Camera Obscura Repairs UK.... Problem 😔

[pedaes]

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1 hour ago, eternalppat said:

have the same problem.

Beggars belief that people still use him as a Google search should bring up this thread for all to see.

[Glas Y Dorlan]

Hi all, I'm new here. It's a shame for this to be my first post, but I sent my M3 to Camera Obscura for a repaint in January 2024. Alexander's communication has been pretty sparse with several emails simply ignored. Unfortunately I discovered this forum thread after I sent my camera to CO, otherwise I wouldn't have.

In the last week of May 2024, Alexander contacted me (he never uses his name in emails, I just learned it from this thread) telling me my camera's new enamel finish was curing and would take a few weeks. 2 months later, no camera and no emails. 

I decided to chase this up with a firmer email threatening legal action (which I will pursue if necessary) and I gave him 7 days to respond. He responded fairly quickly saying that "they" had difficulty matching the colour to the reference photos I sent and it will take 2 weeks. I responded pointing out that he had already claimed it was painted 2 months ago and that it needed 3 weeks to cure! To which he then replied that he wasn't happy with the result and had stripped it again to re-paint it. I find this very hard to believe, seems more likely that he'd forgotten his previous story. I asked for photo evidence of my stripped M3 and now he's gone silent, which I predicted. If someone had accused me of lying about work I had or hadn't done, I'd want to prove myself in an instant!

Has anyone else had further problems or success with Camera Obscura?

 

[jaapv]

Well, I would say read the thread…

[yawpitch]

Final update. Numerous life events made it impossible to actually get a roll of film through the camera, processed, and scanned, post repair. Finally got the scans back, and the simple fact is the rangefinder which was marked in his Inspection Report as "Calibrated" is totally out of whack; not a single negative is in focus anywhere near the point that the rangefinder patch was (very carefully) focused on. His assessment was that the rangefinder system needed cleaning and he's done that work, I relied on his opinion that the rangefinder system was reasonably within tolerances, but one way or another the camera came back without its single most important system anywhere near usable. I've just set up and verified that when the rangefinder patch is in sharp focus at exactly 82cm from the focal plane the lens markings are showing focus at 70cm, which jives with all the images where, if there's anything in the image in focus at all, that sharp focus is considerably nearer the camera than the subject the patch was focused on.

Again, whatever you do, DO NOT SEND YOUR EQUIPMENT TO CAMERA OBSCURA REPAIRS.

If you have sent in your equipment, expect to have to threaten legal action to get it back. When you do (eventually) receive it back, expect to have to pay to send it somewhere else for a proper CLA.

[rogxwhit]

I've dealt with one man bands before for camera repairs, & all was hunky dory.  They were (as the resulting evidence provided) experienced operatives, knew what they were at & operated in a disciplined way that included the work done & the time schedules.

I think that after following some links about this chap ('Alexander'), he admits to being self-taught.  Not altogether a bad thing, and not an entire truth either because we all draw on previous sources, but not a best recommendation without full evidence or history of results to hand. 

Is he just a chancer?  I prefer to think that he started with good intentions, but in the event proved that he wasn't altogether up to the task.

The mention of health problems led me to surmise that they might be mental ones, though whereabouts on the spectrum remains unknowable.  Though if that's the case, a modicum of compassion would be in order, even if in the world at large he's effectively unfit to trade. 

We buy goods & services so readily these days, & how much due diligence do we execute?  Not hugely much, I guess ...

 

 

 

[Anbaric]

Wasn't there a suggestion at one point that a family member was involved in the servicing? We can of course be sympathetic about the owner's health issues, but at the same time I don't think anyone who has read this thread is likely to recommend this business to other Leica users while it continues to operate in the way reported here. And right from the start, running a service without an advertised trading address was always a big red flag. Many highly respected repairers are one or two person operations and often have long lead times, but they will usually answer the phone and they don't hide their addresses.

[250swb]

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9 hours ago, rogxwhit said:

.

