New camera repair service and custom machining in France

[Mael]

Hello.

I am proud to announce the opening of a camera repair and restoration service specialized in vintage and classic cameras, that includes custom machining for lenses and large format camera parts. :)

It will be open on the beginning of 2024.

Please feel free to visit my website, that is for the moment only in french, but that will be also in english in the future.

https://www.optomeca.fr

I noticed that use of goggle translate for websites removes the pictures :(

Thank you !

Mael

[PatrickMarq]

Great, going to contact you.

[JMO]

Best wishes for your success, and if I can make a suggestion you might consider also developing a specialty in repairing Mamiya 7 and 7ii medium format cameras (to include machining or otherwise making critical parts that seem to be no longer available from Mamiya or elsewhere to other repair services). The 7 & 7ii cameras are favored among analog photographers, and it is a shame to hear stories by some owners where their camera backs have become unusable due to lack of certain replacement parts.

[Tin Can]

Site opens in English with all images

Good luck

[Mael]

Best wishes for your success, and if I can make a suggestion you might consider also developing a specialty in repairing Mamiya 7 and 7ii medium format cameras (to include machining or otherwise making critical parts that seem to be no longer available from Mamiya or elsewhere to other repair services). The 7 & 7ii cameras are favored among analog photographers, and it is a shame to hear stories by some owners where their camera backs have become unusable due to lack of certain replacement parts.

You can try

https://www.focale22.com/main7.html

Located in France

The only guy I know that stlll has repair parts and knowledge for these cameras, and a great mamiya trained specialist. He is close to retirement but I think he is still repairing some of them. He does not repair RB and RZ 67 series anymore.

Regards

Mael

[Mael]

Site opens in English with all images

Good luck

Thanks for the info !

[Mael]

Typical kind of work I like :cool:

It fits tightly but it fits. :rolleyes: Beautiful image on the ground glass :o

I need to slightly modify the camera front bed in order to have sufficient room for the aperture lever to work correctly. (and completely restore the prewar Technika...)

https://www.zupimages.net/up/23/47/oh6n.jpg

https://www.zupimages.net/up/23/47/tlgt.jpg

[Ulophot]

Merveilleux! I'm not in France, but am always delighted to know that the torch is being picked up and carried forth in this vital area. I have loosely followed the work in the Finnish workshop that is training new camera technicians. The more, the merrier! All the best on your success.

[Mael]

Thank you !

The workshop is mostly dedicated to :

-TLR cameras all brands (I have a Rolleiflex autocollimator from the factory)
-Leaf shutter all brands from very old ones (Unicum, etc.) to Copal, Compur and so on
-Vintage and classic cameras including Exaktas, Contax from Zeiss Ikon, Leica screw mount, and all other classics in small and medium format
-Custom machining and view cameras restoration/modification
-Mostly all lenses

[Tin Can]

Thank you !

The workshop is mostly dedicated to :

-TLR cameras all brands (I have a Rolleiflex autocollimator from the factory)
-Leaf shutter all brands from very old ones (Unicum, etc.) to Copal, Compur and so on
-Vintage and classic cameras including Exaktas, Contax from Zeiss Ikon, Leica screw mount, and all other classics in small and medium format
-Custom machining and view cameras restoration/modification
-Mostly all lenses

Good to know!

[Mael]

Hello. I am proud to announce the workshop opened today, and has already cameras to repair. :cool:

If you look for some nice cameras, you can have a look at some that are available for sale here :

https://www.optomeca.fr/achat-vente/

Thanks for your interest !

[John Layton]

Thank you so much...for helping to keep some of the truly great classic cameras alive and clicking! I wish you the very best!

[PatrickMarq]

Mine is already there :-)

[Ulophot]

All the best. I've sent your site URL to camerarescue in Finland.

[Mael]

Thank you !

[PatrickMarq]

Here is some feedback,
Mael has repaired my Kalloflex made a new machine part.
Fixed the leatherette
Cleaned it
And also did some shutter test, probably forgot some more thing (Sorry Mael)

But the camera looks as brand new, can’t wait to go out with it. It’s raining here for weeks almost every day/

So I strongly recommend Mael !

