Jerry Attrik Posted December 10, 2019 Share #121 Posted December 10, 2019 Advertisement (gone after registration) Does anyone have news of Alan Starkie? A piece of kit returned in the past few weeks? What turn-around time? I am getting withdrawal symptoms for my 3f. D.Lox. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 10, 2019 Posted December 10, 2019 Hi Jerry Attrik, Take a look here REPAIR SPECIALISTS. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
willeica Posted December 10, 2019 Share #122 Posted December 10, 2019 On 10/2/2019 at 8:31 AM, tranquilo67 said: Sorry!! Just got aware of this!! If you cannot contact him, please let me know. Best regards, Augusto jerzy.w@gmx.net William 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted December 10, 2019 Share #123 Posted December 10, 2019 43 minutes ago, Jerry Attrik said: Does anyone have news of Alan Starkie? A piece of kit returned in the past few weeks? What turn-around time? I am getting withdrawal symptoms for my 3f. D.Lox. Alan was quite back logged at least in part due to the amount of work I had given him - sorry! I think he is running at about a 3 month turn over, which seems par to good for the timescales of Leica service people who are good and know what they are doing. Alan is a perfectionist who will not release a camera until he is totally sure he has got to the bottom of a problem and the camera is functionally as good as it can be. Other than Malcolm Taylor whose time scales are now geological and Peter Grisaffi who has now retired, Alan is the only person in the UK I would trust to repair my Leicas. I will also probably be sending one to Jerzy in Vienna soon. Ottmar Michaely is another repairer about whom I have heard nothing but excellent reviews. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted December 10, 2019 Share #124 Posted December 10, 2019 11 minutes ago, wlaidlaw said: Other than Malcolm Taylor whose time scales are now geological Not true any more. Malcolm went through a very difficult period, which would have been an insurmountable problem for any of us, when he had to let things slide (sorry, not prepared to give any details owing to the personal nature of the problem) and he's back on track now with additional help from his son. @robert_parker might be able to offer details on a repair that Malcolm recently completed for him to Malcolm's exceptional standard of quality and within reasonable time scale. I understand that Malcolm is now working his way through the backlog of work that had regrettably had to build up. Pete. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted December 11, 2019 Share #125 Posted December 11, 2019 Pete, Malcolm has had my 250FF + Nickel Summar and IIIa with MOOLY and chrome Summar for over a year and as of a month ago, had not even started them. I am trying to be patient particularly with the 250FF, where to be realistic, Malcolm is the only person in the world with an extensive knowledge of these cameras and a stock of spare parts. At one point when he worked for Mr. Grossmark at Hove Cameras (where I first met him), he had 16 250 Reporter cameras in for service simultaneously, which is about 2% of the total production. A month ago, as he had not started my IIIa, MOOLY and chrome Summar, I asked him to return it to me so I could send it either to Alan or Jerzy but no sign of my IIIa as yet. My patience is wearing a little thin. I knew about his personal circumstances and illness but to be fair to customers, he should be clearer about repair timescales. I have been a fairly regular customer over the last 25 years and a business relationship should work with clarity, both ways. Like Malcolm, I am also not young and I would quite like to use my two cameras rather than be buried with them. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted December 11, 2019 Share #126 Posted December 11, 2019 That's fair enough, Wilson, but I've been concerned for a long time that, rightly or wrongly, Malcolm has received a lot of criticism and derision on this forum with no means to reply - some of it justified but much of it not - and now that the situation he was faced with is better understood I would like to see his good name restored. Of course that will only happen by providing good service and the excellent quality of repair that was his hallmark, hence my mentioning the recent experience that was related to me by another forum member who is very satisfied with the repair of his IIf that Malcolm recently completed. I am sorry to hear that you're still waiting for your 250FF to be repaired, and without trying to offer excuses on Malcolm's part, I expect that he has quite a backlog and is making his way through it. in my own experience, before Malcolm was faced with the situation I alluded to above which extended further than his own health, he had been receptive to needs for repairs to be done to meet particular time scales so I hope he would do the same now within the limitations of his available resource. Pete. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted December 11, 2019 Share #127 Posted December 11, 2019 Advertisement (gone after registration) Pete, The point I was making was that if Malcolm had told me that he had a large backlog, when I first sent him the cameras and other bits in early November 2018, I would have still sent him the 250FF but would have sent my IIIa, chrome and nickel Summars and 2 speed MOOLY to Jerzy instead, as they are just regular CLA/service jobs. I also would not have sent Malcolm the rusty other (single speed) MOOLY and SCNOO, on the very remote chance they could be resurrected. Malcolm seems to have put a lot of work into the rusty MOOLY and SCNOO, only to come to the conclusion, that as I suspected all along, they are irretrievable. I have now given Malcolm the remains for spare parts. Alan also had a back log in November 2018, including my M3/Elmar-M, M4-P/M4-2 Motor, M7/MotorM and IIIc red blind Stepper, where only the M3 was a straightforward CLA job. I have come to the conclusion that communicating with Malcolm by phone is less than satisfactory and a letter is probably better, so things talked about in a phone call, do not subsequently get forgotten about, as seems to be the case for my IIIa. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Attrik Posted December 11, 2019 Share #128 Posted December 11, 2019 Wilson, in post #124, "... Alan....running about 3 month turn over..." As of to-day my 3f. has been with him for 7 months. I developed withdrawal symptoms about 3 months ago. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
}{B Posted December 11, 2019 Share #129 Posted December 11, 2019 15 hours ago, Jerry Attrik said: Does anyone have news of Alan Starkie? A piece of kit returned in the past few weeks? What turn-around time? I am getting withdrawal symptoms for my 3f. D.Lox. My M2 has been with him since the end of May this year and it looks like it could be after Christmas before work starts on it. I'm not concerned about this as I have other cameras I can use but I wouldn't count on a turn-around time much under six months as things stand. He's also had my M3 since the end of September and I'm not expecting to see that again until the spring of next year. The quality of his work makes the wait worthwhile providing you can spare the camera for that length of time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
analog-digital Posted February 2, 2020 Share #130 Posted February 2, 2020 I don't know Malcolm. But what is so special about his work? Here in Switzerland some people can repair older Leica's ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted February 2, 2020 Share #131 Posted February 2, 2020 6 minutes ago, analog-digital said: I don't know Malcolm. But what is so special about his work? Here in Switzerland some people can repair older Leica's ... He's a well known Leica specialist and I've only heard good things about the work he's done, but he can take a very long time to return stuff (like years not months) probably as a result of having a good reputation and being swamped with work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted February 2, 2020 Share #132 Posted February 2, 2020 Even Leica have used Malcolm for some of their most precious pieces e.g. Oskar Barnack's original hand made cine camera, after its war time damage. Somewhere there is footage of a very young Malcolm (with hippy length hair) on Brighton sea front with the original Leitz cine camera after re-construction. He is the acknowledged remaining expert on the 250 Reporter cameras and the only person with a stock of spares for them. At one time, he was working for Mr. Derek Grossmark at Hove Camera Co., where I first met him over 40 years ago, to ask his advice on what to do with a rogue 9 month old Leicaflex SL2, that Leica UK had failed to repair under warranty after a number of visits. His advice was a very wise: "Give up and give it back to the dealer," which I did. He used to repair or service most of the UK stock of 250 Reporters used by seaside walking photographers and at one point, he had 16 of them in for repair or service all at the same time. That is over 1.5% of the total 250 Reporter production of 988 cameras and a much higher percentage of the UK population of I would guess at around 100-150 cameras. My 1934 250FF was originally owned by the British seaside photographers, Brighams of Bridlington, which is engraved on some of the large KOOBF cassettes I have. The only other people in the UK who would touch 250 Reporters, when they were still in regular use, was London Photographic Technical, where by an odd coincidence, their chief Leica technician was the father of Kelvin, who is servicing and cleaning the viewfinder on my Leicaflex SL2 (a different one) and cleaning its 35 Elmarit-R at Protech Cameras, right at this moment. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boojay Posted February 6, 2020 Share #133 Posted February 6, 2020 Oh dear... sitting here looking at my Noctilux that's gone from stiff to stuck! Sent a 111c and lens to Alan Starkie in November, have not even had acknowledgement, just know it was signed for on delivery, that's not an issue for me, no urgency really. Have had nothing but excellent service from Malcolm Taylor on the three occasions I have needed something, longest he took was around four weeks, maybe because I live fairly close and was able to deliver and collect. From all above seems he's busy enough just now. Maybe it's a Wetzler job this time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydrxx Posted February 6, 2020 Share #134 Posted February 6, 2020 This is addressed to USA/Canada owners especially. Has anybody used 2foxesfuchs in Boynton Beach, Fla. for LTM camera CLAs? He states that he was a Leica employee for 50 years, factory trained, and USA Nat'l service mgr for the microscopes division and shop supervisor for Leica repairs - USA/Canada. I've used the usual suspects in the past, but noticed a special at $95 + postage for screwmount bodies, which is quite tempting. Thanks in advance. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Greenwell Posted February 6, 2020 Share #135 Posted February 6, 2020 I have a couple of lenses with Malcolm at the moment, I have had excellent service from him, again I call in to see him as I don’t live too far away. This time he has taken a bit longer than usual, I have been waiting for a call from him but he too is waiting for a old customer of his to decide if he is going to sell his Leica collection as Malcolm tells me he has a lens that I am interested in. Malcolm tells me that he has a number of projects on the go and that he has to be in the right frame of mind with some work. I was very impressed how quickly he sorted out my Noctilux,he just said that he felt like a challenge at the time as they are not easy lenses. I was about to give him a ring but I have just been involved in a accident and I am not able to drive very far yet so I will wait a bit before contacting him. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedaes Posted February 11, 2020 Share #136 Posted February 11, 2020 (edited) If it's of help to anyone, I sent a lens for CLA and 6-bit coding to Will van Manen in The Netherlands on 22nd January and had e-mail today saying all done and ready to come back. Thanks jaapv for recommendation. Back in early January I e-mailed both Cameraworks (who I have used before) and Will about timescales. I am still waiting for a reply from Alan at Cameraworks. Edited February 11, 2020 by pedaes 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Attrik Posted February 11, 2020 Share #137 Posted February 11, 2020 I spoke to Alan Starkie on Tuesday last week. As mentioned elsewhere James does have problem and it slows their output. My 3f. is now in month ten. I have two lenses with Newton Ellis. Three weeks ago I spoke with Ian. Some time ago he pitched off his bike and damaged his right shoulder. This makes working with, even small, tools for any length of time very uncomfortable. Add to that regular trips to physio-therapy and his back-log is growing. More service techs required!!!! David Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Attrik Posted February 25, 2020 Share #138 Posted February 25, 2020 Alan Starkie has come up trumps. Camera returned to me yesterday (Monday) It is in superb condition, no cosmetic work just a service. The body seems to gleam. D.Lox 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegelli Posted March 11, 2020 Share #139 Posted March 11, 2020 I'll take the plunge next monday, my M2 and 3 lenses (35 summaron, 50 Summicron DR and 90 Elmarit) go to Will van Manen in Zoetermeer. General CLA on all and adjusting the rangefinder on the M2 (the split image is slightly offset vertically, 😟) and the lenses all have some haze (I hope it's not fungus 🙄) Setting up the appointment was quick via email and I hope that he can keep to the 4 weeks he's claiming for most jobs. But still enough time before the meeting in Tilburg if there's a slight delay. I'll report back here when the work is done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boojay Posted March 17, 2020 Share #140 Posted March 17, 2020 Update on my post #134 as it may be of interest to anyone wondering how long Wetzler are taking for repairs at the moment. Would like to know what the odds on this happening were, delivery from UPS this morning, just finished 30 second hand washing! Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Yet to open and check but Noctilux back from Wetzler - courier collected 12th February - received repair quote 21st February. Not too bad, three and half weeks on and it's home. 111c and Elmar sent to Camerworks 26th November, home today too. I should say I knew it would be some time, they are always extremely busy, and there was no rush. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Yet to open and check but Noctilux back from Wetzler - courier collected 12th February - received repair quote 21st February. Not too bad, three and half weeks on and it's home. 111c and Elmar sent to Camerworks 26th November, home today too. I should say I knew it would be some time, they are always extremely busy, and there was no rush. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/127326-repair-specialists/?do=findComment&comment=3933188'>More sharing options...
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