FAQ shows a huge list of popular Nikon, Canon, Pentax, and Olympus 35mm SLRs, and they also have an in house tech named Paul Osburn who specializes in Hasselblad.
Dave Feely – Key Camera Service – Longmont, CO – Dave Feely does not have a website, but is listed on Rollei’s US website as a recommended repair facility for all Rolleiflex TLRs, Rolleiflex SL 3003, SL 2000, SL 35, SL 66, 6000 series cameras and nearly every other make/brand. How can you go wrong with the maker of the cameras themselves tells you he’s a good option! Dave can be reached at 303-772-7690 or by email at [email protected].
Jim Kilroy – Barn Owl Camera – Warwick, MA – Another option for Hasselblad repair in the US is Jim Kilroy. Jim does not have a website, but is said to be just as good as David Odess at Hasselblad repair, but with shorter wait times. According to one reader of this site, Jim does good work, so if you need your Hassy looked at, maybe give Jim Kilroy a shot. He can be reached at [email protected].
Dan Daniel Cameras – Morrisonville, NY – Dan Daniel has a website stating that he can repair a large number of mechanical cameras including those by Zeiss-Ikon and the Minolta Autocord, however the most exciting thing I saw is that he specializes in the Kodak Medalist and can do conversions on those cameras to make them natively support 120 film, like Ken Ruth used to. The Medalist is one of my all time favorite cameras and to have someone specializing in those warms my heart!
Bob Sara – CLA Studios – Winter Park, FL – Bob is a long time camera technician who studied as a technician for a Yashica Service Center in both the UK and US and specializes in Yashica and other brand TLRs, including the Minolta Autocord and pre 1960s Rollei TLRs. Bob has experience with all 26 versions of the Yashica TLR and can give full CLAs to any model you need worked on. He comes highly recommended and has customer feedback on his Facebook page.
Southern Photo Technical Service – North Miami Beach, FL – This is another full service repair shop that has been in business for over 60 years. Their website says they are a Factory Authorized Service Center for all major brands of photographic equipment. This place was recommended by a site reader who has used them for repairs of his Mamiya 7 and RB67, and some Hasselblad A12 backs.
Perfect Image Camera – Lancaster, PA – Perfect Image has been in business for over 45 years, and is a full service shop, offering repair work on film and digital cameras plus lenses and flashes. They stand behind their work, offering a 6 month warranty on all repairs. In addition to doing repair work, they also offer cosmetic upgrades like reskinning Leica cameras
Service Camera Pro – Québec, Canada – This French Canadian shop has been in business for over 40 years and claims to service all types of film and digital cameras, including Hasselblad, Bronica, Mamiya, Canon, Nikon, Leica, Yashica, Pentax, Olympus, Sony, Panasonic, and others. If you are local to Québec or just prefer to stick with Canadian repair, this could be a good option for you.
Lens Medic YYC – Calgary, Canada – Lens Medic offers camera repair and sales through their Instagram page. They also have a website, but it has very little information. Despite not having a very strong web presence, this shop comes highly recommend for your film camera repair needs.
Paramount Camera Repair – Saskatchewan, Canada – This retail shop located in central Canada offers repair and service for all kinds of film and digital cameras. Their website says they can handle any kind of classic film camera, but requests that you contact them before sending anything in.
Halton Camera Exchange – Ontario, Canada – Halton has been repairing cameras and lenses for over 40 years and repairs film and digital cameras. Although their website does not specifically list which models they specialize in, Bill Smith from Fun with Cameras says he knows for sure they service Leicas, and old Canon and Nikon rangefinders, so if you’re in need for some work in Ontario, you might want to give them a call!
Marc Carriere – Zone 7 – Montréal, Canada – Zone 7 comes recommended by a reader of this site and he can repair almost anything. He doesn’t have a website however and takes repairs by appointment only. Marc can be reached at 514-597-1096 and by email at [email protected].
Alan Starkie – Cameraworks – Greater Manchester, UK – This camera shop based in the UK not only will service your old screw and bayonet mount Leica, but they also offer painting and restoration services. Want to turn your chrome Leica M3 into a black one, Alan can do it! He also can rebuild and upgrade some rangefinders with new glass and different frames.
Ed Trzoska – europhotoservices.co.uk – Leicester, UK – Ed comes highly recommended by many photographers in the UK. His site specifically mentions Zeiss-Ikon and Voigtländer models, but he may service others as well. Give him a try if you are in the UK.
