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Aperture in Rathbone Place (just off London's Oxford Street) carried out a CLA / "de-fungusing" on a 52-y-o lens for me and after it was treated not only did it exceed my hopes in terms of performance they also turned it around in four working days.

 

Pip.

Edited by pippy
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  • 4 weeks later...

I have just heard of a Leica "specialist repairer" called Phil in Somerset.  Anyone here know more about him/the contact details ?

This is a Company called 'Sprockets' and is run by Phil Gillam at:

 

Durley Moor Cottage

Holcombe Rogus

Somerset

TA2 10PZ

 

I don't have a phone number.

 

They are used by some UK Leica dealers for repairs and servicing, and are very reputable.

 

 

Regards

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I'd like to mention Radu Lesaru (3R Camera Repairs) who works from his home in Queens - New York. He previously ran the repair service for Alpa for Karl Heitz (who was the Alpa importer in NY) and he is a trusted repair shop for Alpa's collectors.

 

However, he's very knowledgeable on Leica M too, he has an optical bench and Leica tools to proper perform CLAs including rangefinder calibration and other repairs. I had him repairing an Alpa 9d, a Summicron 50 and had CLAs done on an M6, a Contarex and a Schnider Apo Symmar. He's a one man shop and quite busy, so it is unlikely that he can do a quick turn around. Quality of his work is very good and prices are honest. Highly recommended.  

 

His contacts: rlesaru@yahoo.com

 

In the past my father had great experience with Samca in Italy and he always spoke very highly of them (SAMCA is already on the list). 

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  • 1 year later...

PSA: I would not recommend 'Sprockets' run by Phil Gillam. 

 

I recently had a iiia sent to him (Feb 2017), and after inspection, he deemed the camera dead. Further, he lost parts of my camera and lied about replacing the RF mirror. Upon inspection when the camera came back, no work had been done and he had simply embezzled the part. A liar and an amateur!

 

Avoid at all cost.

 

p.s. the iiia was eventually repaired successfully by Alan Starkie https://www.cameraworks-uk.com/ - a true Leica specialist!

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I'll add Youxin Ye in Canton, MA to the list. In the past I've used both Sherry and DAG, but I had a LTM body and some screwmount lenses I wanted done in a reasonable time. I contacted Mr. Ye and he gave me a reasonable quote, told me what he would do, and within 10 days everything was completed and back in my hands, along with his email assessment of what was done and any issues he noticed which he thought I should be aware of. He quickly responded to several technical issues I raised as well. I was very pleased and will be sending him some more work late this summer.

 

Another recommendation for Youxin Ye.  My M3 was is good shape but needed the Rf CLA.  Did a great job for a very reasonable price and fast turnaround - looks and works like new!

Also recommend John Van Stelten of FocalPoint in Colorado for lenses.  Will clean haze, polish marks and re-coat if needed to make functional again!

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I'll add Youxin Ye in Canton, MA to the list. In the past I've used both Sherry and DAG, but I had a LTM body and some screwmount lenses I wanted done in a reasonable time. I contacted Mr. Ye and he gave me a reasonable quote, told me what he would do, and within 10 days everything was completed and back in my hands, along with his email assessment of what was done and any issues he noticed which he thought I should be aware of. He quickly responded to several technical issues I raised as well. I was very pleased and will be sending him some more work late this summer.

 

I had a similar very positive experience with Youxin Ye. After his speedy and reasonably priced ministrations, my M2 and M3 are in new condition - not like new, absolutely like out of the box. The mechanisms work flawlessly, and the viewfinders are clean and crisp. Unreserved recommendation. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I hope I'm not over stepping the mark here but as well as being a Leica user and collector myself, I run a Leica only repair business in the UK. Screw mount and M cameras as well as lenses and most of the other accessories. We can do anything from repairs/service to restorations, red blinds (only on appropriate cameras) etc. We do work from all over Europe and beyond. You can find us as cameraworks-uk.

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  • 1 month later...

Hello. I have a Leica 1 Model A with an Elmar lens. I have had the camera cla'd by Malcolm Taylor but not the lens cleaned.

 

He said it was not possible to dismantle as the front flange was seized solid and it would be high risk.

 

I rate Malcolm but thought I would ask the question and get a second opinion. Any suggestions on who might be able to undertake this (I believe Peter at CRR is not taking work) 

 

Richard.

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I am thinking of sending my 1A to Youxin Ye in the States from here in the UK. Has anyone done this? He says he doesn't insure the return package. Is insurance an option? He mentioned that it will mean paying duty too?

 

If anyone has done it which courier did they use?

 

RH

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I have sent 2 cameras to him from Canada. There were no issues whatsoever. I used Canada Post (much formerly the Royal Mail), and I presume the United States Postal Services. And vice-versa. I suspect the process would be the same from the UK.

 

His work was fast and exemplary.

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I am thinking of sending my 1A to Youxin Ye in the States from here in the UK. Has anyone done this? He says he doesn't insure the return package. Is insurance an option? He mentioned that it will mean paying duty too?

 

If anyone has done it which courier did they use?

 

RH

It would depend on what work you want done, Alan Starkie https://www.cameraworks-uk.com/ has just completed a re-paint of an M2 to my complete satisfaction, no CLA requested it had one a few years back, but he found two parts missing and replaced then FOC, exemplary communication and turnaround, personally I wouldn't commit a camera to any postal/courier system without insurance nor would I add the extortionate UK VAT and any other duty they slap on with service charges as well. It may be you plan on work only he can carry out but I would investigate UK options first.

