Essex Camera Service

<p>I drove up to Carlstadt, NJ with some lenses which need work. I had read somewhere on photo.net that Essex Camera Service was going to move up to the 2nd Floor in their same building. A construction worker spoke to me through the locked glass doors. Essex's space on the 1st floor was flooded and when I saw it today through a window it had been gutted. What happened to Essex? They were supposed to move to the 2nd Floor but didn't. I left them a phone message and sent an e-mail. Does anyone know where they are now and whether they will try to reestablish themselves? </p>

<p>Boy, I have good memories about Essex fixing cameras for me and doing a real fine job at a great price. I have some stuff for them to fix. I emailed them a while back about my sick Yashica LYNX 14 but never heard back. I hope they will get back into it.</p>

<p>I am really glad you posted this Jeff. I don't have an answer to your question but I had just boxed up a camera body to send them. Anybody out there have a recommendation on who else to send an old Fujica 705W cameera body to? Essex did really good work and would work on about anything. Really sad thing.</p>

<p>They seemed to be back & running around Thanksgiving time, as they were able to complete repairs on a Kodak Medalist II that I had sent them just before Sandy.</p>

<p>You could count on Essex to repair classic photo gear nobody else would touch. My Bronica long-lens focusing unit and Minolta Autocord would be unusable without Essex. I hope reports of the company's death are premature. Thanks, Jeff, for bringing this up.</p>

<p>Essex Camera is still in business on the second floor. The first floor was under water after Sandy. The telephone and e-mail service is very hit and miss, but it is business as usual.</p>

<p>You could count on Essex to repair classic photo gear nobody else would touch. My Bronica long-lens focusing unit and Minolta Autocord would be unusable without Essex. I hope reports of the company's death are premature. Thanks, Jeff, for bringing this up.</p>

<p>According to the construction worker I spoke to yesterday Essex is not still in business at 100 Amor Avenue in Carlstadt, NJ on the 2nd Floor or any other floor.</p>

<p>According to the construction worker I spoke to yesterday Essex is not still in business at 100 Amor Avenue in Carlstadt, NJ on the 2nd Floor or any other floor.</p>

<p>Maybe someone local can go to the post office and ask what is being done with their mail, are they forwarding it somewhere or delivering it to another local address?</p>

<p>I went to 100 Amor Ave this afternoon. The whole building looked empty. No cars were in the lots on either side of the building. A Port-o-John was taking up one parking spot. Front doors were locked, so I could not get upstairs. The first floor is now gutted and looks like work is under way repairing flood damage; doors were moved, sheetrock ripped out, etc. <br>

The large Essex Camera Repair sign that was usually propped up out front is no longer there. A large "For Lease" sign is on the lawn.<br>

A member at rangefinderforum reported two weeks ago that he got a camera returned to him by Essex with a note staing that they are out of business. <br>

This is sad news. The last I saw Mr. Kim was a week after Sandy. Although upset over the devastating loss, he stood stoically amidst the wreckage and told me the repair shop would continue to work from remote locations. <br>

For me, Essex Camera Repair was much more than a faceless business to patronize from a distance. Mr. Kim and his staff helped me out of several sticky jams over the years. Their care and attention when called upon for an emergency repair of pro gear went well beyond what would be expected from factory service. Most of the time the final bill was much less than the already reasonable estimate given at the front window when I dropped off bodies or lenses in need of overhauls. having such a shop so very close to home was such a rare luxury.</p>

<p>Let's hope my use of the past tense in the above paragraph is a temporary one. I would love for other members or customers to confirm that Essex Camera Service will reopen soon. <br>

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<p>Gabor,<br>

I saw the same things a few days ago. Just for the sake of trying I sent a note to 100 Amor Avenue with Address Service Requested on the envelope. I traded e-mails this week with Ken Ruth at Photography On Bald Mountain in Davenport,CA. Ken is alive and kicking and I will be sending him some things soon. I will miss Essex if they do not return. Most of the things I had serviced were also brought in rather than mailed in. Many small things were done on the spot. </p>

Oh boy, I am hardly ever on this forum, but I was just checking Essex search because I have a Tamron SP I want

serviced. This sounds like bad news. NJ is becoming a camera ghost town in many ways.....