246355

[MartyNL]

That's great to hear! The camera looks sweet. I really need to send a few items off...

I often think it's actually far better and cheaper in the long run to get things fixed rather than to try and replace them with 'who knows what!'.

[PatrickMarq]

That's great to hear! The camera looks sweet. I really need to send a few items off...

I often think it's actually far better and cheaper in the long run to get things fixed rather than to try and replace them with 'who knows what!'.

Indeed, the last few months I have send my Bronica off for some CLA, now the Kalloflex. And my Polaroid SX-70 will be next.
Not sure what to do with the Fuji GW645Zi to mutch electronics, but it’s a perfect Holliday camera.
At the end you know your camera’s and their little quirks, and love them.

[Mael]

Hello Patrick.

Advance mechanism has been repaired too, viewing mirror has been custom cut, and most significant optical alignment was re-set.

About 9 upon 10 TLR cameras I receive have defective optical alignment, which I try to set within 0,02mm maximum deviation if possible.

I am lucky to own a factory Rolleiflex Autocollimator to do this.

It is the most critical thing if you want to have the best resolution from your lens, and usually it is not done by most of workshops.

Using a tool that is a reproduction of Rollei factory tool that I made on my lathe, I screw it in place of the front lens block.

https://www.zupimages.net/up/23/50/utg2.jpg

then using a marble and a micrometer I measure the lens deviation on the four corners of the image frame

https://www.zupimages.net/up/23/50/6gro.jpg

Using micro washer shims I then correct the front lens mount in order to have the results I need.

After that it's time to check with more accuracy on the Rolleiflex autocollimator, with lens removed. In B setting, full aperture, you must align a moving reticle to a static reticle in order to set the film plane. Then, you put an optical mirror on the shutter, and if the moving reticle is superposing to the static one, the optical alignment is perfect.


https://www.zupimages.net/up/23/50/si4m.jpg

https://www.zupimages.net/up/23/50/mgio.jpg

With this tool I can check the lens deviation, but also set the infinity on both lenses. After putting back the lens, I must find the point where the luminescent reticle is the sharpest. To minimize light diffraction, a green filter is put between the camera and the collimator in order to have an average light wavelength, it reduces reading errors.

https://www.zupimages.net/up/23/50/j0s9.jpg

on the first and last image you can see on the left a custom made collimator I machined using a XIXth century telescope from a theodolith, that is in the 600mm focal length range, very useful for checking infinity of wide angles, and on the right a Leitz collimator, originally designed for movie cameras, that I converted for both autocollimator and collimator. I can very quickly observe optical alignment and infinity setting on most small format cameras in a few minutes.

[Mael]

Please feel free to enter my small work shop, for a virtual tour. :cool:

On the left, the washing, rinsing and ultrasonic cleaning place. There is a also fire proof and ventilated closet for inflammable products storage.

On the entrance door this is an adjustable tool I made for checking rangefinders using the measured base. I can set both vertical and horizontal alignment. Very accurate.

https://www.zupimages.net/up/24/05/6xzh.jpg

Then there is my desk and some customer cameras waiting for quote or shipping to their owners. All cameras are usually stored outside in a special cabinet when the darkroom is in use.

https://www.zupimages.net/up/24/05/8faj.jpg

Here is the place where the cameras are repaired and checked.

https://www.zupimages.net/up/24/05/qhwb.jpg

And then the machining table, with my lathe and milling machine.

https://www.zupimages.net/up/24/05/g2p7.jpg

It took me nearly one year and a consequent amount of personal earnings to create this workshop.:p

Thanks for your interest.

[MartyNL]

Very impressive, Mael.

[Mael]

Thanks ! I got lucky to have useful advices from a master camere technician, now retired. :) Thanks to him !

[MartyNL]

I can't imagine this enterprise as being a "get rich, quick plan!", but far more of a "labour of love", for you, Mael.

