Pentax 645N repair

perstromer · 01-22-2018, 05:45 AM

Hello!
Does any one know where a repair of a Pentax 645N can be made?? The Swedish repair agent don´t know and have no answer. Maybe you guys know a repair shop somewhere in the world, in any country!
I´m sure there is someone, the problem is to find it! The Pentax 645N is "pro" equipment so it must be possible. If not it is not acceptable!
Rgds
Anders Perströmer

**Alex645** · 01-22-2018, 10:46 AM

Have you tried KEH?

Repair at KEH Camera Store

They are one of the largest used camera and lens dealers in the world, and on their site they do list $265 as a flat rate for medium format camera bodies. That flat rate includes most parts.

The two times in 32 years I had to send my 645 in for repairs, Pentax had their own repair facility in Colorado, but that is gone now.

Edit: KEH states they do not accept international repairs at this time. So unless anyone is willing to help as a go-between in the US, you can strike KEH from the list.

**gordon_l34** · 01-22-2018, 02:29 PM

f16 in Brisbane, Australia. Just Google him for his details.

Not a Number · 01-22-2018, 08:06 PM

Eric works on the 6x7s. Don't know if he works on the 645n. Drop him an email.

Home-Pentaxs

yucafrita · 01-23-2018, 11:32 PM

You may ask Kamerazeit in Germany: Reparatur folgender PENTAX Kameramodelle - Kamerazeit They are official Pentax service and do analogue SLRs. They dont list medium format though, but they say if you model isnt listed on the page, just ask. Dont know if they speak english...

Samuel Kaymen · 01-24-2018, 10:11 AM

Originally posted by perstromer

Hello!
Does any one know where a repair of a Pentax 645N can be made?? The Swedish repair agent don´t know and have no answer. Maybe you guys know a repair shop somewhere in the world, in any country!
I´m sure there is someone, the problem is to find it! The Pentax 645N is "pro" equipment so it must be possible. If not it is not acceptable!
Rgds
Anders Perströmer

Try Service Camera Pro Quebec Canada 1-418-527-0880

itshimitis · 01-25-2018, 02:53 AM

Or buy a new used one - they aren't that expensive...

Sandy Hancock · 01-25-2018, 03:15 AM

As his name suggests, and his post and profile confirms, Anders Perströmer is from Scandinavia (Sweden specifically). American, Canadian and Australian service centres probably aren't particularly helpful

itshimitis · 01-25-2018, 03:52 AM

Originally posted by Sandy Hancock

As his name suggests, and his post and profile confirms, Anders Perströmer is from Scandinavia (Sweden specifically). American, Canadian and Australian service centres probably aren't particularly helpful

To be fair the OP did say any country, worldwide. This was why I suggested getting a new used camera as this may be the cheapest solution...

Sandy Hancock · 01-25-2018, 04:07 AM

Fair enough

asahijock · 01-29-2018, 01:30 PM

I cannot guarantee that this will work because (A) the repair company is in the U.K. and may not be willing to accept work from beyond the U.K. and (B) may not be prepared to repair medium format Pentax but "Google" Newton and Ellis. They are camera repairers from Liverpool, England.

They are highly regarded in the U.K and if you are willing to ship the camera to them and pay for postage back to Sweden then I do not think that this will be a problem but I have no idea if their expertise extends to the Pentax 645N. Worth contacting them to find out.

asahijock

uwilli · 02-02-2018, 04:08 PM

Hej Anders. Here in Switzerland we rely on Mr. Jaeger (J). He certainly will be able to fix a 645N. I have no idea whether he'll accept work from outside Switzerland. Just ask. If I can be of any help, write me a mail to leicaflex@bluewin.ch.
Urs

**Pål Jensen** · 02-08-2018, 07:01 PM

You can try Pål Vangsøy in Norway. I suspect he repairs the Pentax 645's.

Servicemannen Pål Vangsøy As
Bjørnerudveien 12 A, 3 etg.
1266 Oslo

service@palvangsoy.no
Tlf: 957 28 969

rich14 · 02-13-2018, 01:21 PM

Originally posted by Alex645

Have you tried KEH?

Repair at KEH Camera Store

They are one of the largest used camera and lens dealers in the world, and on their site they do list $265 as a flat rate for medium format camera bodies. That flat rate includes most parts.

The two times in 32 years I had to send my 645 in for repairs, Pentax had their own repair facility in Colorado, but that is gone now.

Edit: KEH states they do not accept international repairs at this time. So unless anyone is willing to help as a go-between in the US, you can strike KEH from the list.

I do not recommend anyone use KEH for repair of a 645N.

I had an extremely unpleasant experience with them recently. Until this experience I had always considered them to be of the highest quality and reputation.

I had a 645N that had a "sticking" mirror. It would partially move after firing the shutter. "Coaxing" it with a finger tip resulted in its finishing its travel, ready for another shot.

Other than KEH, which advertises a flat fee for repair, I could find NO ONE in the US willing to repair this camera, no one. Including Pentax. I was told repair parts were no longer available. With great effort, I was eventually able to reach the North American Pentax repair lab which is now located in Canada (I'm in California) and talk to a technician very familiar with the camera. Unfortunately, he said (Ricoh) Pentax had adopted a policy to stop "all repairs on (old) film cameras."

KEH assured me they could do the repair. I sent the camera to them with the flat fee. I waited for weeks for them to confirm they had the camera, then another 10 days before I could get any response as to the status of the repair. The answer was always that there was no way to determine where the camera was in the repair process. First it hadn't been checked in, so no one could locate it. Then it was logged in but "had gone to the technician," so no one knew anything. It was impossible to talk to the technician or get any feedback from him. Various personnel in the repair department apparently had no communication with "the technician" once a camera was "sent out to him."

Finally, many weeks later, I received an email that they were sending it back to me, un-repared. "The technician had advised them" that when he opened the camera "a large quantity of oil had run out of the camera." They said "the oil got everywhere - on his desk, and tools." He sent it back, because "he didn't think he could clean all the oil out of the camera, and couldn't guarantee how the camera would work."

I had no idea what they were talking about. The camera had never before been repaired. Had never been opened. Had never had any oil put into it.

I called KEH and spoke to someone who said he was in charge of the repair department. He said he would investigate. I had reached him before the camera was shipped back. I impressed on him that I needed the camera repaired. That they were the only shop in North America who was willing to even look at it. I told him I had no idea how oil could have run out of the camera, that it had never smelled of oil. He said he had not talked to the tech, but that "the oil smelled like WD-40."

Something was very fishy about the whole thing.

He said he would try to put it back in the repair pipe line. But the next day he told me the same thing as the email had said. KEH was sending it back. The oil was all over the place. The tech couldn't be sure he could get it all out. Etc, etc. They would refund the flat fee.

When I got the camera back it REEKED of WD-40. The left side leatherette was loose, curling away from the side plate. It was obvious it had been opened. The sticking mirror problem persisted. Having no other recourse, and after LONG thought, I decided to attempt to repair it myself.

I studied the exploded drawing in the camera manual for several weeks, took a VERY deep breath and set about figuring out how to open the camera. When I got the left side off, it was very apparent what KEH had done. They did not know how to repair it, but just squirted oil into that side compartment, thinking whatever was wrong would loosen up. When that didn't solve the problem, they sloppily closed it up and claimed that "oil had run out of the camera."

To bring an already long post to a close, I was able to remove both sides and top and repair the camera. It took several weeks of studying the VERY complex mechanical arrangement of incredibly tiny gears and pivots and levers (easily the most complex mechanical mechanism I have ever seen). On the right side (the handle side) I noticed a pivot point that under magnified view seemed to have some tiny encrusted material on/in it. I applied a tiny drop of pharmaceutical grade mineral oil with the point of a tooth pick and the sticking mirror problem was immediately fixed!

I spoke with the head of Customer Service at KEH and explained my whole experience with the repair department. They had obviously lied and had completely misled me about the repair. I got no satisfaction with her, other than to advise her that she had a dishonest employee there.

I am extremely pleased that I was able to completely re-assemble the camera, including re-gluing the leatherette covers back down and re-gluing the molded rubberized covering back onto the handle. The camera looks great and works perfectly.

I'm afraid these cameras are orphans now, abandoned by their manufacturer and, with no repair parts available, also by the repair industry (if any really still exists for film cameras). I will never trust KEH again for repair.

The only real protection against mechanical failure is to have a backup camera that still works. I now have two 645Ns. I love the images these cameras and the magnificent 645 and 67 lenses I use produce. It will be sad when these eventually completely fail, never to work again. Hopefully that won't be soon.

Rich

**Alex645** · 02-13-2018, 01:48 PM

Originally posted by Not a Number

Eric works on the 6x7s. Don't know if he works on the 645n.

Originally posted by rich14

I do not recommend anyone use KEH for repair of a 645N.

Did anyone find out if Eric fixes the 645N?

Sorry to hear about Rich's KEH disaster. Have you filed a report to the BBB?

One time I sent a lens to Nikon for repairs and they immediately sent me macro photos of additional damage to the lens that I did not report....because when I shipped the lens, it didn't have those additional problems. It came down to my word vs. their word, so ever since, I photograph and document everything I send and then include that to the sender in case I need to make a claim against the shipper or against the repair facility.

OP: Update?

