View Full Version : CLA in the USA?
While I was poking around on the bay, I found THIS GUY (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7549449327&rd=1&rd=1) .
Seems a reasonable price but, anybody heard of him or had work done by him?
He says he'll also work on othe gear as well.
Would any of you give him a try? I am thinking about sending a DOA Zorki 3m I have to see what his work is like.
Maybe another resource for us FSU addicts?
Rob
I asked Yuri at Fedka if they did service but they do not. :( Have not heard of this guy.
I saw his Ebay posting awhile back. Might be worth a shot--especially with the recent postage increases in FSU countries.
RJBender
09-27-2005, 11:08
While I was poking around on the bay, I found THIS GUY (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7549449327&rd=1&rd=1) .
Seems a reasonable price but, anybody heard of him or had work done by him?
He says he'll also work on othe gear as well.
Would any of you give him a try? I am thinking about sending a DOA Zorki 3m I have to see what his work is like.
Maybe another resource for us FSU addicts?
Rob
Hi Rob,
His name is Phil Mason.
http://opticalrepair.net/_wsn/page5.html
http://www.opticalrepair.net/
He is also doing business as "Arizona Camera Brokers"
http://www.visioncareforums.com/showsubject.asp?MessageID=5093&siteid=vcf
It appears that he has experience repairing expensive optical equipment.
There is no phone number for the business on the website. WHOIS says it's 480-832-4191
His recent feedback looks favorable.
Let us know how he does with your Zorki, if you send it to him.
R.J.
Rob,
You might consider Eddie Smolov @ Active Camera in Brooklyn, NY (718-622-5373). I found his name in the Kiev report and Pnet. Never used him myself, but heard favourable comments.
Jason.
back alley
09-27-2005, 17:05
there is a 12 dollar shipping charge...what's he shipping?
Probably UPS, as their tracking system is better than the post office and they do a pick up.
back alley
09-27-2005, 17:19
no, there is a $12. shipping charge for this auction.
he is selling a service. what is there to ship?
joe
Shipping the camera back to the owner after service?
This from his website:
Insured shipping is $12.00 In the U.S.
there is a 12 dollar shipping charge...what's he shipping?
I wondered about that also. I will ask him if its for the return shipping of the gear(which is reasonable) rather than the shipping for , what, a letter or certificate?.
The wording is abit ambigious(sp?) but my reading of it would be for the return of the camera. Certainly something that needs clarification.
I'll "ask the seller a question" and let everyone here know what the reply is.
Rob
Rob,
You might consider Eddie Smolov @ Active Camera in Brooklyn, NY (718-622-5373). I found his name in the Kiev report and Pnet. Never used him myself, but heard favourable comments.
Jason.
Jason,
Thanks for the info! I've heard/read good things about him but [until now] couldn't find any contact info. Very helpful!
Thanks,
Rob
I got a response to my question and the $12 is for return shipping of the camera.
I think I'll give him a try. Let you folks know how it goes.
Rob
I think I'll give him a try. Let you folks know how it goes.
Rob
You're a brave Comrade; to blaze the trail, to boldly embark into uncharted waters, to risk life, loot and Zorki for the good of the People. ........ ehhh ........ right, I need to lay off the caffeine for awhile. :D
Anyway, Good Luck ol' boy. Keep us posted. I really am hoping for the best.
RJBender
11-08-2005, 00:29
Rob,
Did Phil Mason do a good job on your Zorki?
R.J.
Actually, Mike Kovacs, an RFF'er up here in the great white north also does CLA's.
kvanderlaag
11-08-2005, 06:59
Really! That's good to know, because I'm going to pick my Zorki 6 up from the post office today, and I'm not sure what kind of condition it's going to be in! I'd really appreciate being able to keep it in Canada having it CLA'd!
Rob,
Did Phil Mason do a good job on your Zorki?
R.J.
Haven't sent it to him(or anyone) yet, I've been using the Bessa R lately and most of my FSU gear is sitting on the shelf staring reproachfully at me :bang:
I've got to take some time and decide what I'm going to do with the several FSU cameras I own; I might have to do some culling...eventually.
I haven't given up the idea of trying this guy but it's definitly not at the top of my list.
