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Repair and CLA.
These are the jobs I do most often. I've written them up the way I actually do them, not the way a service manual describes them.
A CLA is a clean, lubricate, and adjust. It's the standard service procedure for a mechanical camera that hasn't been worked on in years. Most cameras need one when you buy them used. Most cameras don't need one more than once every ten to fifteen years after that.
In Florida, the humidity accelerates foam deterioration and can cause corrosion on metal parts. I service cameras here more often than I would in a drier climate.
Shutter Calibration
Nikon F2, FM2, Leica M, Canon F-1, Olympus OM-1
How to test and adjust shutter speeds on cloth and metal focal plane shutters. What tools you need, what tolerances are acceptable, and when to stop.
Read →Light Seal Replacement
All 35mm and medium format cameras
Replacing the foam light seals on 35mm and medium format cameras. Materials, tools, and the right way to do it so the seals last.
Read →Rangefinder Alignment
Leica M3, M6, and other rangefinder cameras
Adjusting horizontal and vertical rangefinder alignment on Leica M cameras. What causes misalignment, how to test for it, and how to correct it.
Read →Lubricating a Leica
Leica M3, M4, M6, and related M-series cameras
The specific lubricants used in Leica M cameras, where they go, and how much to use. Getting this wrong is how you ruin a shutter.
Read →Cleaning a Rollei Taking Lens
Rolleiflex 2.8F, 3.5F, and similar TLR cameras
Removing haze, fungus, and lubricant contamination from the Rolleiflex 2.8F taking lens. When to clean and when to leave it alone.
Read →Where to Get Cameras Repaired
All cameras
How to find a good repair technician, what questions to ask, what red flags to watch for, and Florida-specific resources.
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