Luton Camera Repair – Bedfordshire, UK – Luton has been in business since 1967 and claim to be able to service any kind of film or digital camera, including cleaning of CCD sensors. They go on to say they specialize in Olympus OM-Series SLRs and Pen (film and digital) camera systems. They sell refurbished cameras and have a retail shop where they take in new work as well.
Londinium Cameras – Devon, UK – Londinium has been servicing cameras since 1994 and their website says they can repair any film or digital camera, but specialize in Pentax SLRs, especially the Spotmatic and K-mount models. Their website suggests you contact them before sending in anything for repair.
Cameratiks – Edinburgh, Scotland – Cameratiks is one of the only repair options in Scotland for anyone looking to get their Leica, Rolleiflex, Hasselblad, and Zeiss cameras working and come highly recommended by Alan Duncan of Canny Cameras. They also take on digital camera repair and CCD cleaning.
Newton Ellis & Co. – Liverpool, UK – This shop has been in business since 1948 and is one of the oldest camera shops still around in the UK. Their website says they take on nearly any kind of film or digital camera repairs, including those for Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Olympus, and Pentax.
Camera Repair Workshop – Milton Keynes, UK – Dave from Camera Repair Workshop boasts over 40 years of experience repairing cameras, a large part of that time spent working for Minolta. Although he has a lot of experience with Minolta, Dave can work on all kinds of film cameras, along with service for some digital cameras as well. Dave comes highly recommended from a reader of this site.
Pierro Pozella – PPP Cameras – Birmingham, UK – This one was recommended by several people as they seem to have a very positive reputation. Pierro Pozella has been refining his skills repairing cameras since 2011 and lists a wide range of camera types and brands that he can repair, including Voigtländer, Zeiss-Ikon, Canon, Nikon, and some Soviet brands. Their website also says they buy old camera equipment and accept some trades. Give him a call if you’re in the area and need some work done!
Asahi Photo – Brentford, Middlesex, UK – Asahi is a dedicated Pentax service center that has been in business for over 35 years. They specialize in the Pentax 67 system but also work on 35mm Pentaxes and possibly some digital models. They come highly recommended, and even offer sales of pre-serviced models.
Jeremy Rata – Film Furbish – Leeds, UK – This shop is a relative newcomer, but claims to be the largest supplier of Rollei 35s in the world and can perform CLAs on any Rolleiflex and Rollei 35. The company has a huge inventory of used cameras, and also offers reskinning services. If you are in the market for work on or an already restored Rollei, you might want to give Jeremy a call!
Sover Wong – Nottinghamshire, England – Sover is a highly respected and skilled technician who works exclusively on the Nikon F2, and F2 system. He has multiple levels of service from simple repairs, to complete overhauls. His reputation is extremely high, but he has a very long waitlist, that can sometimes be up to a year long. As of June 2024, he says he will accept 50 more cameras in his repair queue, which after filled, he will not accept more work.
Roger Lean – Russian Camera Repairs – London, UK – When searching for Soviet camera repairs in the UK, the name Roger Lean comes up a bunch. A Google search returns many happy customers as recently as 2021. Apparently, Roger specializes in repair of the LOMO LC-A, but can handle many other types of Soviet cameras. He does not have a web presence, so I cannot confirm if he is still accepting new work, but his address and phone number are easily found online. His number is +0208 881 5208.
Sydney Camera Repairs – Sydney, Australia – This shop comes recommended by Theo from the Camerosity Podcast and says this place does a great job on all types of film and digital repairs. Their website says they can take on any job, including repairing custom home made cameras, and even offer some customization options. With such a long list of options, if you’re in Sydney, this is another great option.
Camera Service Centre – Sydney, Australia – One more option for anyone in or near Sydney, Camera Service Centre specializes in digital and warranty repairs for Canon and Nikon but also takes on film repairs too. Their website says they offer a 6 month warranty on all repairs and also offer options for professionals too.
Jess Ibarra – Viva La Film – Sydney, Australia – Jess is a young technician who has taken up repair of a large number of cameras. Jess doesn’t specialize in one particular camera and is willing to try almost anything. She has recently become more familiar with screw mount Leicas, and can do a large number of repairs on those. If you are in the Sydney area, and need camera repair, talk to her and see if she can help. Jess was a featured guest on Episode 19 of the Camerosity Podcast and has appeared on several episodes since.