Rob
tedwhite
11-08-2005, 07:31
I'll ask Phil Barton, on the Yahoo Pentax Spotmatic user's forum, as he sends stuff to someone in Arizona and seems satisfied with the results. Phil is also a Russian camera fan.
I'll let you all know.
Ted
Bet you this is how singer sonwriters get inspired ... John Mellencamp bending desperately over his FED2 and thinking "cla in the usa" ... then turning it into ROCK in the usa .... yeah... clever chaps
tedwhite
11-08-2005, 09:08
Talked to Phil Barton. He says Phil Mason does Russian cameras, but that's all he knows. Barton sends all of his stuff to Alan Turner in Arizona. Turner currently has an ebay auction:
7561250403, so perhaps an inquiry would reveal whether he also does Russian RF cameras.
Ted
tedwhite
11-10-2005, 17:44
Anxious to learn your experience. I hope it's positive as I live in Arizona and shipping him a Zorki wouldn't cost much at all.
Ted
tedwhite
11-10-2005, 19:05
Thanks for the info. I'll wait.
Ted
You might want to wait until we see what I get back. ;)
Bill
I decided that the Zorki 3m and it's lens were too nice to just sit around not earning their keep so I did the ebay BIN thing and also emailed Mr. Mason about doing the lens(the J-8 I got with the camera wouldn't focus correctly but until I screwed it up the Z 3m was great) and camera together. He's been very good about answering my questions and I figure this stuff is rather less complicated than some of the other optical repairs he does so I'm fairly confident about this.
Any way, the gear goes out this week. I'll let all y'all know how it comes back to me.
Not sure what the time frame is going to be--I'm hoping to get a nice Christmas present from AZ this year. :D
Rob
I sent him my Z4 with lens on 10/11 and he still has them, I don't see that as being too long, rather right than quick.
Bill
Agreed!This isn't a race so however long it takes(well, no too long I hope) I see it this way: The camera and lens are a paperweight right now so I'm not losing anything during the time he has it. And when he's done I'll have a camera that I know I really like and can actually use.
That's a good thing :D
Rob
I expected to send the Zorki to Mr. Mason before all the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday silliness that my family insists upon but that plan didn't work :bang: so the camera went off to him just about a month ago. Because I delayed so much in getting the camera to him, I'm a bit hesitant to ask how it's coming along so I'll be patient and wait a while longer. As Billfoto said better right than quick. I keep reminding myself.
I'll keep you folks posted about any real news.
Rob
Anyone talk to Phil Mason recently?
He has about 5 of my cameras and had promised them by the end of February, and I haven't heard from him. I went to see if I could find a phone number for him, and the opticalrepair.net website is no longer functional, so I'm a little worried.
I'm going to use the phone number listed in this thread and see if I can get a response, but I'm worried I may have to make a trip to AZ to collect my cameras, or a pound of flesh (UGH!).
---Michael
He's had my Zorki for about 10 weeks now and I wasn't especially happy about it but not worried. PLease let us know what you hear.
Rob
I just got through to Phil, so he is still of the living. It sounds like he has been overrun with work recently, and is running behind.
I'm hopeful that I can get my cameras back soon; I'm going through withdrawl...
---Michael
I just got through to Phil, so he is still of the living. It sounds like he has been overrun with work recently, and is running behind.
I'm hopeful that I can get my cameras back soon; I'm going through withdrawl...
---Michael
Sounded a little groggy, maybe? It's 7:30 or 8:30 am in AZ? :D
Any way, that's better news than I feared you might have for us!
I'll be patient....
Rob
Unfortunate. I was hoping for an FSU CLA option that was a little quicker/less trouble. 10 weeks+ is enough time to get across the pond and back and have excellent work done.
Unfortunate. I was hoping for an FSU CLA option that was a little quicker/less trouble. 10 weeks+ is enough time to get across the pond and back and have excellent work done.
Yeah,
that was my reasoning. I suspect(but please don't confirm this--it would be too depressing :rolleyes: ) that if I had just sent the dern thing to OLeg, I'd have it back by now :bang: and probably spent less $ :bang: :bang:
On the delusional--I mean bright--side, I've had the last few days off form work so when I go in today, maybe there will be a box from AZ waiting for me...nope not gonna go there, that way leads to crushed hopes and desires :D
I really don't want to bother the man(Mr.Mason) especially if he's swamped; no point in slowing him down by making him get on the phone.
