Posted by James on 05:27:01
Dear Fellow Photographers I am posting this letter to inform everyone of my experience with Camera Tech in San Francisco. On October of 2001 I was unfortunate enough to drop my Hasselblad camera, film back with a 50mm lens into the water. The only good thing was the water was fresh and not salt. As soon as I got back from my trip I dropped my wet mess to Camera Tech. Geoffrey Semorile personally took my camera and lens for repairs. The repairs for my camera and film back was repaired and saved but my 50mm lens took the most damage from the water. The repair for the lens was estimated at $1000.00 to replace the shutter assembly and I was told the part was going to take awhile to get from Germany. It was tough to decide if I wanted to replace the lens or get it repaired and the biggest mistake I made was picking the later. Camera Tech wanted $1000.00 to order the shutter and the labor was an estimated $200.00. The sum of $1000.00 was charged to my credit card and I waited. I waited for about a year and I tried calling Camera Tech to see what the status was. I tried calling and I tried going to the store front all to no avail. My messages were never returned and I finally contacted my attorney. My attorney finally got a hold of him and I finally got a call from him. He agreed that if the parts didn’t show up by November ’02 the order will be cancelled. November ’02 came and went and to this date I have yet to hear from Camera Tech. On July 9th of this year I received a box in the mail from Camera Tech. I opened the box and there was my 50mm lens. I examined the lens and I was very unhappy. The first thing I noticed was the lens’ shutter had rust on it and there was something rattling around inside the lens. I proceeded to check the focusing ring and when I went to turn the ring the entire back end of the lens came apart. On this day I am out $1000.00 for bogus repairs and I have been without a 50mm lens for over a year and a half. Here is the link for the photos of my lens that came back from Camera Tech. http://picturecenter.kodak.com/view/kpcViewSmall.jsp;jsessionid=baa8wLzfsTYz1m?machineid=7&containerID=1301240578 I am posting this information to warn everyone about Camera Tech. They advertise themselves as underwater camera repair specialist and expert repair service for cameras but they are far from being that. I would rather pay a monkey with a hammer then to ever let Camera Tech repair anything I own. Camera Tech will screen your calls and mail and hide when they can not face their unhappy customers. If you would like to hear Camera Tech side of the story please ask them at info@CameraTech.com but I doubt they will answer your email because they won’t return mine. I will be more then happy to provide all receipts in my dealings with camera tech, my filing with small claims court for my lens. I will also be happy to answer all emails with any questions with Camera Tech. I will send a copy of this to Camera Tech’s email and they are welcomed to address this post or contact me personally. A note to Camera Tech, if you have any backbone or worth as a legitimate business you will contact me and get this resolved. My name is James and please email me at jay_w007@hotmail.com with any questions or comments and Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy post.
07/27/2003: