Repairs - not NPS or Fixation....

trackdemon

trackdemon

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Steve Hall
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I'm sure this has been done to death but the search has failed to deliver anything meaningful. I wonder if it could become a resource worth being pinned? Recommended repair outlets. Primarily I'm looking for somewhere in Essex/SE that isn't London (because I have no interest in driving into Khans capital) that I can drive to as I have a problem with a 400mm f2.8 which won't detach from my D4, looks like the mount in the D4 is damaged. I am NPS registered but for expediency & cost reasons I'd like to try somewhere else but I'm a great believer in word of mouth hence canvassing your expertise and experience. Please feel free to list places countrywide as I'm not averse to shipping (and/or I do travel around quite a bit anyway) and it may be useful to others anyway....

cheers,
Steve
 
Send it to Glasgow as per Steve’s post, they have a great reputation.
 
Lehman’s in stoke on Trent 5 minutes off the M6
 
Luton cameras .
 
There is a place in Liverpool by the Birkenhead tunnel but I can’t recall the name
 
Not in your neck of the woods, but I've found Black on White in Bristol to be very good.
 
NPS repair/servicing doesn't exist in the UK any more, so if you want to go 'official' you are left with Fixation, Lehmann's or Johnstone.

The first two have garnered significant complaints over the past couple of years. Johnstone has had a fair amount of decent comments.

If you send the camera to Nikon, they will ship it to Poland to get sorted out.
 
Yes Johnstones in Glasgow

Also Newton Ellis on Bold Street in Liverpool - I have used them. Not necessarily cheap but you pay for experienced technicians. Give em a bell

Newton Ellis - Camera, DSLR and Lens repairs UK Nationwide

Looking for camera repairs in the UK? Then Newton Ellis is repairing all types of cameras, lenses and camcorders. Digital or film cameras, nationwide service.
www.newtonellis.com www.newtonellis.com
 
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Give this company a call " http://www.camserve.co.uk " I have used them a couple of times and been to their workshop as well as it is not too far from me. I think it may well be worth giving them a call. Based in East Sussex. Actually seeing the place is quite an experience as you look from the counter (customer side ) at their setup

Funny little place based in the grounds of a farm and the workshop is one of the out buildings . I actually liked the place and the guys are so helpfull, nothing grand just a counter and workshop behind, no frilly or fancy show cases as they dont sell.
 
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Thread tidied.
Quit with the politics, the main irritant is on a day off and a thread ban,
lets get back on track ...
 
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@trackdemon

Just thinking out loud....
In this thread https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/d4-lens-stuck.747061/

@sk66 suggested using a modified small (engineering screwdriver) to slip into the service notch and lever the locking pin down.

In the absence of a DIY version @sk66 has engineering experience, perhaps find a local engineering/metal working firm to make such a tool?

If @sk66 Steve can perhaps comment about the required width, thickness and bend angle needed that would be enough instructions to the fabricator to make one for not too many £'s :thinking:
 
Box Brownie said:
If @sk66 Steve can perhaps comment about the required width, thickness and bend angle needed that would be enough instructions to the fabricator to make one for not too many £'s
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I would have to make and test one; which I'd be willing to do. But it seems trackdemon would prefer a professional do the work (understandably).
 
Thanks for your replies all, been away at RIAT over the weekend - annoyingly a place where my lovely 400 would have been perfect!

I do recall SK66 helpful replies to my other thread and I've had a go, but not knowing what I'm doing I was reluctant to probe further and potentially cause more harm than good. Now having noticed the lens mount on the D4 body seems to be loose in the body (and now the camera doesn't speak to the lens, no AF or aperture control) it's clear the weight of the lens has damaged the body - my own stupid fault for picking up by the body a few times whilst rushing around shooting at my local football team a few weeks back. Hence wanting to take it to a professional and given the size & weight hence hoping to take it somewhere myself as I'm loathe to hand over such a high value item to courier. Surprised at the dearth of repair shops in Essex/Suffolk as that would be my preferred area. But if anyone does know somewhere within - say - 1hr-90mins drive of Southend I'm all ears :D
 
toohuge said:
How about Camserve - as mentioned above?
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Interesting, but sadly 2 hours away.... which isn't an absolute dealbreaker but if I can find something closer I'd much prefer that. There is a place called Thomas Camera Services in Tunbridge which is closer, good google reviews but I rate the reviews here much higher....
 
piper said:
Yes Johnstones in Glasgow

Also Newton Ellis on Bold Street in Liverpool - I have used them. Not necessarily cheap but you pay for experienced technicians. Give em a bell

Newton Ellis - Camera, DSLR and Lens repairs UK Nationwide

Looking for camera repairs in the UK? Then Newton Ellis is repairing all types of cameras, lenses and camcorders. Digital or film cameras, nationwide service.
www.newtonellis.com www.newtonellis.com
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as above, but yes he knows his stuff
 
welshwizard645 said:
"We provide a repair service for all cameras and lenses from the 1920's to the latest models. "

I took my Kodak Retina Reflex S there in 1987 for repair and said they wouldn;t touch it :headbang:
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Not that you bear a grudge... :p
 
Given you are in Essex, Fixation really doesn’t seem that far away and they are very good.
 
Stephen L said:
Not that you bear a grudge... :p
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the trouble with repairing older cameras is the ability to get the spare parts to repair it with , sometimes they will have broken lenses or cameras to strip for the appropriate bits , this may have been the case then , ive had a camera and a lens repaired by them and can only vouch from my experience that they were excellent
 
:plus1: for AJ Johnstone's in Glasgow.

Had a 5Div repaired there, a new focus screen as well as a 17-40L internal focus screw.

No complaints from me, got my gear back in a few days and you wouldn't know it had been apart.
 
welshwizard645 said:
I am like an elephant... long memory but ask me what I did 5 minutes ago...
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Ok, so what DID you do five minutes ago? ;)

Another vote for Newton Ellis from me. I recently had my Olympus OM4Ti and OM1 serviced by them. Did an excellent job on both.
 
inkiboo said:
Given you are in Essex, Fixation really doesn’t seem that far away and they are very good.
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I have used them previously when I lived there, they are decent but expensive. But driving into London from anywhere is about as much fun as scratching my eyes with a nailboard; I'd rather drive further in half the time without paying multiple taxes for the privilege ;)
 
Just giving this one last bump before I decide which way to go - has anybody here used Thomas Camera Services in Tunbridge? If so... thoughts?
 
mav said:
peeps who recommended newton ellis what did you have Done, its a toss up for me between them and johnsons , . Need a lens Repairing and Newton ellis are Local
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Stuck aperture on contax distagon 28/2.8 mmj

When I got it back it looked as if it had had a full CLA as well eg no internal dust but they didn’t say they had done this.

Whatever - in beautiful condition: aperture fixed and focus buttery smooth.

It was £132 + postage in feb 2020. Took 2 weeks

See they are in cheapside - thought it was bold street

[ Miles Whitehead did a lot of work for me on German cameras from the 50's and 60's but he is now retired. Ed Trzoska from http://europhotoservices.co.uk/ also did work on some post war Sonnars ]
 
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