Contax 645 AF Shutter replacement /repair

celasun · June 14, 2012

<p>Any idea where I can have my Contax 645 with broken shutter repaired?<br>

Europe and Middle East preferred.</p>

evan_dong1 · June 14, 2012

<p>Bulent,</p>

<p>Send it directly to Tocad America in New Jersey if you reside in the US. They are the official contact for Kyocera Japan.</p>

<p>I never had any problems with them and was please with the original factory repairs.</p>

colin_elliott · June 14, 2012

<p>Bulent,<br>

I think a new shutter for your C645 will be around $180.00 US from Tocad.<br>

I believe there is still an outfit doing Contax repairs in the UK if that is of interest.</p>

celasun · June 15, 2012

<p>Evan and Colin,<br>

Thank you for your suggestions. I have sent messages to them both; hope they will return.<br>

If they don't, I'll try the German company...</p>

ondebanks · June 15, 2012

<p>$180 sounds like a great price. In the US, Mamiya charge $400 to replace a 645AFD series shutter (which I bet is the same basic unit as the Contax one), and I believe it's a similarly high price in the UK, although no repair house was willing to give me a price estimate without first checking over the body.</p>

<p>So when my first AFD's shutter died (actually an AF which had been upgraded to AFD), I just bought another used AFD body for $380. This made sense because it came with a "free" film back (great to have a 2nd one) and a "free" battery holder (extremely handy to have a 2nd one, preloaded to slot straight in).</p>

<p>But you won't get the same bargain for a Contax body, so it's just as well the repair prices are so reasonable!</p>

celasun · June 16, 2012

Thank you for your response.<br>

Unfortunately, neither of them replied :(<br>

Do you think this (ignorance) is normal?<br>

Any more suggestions? (I will be trying the German company if all else fails).</p>

evan_dong1 · June 18, 2012

<p>Bulent,</p>

<p>Are you located in Europe?<br>

Please refer to the Kyocera website for Contax camera support.<br>

I have copied & pasted off their website. Maybe some of the information might be helpful to you.</p>

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<td valign="middle" nowrap="nowrap" width="600" height="24"><a href="http://global.kyocera.com/prdct/index.html">Products</a> > <a href="http://global.kyocera.com/prdct/optical/index.html">Cameras / Digital Cameras</a> > <strong >Global Contact (Customer Service)</strong> </td>

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<h1>Global Contact (Customer Service)</h1>

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<td bgcolor="#009999" height="19"><strong> Service and Repairs </strong></td>

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<td>If you are located in an area other than the ones listed below and have an inquiry related to digital cameras and CONTAX, please contact <a href="http://global.kyocera.com/prdct/optical/global/index.html#s01"><strong>KYOCERA Corporation, Okaya Service Center</strong></a> in Japan.</td>

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<td colspan="3" height="20"><a name="s01"></a><strong><img src="http://global.kyocera.com/prdct/optical/images/dot.gif" alt="" width="9" height="9" /> Japan</strong></td>

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<td><strong>KYOCERA Corporation<br /> Okaya Service Center</strong></td>

<td>3-11-1 Kohagi, Osachi, Okaya-shi, Nagano 394-8550, Japan<br /> TEL: 81-266-27-2122<br /> FAX: 81-266-27-3147</td>

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<br />

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<td colspan="3" height="20"><strong><img src="http://global.kyocera.com/prdct/optical/images/dot2.gif" alt="" width="9" height="9" /> North America</strong></td>

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<td><strong>KYOCERA Corporation<br /> Okaya Service Center<br /> [KYOCERA / YASHICA Cameras]</strong></td>

<td>3-11-1 Kohagi, Osachi, Okaya-shi, Nagano 394-8550, Japan<br /> FAX: 81-266-27-3147<br /> <img src="http://global.kyocera.com/images/icons/fw_tn.gif" alt="" width="11" height="16" align="absmiddle" /><a href="https://www.kyocera.co.jp/inq_e/inquiry_optical.html">Click here to make an inquiry</a> </td>

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<td><strong><a href="http://www.kyoceraimaging.com/bulletins/csb2.htm" target="_blank">ToCAD America<br /> [CONTAX Cameras Only]</a></strong></td>

<td>

<p >53 Greenpond Road, Suite5</p>

<p >Rockaway, NJ 07866, U.S.A.<br /> TEL: 1-973-428-9800</p>

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<td colspan="3" height="20"><strong><img src="http://global.kyocera.com/prdct/optical/images/dot2.gif" alt="" width="9" height="9" /> U.K. & Ireland</strong></td>

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<td><a href="http://www.alphadigitalservices.co.uk" target="_blank"><strong>Alpha Digital Services Limited</strong></a></td>

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<p >Kyocera House, 111 Loverock Road</p>

<p >Reading, Berkshire, RG30 1DZ, U.K.<br /> TEL: 44-118-933-7000<br /> FAX: 44-118-958-7950<br /> </p>

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<td colspan="3" height="20"><strong><img src="http://global.kyocera.com/prdct/optical/images/dot2.gif" alt="" width="9" height="9" /> France</strong></td>

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<td><a href="http://www.nikkenfrance.com" target="_blank"><strong>Nikken Techno France</strong></a></td>

<td>4, Avenue Carnot, Neuville sur Saone F-69250, France<br /> TEL: 33-4-78913231<br /> FAX 33-4-78982055</td>

</tr>

<td><a href="http://www.photocinems.fr" target="_blank"><strong>Photo Cine MS</strong></a></td>

<td>3, rue Charles Baudelaire Paris F-75012, France<br /> TEL: 33-1-44757373<br /> FAX: 33-1-43442540</td>

