Addresses of repair shops | Do-it-yourself repair
The Konica SLR cameras are very sturdily built – but even these robust cameras can get problems sometimes. Dried-out lubricants, dirt, corroded electrical contacts, cold solder connections or decomposed light seals are typical signs of age, that can make a camera defective and put it out of service.
The manufacturer Konica-Minolta does no longer provide service or spare parts for the old Konica SLR cameras – worldwide. Some parts cannot be obtained from anywhere else, this is especially true for the electronics of the newer models and most for the FS-1. But frequently, no spare parts are needed at all to put your good old Konica back to working condition once again. It's always worth to make an enquiry, if it's possible to repair it.
Addresses
Below is a list of some repair shops that have a deeper knowledge of Konica SLR cameras, sorted by country. Please mind: I have neither any relationship nor personal experience with any of these companies, and therefore cannot take any responsibility for the quality of their service!
In any case, it is recommended to contact the respective repair shop in advance to clarify, if a repair can be done and if it is worthwile to send in the camera or the lens.
Europe
Germany
- Foto und Technik Maack
Sumpflaeuferweg 29
21147 Hamburg
Telephone (+49 40) 7 96 66 66
(former Konica technician) - Fotoreparatur-Service Otto Stadler
Max-Eyth-Strasse 7
73733 Esslingen
Telephone (+49 711) 3 26 09 99
Fax (+49 711) 3 26 09 09
E-mail fotoservice-stadler@t-online.de
Internet http://www.fotoservice-stadler.de/
(Konica service company authorised by Konica-Minolta)
Americas
Canada
- Douglas Banks
Photographic Equipment Repairs
110 Kidd Drive
Kingston, Ontario
K7N 1X8
Telephone (001 613) 6 34 19 22
Fax (001 613) 6 34 19 07
E-mail douglas@photographicrepairs.com
Internet http://www.photographicrepairs.com/
(has a good reputation on the Yahoo! Konica mailing list)
USA
- Weber Camera
2022 East 7th Steet
Fremont, NE
68025-1615
Telephone (+1 402) 7 21 38 73
Fax (+1 402) 7 21 38 38
E-mail gweber@webercamera.com
Internet http://webercamera.com/
(as far as I know, authorized Konica repair shop; has a very good reputation on the Yahoo! Konica mailing list) - KEH.com
2310 Marietta Boulevard NW
Atlanta, GA
30318
Telephone (+1 404) 7 48 60 50
Fax (+1 404) 7 48 60 39
E-mail repairs@keh.com
Internet http://keh.com/
(has a good reputation on the Yahoo! Konica mailing list; according to the information on the web site only working for customers inside the USA) - K & S Camera Repair
364 W. Shaw
Fresno, CA
93074
Telephone (+1 559) 2 22 36 86
(recommended by someone in the Classic Camera Repair Forum)
Do-it-yourself repair
Many smaller defects of cameras and lenses can easily be repaired with a little practice. There are many books and internet pages about camera repair. Some sites to start with can be found on the link page.
But beware: cameras and lenses are precision engineering and optical devices. If you do not know what you do, you might make a successful repair impossible with your failed repair attempt. Inside are many delicate and often very small parts, that can fly away in all directions when dismantling is not done in the proper manner. Some screws or connections should not be loosend, because the necassary precision in positioning cannot be restored with your household's means. If in doubt: leave it alone and let a professional do the job!
On the other hand, cameras and lenses are no sorcery. Some repairs can be done without problems for people with manual skills and a bit of caution. Frequently, a drop of the right solvent in the right place works wonders, without having to further dismantle everything.
Some basic rules
Extremely important: always use the right, matching tools! The risk to cause further damage with inappropriate or unmatching tools is enormous.
Make yourself a tidy, well-lighted work place. Lay out ready the necessary tools. Best work in a large and flat pan or bowl, to prevent to lose small parts. Otherwise, you maybe won't see that tiny screw again...
Never force anything! The small screws and threads are easily torn off or stripped. Sometimes, you will have left-handed threads – before using more force, always ensure that you know the correct turn direction.
Start with simple things. The replacement of decomposed back door light seals on a body or the fixing of a loose focusing ring on a lens with fixed focal lenth are rather easy repair jobs which can bring you the first feelings of success. You should try more complicated and difficult repairs only after having acquired some practice.
Do not make your first repair attempts on valuable cameras or lenses like a Konica F or an UC Hexanon AR 28mm / F1,8. First practice with cheap and already defective parts on which you cannot produce any further damage.
Always inform yourself first (i. e. in mailing lists, on internet sites, or with books), then start your repair attempt. Sometimes it is necessary for example, to set the camera body to a specific shutter speed or film speed before dismantling, otherwise you won't get them reassembled properly again. So always inform you beforehand!
Be cautious with and use liquids and lubricants sparingly! To oil something, i. e. dip a toothpick or a cottonwool swab in oil and touch with it the part to lubricate. Large amounts of oil are not necessary and there is always the danger that the oil goes to places it must not come to. If you get oil on the shutter or aperture blades, the shutter or the lens may not be working properly any longer. A drop of oil is already much too much in most locations! Never spray on lubricants.
If you disassemble something, make yourself notes, sketches, and / or digital photos, to remember how everything belongs together. Otherwise, the re-assembly after two weeks might be impossible.