Fujica Rangefinder repair source?

<p>Maybe this should go in "Classic Cameras", but does anyone have a reliable repair person for the Fujica fixed-lens rangefinders, like the 35-ES, 35-EE, etc.?<br>

Thanks in advance.</p>

<p> </p>

<p><a href="http://tlccamerarepair.homestead.com/">TLC Camera Repair</a></p>

<p>Thanks, Robert!</p>

<p>Also try:<br>

 

<p>Camera Wiz Camera Repair<br>

 

<p>169B Pleasant Hill Road<br>

Harrisonburg, VA 22801<br>

540-434-8133<br>

800-471-8133</p>

</p>

</p>

 

<p>If you do use Camera Wiz, be prepared to wait and to be lied to about it. I sent a Fuji GS645 to them in October, and he told me that it would take two weeks. Then he told me "by the end of the week", then "certainly by Thanksgiving", then "of course, by mid December." "Certainly done by Christmas", "By New Year's, surely". After that, I gave up until February. My family in the US got the camera back last week, but I still have not seen it yet to verify that it has been repaired as agreed, but I imagine it is. The guy there is very nice, he just does not know how to tell people the truth -- that he is hugely backlogged and cannot repair things in a timely fashion. I would have been fine waiting the same amount of time, especially had he not patently lied to me multiple times in a row about how it would be done in the next few days. </p>

<p>I've used Camera Wiz several times myself. The repairs were very good, and fairly priced, but not the fastest.</p>

<p>I had a nice talk with Gus at TLC. He has a big backlog of Leica work and doesn't want to take on the Fujicas.<br>

Still looking.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I sent the cameras to CameraRepair.com, which is Essex camera. <br>

They're being worked on now. We'll see how it works out.</p>

 

<p>Hi Scott, how did it work out?<br /> I am looking for someone to CLA and replace the bellows on my GS645. Camera Wiz did not answer their phone and the 800 number is disconnected. I sent an email to TLC, this afternoon, but it was after 5PM on the east coast so haven't heard back. I went to the camerarepair.com, but it seemed kind of an odd website that didn't inspire confidence. Has anyone had results from them that you can post?<br /> Thanks,<br /> --Brian</p>

<p>Just for anyone else who might find this. I ended up sending my GS645 to Essex Camera along with a new bellows. I asked them to install the bellows, replace the film door seals, and CLA the camera. Their 2 week estimate became much longer than that. (I think 6 or 8 weeks, but I've forgotten exactly. I finally had to insist that they finish it. When I got it back, the bellows and seals were replaced. The camera is nice and clean. But the shutter speed dial is still very hard to turn. I don't think they did anything to it. I was tempted to complain and insist that they do it right, but if they couldn't do it after that long I was afraid they would just keep the thing forever if I returned it. I have no idea if the camera will make a proper exposure. I've taken some test film, but haven't got it developed yet. We'll see.</p>

Here's a follow-up, only 7 years late:

Skipping to the end, I eventually sent 5 Fujicas to Essex. They were all finished in reasonable time for about $100 each. In each case the work was perfect. I still use the cameras from time to time.

 

Sadly, Hurricane Sandy (I think) put them out of business. They are now permanently closed.