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<td colspan="3" height="20"><strong><img src="http://global.kyocera.com/prdct/optical/images/dot2.gif" alt="" width="9" height="9" /> Germany & Austria</strong></td>

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<td><a href="http://www.tritec-service.de" target="_blank"><strong>TRITEC GmbH</strong></a></td>

<td>Kolpingstrasse 5, Vechelde D-38159, Germany<br /> TEL: 49-5302-9181-0<br /> FAX: 49-5302-9181-49</td>

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<td><strong>KYOCERA Hong Kong Logistics <br /> Co., Ltd.</strong></td>

<td>6th Floor of Niche Centre, No.14 Wang Tai Road, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon Hong Kong, China<br /> TEL: 852-2343-5151<br /> FAX: 852-2343-2472</td>

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celasun · June 19, 2012

Thank you for your suggestion and the list of links. I will be trying the German option with the help of a friend living there. My earlier experience (with another brand) is that outsiders are simply ignored by repair facilities. Don't know why :(</p>

evan_dong1 · June 19, 2012

<p>Bulent,</p>

<p>I believe that might had happen due to Regional Repair Shops taking equipment in for repair due to proximity and shipping cost. They should honor all repairs if you request it. Hopefully you will be able to get your equipment repaired. I live about 1 1/2 hour away from Tocad America, so for me its a mattering finding the time to drive over there. <br>

Simple repairs are done on site. For more complex repairs, all equipment is shipped to Kyocera Japan for repairs.</p>

ben_harris1 · October 19, 2012

<p>i 'd be curious to hear your experience with EU repair of you Contax. i have a C645 with need of the new shutter and also spot meter repair (optional for me ) . Tritec repair in Germany are the only option i know of but if their are other s please let me know. <br>

Also if anyone has experience please share. </p>

ben_harris1 · October 30, 2012

<p>My response from Alpha in the UK was around £400 quote for shutter repair - they can't do it themselves and send iton the Japan to Kyocera which seems expensive and double handling. ToCAD never replaied to my email requests, and Tritec whilst a bit slow and difficult to hear from quote me €130 for a new shutter (paid in advance) so I will be going with them. Will find out soon what they charge for installation. <br>

With current prices for C645 bodies going so high this price is very good. I may buy a spare shutter too. </p>

celasun · November 1, 2012

<p>An Update!<br>

None of the above mentioned sites responded my inquiries. Not a single one! They did not even acknowledge getting a message...<br>

Then, I tried keh.com. They said they can replace the shutter for USD 370. I agreed and have sent two bodies with the same problem. It took "months" for them to replace the shutter assembly of one of the bodies, which is fine at the moment! The other body is still waiting for the replacement part to be supplied by Tocad. I am informed that Tocad seems unresponsive to their repeated request for the part!<br>

Kyocera is expected to supply the parts for a few more years. I will be surprised if they don't. Still, without their request, Copal will not produce any shutters. I wonder how Tocad lacks a stock of them. Any ideas?<br>

Should we start worrying about the future of our Contax 645 bodies now?<br>

I have also sent a message to Tocad for information on this matter today. I will be surprised if they care to reply.</p>

ben_harris1 · December 10, 2012

<p>i had my C645 body repaired by Tritec recently and recommend them . Contact can be a bit tricky - maybe it's a language thing (my German isn't that great so wrote in english) or maybe they are super busy but after two /three emails heard from them, sent my camera body in with details of problem. Heard back after two days an paid them - shutter was €130 and labour for that and spot meter repair was double. All up a good price I thought - superior german workmanship i hope. I now have a brand new shutter which should last a long time for me, spot meter should also last well and the auto focus is very snappy and good in very low light now. Turn around was only 10 working days too!.<br>

Tritec would be my only recommendation for C645 cameras to anyone now. Kyocera will stock parts until 2014/5 as they agreed and then it's over. I will be buying at least one spare shutter next year to keep on the shelf. No service departments will ever hold shutters like this in inventory - it's not within their requirement. If you are shooting with a Contax professionally I would move onto another brand soon or buy two or three bodies as backup if you're going long term perhaps for parts/backup. They are now getting old as cameras go and need servicing to keep on track like anything. </p>

nathan_wu1 · August 21, 2014

<p>I just had my second contax 645 shutter break down on me 2 days ago during a shoot. So I have two bodies now with broken shutters. <br>

As I am based in Singapore, what would be the best course of action for me to take to get these two guys repaired? Should I send the bodies to Japan directly? <br>

Would it also be possible to buy extra spare shutters from them to stock up in case I need to repair them again? </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

celasun · August 27, 2014

<p>Nathan,<br>

As far as I know, spare shutters are scarce and you can only have them repaired / replaced in Japan. I believe, you may have more luck if you have a relative / close friend living in Japan who can deal with the matter as if they were his/her cameras. The German company mentioned above did not reply my repeated messages for a shutter repair/replacement. I will not be surprised if they do not have any spares left...</p>

nathan_wu1 · September 3, 2014

<p>Thanks for the response. <br>

I sent it straight to their Japan service center. It's called the Nagano Okaya Factory at 3-11-1 Kohagi Osachi, Okaya city. Nagano, 394-8550, Japan. <br>

Email: opticalservice@kyocera.jp<br>

Received a very speedy response and quote for the repair. <br>

Both my units had faulty shutters that needed to be replaced. So they quoted me a price of 59700 yen for each camera. Which works out to be about $550 usd inclusive of Shipping back to Singapore. <br>

The only payment they accept is bank wire transfer. <br>

I'm glad I got everything sorted out. Just a bummer that the support is going to end in 2015. I've enquired about buying extra shutters from them, as well as whether other camera brands like Mamiya make shutters that can be used as well. </p>

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Contax 645 AF Shutter replacement /repair

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