David Karp
10-Jan-2006, 22:55
Hi all,
I know people have made some positive posts regarding Carol Miller of Flutot's Camera Repair in Whittier, CA, but I just had to add this.
Last week I sent her a Copal No. 0 shutter with a jammed aperture. I could not adjust the aperture or fully open it with the preview lever. She expected the repair would cost $65, or at least $45, which is the cost of a CLA.
She fixed it the day she received it, before giving me a price, and then e-mailed me telling me it was simpler than expected, and the charge would be $10. Since I had requested a CLA, she asked if I still wanted it. I asked her advice, and she said not to do it. The shutter seemed in good shape, and the speeds (except for 250 and 500) were accurate, so she said there was no reason for a CLA.
Carol could have charged me $45 or $65. I never would have known the difference, and would have paid without question. She could have recommended a CLA. I would have gone for it. What do I know about the inner workings of shutters? That's why I sent it to her. Instead, she was honest. A breath of fresh air. But that is not all.
After informing me of the $10 charge, Carol asked how much I wanted the return package insured for, and said that she would send it on Monday (yesterday). Well, she forgot, and since I have a photo outing scheduled for Thursday, she offered to send it via overnight delivery so I will receive it in time to put my 125mm Fujinon cells back on the shutter and use it on Thursday. I e-mailed her and said not to send it overnight, since the work only gained her $10, and the difference between priority mail and overnight would eat up too much (or all) of the $10 fee. She responded that it was too late, she had already sent it, and she is going to eat the difference between the cost of overnight and priority mail.
Well, she has gained a customer for as long as I have equipment that she can repair. I hope she gets as much business as she wants, because she deserves it.
I know people have made some positive posts regarding Carol Miller of Flutot's Camera Repair in Whittier, CA, but I just had to add this.
Last week I sent her a Copal No. 0 shutter with a jammed aperture. I could not adjust the aperture or fully open it with the preview lever. She expected the repair would cost $65, or at least $45, which is the cost of a CLA.
She fixed it the day she received it, before giving me a price, and then e-mailed me telling me it was simpler than expected, and the charge would be $10. Since I had requested a CLA, she asked if I still wanted it. I asked her advice, and she said not to do it. The shutter seemed in good shape, and the speeds (except for 250 and 500) were accurate, so she said there was no reason for a CLA.
Carol could have charged me $45 or $65. I never would have known the difference, and would have paid without question. She could have recommended a CLA. I would have gone for it. What do I know about the inner workings of shutters? That's why I sent it to her. Instead, she was honest. A breath of fresh air. But that is not all.
After informing me of the $10 charge, Carol asked how much I wanted the return package insured for, and said that she would send it on Monday (yesterday). Well, she forgot, and since I have a photo outing scheduled for Thursday, she offered to send it via overnight delivery so I will receive it in time to put my 125mm Fujinon cells back on the shutter and use it on Thursday. I e-mailed her and said not to send it overnight, since the work only gained her $10, and the difference between priority mail and overnight would eat up too much (or all) of the $10 fee. She responded that it was too late, she had already sent it, and she is going to eat the difference between the cost of overnight and priority mail.
Well, she has gained a customer for as long as I have equipment that she can repair. I hope she gets as much business as she wants, because she deserves it.