Can anyone recommend a good independent shop or repair person for old Nikons? Thanks.
Mike
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I cannot say how good they are but Keh.com maintains a camera repair shop where they fix all the cameras that they sell and accept cameras that people send in for repair. Their used equipment has a good rep and I've bought several items from them and all were excellent.
Posted by: JB Kramer | Monday, 30 December 2019 at 06:11 PM
Nippon Photoclinic and Metro Camera Repair in New York City. They did a couple of repairs for me years ago. They've since moved North to 39th Street, but I assume that hasn't affected the quality of work.
http://nipponphotoclinic.com/
Posted by: Michael meter | Monday, 30 December 2019 at 06:56 PM
I've heard that Nikon has made it quite difficult for independent shops for a few years now. I guess it depends somewhat on what is needed. So, if they can get parts...
Advance Camera; Portland, OR http://www.advancecamera.com
Excellent work, nice people, a small camera shop like some of us remember. I highly recommended David and his crew!
Posted by: Tom Hassler | Monday, 30 December 2019 at 07:08 PM
Advance Camera (http://www.advancecamera.com) near Portland Oregon. Been around for years and no complaints from me!
Posted by: Oldsweng | Monday, 30 December 2019 at 07:38 PM
In Seattle there is http://www.cameratechs.com/.
Posted by: Steven Lawrence | Monday, 30 December 2019 at 07:57 PM
Midstate Camera Repair (http://www.midstatecamerarepair.com/) in Warwick, RI. Second generation, family-owned, film and digital...We're lucky in Rhode Island to have two camera repair shops, but Midstate is always my first choice. Not sure what you need repaired, but they would be upfront about whether or not they could do it if you called.
Posted by: Ian Ross | Monday, 30 December 2019 at 09:01 PM
Nippon Photo Clinic in the city is excellent
Posted by: peter | Monday, 30 December 2019 at 09:31 PM
Nightmare time: https://www.crystalcamera.com/NikonUpdate.html
Posted by: William Lewis | Monday, 30 December 2019 at 09:50 PM
When I shot Nikon film cameras I got great repair service from Tony at: https://www.tccamerarepair.com in the Chicago area
Posted by: Peter | Monday, 30 December 2019 at 10:18 PM
I know very good mechanics in Freiburg, Germany
DIMAS FOTOTECHNIK - www.fotomechanik.de
Posted by: Sebastian Methner | Tuesday, 31 December 2019 at 02:24 AM
You must remember Pro Photo on PA Ave. in DC. I don’t know about repair these days. I’ve been meaning to call.
[I used them in the '80s and early '90s. They're still there...or, well, they're somewhere. As far as I can see their address is not on their website. A bit of an oversight! --Mike]
Posted by: Mark Jennings | Tuesday, 31 December 2019 at 07:29 AM
Authorized Photo Service in Morton Grove, IL. Fast turn around, reasonable pricing.
Posted by: John Talbert | Tuesday, 31 December 2019 at 07:39 AM
This guy is the best, he is in England and totally refurbished my F2 check the website. https://soverf2repair.webs.com
Posted by: glenn Brown | Tuesday, 31 December 2019 at 08:03 AM
Tempe Camera (Tempe, AZ) is excellent, long-time Nikon repairs. Mike, the owner, has long serviced and modified cameras for Jack Dykinga
Posted by: Rick | Tuesday, 31 December 2019 at 08:18 AM
If it is a Nikon F2 (and it HAS to be an F2), then Sover Wong in the UK is the person of choice. I have used him myself and can say that he does a comprehensive and excellent service. He has all the forms and instructions for sending the camera if you are not in the UK. (I am in Canada).
Posted by: Peter Wright | Tuesday, 31 December 2019 at 08:45 AM
Is it safe for me to assume you mean a film SLR? If so, and depending on the model, Abeliene Camera Repair may be able to help. I used their services more than once and can recommend them.
http://abilenecamera.com
Posted by: John C | Tuesday, 31 December 2019 at 10:49 AM
MidWest Camera repair in Wyandotte, MI (near Detroit) do good work, they have repaired old Nikon lenses for me over the years. Family business and long Nikon experience.
