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Harrow Technical to close

roberrl
Posted 04/03/2018 - 14:07 Link
Just checking out my SV and thinking a CLA is in order so went to the Harrow Technical web site to see if it's on their standard list only to see the following

DUE TO RETIREMENT, HARROW TECHNICAL ARE TO CEASE TRADING 29 MARCH 2018 AND ARE NOW NO LONGER ACCEPTING EQUIPMENT FOR REPAIR. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OUR CUSTOMERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT DURING THE PAST 22 YEARS.

A sad day, are there any others that Forum members can recommend for a standard film SLR CLA?
Mike-P
Posted 04/03/2018 - 14:12 Link
Shame indeed but I suppose we will all have had enough of our jobs eventually. I know I would have retired after my first year at work given the chance.
ChrisPlatt
Posted 04/03/2018 - 16:01 Link
I hope someone else in UK is equally capable of keeping your old Pentax cameras working.
Here in USA I don't know what we'll do when Eric Hendrickson retires...

Chris
Bring back the latent image!
ilovesaabs
Posted 04/03/2018 - 18:51 Link
Asahi Technical/Camera in Brentford (Pramath is the guy) are the people I go to - fixed 2 Z-1s (servicing), the SDM on my 16-50 and the AF on my FA*28-70.

Come recommended.
AKA Welshwizard/PWynneJ
Assorted Pentax/Nikon/Mamiya stuff
alfpics
Posted 04/03/2018 - 19:35 Link
ilovesaabs wrote:
Asahi Technical/Camera in Brentford (Pramath is the guy) are the people I go to - fixed 2 Z-1s (servicing), the SDM on my 16-50 and the AF on my FA*28-70.

Come recommended.

I have used his services as well - not necessarily the fastest, but that is because he has had to wait for spare parts to come in; link There was a fault he couldn't fix after several attempts and returned the item with no charge to myself - I recommend him as well.

Another guy is Alan Marlow link
Hope that helps
Andy
cabstar
Posted 04/03/2018 - 19:38 Link
Another vote for Alan Marlow he does great lens work.
PPG Wedding photography Flickr
Concert photography

Currently on a Pentax hiatus until an FF Pentax is released
womble
Posted 04/03/2018 - 20:39 Link
I use Alan for lenses and recommend him highly. I send my bodies to Eric when I am visiting the in-laws in the US.
Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
jeallen01
Posted 04/03/2018 - 20:48 Link
ilovesaabs wrote:
Asahi Technical/Camera in Brentford (Pramath is the guy) are the people I go to - fixed 2 Z-1s (servicing), the SDM on my 16-50 and the AF on my FA*28-70.

Come recommended.

Me too.
K-3 II, K-3 and a K-70 from SRS (having now relegated the K-30 /"K-50" to a backup body), & some Sigma and Pentax lenses (and a lot of old 35mm gear!)
roberrl
Posted 06/03/2018 - 12:29 Link
Thanks to all for the input, I'll try Asahi Technical first
jeallen01
Posted 06/03/2018 - 12:44 Link
roberrl wrote:
Thanks to all for the input, I'll try Asahi Technical first

FWIW (& IIRC) if you take it to them yourself, you might get a bit of a surprise when you "arrive at the door" because "Asahi Technical" is/(was?) actually at the back of a small shop specialising in large scale models (planes & the like), and I'm not sure if there is any "Asahi Technical" sign in the shop window!
K-3 II, K-3 and a K-70 from SRS (having now relegated the K-30 /"K-50" to a backup body), & some Sigma and Pentax lenses (and a lot of old 35mm gear!)
jeallen01
Posted 06/03/2018 - 18:47 Link
FYI
The "Asahi Photo" (not "Technical") website is here: http://www.asahiphoto.co.uk/ and the phone number is 020 8232 8111.

PS: now asked them (the website has a "Contact" form that you can use) if they can replace the aperture block assembly solenoid on the K-30 because - as I said in another thread just now - I would like to get the potential for that happening properly sorted out before it actually does fail!
K-3 II, K-3 and a K-70 from SRS (having now relegated the K-30 /"K-50" to a backup body), & some Sigma and Pentax lenses (and a lot of old 35mm gear!)
Edited by jeallen01: 06/03/2018 - 18:49
roberrl
Posted 07/03/2018 - 20:05 Link
Thanks again, I've used the contact form to enquire about a CLA
pauljay
Posted 20/03/2018 - 19:50 Link
I was about to post the same sad news! Fortunately I received a mail from HT today to advise me that my Pentax ME F is ready to be returned to me, but then I saw the footnote! As Chris comments above even Eric in the States has to retire sometime.
Paul.

Photography is not a sport. It has no rules. Everything must be dared and tried! (Bill Brandt)
PPG
jeallen01
Posted 03/04/2018 - 14:47 Link
Update on Asahi Photo:

Just dropped my K-30 over there (only 10 miles away) for the aperture block solenoid to be replaced by the white one I had sourced from the US.

It should be done in around a week or so as I provided that solenoid because, when on the phone to them a few weeks ago, I was told that they used the "filing" method on the green solenoids. That said, I was also told today that they could actually get white solenoids if the customer is (obviously) prepared to pay extra for that and wait somewhat longer (but it would still have cost less and taken less time if I had known that 4 weeks or so ago - I think that will now be mentioned to anyone who enquires about similar repairs!)

Finally, for anyone with an old MZ-5 or similar film body, I found out that they can repair both the pop-up flash spring and the faulty internal film drive motors!
K-3 II, K-3 and a K-70 from SRS (having now relegated the K-30 /"K-50" to a backup body), & some Sigma and Pentax lenses (and a lot of old 35mm gear!)
Edited by jeallen01: 03/04/2018 - 14:51
Jonathan-Mac
Posted 04/04/2018 - 06:13 Link
jeallen01 wrote:

Finally, for anyone with an old MZ-5 or similar film body, I found out that they can repair both the pop-up flash spring and the faulty internal film drive motors!

I'd be interested to know how much they charge for the cog change on the mirror motor of the MZ-5, did they mention a price?
Pentax hybrid user - Digital K3, film 645 and 35mm SLR and Pentax (&other) lenses adapted to Fuji X and Panasonic L digital
Fan of DA limited and old manual lenses

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