 

36951302932_f0da72e085_c.jpg

 

Not a gloss wear and show brass in a week finish it's DuraCoat and re-covered.

Edited by chris_livsey
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  • 2 weeks later...

I've just received back my Leica 111f, F3.5 Nickel Elmar and F3.5 35mm Summaron that I sent to Alan Starkie of Cameraworks for servicing. He received them on 30th August and returned them to me, work done, on 16th September. 

 

Both the camera and the lenses have been dismantled and checked and faults corrected. The 35mm Summaron which I thought was just suffering from haze turned out to have very bad balsam separation 

 

Externally the camera now looks much brighter and the Summaron in particular looks a different lens having been cleaned up and the balsam separation sorted out ( at no extra cost on this occasion I might add).

 

I was kept informed of progress by E mail and the items returned by post with insured special delivery

 

I'm very pleased with the work carried out, the speed of turnaround and given the amount of work carried out the cost which was as outlined on their web site. I would certainly use cameraworks again.

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This is a Company called 'Sprockets' and is run by Phil Gillam at:

 

Durley Moor Cottage

Holcombe Rogus

Somerset

TA2 10PZ

 

I don't have a phone number.

 

They are used by some UK Leica dealers for repairs and servicing, and are very reputable.

 

 

Regards

 

Hmmmmm! Did a very second rate job on my Reid and Sigrist Model III Mk.2 (a clone of a Leica IIIb). Incorrect metric screws used (should all be British Association), made a serious error on slow speed mechanism and RF not properly cleaned or set. It all had to be redone by Alan Starkie of Cameraworks-uk.com. I cannot recommend Alan highly enough. He has done a number of jobs for me on LTM and M Leicas plus other makes and I cannot fault any of them. He learnt from scratch from the US Army manual, how to do a total rebuild of my huge 70mm Combat Graflex rangefinder, including remaking broken parts, which were not available. This really is remarkable feat of camera repairing. 

 

Wilson

Edited by wlaidlaw
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  • 2 months later...

Any of the members use/used Gus Lazarri (TLC Camera Repairs, USA). I've heard he has a great reputation - very meticulous, methodical & does tremendous restorations.

 

I've had a camera (IIIf bd) with him since early 2016 & have watched it go slowly down the list from 120 - its now at 25 & hasn't moved any further for over one & a half months.

 

Was told initially it would be around 16 weeks but it looks like it will be a 2 year turnaround time the way things are going. If you look on his website you'll see he has now closed his intakes/admissions indefinitely as his workshop is now full.

 

I actually don't mind the wait but I'm just wondering if anyone else has had the same experience.

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Any of the members use/used Gus Lazarri (TLC Camera Repairs, USA). I've heard he has a great reputation - very meticulous, methodical & does tremendous restorations.

 

I've had a camera (IIIf bd) with him since early 2016 & have watched it go slowly down the list from 120 - its now at 25 & hasn't moved any further for over one & a half months.

 

Was told initially it would be around 16 weeks but it looks like it will be a 2 year turnaround time the way things are going. If you look on his website you'll see he has now closed his intakes/admissions indefinitely as his workshop is now full.

 

I actually don't mind the wait but I'm just wondering if anyone else has had the same experience.

 

 

What! 2 years! Why didn't you go to Peter out at Petrie? He is excellent and local.

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What! 2 years! Why didn't you go to Peter out at Petrie? He is excellent and local.

I've been using Peter for a number of years but he won't do shutter curtain replacements - I did initially show him the camera

 

He serviced the lens that came with it , a lovely collapsible 50mm Summitar

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In the USA, Agreed! Sherry is superb. As is Don Goldberg. I have had several cameras CLA’d by both and their work is the finest.

 

Sadly John Stelton at Focal Point in Colorado is quitting business as of 1/1/2018. Truly a shame, but I wish him well. My Leica Camera work has been done by Don Goldberg or Sherry Krauter, but all my lens work was done by John at Focal Point. He restored vintage Leica lenses I wasn’t sure could be restored, but he did it. He knows how to figure lens surfaces to restore them, a very rare talent. He will be missed, but again, I wish him well in his retirement. I can only pray it is retirement and not health issues related.

 

Don

 

Sherry Krauter, hands down: 'nuff said.repair@sherrykrauter.com

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Any of the members use/used Gus Lazarri (TLC Camera Repairs, USA). I've heard he has a great reputation - very meticulous, methodical & does tremendous restorations.

 

I've had a camera (IIIf bd) with him since early 2016 & have watched it go slowly down the list from 120 - its now at 25 & hasn't moved any further for over one & a half months.

 

Was told initially it would be around 16 weeks but it looks like it will be a 2 year turnaround time the way things are going. If you look on his website you'll see he has now closed his intakes/admissions indefinitely as his workshop is now full.

 

I actually don't mind the wait but I'm just wondering if anyone else has had the same experience.

Gus has done some great work for me, but sometimes an unusual item seems to get pushed aside until he gets in the mood for it. A Canon IVSB came back after 3 years, but looked like new - a restoration rather than a CLA. A LeicaflexSL took... oh wait, it's been a few years more and I haven't bothered him about it after the Canon. But on both those I had told him they were just bits I had stashed away.

Now I send my unusual clones and LTM to Youxin Ye. I tell him no rush, and it may take 6 months, but his work is good.

Usually my M models and lenses go to DAG. In recent years he has been very fast and excellent. A while back an M5 took over a year, and when I inquired got the feeling he forgot about it, and it came back quickly and done very well.

I've also had mixed results from Sherry, mostly good, but one R lens taking over a year, and one RF she insisted was within factory specs (after return to be checked again) was later Improved by DAG.

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