01-22-2018, 05:45 AM	#1
perstromer New Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 11	Pentax 645N repair Hello! Does any one know where a repair of a Pentax 645N can be made?? The Swedish repair agent don´t know and have no answer. Maybe you guys know a repair shop somewhere in the world, in any country! I´m sure there is someone, the problem is to find it! The Pentax 645N is "pro" equipment so it must be possible. If not it is not acceptable! Rgds Anders Perströmer

01-22-2018, 10:46 AM	#2
Alex645 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Kaneohe, HI Photos: Albums Posts: 3,527	Have you tried KEH? Repair at KEH Camera Store They are one of the largest used camera and lens dealers in the world, and on their site they do list $265 as a flat rate for medium format camera bodies. That flat rate includes most parts. The two times in 32 years I had to send my 645 in for repairs, Pentax had their own repair facility in Colorado, but that is gone now. Edit: KEH states they do not accept international repairs at this time. So unless anyone is willing to help as a go-between in the US, you can strike KEH from the list. Last edited by Alex645; 01-25-2018 at 08:52 AM. Reason: Sandyʻs post #8

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01-22-2018, 02:29 PM	#3
gordon_l34 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Brisbane, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 779	f16 in Brisbane, Australia. Just Google him for his details.

01-22-2018, 08:06 PM	#4
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	Eric works on the 6x7s. Don't know if he works on the 645n. Drop him an email. Home-Pentaxs

01-23-2018, 11:32 PM	#5
yucafrita Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 459	You may ask Kamerazeit in Germany: Reparatur folgender PENTAX Kameramodelle - Kamerazeit They are official Pentax service and do analogue SLRs. They dont list medium format though, but they say if you model isnt listed on the page, just ask. Dont know if they speak english...

01-24-2018, 10:11 AM	#6
Samuel Kaymen New Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: South Bristol, Maine, USA Posts: 10	Originally posted by perstromer Hello! Does any one know where a repair of a Pentax 645N can be made?? The Swedish repair agent don´t know and have no answer. Maybe you guys know a repair shop somewhere in the world, in any country! I´m sure there is someone, the problem is to find it! The Pentax 645N is "pro" equipment so it must be possible. If not it is not acceptable! Rgds Anders Perströmer Try Service Camera Pro Quebec Canada 1-418-527-0880

01-25-2018, 02:53 AM	#7
itshimitis Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: All over the place Posts: 3,535	Or buy a new used one - they aren't that expensive...

01-25-2018, 03:15 AM	#8
Sandy Hancock Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,275	As his name suggests, and his post and profile confirms, Anders Perströmer is from Scandinavia (Sweden specifically). American, Canadian and Australian service centres probably aren't particularly helpful

01-25-2018, 03:52 AM	#9
itshimitis Pentaxian Join Date: May 2011 Location: All over the place Posts: 3,535	Originally posted by Sandy Hancock As his name suggests, and his post and profile confirms, Anders Perströmer is from Scandinavia (Sweden specifically). American, Canadian and Australian service centres probably aren't particularly helpful To be fair the OP did say any country, worldwide. This was why I suggested getting a new used camera as this may be the cheapest solution...

01-25-2018, 04:07 AM	#10
Sandy Hancock Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,275	Fair enough

01-29-2018, 01:30 PM	#11
asahijock Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Northants, England Posts: 167	I cannot guarantee that this will work because (A) the repair company is in the U.K. and may not be willing to accept work from beyond the U.K. and (B) may not be prepared to repair medium format Pentax but "Google" Newton and Ellis. They are camera repairers from Liverpool, England. They are highly regarded in the U.K and if you are willing to ship the camera to them and pay for postage back to Sweden then I do not think that this will be a problem but I have no idea if their expertise extends to the Pentax 645N. Worth contacting them to find out. asahijock

02-02-2018, 04:08 PM	#12
uwilli New Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 8	Hej Anders. Here in Switzerland we rely on Mr. Jaeger (J). He certainly will be able to fix a 645N. I have no idea whether he'll accept work from outside Switzerland. Just ask. If I can be of any help, write me a mail to leicaflex@bluewin.ch. Urs

02-08-2018, 07:01 PM	#13
Pål Jensen Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Norway Photos: Albums Posts: 4,371	You can try Pål Vangsøy in Norway. I suspect he repairs the Pentax 645's. Servicemannen Pål Vangsøy As Bjørnerudveien 12 A, 3 etg. 1266 Oslo service@palvangsoy.no Tlf: 957 28 969