Michael Prügel – Kamera Service Ostkreuz – Berlin, Germany – Michael Prügel is a respected technician who used to take on work from Pentacon in Dresden and continues to repair Leica, Hasselblad, and Rollei cameras. His website lists many more cameras that they work on such as the Widelux panoramic camera, Exakta, Kiev 60, Pentacon Six, and many other East German and Soviet cameras.
Gerard Wiener – Munich, Germany – Gerard doesn’t have a website, but the link to the left is to a YouTube video promoting his work. Based in Munich, Germany, he is a very reputable German camera technician who can work on a large number of cameras. His phone number is +49 89 595072.
Niels Peters and Carlo Gosch – PEGO Kamera-Technik GbR – Reinfeld, Germany – These two guys are listed as officially licensed repair technicians for both Konica MInolta, and although those companies don’t make cameras anymore, these guys will still repair a huge number of Konica and Minolta analog and digital cameras. They also specialize in Canon EOS film and digital cameras as well.
Werner Bruer – Classic Fototechnik – Howaldtstraße, Germany – Werner Bruer is a former Rollei technician who works for himself now repairing all kinds of Rolleiflex medium format and 35mm cameras. He can do full services on the Rollei 35, something others won’t touch. His site is entirely in German, so I struggled to read it, but according to at least one reader of this site, he does a great job!
Oleg Khalyavin – OK Cameras – Slovakia – Oleg specializes in former Soviet Union made rangefinders and SLRs. Oleg has a large supply of new old stock parts from KMZ. He also regularly stocks FSU cameras that are already serviced and ready to be sold. In early 2023, Oleg relocated to Slovakia from Russia and is currently accepting new work.
Edit: Oleg’s website says that he has temporary stopped accepting new work between May and August 2024 as he prepares to move. Please check his site to make sure he is accepting work before contacting him.
Gejza Dunay – cupog on eBay – Slovakia – Dr. Gejza Dunay repairs a wide variety of Eastern European and Soviet era cameras, specializing in Flexaret TLRs, Exaktas, and the Pentacon Six system. Although he can repair many other brands, he sticks to brands that fewer people will take on. Dr. Dunay does not have a website and only sells cameras through his eBay store, under the username ‘cupog’. His prices are reasonable, and he says he sometimes takes on contracted work, but prefers to stick with eBay. In November 2020, I had a chance to speak with him and learn more about his business.
Wilco Jansen – Hasselblad Reparaties – The Netherlands – As the name suggests, Wilco Jansen repairs Hasselblad cameras, but not just any old Hasselblad cameras, he also lists the Hasselblad XPan as a model he’ll work on which I have to imagine is difficult to do. In addition to bodies, he also services Hasselblad lenses, shutters, backs, and other accessories.
Amsterdam Camera Repairs – The Netherlands – A one stop shop for all your film camera repair needs, ACR says they repair Leica, Hasselblad, Mamiya, Rolleiflex, Pentax, Plaubel-Makina, Synchro-Compur, Copal, Nikon, Canon and many other brands, so if you’re in the Netherlands and Wilco Jansen is not available, check these guys out!
NSB Technos – Ogawa, Japan – This one comes from a site reader named Zach. NSB Technos is a lens repair shop started by a former employee of the Pentax Ogawa factory for people who love Pentax lenses. The website was launched on October 14, 2014.
Kanto Camera – Kanagawa, Japan – Kanto is a full service repair shop which has been in business since 1970. Their website says they specialize in cameras by Leica, Nikon, Cannon, Olympus, Pentax, Rollei, and Hasselblad but that they take others. The list of their services includes full CLAs, repainting bodies, and even cleaning and restoring lenses. They also claim to be able to remanufacture some parts which are no longer available which makes them a compelling option for difficult to repair cameras.
Belgium
Alexander Kaller – Camera Revival – Nieuwstraat, Belgium – Camera Revival is a full service shop offering complete restoration for a number of camera brands. Looking through their website, they offer everything from light seals, to curtain replacements, re-cementing lenses, cleaning fungus, re-skinning bodies, and more.
Slovenia
Luka Zidarič – LZ Fotomehanika – Slovenia – Luka is a young technician who in 2022 has taken up the call to service classic cameras. His site says he does full repair of a large number of SLR, rangefinder, TLR, and medium format cameras. He seems to specialize in the Canon F-1 as he specifically mentions that camera on his service page. As of May 2024, his website says he has a 3 to 4 month backlog, but if you are looking for an option in Slovenia, he is worth considering!
