Re-discover peak performance.

So you are about to shoot the most spectacular image of the day and BAM… your analogue camera STOPS. Or you develop your roll of film after your hiking trip to the mountains and… light leaks or shutter issues have caused blank spaces on your negatives. A film photographers worst nightmare.

By frequently maintaining your gear, you can help reduce or eliminate the possibility of these issues occuring. At Camera Revival we like to solve and prevent problems, so luckily you are at the right place for the maintenance and the repair of your analogue camera or lens. We have the special tools, spare parts, optical equipment and machinery to get your camera or lens back into excellent condition. Scroll down to learn more about our services.

Let’s pinpoint the issue.

We always start with an inspection by our technicians. Every camera and lens is different and every issue is usually also different. We can provide you with an estimate of the service or repair cost once we had the possibility to inspect the item.

We charge a standard 45 EUR fee for an inspection per item. After providing you with an estimate and your approval, this amount can be used as a credit for the total service or repair cost of that particular item. In most cases, a partial disassembly of your camera or lens is needed in order to pinpoint the issue. On average a camera body service or repair might cost around 270 EUR. Overhauls are more costly, because they require a complete disassembly of your camera. Needless to say, in cases where more work is required or parts need to be produced/replaced, this will affect the price. The average price for a lens service can vary between 90 and 290 EUR, depending on the type of work that needs to be done. An accurate estimate can be provided once the items have been inspected by us. You can find our price list here.

Scroll down for more info regarding our services.

YOUR CAMERA BODY GOOD AS NEW

What’s in a name? CLA stands for Clean, Lubricate and Adjust. It’s the industry standard terminology for servicing your camera and/or lens. However, the term CLA is subject to interpretation. At Camera Revival, we will tell you what we will do when we do a CLA. In some cases, it might mean we need to do a partial revision and/or disassembly of the device. The goal is to get your camera and/or lens into working condition. Because there is a major difference between “working” and “working as it should be”. In many cases CLA means as little work as possible for as much money as possible. However, at Camera revival, we don’t think we do any justice to our name if we do a little oiling and greasing here and there and call it a day.

If a CLA won’t do the job, we do partial revisions or even complete overhauls. As mentioned before, we don’t like to do a half job. We treat every repair as a long term investment. An “overhaul” means we perform a complete camera disassembly with an extensive cleaning of all mechanical parts and screws. In case a part is broken, we replace it. Subsequently, we clean the internal and external camera shell and and lubricate all the internal mechanical components using high quality industrial oils and greases. We clean all optical surfaces and mechanical contacts in the camera body. After we’ve assembled everything, we do an extensive precision alignment of various parts. Finally, we double check or even tripple check everything in our lab to be sure we didn’t forget anything.

No more light leakages.

Light seals in analogue cameras decompose over time, and that’s the reason they should be replaced every 10 to 15 years, depending on the quality of the materials which were used. The door seals and mirror bumpers in many cameras made from the 1960s onwards were made of foam, which is usually made from polyurethane. As the foam degrades it basically turns back into its original chemistry which is very… sticky. It’s quite a dirty job to remove all the small particles, which, over time relocate all over the internal parts of your precious gear. At Camera Revival we have the right tools and materials to get you going again in a clean way without light leakages on your negatives. We’ve seen many DIY light seal jobs gone wrong, as the usage of unsuitable materials have consequences (e.g. excess strain being placed on the door hinge, latches or channels which will cause light leaks other issues).

More smooth or more tight?

Analogue cameras and lenses, including its mechanisms, are like water ballet: every part should be attuned to each other in order to perform perfectly. Over time, parts can wear out or suffer from shocks or vibrations. This affects movement and timing inside the mechanism. A lens or camera might need some small (or large) adjustments once in a while. At Camera Revival, we own an elaborate workshop with all kind of lab equipment such as testers and collimators so we can check, adjust and hunt perfection. From focus adjustments, shutter speed adjustments, curtain tension adjustments to rangefinder adjustments… you’re at the right place.

Stop fungus growth before it’s too late.

Do you have a blurry vison? Funny smell? Stop fungus growth before it’s too late. Camera Revival can provide a full antifungal treatment of your precious lens. The antifungal treatment includes a complete revision of the lens because it’s the only way to exterminate all fungus traces and stop further contamination. However, removing lens fungus is like playing the Russian roulette; in most cases the damage caused by fungus can only be observed once the fungus strings have been cleaned from the lens elements. As fungus grows, it liberates acids which can etch the glass surface and damage the coatings. Once the glass surface is etched, only light polishing and recoating is possible in order to restore your lens elements. A slightly etched surface will not affect the quality of your image.

However, we strongly advise to remove any fungus before it’s too late.

REPLACE DAMAGED PARTS.

Worn out or damaged parts might cause friction and cause additional damage over time. That’s why it is vital to check the functionality of your camera from time to time. When inspecting your camera or lens, the technicians at Camera Revival will inform you regarding the state of your parts. If they notice a worn out part (inside or outside), they can replace it (if the parts is available). Luckily we have a large stock of spare parts for many vintage brands. In fact, we even own the largest new old stock of Mamiya parts in the region. For rare models we might have to contact one of our international suppliers. We also replace the shutter curtains and the bellows of several brands with top knotch new ones (made in Europe). In consultation with our clients, we produce custom parts if necessary.

Need a new top cover? Here at Camera Revival we have a large stock of parts and accessories for different brands, from tom covers to name rings for lenses, from straps to shutter blades (New Old Stock). Just ask away and we’ll help you out.

Fancy a new look?

Over time, the old skin of your analogue camera might suffer from wear and tear. Glue might dissolve and may cause detachment. Fatty fingerprints and dirt might have caused damage. Or you might be unsatisfied about the texture or grip and functionality. Or maybe, just maybe… you fancy a new look.

At Camera Revival, we know how to reskin your camera in an efficient way. We will professionally remove the old skin with the proper tooling, and we will neatly apply the new skin. We manufacture the patterns in our own atelier and we only work with quality suppliers. We will inform you about all the possibilities, from textured leatherette to sturdy genuine leather. Just tell us what you are looking for and together we will find the best stylistic and functional solution.

Separation starts at the edges.

Another frequent issue in vintage lenses is lens separation. In most cases,  separation starts at the edges, having none or very limited visible impact on optical performance. However, as separation worsens with age, a loss in contrast and an increase in flaring becomes noticable. Minor separation might not be problematic. Severe lens separation, on the other hand, might affect your image quality by bringing the lens elements out of alignment which increases unwanted abberations. Recementing the affected elements is the only workable solution to resolve this issue. This process requires very precise optical machinery in order to guarantee the correct allignment of your optical assembly.

Analogue lenses for sublimely good cinematography.

Proper care can maintain the quality of your optics.

After purchasing an optical component, proper care can maintain its quality and extend its usable lifetime. At Camera Revival, we have the necessary cleaning products and methods, besides a lot of experience in cleaning optics like lenses, mirrors, and filters. Always choose for professional cleaning, because improper cleaning practices can damage polished surfaces or specialized coatings that have been used. This will eventually lead to the irriversible degrading of the performance. Very early coatings are very fragile and degrade with age. Even cleaning might damage those coating and recoating is the only possible solution.

The most common contaminant is dust, which may consist of microparticles of fungus or mold spores. Fatty fingerprints on a coated lens should be cleaned as soon as possible to avoid staining or damaging the optic. Preventive measures should be taken to prolong the lifetime of the coating.

Filters can be cleaned using the same methods as lenses or mirrors.

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