Posted by: Nigel | Tuesday, 31 December 2019 at 11:03 AM
This won't help you, but in case anyone in the UK is reading: Cameratiks / Camerabase (formerly two shops, now one) in Edinburgh are generally wonderful and I am sure could mend old (film) Nikons.
Posted by: Tim Bradshaw | Tuesday, 31 December 2019 at 12:41 PM
@ Pro Photo in DC
PP is on the same block but now on the ground floor and with a street front. As of two years ago - I think I remember correctly - Dick, one of the owners and techs, was still doing film camera repairs. Back in the day his skill, experience, and attention to the customer were hard to beat. I plan to call him next week.
Posted by: Mark Jennings | Tuesday, 31 December 2019 at 01:09 PM
I had them CLA a 105mm f/2.5 with very good results. http://www.midwestcamera.com/
Phil Stiles
Posted by: Phillip Stiles | Tuesday, 31 December 2019 at 01:42 PM
Re Pro Photo in Washington DC, their address is 2000 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, telephone is 202-223-1292. Recently I had a Rolleiflex TLR repaired there, seems to be working fine. I do not know how good they are with Nikons.
Posted by: Luis C. Aribe | Tuesday, 31 December 2019 at 03:56 PM
In addition to William Lewis' comment and link, this is Thom Hogan's take.
Sounds like you should get it repaired sooner than later.
http://dslrbodies.com/newsviews/nikon-2019-news/december-2019-nikon-canon/nikon-cuts-back-on-third-2.html
Posted by: Al Gardner | Tuesday, 31 December 2019 at 06:22 PM
It may become more difficult going forward getting 3rd party repairs for Nikon equipment. Thom Hogan recently covered this.
Posted by: DavidB | Tuesday, 31 December 2019 at 08:41 PM
@ Pro Photo in DC @ Luis Aribe
Finally I went to PP’s website and saw that camera repair is still a service.
PP long has been a Nikon dealer and is well practiced in film Nikon repair. During the 80s and 90s it repaired my film Nikons, as well as those of White House photographers and many other professionals. It took in overflow from National Geographic’s in-house repair shop.
I was there when a damaged Michael Nichols Nikon 400 mm arrived directly from Africa. He’d been charged by an elephant, his gear grabbed and tossed.
Posted by: Mark Jennings | Wednesday, 01 January 2020 at 08:29 AM
Another possibility, especialy if in New England (though mail order is possible) might be Vermont Camera Works, in Pittsford. Dave McRae, the proprietor there, has a lot of experience with old Nikons and seems able to get spare parts. You can get quotes on line, I think. There also is LeZot, in northern Vermont (can't remember town because they recently moved). They do repairs and also recondition and repair some old cameras.
Posted by: Matthew Currie | Wednesday, 01 January 2020 at 11:44 AM
Steve’s Camera Service Center in Los Angeles has done excellent work for me over the years: https://www.stevecamera.com/
Posted by: Matt | Wednesday, 01 January 2020 at 03:41 PM
This will only be of use to those who visit Tokyo, but Foto Kobo Kiitos is small Shop that handles old film cameras and AI, AIS, and earlier lenses. (The word “kobo” in the title can be translated as craftsman’s shop or atelier.) I have heard that it is staffed by retired Nikon repair personnel.
http://photo-kiitos.co.jp/page/toriatukai.html
Posted by: AlexV | Wednesday, 01 January 2020 at 04:37 PM
In one of the comments above there was mention of Nikon making things hard for independent repair shops. Dick at Pro Photo in DC just confirmed over the phone that Nikon intends to cut off parts.
Posted by: Mark Jennings | Thursday, 02 January 2020 at 11:26 AM
Southern Photo Technical repair, Miami,fl....very good work all photojournalist go there.
Posted by: Nicholas R. Von Staden | Thursday, 02 January 2020 at 07:52 PM