Spain
Alex Varas – Alex Varas Cameras – Getxo, Spain – Alex is a relative newcomer to the repairing scene and the only person (so far in Spain). Having been in business for just over 3 years, Alex specializes in the repair of medium format cameras, TLRs, folders, Kowa and Hasselblad SLRs, leaf shutters, etc. He is also expanding his work to accept Leica M cameras and screw mount Leicas. If you are in Spain and need someone to look at your cameras, give Alex a try!
Retired
Chris Sherlock – Retina Rescue – Located in New Zealand, Chris was the world’s authority on the Kodak Retina and Retinette cameras. Unfortunately, as of 2022, Chris has retired and is no longer accepting new work. Although this is a big loss to the community, Chris is still active on YouTube, making instructional videos showing himself repairing various cameras. Whether you want to learn to repair cameras yourself, or are just curious to see how repairs are done, definitely check out his channel!
Ken Ruth – Bald Mountain – Ken was a specialist shop that repaired and modified Kodak Medalist cameras to accept 120 film among other rare Kodak cameras. As of 2017, however, Ken has retired and is no longer accepting work.
Wolf Umbach – ZV Camera Service – If you dig around old Internet posts from the past 20 years looking for Zeiss or Voigtländer repair options, Wolf Umbach’s name will likely come up as he was a highly respected technician, but sadly, has since retired and is no longer repairing cameras.
Rolf-Dieter Baier – fototechnik – A formerly popular option in Germany for the Pentacon Six system and other German cameras still shows on some sites as taking on new work, but according to their website, as of October 2020, they are no longer repairing cameras.
David Odess – Randolph, MA – David was a factory trained Hasselblad tech and repaired a large number of Hassy bodies including the 1600 series. Unfortunately in August 2023, David passed away.
Greg Weber – Weber Camera – Fremont, NE – As of March 2023, Greg Weber has retired from camera repair. As one of the most well known Konica repairmen, this is a big loss for the community. Confusingly Greg’s website is still running, but several posts online from multiple people all state that Greg has retired. Unless I hear otherwise, I will keep his name in the retired section.
Jurgen Kreckel – Certo6 – Spring Lake, NJ – Jurgen’s site is called Certo6 presumably because he specializes in Certo folding camera repair, but he’s also adept at repairing any number of German cameras. He also specializes in the installation and repair of bellows for folding cameras. Anthony Rue from the Camerosity Podcast has personally used Jurgen and recommends him highly.
Edit: As of October 2024, Jurgen’s website is offline and according to multiple sources online, Jurgen is no longer repairing cameras.
Many thanks for this post, Mike. Let’s hope this valuable “yellow pages” of repair shops is shared widely.
Just gonna add this here if anyone is specifically looking for Minolta Repairs;
In the US, there’s a great directory by – https://earthsunfilm.com/repair-services/. Most of them are already listed above, but this is for those hunting around the US looking for XK/XM/X1 repairs.
In the UK, there’s also Dave at https://camerarepairworkshop.co.uk/ – I can personally recomend him since I had some Minolta lenses de-fungus’d and repaired there. He used to work for previously work FOR Minolta so that’s as ‘certified’ as you can get I suppose. He works on other SLR’s too!
Rather bizarrely, Konica Minolta’s old support website reccomends a German Repair company, PEGO Technik. turns out they still exist, and they repair Canon EOS as well as a load of Minolta Manual and Autofocus cameras: https://www.pego-technik.de/reparatur.html
Unfortunately I have a sad update here.
Dave at Camera Repair Workshop Retired in 2023. His website is still there, as is the shop, but in an email he has said he personally no longer works on cameras. People should probably contact the phone number to see if it is still taking services.
PEGO Technik has closed due to a death – they haven’t operated since late 2023 also. Their website briefly listed 2 other repair places as alternatives, however they didn’t appear to service film cameras.
Thank you for doing this Mike!
Very much appreciate all your efforts in keeping the site active and all the great information and reviews. I may be one of the few luddites who isn’t into instagram, video reviews/influencers, or podcasts (either that or I have an attention span problem :), so your blog is my daily-fix for all things camera related.