I've set my PC's wall paper to cycle through all the pictures of Z3s I happen to have.
I am so doomed!
Rob
10 weeks... Rob, he's ALREADY in slow mode. If you want to call him, call him. You certainly have a right and have been mooooore than patient. Give him a ring just so he can put a voice to a camera. He'll be reminded that you haven't forgotten him or your camera. [my dos centavos]
10 weeks... Rob, he's ALREADY in slow mode. If you want to call him, call him. You certainly have a right and have been mooooore than patient. Give him a ring just so he can put a voice to a camera. He'll be reminded that you haven't forgotten him or your camera. [my dos centavos]
Well,
If I had been prompt about my end of the auction(see above) I probably would. But since I had to make him wait for me at the "front end" of the transaction, I don't feel like I can reasonably bug him about it now at the"back end". Plus I want his best attention to the camera. I DON"T want any muttering like, "he wants his camera, fine! I'll get him his camera!" while he's working on the Zorki.
I can be patient. Really. Doesn't bother me a bit. Where's the Tequilla? :D
Rob
outfitter
03-23-2006, 09:18
Just got this reply:
"Thanks fo your inquiry, My repairs these days are limited to Ophthalmic Equipment.
Regards,
Phil Mason"
Just got this reply:
"Thanks fo your inquiry, My repairs these days are limited to Ophthalmic Equipment.
Regards,
Phil Mason"
That's reassuring....I wonder if he under-estimated the number of folks who want to use these wacky ancient cameras?
Rob
Laurence
03-23-2006, 09:55
So far, I think that the "across the pond to Oleg" choice still looks best. Will be interesting to see how this all comes out.
..."he wants his camera, fine! I'll get him his camera!"... LOL!! Hey, I feel like that's the attitude I get from EVERY Zorki I buy out of the Bay!! Yeah, I fully understand. You're a more patient man than I. (But Aki is trying to change that. I screwed up and told him "no problem, I can wait" for the right color. Last word was Jan.30 :( )
edit: I wrote this post and three hours later, what was in the mailbox? My cover from Aki. I repent in sackcloth and ashes. :rolleyes:
tedwhite
03-23-2006, 20:25
Frankly, I would question Mr. Mason's business sense. If he finds he's getting more cameras than he can possibly keep up with, he should simply respond to inquiries by saying he can't accept any more and "give me your name and email and I'll put you on my waiting list. First come, first serve." Then you could send your Zorki/Fed/Kiev bodies to Oleg and be better off in the bargain. But when this guy responds with "my repairs these days are limited to opthalmic equipment" what message does that send? No more weird rusky cameras is the message, and in the meantime, sir, can I please have my Zorki back? Please? Sir? Hello, can you hear me now?
My friend, Phil Barton, of Spotmatic Users Forum on Yahoo fame, uses Alan Turner in Phoenix, who has good ebay feedback and works on Kiev MF cameras, etc. If you go onto oivay and type in mjatinaz77 you'll be able to locate him. Phil says he does good work.
OTOH, if your camera is a Pentax, try Eric at pentaxrepairs@aol.com. He's the retired head of the Pentax repair division. He does superb work. But, he might just want to fiddle around with a Zorki 4K for the hell of it. And his turn-around time is super fast.
My friend, Phil Barton, of Spotmatic Users Forum on Yahoo fame, uses Alan Turner in Phoenix, who has good ebay feedback and works on Kiev MF cameras, etc. If you go onto oivay and type in mjatinaz77 you'll be able to locate him. Phil says he does good work.
OTOH, if your camera is a Pentax, try Eric at pentaxrepairs@aol.com. He's the retired head of the Pentax repair division. He does superb work. But, he might just want to fiddle around with a Zorki 4K for the hell of it. And his turn-around time is super fast.
Ted,
Good to know about Alan Turner. And I agree about Eric! I'm expecting a K2 DMD today or tomorrow that he worked on for me. Very communicative and fast. Good price as well.
Rob
Since 11-10-05
In a week or three! Ha! He still has my camera and I've heard nothing from him except when I sent him e-mail asking how it's going. I can tell you: slow, slow is how it goes with this guy. I'm glad I don't take my FSU RFs seriously. :bang:
Bill
Let's see....you sent your gear to him about two months before I sent mine so I should expect to get mine back...just about the time I retire? :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: I'd better put thecamera into my will so my neice or nephews will be able to use it. :rolleyes:
Bother.
Well, I do have a DOA Zorki 3m body I bought specifically to re-paint and re-build...guess I'll have to actually get the screw drivers and Maizenberg's book out.
I don't like vodka enough for this kind of nonsense. :bang:
Rob
Let's see....you sent your gear to him about two months before I sent mine so I should expect to get mine back...just about the time I retire? :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: I'd better put thecamera into my will so my neice or nephews will be able to use it. :rolleyes:
Bother.
Well, I do have a DOA Zorki 3m body I bought specifically to re-paint and re-build...guess I'll have to actually get the screw drivers and Maizenberg's book out.
I don't like vodka enough for this kind of nonsense. :bang:
Rob
O..L...E...G spells RELIEF. He's done at least a half dozen cameras for me -- none were gone more than two months (most less) and they always work the way they are supposed to work. Even with increased shipping costs to Russia I think he's still the best deal.
I finally sent a short note on 18 April to Mr. Mason about my Zorki 3m.
Just "Mr. Mason,
Hope things are going well for you.
Just a short note to ask how my Zorki 3m and lens are coming along?"
Tonight I got back an equally short note:
"It's on the bench Friday.
Regards,
Optical Repair Co."
:bang:
:bang:
Now I am worried about my joking earlier about the tech muttering "he wants his camera, fine. I'll fix his camera., etc" while he's working on my gear will turn to prophecy.:bang:
I must admit I would much rather gotten an email something like:
"Mr. Biemer,
sorry for the delay, got a bit swamped and I will get to your camera/lens as soon as possible."
Oleg for sure, next time I need some work done!
When I decided to use this guy, I wasn't trying to save $--I'm just barely smart enough to realize that you generally get what you pay for when you hire a skill-- Mason's price was some higher than Oleg's, but I was hoping to save time and the shipping back and forth across the Atlantic concerned me some as well.
I'll let folks know how the camera is when I get it back.
Rob
Unfortunate. I was hoping for the best too. Gee, I hope, "It's on the bench Friday" doesn't mean it's been on the floor til then. ;) [joke]
Well I just got a package from Phil Mason with my cameras, and they are all there, but he didn't do any work on one, and another isn't working entirely properly.
The other three seem to be fine, but it's not possible to tell if the shutter is capping at the higher speeds without a film test.
The IIIf RD had a weak secondary image, and he said it needed a new beamsplitter, but that didn't appear to fix the problem, so I'm unsure if he put one in or not. The 1000 speed is also not working on it properly. Otherwise, it looks like it is working fine.
I had sent him a Canon IIb as well, and he sent it back with no work done to it, so I'm unclear what the issue is with that. He also didn't work on the lens with that camera, which needed cleaning and some work to the aperture.
So now I have to try to squeeze blood from a turnip, since everything was prepaid...
I would recommend staying away from him if possible, as at the moment I'm not sure that he is a reliable repairman at all.
---Michael
RJBender
04-21-2006, 17:47
Well I just got a package from Phil Mason with my cameras, and they are all there, but he didn't do any work on one, and another isn't working entirely properly.
The other three seem to be fine, but it's not possible to tell if the shutter is capping at the higher speeds without a film test.
The IIIf RD had a weak secondary image, and he said it needed a new beamsplitter, but that didn't appear to fix the problem, so I'm unsure if he put one in or not. The 1000 speed is also not working on it properly. Otherwise, it looks like it is working fine.
I had sent him a Canon IIb as well, and he sent it back with no work done to it, so I'm unclear what the issue is with that. He also didn't work on the lens with that camera, which needed cleaning and some work to the aperture.
So now I have to try to squeeze blood from a turnip, since everything was prepaid...
I would recommend staying away from him if possible, as at the moment I'm not sure that he is a reliable repairman at all.
---Michael
Michael,
Did you pre-pay through an eBay auction?
R.J.
RJ,
No, I had made contact with him just before he started advertising on Ebay. Even if so, it took him so long to finish the work that the complaint process would have long expired, and the same goes for Paypal (45 days for them).
I'll be calling him on Monday to get a refund if I can.
---Michael
Still no camera or any word from Mr. Mason. It's been "on his bench" for just under a month now. :bang:
Well, I do have a DOA Zorki 3m body I bought specifically to re-paint and re-build...guess I'll have to actually get the screw drivers and Maizenberg's book out.
I have decided to send this one to Oleg. I really want a working Z3m again and have spent some time seriously thinking about my skill level (very low) and my experience(non-existant) so haven't touched the camera with any thing but longing. :D
Any body want to bet which camera I get back first? :rolleyes:
Rob
Woo Hoo!! Just got this email from Oleg(in regards to the beater Z3m I sent him a couple of weeks ago):
Hello Rob,
Parcel is here!
Sincerely,
Oleg
STILL no sign of the Zorki I stupidly sent to Arizona :bang: :bang: :bang:
At least I know I'll have one good Z3m by the end of summer. Since I have reasonable confidence and expectations about the work from Oleg, I think it's time I have some "direct" words with Mr. Mason. :D Probably I won't be able to quote those words here at RFF :D
Let you folks know how it goes for amusement's sake...
Rob
Darn it Rob, this has been one long strange trip.
If you need some "muscle" I have a very scary brother and sister-in-law in Arizona. They also have some
very scary friends.
Good luck. Thanks for the updates.
what's the big deal about having them serviced? Aren't these like old leicas? Are leica repair people opposed to fixing cheap clones? Are they afraid of the radiation? I don't get it ?? Why doesn't some knowledgeable repairperson open shop in the US?
10 million immigrants cross the border daily to work at Taco Bell and IHOP, can't 1 FSU person come to work on cameras??
[QUOTE=rbiemer]Woo Hoo!! Just got this email from Oleg(in regards to the beater Z3m I sent him a couple of weeks ago):
Itīs funny I sent my nice Zorki 3m to Oleg in 1-june from Spain, and he emailed me today. Which one will arrive first? :p
Mister_Hat
06-16-2006, 16:29
I noticed that Fedka is now offering Fed/Zorki repair and service. Price is US$60, an additional 20 if the curtains have to be replaced.
Darn it Rob, this has been one long strange trip.
If you need some "muscle" I have a very scary brother and sister-in-law in Arizona. They also have some
very scary friends.
Good luck. Thanks for the updates.
Good to know, but I emailed Mr. Mason this morning and just checked my email to find this reply:
"Based on the last email it should have been sent out some time ago. When I get back to my shop on Monday I will sort it out and get back to you.
Regards,
Phil"
Which I'm reading as "Oh, crap. I'll ship it out next week" :rolleyes:
what's the big deal about having them serviced? Aren't these like old leicas? Are leica repair people opposed to fixing cheap clones? Are they afraid of the radiation? I don't get it ?? Why doesn't some knowledgeable repairperson open shop in the US?
10 million immigrants cross the border daily to work at Taco Bell and IHOP, can't 1 FSU person come to work on cameras??
Don't know but my guesses are :
A) if a Leica service person is willing they will probably charge Leica service prices
B) If an FSU service person did come here to the US, his/her prices would also need to be much more than what Oleg is charging and I suspect spares would be harder to source.
Itīs funny I sent my nice Zorki 3m to Oleg in 1-june from Spain, and he emailed me today. Which one will arrive first?
A freindly wager, perhaps? If you get yours first, I'll have a beer in your honor!(Ought to be a fun night as I'll be hoisting a one or to to Oleg as well when I get mine back!)
I noticed that Fedka is now offering Fed/Zorki repair and service. Price is US$60, an additional 20 if the curtains have to be replaced.
Good to know! I hadn't seen that before. Thanks for the heads up.
Rob
Man I just love dealing with Oleg! Just today got an email as follows:
Hello Rob,
Your Z-3m repaired... It got new curtains, new slow speeds delayer and
new RF assembly... Camera have a many signs of reparing, so I replace
so many parts...
Repair cost is 48, shipping back is 17...
My payment instructions please find on http://www.okvintagecamera.com/payment.htm
Sincerely,
Oleg
This camera was the beater I bought thinking I might attempt to fix it up myself, so I know how bad it was. On his web site, Oleg says that some repairs might be as much as( but not more than) $85...I can't quite imagine how bad a camera would have to be to get to that level considering what my Z3m was like :D
And 8 days after he got the package imine is fixed! :D
Meanwhile back in Arizona, Mr. Mason still hasn't got my camera back to me after, umm, 5 and a half months :bang: :bang:
Lesson learned!
Rob
wlewisiii
06-24-2006, 22:34
B) If an FSU service person did come here to the US, his/her prices would also need to be much more than what Oleg is charging and I suspect spares would be harder to source.
I think this is the real killer - the cost of simply living in the US is so much more obscenely expensive than someone like Oleg is expecting that the price will jump much farther than most care to imagine.
This is one of the reasons I prefer to buy my FSU gear from Fedka.com. Yuri already lives here. Those expenses are built in. Plus he offers a real warranty. When you combine those two factors, then the people doing the older repairs will simply fade away. I expect that Oleg is hoping he can get a good enough "name" before his current biz at home is priced out of reach. Oleg does exquisite work; is it worth what you _will_ pay for it?
William
Man I just love dealing with Oleg! Just today got an email as follows:
This camera was the beater I bought thinking I night attempt to fix it up myself, so I know how bad it was. On his web site, Oleg says that some repairs might be as much as but not more than $85...I can't quite imagine how bad a camera would have to be to get to that level considering what my Z3m was like :D
And8 days after he got the package imine is fixed! :D
Meanwhile back in Arizona, Mr. Mason still hasn't got my camera back to me after, umm, 5 and a half months :bang: :bang:
Lesson learned!
Rob
It seems that your Zorki 3m will arrive first, Iīm still wainting for that mail :)
It seems that your Zorki 3m will arrive first, Iīm still wainting for that mail :)
Not necessarily, the shipping time from the FSU to me is very variable--the range is anywhere from 6 days to three weeks and seemingly not dependant on which particular country the package starts from.
I will, however, give very long odds on which Zorki I see first... :D
Rob
Those times still beat shipping a camera from canada to calif. :bang:
Want to bet a 4 pack of walgreens film on who gets any camera first?? :D
Not necessarily, the shipping time from the FSU to me is very variable--the range is anywhere from 6 days to three weeks and seemingly not dependant on which particular country the package starts from.
I will, however, give very long odds on which Zorki I see first... :D
Rob
Not necessarily, the shipping time from the FSU to me is very variable--the range is anywhere from 6 days to three weeks and seemingly not dependant on which particular country the package starts from.
I will, however, give very long odds on which Zorki I see first... :D
Rob
I received Olegīs email today :D
Your camera serviced!
Curtains and one curtain shaft was replaced... Your camera is very
nice and clean inside... Curtains was a soft too, except one small
hardened piece in second curtain...Repair is 40 usd.
I have paid it in a minute:p
Not much to get too excited about:
A repaired Zorki 3m is heading my way from OLeg.
Oh, who am I kidding, I freaking ecstatic!
The J-12 I was waiting for earlier will be attatched to it.(I forgot that I'd asked him if he had one and then to hold it 'til the Z3 was ready to ship back to me )
I was very tempted to post this in size 7 letters but I don't want to deafen anyone with my joy.
Ahh, life is good.
Rob
I think the camera and lens will ship today ( Friday, 30 June). So I hope that means I will have a well working Zorki 3m by 14 July!:D :D
But, inaki, I figure the race is still on--my offer of having a drink in your honor if you get your Z3m first is still good.:D
Happy to see you get yours first,
Rob
Hmm,
So I have today off from work. Good.
I get a phone call from work. Not good.
They say "We don't need you to come in but you have a delivery notice. It's registered" Excellent!
I head over to work, grab the notice and the package is from Russia. Hot Damn! There is only one thing I'm waiting on. The Zorki 3m I sent to Oleg.
The camera and "new" lens are here!!! Sort of. I can't pick it up until after 4PM.:bang: It's now just after noon here so I have a bit less than four hours.:bang:
Must not be the usual postal carrier working today; she never actually hauls the packages around, just the delivery note. And I can normally go right down to the post office and pick up whatever it is.
Sigh, at least I'll still have about 4 hours of decent afternoon/evening light today!
Happy happy. Joy joy!
Rob
Congrats Rob, you are the winner of this race, mine will arrive this week (I hope). Iīll have a drink in your honour:D
Please, tell us how does the camera work after being "Oleged":cool:
Inaki,
I hope yours gets to you soon! Only 2 hours,45 minutes to go.....
I may spend the next few hours composing an email to Mr. Mason; editing how I say what I want to say to him will be the tough part...Or maybe I won't.:D
Rob
Ooh,baby, is this camera nice now! One small glitch; I'd forgotten that I didn't have a take-up spool for this one. As luck would have it, the generic spool from my Canon IV seems to work. I'll know better tomorrow or the next day when I drop off and pick up the film.
So, to the camera: the VF is wonderful! Bright and good contrast between the RF patch and the rest, diopter adjustment stays put, speeds seem fine(will know better after this roll of film), and--wonder of wonders--single finger wind on!:) When the camera left me, I could just barely turn the advance knob. All the screws look new--at least replacements that haven't been damaged. New curtains--black cloth(I was kind of hoping for red but these will do just fine, thanks). The accessory shoe was bent down on one side--to the point of being useless--but is now straigtened out.
The Jupiter-12 is very good looking, silver, '57 vintage, no scratches or marks on the glass.
First impressions about Oleg's work:
Good, quick, and inexpensive.
Off to go play a little.
:) Rob:D
...the generic spool from my Canon IV seems to work. I'll know better tomorrow or the next day when I drop off and pick up the film...
Well, the spool doesn't actually work as is but a small bit of masking tape on the shaft helped.
And in other news, Mr. Mason just responded to my last email to him:
"Oh, it's done. I just needed your shipping address...":rolleyes:
I sign my "business" emails with my complete name and address...:rolleyes:
Doesn't matter much at this point; I've got a good Z3m around my neck, some film, and a bag of good glass. Don't need much else. A willing subject or three, color managment, a decent printer, and time away from work to play.
Rob
(with apologies to Fleetwood Mac)
Hot Damn! The Zorki that had been vacationing in Arizona has returned!:D
As slow as he was/is Mr. Mason did an apparently excellent job! Everything works and the shutter speeds sound good(I'll know for sure in a day or two when I get the film back).
Worst packing job I've ever seen. And shipped without insurance.
But I don't care. I am now fully Zorkiified!
I have come to almost enjoy this thread, folks, and the tale is coming to an end.
So, to answer my own question:
Maybe another resource for us FSU addicts?
Umm, NO.
I have today off from work so I'm going out to shoot a new avatar.
If anyone's interested, in a few days I will have better impressions about the two Zorkii and will happily compare and contrast.
For now, I'm outta here!
Just call me smiley,
Rob
My camera arrived from Russia after visiting our spanish customs:bang:
The camera is perfect now, it works very smooth. Iīm very satisfied with Olegīs work.
Now Iīll go out to take some photos...itīs a sunny day here. Enjoy the saturday:)
My camera arrived from Russia after visiting our spanish customs
The camera is perfect now, it works very smooth. Iīm very satisfied with Olegīs work.
Now Iīll go out to take some photos...itīs a sunny day here. Enjoy the saturday
Iņaki,
Sorry that you had to wait but I am glad that you now have yours back! I have sent some stuff to another RFF member in Spain and he had to wait a while for customs too. Hope you got some good shots yesterday!
As slow as he was/is Mr. Mason did an apparently excellent job!
OK,
I have put two rolls through this Zorki and the joy at its return has faded some so I can look at it more critically. I am beginning to think that all that hapened on its sabattical in Arizona was that the stuck shutter was unstuck. So I am going to finish the roll that's in it and send it east to Oleg.:bang: Which I should have done in the first place anyway:bang:
Oleg's work on the beater (that he brought back from the dead) turned out so well, that I can not quite imagine what this one will be like--it's a slightly later camera and in much better condition as it is but I still want to get it new curtains/straps and a real CLA. And I'll ask Oleg if he has any red curtain material just for vanity's sake.
