Excellent camera technician/serviceman: Dave Easterwood

<p>I think that really excellent camera repairmen are getting harder and harder to find. They are becoming a dying breed in the new digital/throw away world. I want to let you folks know about a really superb guy who doesn't have a web presence yet. First, the usual caveats: I have absolutely no financial ties or any other conflict of interest related to this guy. I am posting this because he is really superb, prices his repairs fairly, and probably could use more business given the state of the camera world now. I think it would benefit all of us if people like this stay in business.</p>

<p>The fellow's name is Dave Easterwood. His business is called "Dave's Camera Repair". He had a store front for a number of years in Westland, Michigan, but gave it up a year or so ago to save money. He now works out of his home in Chelsea, Michigan. His phone number is: 734-433-2640. His email address is: davescamera@earthlink.net</p>

<p>Dave has been repairing cameras for at least 30 years, and has 30 years worth of parts to show for it. He has old camera parts overflowing his basement into two outside storage units. He has done repairs and CLAs for me through the years on cameras such as: Leica M3, Minolta CLE, 70's era compact rangefinders (Olympus RC, RD, SP), Pentax MX, Olympus OM4t, etc.. He <em>does not charge for estimates</em> even if he has to take the whole camera apart and to test it. His charges for repairs are very fair. He is clearly a master at what he does and on many occasions has been able to fix my camera by cleaning a contact or re-soldering a connection rather than replacing a part. In other words, when it comes to repairs, he only does what he has to and does not do extra stuff to over charge you. He is happy to check out a camera on his instruments and if it looks OK, tell you so. If it is not worth repairing he will tell you so, and does not charge you. He is really terrific.</p>

<p>He is very comfortable with all cameras and loves to work on Leicas-screw mount through M8, as well as any rangefinder camera including medium format cameras. He is very good with all cameras, and loves older mechanical cameras. As mentioned, he has harvested parts for 30 years, and not infrequently can pull an old part out of his hat to fix a camera.</p>

<p>I hope that some of you will give him a try. He is the real deal.</p>

Thanks Steve, does he work on lenses as well?

<p>I have been visiting this forum for perhaps 3 years now and never quite had the motivation to sign up until I read Steve's plug for Dave Easterwood. I too have used Dave for camera repair. My first repair with Dave was 28 years ago. He has repaired both of my Rolliflexes, my F2 and Nikkormat FT3. I brought him my SL because I thought the meter was off. I told him how my SL was reading a stop lower than my F2 and FT3. He returned from his back room with a big smile saying you better bring in your F2 and FT3 since the SL's meter was right on. There was no charge for the check. <br>

I have taken family member's cameras to him for repair too and those members are still talking to me. But then, they have all moved onto to digital now.<br>

So as Steve, I can recommend Dave Easterwood as an honest good camera repairman.<br>

Mike</p>

<p>All,</p>

<p>These references are great. I hope you are also posting them to the "member recommendations" section of PN where people routinely search for references. When I need someone to service my equipment, that's where I look.</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/neighbor/opc.tcl?category_id=0</p>

<p>Cheers - Carl</p>

<p>@Barry- I will check with Dave about lens repairs and re-post.<br>

@Carl-Yes, I did post it in the community camera service section. I agree with you.</p>

<p>I called Dave today to ask him about lens repairs. He says he does all kinds of lens repairs and adjustments except for regrinding and re-coating them. He works on older mechanical lenses and newer automatic lenses in all formats. He also works on shutters, leaf shutters, etc.. He is happy to clean, lubricate, and calibrate and remove haze from old leica and other rangefinder lenses. Hope this helps!</p>

<p>Steve: Re. Eastwood, how are his prices and turnaround time? Now with prices of film cameras at throwaway prices (Leica film bodies/lenses is still high but R/Flex are low) it makes no sense to pay $300+ for work from famous Leica techs and wait months and months. </p>

<p>I think that his turnaround is pretty quick and his prices are lower than the other folks you are alluding to. That is why I have used him through the years (and the fact that he is local for me). I would suggest that you give him a call and describe what you need done. He can tell you turnaround time and price and you can judge for yourself. As I stated above, I think that he is very skilled and reasonable in pricing.</p>

<p>I know this thread is a few years out of date, but I wanted to put in my two cents for Dave - he's a terrific, upstanding guy and does great work on all sorts of cameras. So far, he's worked on a Rolleiflex 2.8C, a Nikkor 10.5cm f/2.5 LTM, and a Tokina 12-24mm f/4 lens for me, and checked out several other cameras that I've brought to him. The lenses and the Rolleiflex came back in wonderful shape, and he even tuned up things that I hadn't thought of asking him about (including evening out a bent "foot" on the Rolleiflex back that I thought was un-repairable). All this for reasonable prices and excellent service. He even took in a friend's Voigtlander lens with a missing focusing ring screw and custom-made one to fit - "no charge," he said. All in all, Dave's work is top notch and I can't say enough about his friendliness, easygoing manner, and professional repairs. </p>

<p>I'm sending my Vitomatic II to Dave for CLA !!</p>