The repairman list is Uber timely for me, as I had to try and find someone to fix one of my lenses (they aren’t getting younger either) – seeing the shop I chose on your list is a relief, but seeing others even closer to home is a bonus!
Best of everything for you.
Richard
I have a couple to add to the list that I have personal experience with.
Jim Kilroy – Barn Owl Camera in Massachusetts: repaired my Hasselblad kit with a fast turn around time and good prices. I believe he also works on Rolleiflexes.
Jim Holman – ICT Camera in San Diego, CA: seems to work on just about anything. He overhauled my Leica, though he does have a long waitlist and is closer to the higher end on pricing.
Thanks for the recommendation, I have added both!
This was an awesomely helpful post Mike. Well done!
Scott Nielsen of Nielsen Photographic in Oakdale California is a factory trained Minolta Technician. He can repair any Minolta out there and has a stock of parts. He repairs the Minolta CLE as well as the XK and other electronic Minoltas, which are difficult to find repair options for otherwise. He also loves working on Barnack Leicas, Olympus, Pentax, and other legendary cameras.
Thanks Mike, I added him to the list!
Thank you for your efforts in compiling this list, Mike. I don’t have anyone new to add but just want to pass on my recommendation for Paramount Camera Repair in Saskatoon, Canada. They have serviced my Contax IIa, Rolleiflex 2.8D, Kodak Retina IIa and Pentax MX, along with some lenses. I’ve always been 100% satisfied with their service. …. Barry
Thanks Mike, I have added Scott Nielsen!
Hi Mike, great job and finally we have the list that becomes more and more important. Let me add a legend from Holland who repairs (classic) Leicas worldwide and is regarded one of the best: Will van Manen, https://www.kamera-service.info/index.php/en/
Dave Feeley, Key Camera, Longmont CO. Used to work for Rolleiflex. https%3A%2F%2Fm.yelp.com%2Fbiz%2Fkey-camera-service-longmont&usg=AOvVaw1OQE5oIZtEdpwxUP9p2Y38
I have added Dave Feeley. Thank you.
I don’t see France so here’s a first one.
The guy does not look welcoming at all but he’s a great technician. Repaired my Bessa R3A
Michel Fauveau
26 Rue Coutellerie, 13002 MARSEILLE
0491913849
I didn’t see PPP cameras in the UK. https://pppcameras.co.uk/
Thanks for the recommendation, I have added PPP!
That’s an excellent resource, Mike. Just a minor regional clarification: “United Kingdom and Scotland” isn’t right, as Scotland is part of the UK… England + Scotland + Wales = Great Britain, and Great Britain + Northern Ireland = United Kingdom. All subject to change, referenda, etc. 😉 Keep up the great work.
Thanks for the clarification! It was confusing before, but now with Brexit, none of us “former colonists” understand what to call you guys these days! 🙂
Brexit didn’t change any names – Brexit was just about the UK ending its membership of the European Union.
Here’s a useful guide: https://brilliantmaps.com/wp-content/uploads/England-vs-GB-Vs-UK.gif
Though I would avoid entirely the term “British Isles” – it is not a recognised political term, rather a geographic one, and offends some people in Ireland, by suggesting that the island of Ireland is “British”.
United Camera Repair
(309) 786-0950
3830 14th Ave, Rock Island, IL 61201
https://www.facebook.com/unitedcamera/
Sorin Marcu at Eurotech Camera Service
http://eurotechcamera.com/#home
1823 Fort View Rd #103
Austin, TX 78704
(512) [email protected]
For all east German cameras and lenses, the best address should be Olbrich in Görlitz (founded in 1938, still the same family!). Here their English page: http://www.fotoservice-olbrich.de/repair-programme-en/
AE-1, AE-1 Program, and AT-1 repair: http://slr35.com/
Few more from my notes
http://www.camrepair.com
Sacramento, CA
https://www.instagram.com/sk_cameras/
Turkey
https://www.instagram.com/lzfotomehanika/
Luka Zidaric, Slovenia
https://kiwicameraservice.com
Orlando FL
https://www.procamera.us/s/shop
US branch of RJ Repairs
https://www.rj-repairs.com
https://ictcamera.com
San Diego
https://www.fantastecphoto.com/home2
https://www.pictoriographica.com
https://www.instagram.com/rileys.camera/
https://rileyscameras.wixsite.com/home
https://www.vivalafilm.com
Australia
http://www.jacobcamera.com/index.html
Another one for Scotland, A J Johnstone & Co. Ltd., Photographic Engineers, long established in Glasgow. I’ve just dropped off an OM1 for a CLA and have a couple of OM2s to go in when I get the OM1 back. They replaced the boards in my OM3 20 or so years ago. https://www.ajjohnstone.net/
You could add another one for Canada. I’ve had good luck with Toronto Camera Service Centre with my film cameras. They did a really nice job overhauling and restringing the meter in my Retina II S and a CLA on my Topcon 35-L rangefinders.