I presume you get a great deal of personal satisfaction from restoring these historic, intricate machines and beloved items. And knowing your devotion and skills are salvaging and prolonging the demise of these mechanical 'treasures'.

I can only wonder and support your endeavours!
I will be in touch...

[Mael]

Well, even If I thank you for your nice thoughts and support, I do not want to fall in the usual fashionable storytelling. Beyond the historical importance of these beautiful objects, I have to say that, coming from the industry, (where there is some competition), you need to have a perfect service to survive, or at least try. And I sell and repair tools for my customers. They need reliable ones. I try to provide artists, professionnals, or camera enthousiasts what they want or look for.

[PatrickMarq]

Hello Patrick.

Advance mechanism has been repaired too, viewing mirror has been custom cut, and most significant optical alignment was re-set.

About 9 upon 10 TLR cameras I receive have defective optical alignment, which I try to set within 0,02mm maximum deviation if possible.

I am lucky to own a factory Rolleiflex Autocollimator to do this.

It is the most critical thing if you want to have the best resolution from your lens, and usually it is not done by most of workshops.

Using a tool that is a reproduction of Rollei factory tool that I made on my lathe, I screw it in place of the front lens block.

https://www.zupimages.net/up/23/50/utg2.jpg

then using a marble and a micrometer I measure the lens deviation on the four corners of the image frame

https://www.zupimages.net/up/23/50/6gro.jpg

Using micro washer shims I then correct the front lens mount in order to have the results I need.

After that it's time to check with more accuracy on the Rolleiflex autocollimator, with lens removed. In B setting, full aperture, you must align a moving reticle to a static reticle in order to set the film plane. Then, you put an optical mirror on the shutter, and if the moving reticle is superposing to the static one, the optical alignment is perfect.


https://www.zupimages.net/up/23/50/si4m.jpg

https://www.zupimages.net/up/23/50/mgio.jpg

With this tool I can check the lens deviation, but also set the infinity on both lenses. After putting back the lens, I must find the point where the luminescent reticle is the sharpest. To minimize light diffraction, a green filter is put between the camera and the collimator in order to have an average light wavelength, it reduces reading errors.

https://www.zupimages.net/up/23/50/j0s9.jpg

on the first and last image you can see on the left a custom made collimator I machined using a XIXth century telescope from a theodolith, that is in the 600mm focal length range, very useful for checking infinity of wide angles, and on the right a Leitz collimator, originally designed for movie cameras, that I converted for both autocollimator and collimator. I can very quickly observe optical alignment and infinity setting on most small format cameras in a few minutes.

It’s quite impressive what you have done. When I bought the camera, I thought well I just replace a screw.
Again thank you

[Mael]

It’s quite impressive what you have done. When I bought the camera, I thought well I just replace a screw.
Again thank you

This was back in the days, common practice on a camera. Without a proper optical alignment, you can have the best CanoNikoLeica lens in the world, if the lens mount is not straight and aligned, you will never have the best performance from any lens you put on it. Most tutorials I see on internet never speaks about it, because you need proper tools, time and experience. But if you read some basic litterature about optical systems, lens alignment is key to resolution and corner sharpness. (And on some poorly performing lenses vignetting evenly distributed in the four corners ;) )

On most TLR, the lens and shutter support shims that has been lost can be found in the focusing mechanism, usually in the old grease...:rolleyes:

Last Rolleicords I have done : one Vb more than 0,20mm deviation, one Va more than 0,13mm, your Kalloflex 0,16mm error, etc...Factory specs 0,02mm to 0,05mm maximum depending on brands, optical formula, etc.

These old cameras had previous lives, sometimes the rigid hood had taken most of the previous kisses from the walls, but transfered some damage into the camera, or maybe they were not set properly at the factory (these are called "friday afternoon cameras" ):o

[Mark Sampson]

I'm very happy to hear of your new workshop. I doubt that I'll send you any repair business form the USA, but it is heartening to know that you are carrying on a noble tradition. Certainly you will find many customers from the EU. Best of luck!

[Mael]

Thank you !