02-13-2018, 01:21 PM	#14
rich14 New Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 10	Originally posted by Alex645 Have you tried KEH? Repair at KEH Camera Store They are one of the largest used camera and lens dealers in the world, and on their site they do list $265 as a flat rate for medium format camera bodies. That flat rate includes most parts. The two times in 32 years I had to send my 645 in for repairs, Pentax had their own repair facility in Colorado, but that is gone now. Edit: KEH states they do not accept international repairs at this time. So unless anyone is willing to help as a go-between in the US, you can strike KEH from the list. I do not recommend anyone use KEH for repair of a 645N. I had an extremely unpleasant experience with them recently. Until this experience I had always considered them to be of the highest quality and reputation. I had a 645N that had a "sticking" mirror. It would partially move after firing the shutter. "Coaxing" it with a finger tip resulted in its finishing its travel, ready for another shot. Other than KEH, which advertises a flat fee for repair, I could find NO ONE in the US willing to repair this camera, no one. Including Pentax. I was told repair parts were no longer available. With great effort, I was eventually able to reach the North American Pentax repair lab which is now located in Canada (I'm in California) and talk to a technician very familiar with the camera. Unfortunately, he said (Ricoh) Pentax had adopted a policy to stop "all repairs on (old) film cameras." KEH assured me they could do the repair. I sent the camera to them with the flat fee. I waited for weeks for them to confirm they had the camera, then another 10 days before I could get any response as to the status of the repair. The answer was always that there was no way to determine where the camera was in the repair process. First it hadn't been checked in, so no one could locate it. Then it was logged in but "had gone to the technician," so no one knew anything. It was impossible to talk to the technician or get any feedback from him. Various personnel in the repair department apparently had no communication with "the technician" once a camera was "sent out to him." Finally, many weeks later, I received an email that they were sending it back to me, un-repared. "The technician had advised them" that when he opened the camera "a large quantity of oil had run out of the camera." They said "the oil got everywhere - on his desk, and tools." He sent it back, because "he didn't think he could clean all the oil out of the camera, and couldn't guarantee how the camera would work." I had no idea what they were talking about. The camera had never before been repaired. Had never been opened. Had never had any oil put into it. I called KEH and spoke to someone who said he was in charge of the repair department. He said he would investigate. I had reached him before the camera was shipped back. I impressed on him that I needed the camera repaired. That they were the only shop in North America who was willing to even look at it. I told him I had no idea how oil could have run out of the camera, that it had never smelled of oil. He said he had not talked to the tech, but that "the oil smelled like WD-40." Something was very fishy about the whole thing. He said he would try to put it back in the repair pipe line. But the next day he told me the same thing as the email had said. KEH was sending it back. The oil was all over the place. The tech couldn't be sure he could get it all out. Etc, etc. They would refund the flat fee. When I got the camera back it REEKED of WD-40. The left side leatherette was loose, curling away from the side plate. It was obvious it had been opened. The sticking mirror problem persisted. Having no other recourse, and after LONG thought, I decided to attempt to repair it myself. I studied the exploded drawing in the camera manual for several weeks, took a VERY deep breath and set about figuring out how to open the camera. When I got the left side off, it was very apparent what KEH had done. They did not know how to repair it, but just squirted oil into that side compartment, thinking whatever was wrong would loosen up. When that didn't solve the problem, they sloppily closed it up and claimed that "oil had run out of the camera." To bring an already long post to a close, I was able to remove both sides and top and repair the camera. It took several weeks of studying the VERY complex mechanical arrangement of incredibly tiny gears and pivots and levers (easily the most complex mechanical mechanism I have ever seen). On the right side (the handle side) I noticed a pivot point that under magnified view seemed to have some tiny encrusted material on/in it. I applied a tiny drop of pharmaceutical grade mineral oil with the point of a tooth pick and the sticking mirror problem was immediately fixed! I spoke with the head of Customer Service at KEH and explained my whole experience with the repair department. They had obviously lied and had completely misled me about the repair. I got no satisfaction with her, other than to advise her that she had a dishonest employee there. I am extremely pleased that I was able to completely re-assemble the camera, including re-gluing the leatherette covers back down and re-gluing the molded rubberized covering back onto the handle. The camera looks great and works perfectly. I'm afraid these cameras are orphans now, abandoned by their manufacturer and, with no repair parts available, also by the repair industry (if any really still exists for film cameras). I will never trust KEH again for repair. The only real protection against mechanical failure is to have a backup camera that still works. I now have two 645Ns. I love the images these cameras and the magnificent 645 and 67 lenses I use produce. It will be sad when these eventually completely fail, never to work again. Hopefully that won't be soon. Rich

02-13-2018, 01:48 PM	#15
Alex645 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Kaneohe, HI Photos: Albums Posts: 3,527	Originally posted by Not a Number Eric works on the 6x7s. Don't know if he works on the 645n. Originally posted by rich14 I do not recommend anyone use KEH for repair of a 645N. Did anyone find out if Eric fixes the 645N? Sorry to hear about Rich's KEH disaster. Have you filed a report to the BBB? One time I sent a lens to Nikon for repairs and they immediately sent me macro photos of additional damage to the lens that I did not report....because when I shipped the lens, it didn't have those additional problems. It came down to my word vs. their word, so ever since, I photograph and document everything I send and then include that to the sender in case I need to make a claim against the shipper or against the repair facility. OP: Update?