Toronto Camera Service Centre
131 Jefferson Ave
Toronto, ON
M6K 3E4
Canada
(416) [email protected]://www.torontocameraservice.com/
Also, the Canadian flag on your list is the incorrect color. You can download the correct Pantone one here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Canada#/media/File:Flag_of_Canada_(Pantone).svg
Dan Daniel repairs many makes of camera, but most relevant to your recent Eastman House episode, he repairs Medalists and can even do the machining to convert them to 120 film for those looking for that.
This is good information, Andy. Do you have contact information for Dan Daniel?
Hey, Mike,
Dan’s website is here…
https://www.dandanielcameras.com
[email protected]
…and I have found that if you ask a Medalist question on Photrio, he will show up to comprehensively answer it.
Mike,
Unfortunately it looks like Greg Weber is now retired and so are the people behind pego technik. So as it stands, there doesn’t seem to be anyone with repair knowledge for Konicas(that we currently know of)
Hopefully someone will take on and specialize in Konica repairs as I have a Hexar RF that may need a repair or possibly just a CLA.
Awesome list! I have used the services of FIVE shops on your list in the last several years as I’ve been getting some of my older equipment repaired or overhauled. I can also confirm that Greg Weber is officially retired and is no longer accepting work, and is looking for a buyer of his repair business (in fact I just heard from him today as I have a Koni-Omega Rapid that needs work). Note also that you have him listed twice on this list.
I’m very sad to report that well-known and well-regarded Hasselblad technician David Odess has passed away–apparently rather unexpectedly. He died on August 5.
An ex Pentax factory tech here for Pentax lens repairs –
https://www.nsb-tekunos.com/
Repair request form and contact email –
https://www.nsb-tekunos.com/request_for_repair.pdf
NSB Technos is a lens repair shop started by a former employee of the Pentax Ogawa factory for people who love Pentax lenses.
The website was launched on October 14, 2014.
Thanks Zach, I have added them to the list!
Hi, there is another guy in Slovakia repairing cameras: http://www.matunak.sk/
Scott Nielsen just CLA’d my old XK, and also a mid-70’s F1 that needed meter fixes. He did a fantastic job, and I recommend him highly. I’m sending in another Canon (an FTb QL) for a CLA along with a lens for some service. He told me that his business has recently become about 60-70% film cameras again after having mostly dried up in favor of digital, and now digital is fading away. A really cool guy to chat with, and does some good work.
Does anyone know if Jurgen Krekel (Certo6) is still accepting folder repairs? His website link is dead and he didn’t answer the last email I sent to him. He has worked on several cameras for me and I bought a Bessa from him. He started repairing folders as a retirement project and it turned into a major commitment so it wouldn’t surprise me if at some point he might decide to really retire. He is a genius at repairing and refurbishing folders.
Kreckel told me three years ago that he was going to cease doing repairs and “spend more time shooting the cameras [he] had restored in [his] own collection”. I do note that after that date, a handful of CLA’d cameras appeared in his eBay store, suggesting that he has indeed stopped accepting new repair work and is thinnkng his own herd.
Totally understandable. Who wants to spend the last years of their life mainly inside working at a workbench? I’m grateful that I have two cameras that he restored. Not sure who has similar skills to send folders to now.
I moved Jurgen down to the bottom of retired techs and indicated that his website is offline and no longer accepting repairs. Thanks for the update Steve and Roger!
A great camera repair guy in SPAIN is Alex Varas Cameras, I suggest to add him in the list.
Alex contacted me right around when you posted this and I added him to the list! Thanks for the recommendation.
Just sent an OM-2N off to John Hermanson. His email to me supercedes his website. He now only works on five models:
OM-1N, 2N, 3Ti, 4T and 4Ti, with each limited to only one normal lens, and he won’t do separate lenses. Says he’s ready to retire for good.
Who else works on OM system cameras, stateside? Blue Moon?