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View Full Version : Paul Ebel for shutter repair--contact info



Rider
15-Jun-2007, 08:26
Does anyone have contact info for Paul Ebel?

Bob Gentile
15-Jun-2007, 11:30
Sorry, I can't help you there. But if you're not able to find Paul's contact info, you might try Carol Miller (http://www.flutotscamerarepair.com/) at Flutot's for shutter repair.

Don Hutton
15-Jun-2007, 12:13
Paul Ebel Lens Services
420 21st Street North Suite #2
PO Box 141 Menomonie
WI 54751
Tel. (651) 335-8759 email paulebel44@yahoo.com

Scott Rosenberg
15-Jun-2007, 12:18
i've used paul several times... his service is faster and less expensive than Flutots. while i'm sure carol does fine work, i've never had any problems with paul, and when i last contacted her, carol had a 6 week lead time. i had my lens back in less than 2 weeks from paul.

Rider
17-Jun-2007, 17:40
Thanks. I emailed Flutot but didn't hear back. I'm hesistant to send the shutter without an email acknowldgement, don't you agree?



Sorry, I can't help you there. But if you're not able to find Paul's contact info, you might try Carol Miller (http://www.flutotscamerarepair.com/) at Flutot's for shutter repair.

Ted Harris
17-Jun-2007, 18:04
I've also used Paul and can vouch for his work. FWIW, Midwest uses him too.

CP Goerz
18-Jun-2007, 01:02
I've used Carol at Flutots shutter repair services for years and have always been happy with the quality of the work. As for not sending a shutter because you didn't get an E mail back...I know she doesn't answer E mails over the weekend or from late-ish on Friday. Maybe you'll get an answer soon, either way she is reliable and dependable... what did you want confirmation of?

CP Goerz

Bob Gentile
18-Jun-2007, 11:47
Thanks. I emailed Flutot but didn't hear back. I'm hesistant to send the shutter without an email acknowldgement, don't you agree?

Of course I agree. But if Carol hasn't returned your email, I'm sure there's a reason. Whenever she takes time off, she posts it on her website.

Having said that, I sure don't want to start a "Paul versus Carol" skirmish here.

BrianShaw
18-Jun-2007, 11:53
Having said that, I sure don't want to start a "Paul versus Carol" skirmish here.

Wise old King Soloman might suggest resolving this dilemna by having the shutter cut in half - and one-half sent to each for overhaul.

Rider
18-Jun-2007, 11:54
Having said that, I sure don't want to start a "Paul versus Carol" skirmish here.

Certainly not; Mac vs. Windows wars are much more fun. But seriously, I'm in no particular hurry, and I have a feeling I will have enough broken shutters to keep everyone happy for some time to come.

Bob Gentile
18-Jun-2007, 12:36
"... Mac vs. Windows wars are much more fun..."

LOL! Or tranny vs. negaitive film... or color vs. B&W... Ha! You're right! There are so many more meaningful things to fight over. :D

Bob Gentile
18-Jun-2007, 12:38
Wise old King Soloman might suggest resolving this dilemna by having the shutter cut in half - and one-half sent to each for overhaul.
OUCH!

CP Goerz
18-Jun-2007, 18:54
Tastes Great! ;-)

david griffon
15-Mar-2011, 06:48
I recently had a very unsettling and dishonest interaction with Paul Ebel, who I sent a 300mm Heliar in a Compound shutter to for CLA.

I was shocked, upon receiving the lens back, to find that Mr. Ebel had chipped the front glass element of the lens with a tool and had then neglected to inform me of the damage, despite the fact that he was well aware of it.

When I called and confronted him over the telephone, he immediately admitted that he had indeed chipped the glass. He then patronizingly and condescendingly asked me “how much do you know about large format lenses from the 1930’s”, following which he told me that: “this happens all the time with older lenses.”

I have had many dozens of lenses serviced by other technicians over the years and have never encountered anything like this. It is hard to believe that he actually thought that a photographer would not notice a fresh chip on the front element of a lens.

He then said to me that he had chosen not to tell me because “the chip will not effect the optical quality of the lens”, he didn’t think that I “would care,” and that the lens was “not really worth anything.”

In fact, clean examples of this lens and shutter combination now regularly fetch about $1200 to $1400 on Ebay and I cannot imagine a photographer who would not care about obvious damage to an optical element.

At the end of our conversation, Paul Ebel offered to refund the cost of the repair, which is of course quite minor compared to loss in value to the lens (I was disgusted enough to decline the offer).

If he had been upfront an informed me right away that he had damaged the lens and sought to resolve the matter I probably would have accepted it as an honest mistake and tried to find an amicable solution. As it is, I am simply very disappointed by the whole experience.

Needless to say, I will not be sending any future repairs to Paul Ebel. I would under no conditions recommend his services to anyone.

There are plenty of other honest technicians out there (e.g. S.K. Grimes, Carol Flutot, John van Stelten...etc.). They may be more expensive, but you clearly get what you pay for.

rotomotor
15-Mar-2011, 17:02
Paul CLA'd a shutter and set the scale focus for me last summer on a Perkeo II medium format folder. He did a great job and quickly too. I'm sorry that you had a bad experience, mine was the opposite. Bummer about the lens.

cdholden
15-Mar-2011, 17:20
Why didn't you remove the glass before ssending?
If it was just the shutter that needed service, glass only adds weight for increased postage.
Besides, if the shutter got lost in transit, you would still have the optics in hand... to find a suitable barrel or shutter replacement.

Chris


I recently had a very unsettling and dishonest interaction with Paul Ebel, who I sent a 300mm Heliar in a Compound shutter to for CLA.

I was shocked, upon receiving the lens back, to find that Mr. Ebel had chipped the front glass element of the lens with a tool and had then neglected to inform me of the damage, despite the fact that he was well aware of it.

When I called and confronted him over the telephone, he immediately admitted that he had indeed chipped the glass. He then patronizingly and condescendingly asked me ?how much do you know about large format lenses from the 1930?s?, following which he told me that: ?this happens all the time with older lenses.?

I have had many dozens of lenses serviced by other technicians over the years and have never encountered anything like this. It is hard to believe that he actually thought that a photographer would not notice a fresh chip on the front element of a lens.

He then said to me that he had chosen not to tell me because ?the chip will not effect the optical quality of the lens?, he didn?t think that I ?would care,? and that the lens was ?not really worth anything.?

In fact, clean examples of this lens and shutter combination now regularly fetch about $1200 to $1400 on Ebay and I cannot imagine a photographer who would not care about obvious damage to an optical element.

At the end of our conversation, Paul Ebel offered to refund the cost of the repair, which is of course quite minor compared to loss in value to the lens (I was disgusted enough to decline the offer).

If he had been upfront an informed me right away that he had damaged the lens and sought to resolve the matter I probably would have accepted it as an honest mistake and tried to find an amicable solution. As it is, I am simply very disappointed by the whole experience.

Needless to say, I will not be sending any future repairs to Paul Ebel. I would under no conditions recommend his services to anyone.

There are plenty of other honest technicians out there (e.g. S.K. Grimes, Carol Flutot, John van Stelten...etc.). They may be more expensive, but you clearly get what you pay for.