The two cameras are both '55 year prodution and the later one(not the one Oleg has already worked on) has a couple of slight cosmetic differences:
The shutter speed dial is two colors--black for the speeds up to 1/25th and red for the high speeds--and the vulcanite(?) has a different texture--it's a bit smoother. Internally, I don't see any differences other than wear/useage marks.
I just may be done buying FSU cameras.:rolleyes: I now have a good "working kit" with the Zorkiis and a FED 5 as back-up. And a Kiev 4a just because I like 'em. And an Arax hot-rodded Kiev 60. If I come across a really good deal for an Iskra or a Leningrad, I'll probably bite and I have (so far:D ) been successfully resisting the 13x18 FKD cameras but other than those three wants I really don't need any more bodies.
Now if I could figure out how to put the optical block from my Kiev mount J-8(with its click-stopped aperture) into the LTM mount for the Zorki/FED...
Ahh, the silliness never ends. Boy, am I glad for that!
Rob
Rob ~ I wrote this at the beginning of this thread:
"You're a brave Comrade; to blaze the trail, to boldly embark into uncharted waters, to risk life, loot and Zorki for the good of the People. ........"
I didn't realize at the time that it would be almost a year before we would see the fruits of your exploration. :cool: Nevertheless, you've proven to be for sure a brave Comrade and I'm glad all has worked out for you. Enjoy the Zorkis! You deserve it! http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif
BillFoto
08-08-2006, 19:31
[QUOTE=rbiemer]Iņaki,
Sorry that you had to wait but I am glad that you now have yours back! I have sent some stuff to another RFF member in Spain and he had to wait a while for customs too. Hope you got some good shots yesterday!
OK,
I have put two rolls through this Zorki and the joy at its return has faded some so I can look at it more critically. I am beginning to think that all that hapened on its sabattical in Arizona was that the stuck shutter was unstuck.
New message:
I also just today received the Zorki 4 that I sent to Phil (The Ripoff) Mason last NOVEMBER! It appears that all that was done to it was to get the slow speeds to work, it's still unknown if those speeds are accurate, the range finder is off vertically and the rangefinder focus doesn't agree with the scale on the lens I sent with the camera. I also paid for the lens to be CLAed with the camera, you'd think the focus scale and rangefinder might agree if they're serviced together, but that doesn't happen Phil's world. I must admit that I wasted $110 and 10 months on this rip off artist in Arizona. I hope to meet this guy at a camera show sometime, I sure will be looking for him when I'm in the Mesa area.
Bill
New message:
I also just today received the Zorki 4 that I sent to Phil (The Ripoff) Mason last NOVEMBER! It appears that all that was done to it was to get the slow speeds to work, it's still unknown if those speeds are accurate, the range finder is off vertically and the rangefinder focus doesn't agree with the scale on the lens I sent with the camera. I also paid for the lens to be CLAed with the camera, you'd think the focus scale and rangefinder might agree if they're serviced together, but that doesn't happen Phil's world. I must admit that I wasted $110 and 10 months on this rip off artist in Arizona. I hope to meet this guy at a camera show sometime, I sure will be looking for him when I'm in the Mesa area.
Bill
Bill,
I really wonder what this guy has for a business? His alleged "real" work is repair of high-end optical/measuring devices. I can't imagine those customers accepting anthing close to the service:rolleyes: we have gotten.
I sent a slightly off J-8 along with my camera also. Also still slightly off.
I lost a bit more $ than you did(I think I paid him $128) and somewhat less time; I have decided to basically write it off. I have been so fortunate otherwise in my FSU cameras/lenses that this experience, frustrating and decietful, will just end up for me as my Scary FSU Camera Story.
I am lucky in that I see no real chance of ever meeting Mr. Mason face-to-face. If you should ever run into him, please try to keep your hands in your pockets while you castigate him. (if worst comes to worst, I will help with part of the bail money, though;) )
This has been my most expensive FSU camera lesson but, ultimately not the hardest lesson I've had in life so I can be somewhat philosophical about it.
Rob
vBulletin® v3.6.8, Copyright ©2000-2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.