End of Service for Contax Service

[evan_dong1]

<p>Heads up for all Contax-Yashica Product Users. All users has until April 1 for Tocad America to service your Contax gear.</p>

<h2>Services</h2>

<p><strong>IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING CONTAX SERVICE</strong><br /> <strong>Effective April 1, 2015 ToCAD America will cease service of all Contax equipment.</strong><br /> <strong>Beginning April 1st, please send all Contax units for repair to:</strong><br /> <strong>Nippon Photo Clinic</strong><br /> <strong>37 West 39th Street, Suite # 401</strong><br /> <strong>New York, NY 10018</strong><br /> <strong>(212) 736-4663</strong></p>

[JDMvW]

<p>April 1?</p>

[donbright]

<p>April One?</p>

[evan_dong1]

<p>Yes, I was a bit wary of that DATE. But it was told to me by the Head of Service. That came directly off of Tocad America's website, not generated by me... Just passing on information to Contax users...</p>

<p>Most of mt 645 equipment is in Japan for the final round of servicing prior to the complete shutdown of servicing as promised by Contax-Yashica parent's company Kyocera.<br>

It appears that what remains of NEW Spare parts will be serviced by Nippon Photo Clinic.</p>

 

[c_watson1]

<p>How about a link to the announcement on the ToCAD site?</p>

[evan_dong1]

<p>Quite easy to Google it. I just hope that this notice is not perceived as an April Fools Day prank.</p>

<p>http://www.tocad.com/serviceandsupport.html</p>

[c_watson1]

<p>Easier still to have posted it above.</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>Many companies operate their financial year through to March 31st. April 1is simply the start of a new one.</p>

<p>But what is the problem, if service is transferred from a camera equipment distributer (not a manufacturer) to another service company? </p>

[donbright]

<p>Well there you go, and thanks for the link, and info. My Contax G2s flash is not working. The Flash head works, but its not talking to the camera, ironically this happened after sending to, ToCad for another issue.</p>

[c_watson1]

<p><em>But what is the problem, if service is transferred from a camera equipment distributer (not a manufacturer) to another service company?</em><br>

<em> </em><br>

<em><br /></em>Sadly, Arthur, it usually starts the countdown to limited service/repair based on parts access. I assume ToCad's Contax parts trove will go to Nippon with no further restock. If you've got ailing Contax gear or want a tune-up, now's the time.</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>You mean to tell me they were still in business ?</p>

[donbright]

<p>The Contax effort <strong>was </strong>a valient one. Many Contax users found, or find in my case the G2 kit, great leaps in the Photographic experience. When Contax dissolved, verses staying the course, and improvising, it is, and continues to be an all time shock, and mystery. At least a mystery to me, it was like shutting off jet propulsion mid flight. So, knowing a good thing, we kept it going through ToCad. Obviously the flight paths trajectory has changed, but look at the time it took to get at this point! It speaks volumes for Contax. The G2, and its lenses? A very good reason to hang on.</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>I have a lot of respect for Contax medium format equipment, from the pre 1960s Zeiss folders to the modern Contax 645 in film and digital back versions, with their high quality interchangeable optics. Kyocera is a big company operating in various product areas and possibly the 645 didn't sell as well as hoped (the case also for its digital 35mm cameras and decreasing film camera sales) and a decision was made to end production when the company stopped all Contax camera production in 2005.</p>

<p>I don't know what the situation is for obtaining parts, but 10 years after end of production is the norm these days for most camera systems. It is too bad, as the 645 (like other more modern Contax cameras) was a great camera and hopefully the alternative service centres will continue to provide good service.</p>

[evan_dong1]

<p>Quite simple, at the end of the ten years, as i know firsthand with my all Contax equipment serviced recently, parts are being depleted in the servicing. What can be service here will be done so. For the higher end items like the 645 system and possibly the N Digital, servicing is done in Japan. If parts has been depleted, then there is no options any longer.</p>

<p>I would highly recommend you get all your equipment serviced when its still available.</p>

 

[aplumpton]

<p>Another medium format camera, the Fujifilm GS or GSW series, was discontinued some time ago (a decade or more). About 5 years ago I found a service technician (Rogliano) in NYC who advertised various parts on eBay. Purchasing a new base and shutter assembly was only a few dollars each and I considered those purchases worthwhile as future backups. I cracked a part of the polymer composite base which affected light tightness of the film chamber I and was able to replace it easily. What I would like to find for my Mamiya 6 are some parts of the rapid wind lever mechanism, as this is a part that is no longer generally available and a weak link for this otherwise excellent MF system.</p>

<p>Perhaps you can locate some critical parts of the Contax 645 MF system, although you would need to know which are the most sensitive to wear. Nothing beats good care of a camera, exercising the various shutter speeds at least once a month, and keeping it dry and away from sand and dust. Cleaning and adjusting and minor repairs will likely be available for most MF and smaller cameras for some time.</p>