The mention of health problems led me to surmise that they might be mental ones, though whereabouts on the spectrum remains unknowable.  Though if that's the case, a modicum of compassion would be in order, even if in the world at large he's effectively unfit to trade. 

We buy goods & services so readily these days, & how much due diligence do we execute?  Not hugely much, I guess ...

 

 

 

I think the LinkedIn profile may be all the explanation needed for how he see's himself. There are for example very few camera repair businesses in the world that have a 'Head Engineer', a title that would have real engineers grinding their teeth but who is he 'Head' of if there is nobody bellow him? That may be the mental problem if it's not just an excuse to give disappointed customers.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-spencer-57295a95/?originalSubdomain=uk

 

Edited August 31, 2024 by 250swb

[andybarton]

He's a bit busy with his side-hussle by the looks of it...

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!

[rogxwhit]

It's beginning to seem to me that not only is he an amateur repairman but also he suffers from entitlement - feeling that he is more important than his clients - where the norm should be an equal partnership.  Echoes of the Peter Walnes affair ... and no doubt many others.  It happens.  Sadly.

[Glas Y Dorlan]

On 12/30/2023 at 9:56 PM, Chris Piuckett said:

I am supposed to be getting my camera next week - initially he refused to take Paypal for the final payment, but has changed that now, so I have just paid him the final £400 this evening -at least I am protected for that amount.  I really hope his work is as good as people say or I have just wasted £860 

 

Chris

Did you get your camera back @Chris Piuckett? 

[eternalppat]

Update:

Sent "The Consumer Rights Act 2015" complaint to Mr. Alexander Spencer, which requires him to respond to e-mail update about the camera within 7 days.

classic, no reply.

such a disappointment.   

 

[Glas Y Dorlan]

On 10/22/2024 at 6:43 PM, eternalppat said:

Update:

Sent "The Consumer Rights Act 2015" complaint to Mr. Alexander Spencer, which requires him to respond to e-mail update about the camera within 7 days.

classic, no reply.

such a disappointment.   

 

I've sent 2 letters via recorded delivery, after checking the tracking it seems they weren't delivered. I suspect he knew what they were and rejected them, either that or he's gone AWOL from that address. I sent the same letter via email and it was also ignored. He's gone from being a very poor communicator to making himself look like a complete fraudster. I think he fed me lies about my camera being nearly ready to buy him time and make getting my money back harder. 

[Glas Y Dorlan]

Is there anyone in this thread still waiting to get their camera/lens back from Camera Obscura?

[eternalppat]

I am still waiting.

 

[eternalppat]

On 11/23/2024 at 2:38 AM, Glas Y Dorlan said:

Is there anyone in this thread still waiting to get their camera/lens back from Camera Obscura?

as of today, I filed a fraud report against him.

i am also considering, to have a private investigator to chase down my property.

or at least to get an answer..

[250swb]

7 hours ago, eternalppat said:

as of today, I filed a fraud report against him.

i am also considering, to have a private investigator to chase down my property.

or at least to get an answer..

And yet his website is still up and still reporting ‘delays because of illness’ despite the text suggesting a team of people are working at Camera Obscura. So I suggest making a copy/ screen shot of all of his web site before it is taken down.

[LocalHero1953]

If I was in the shoes of some of those posting here, I would have gone to bang on his door before now.

[250swb]

22 minutes ago, LocalHero1953 said:

If I was in the shoes of some of those posting here, I would have gone to bang on his door before now.

I think 'the door' is always somewhere else. Perhaps cross referencing his Linkedin posts with other Linkedin members would reveal something informative, but it seems like a proper job.

[eternalppat]

Hello everyone,

please do not wait till it's too late.

report to police asap, phone call or online.

we can build a case and get back our cameras together.

 

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Hallo,

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[Glas Y Dorlan]

On 10/22/2024 at 6:43 PM, eternalppat said:

Update:

Sent "The Consumer Rights Act 2015" complaint to Mr. Alexander Spencer, which requires him to respond to e-mail update about the camera within 7 days.

classic, no reply.

such a disappointment.   

 

Which address did you send the complaint letter to?