The Best of Friends,
Vendors, and Photographers
And the place you really need a friend is at that point in
time when something breaks or has a malfunction. Now we all know that
Canon and Nikon and others all have repair facilities and we also know
that Camera Repairs are costly to say the least. Very costly sometimes, and in a sense they
have you in tow because the equipment today is very proprietary, complex
and takes a trained technician who knows what he is doing.
Now, part of being in business is to make money before and after the sale.
A profit maker after the sale is accessories and repairs. While you
are in warranty, it's warm and fuzzy, but what happens after the one
year grace period is over.
I like alternatives to the manufacturers party line. We have saved many
units by going to outside sources. We use exclusively one particular vendor, Mr.
Isaac Hamid at SOUTHERN PHOTO TECHNICAL SERVICE with two locations in the
South of Florida. Yes, you can mention my name. They just did a F100 we use
for film weddings (yes film, if we do a shoot and run) with many miles on
it, and it's like getting a new camera back. And some of my older Leica's go
to Don Goldberg quite well known in the Leica circles.
This page has links
to manufacturers, resources, forums and groups. Bear in mind some require
joining or registering. Winston Churchill once quoted Will Rogers and
said: "He would never
join a club if they would have me as a member". There are times I
think the great leader and the great writer were totally correct.
Since I opened the can of worms, lets spend a half second on "Opinions..."
Take them with a grain of salt ...and two shots of Vodka!
Many forums, clubs, and organizations have a few folks who do more
harm than good. That's just the nature of the beast in open forums and
groups. Usually one question gets many diverse answers.
Some honest, some for personal bravado, some are opinions without
regard to personal use, kind of irks me the most. How can
someone comment or make remarks about something they have never used. Even the judicial system has a code
against 'hearsay". I guess verbal plagiarism might be the term.
There are links to other Photographers (lots of them are clients of mine, I don't pull
punches) who I found we had something in common. Good work, good
attitude and ethics. Many of whom think the same way I do on lighting and other subjects and a few who don't.
But that's OK this is a diverse sport. Ask a group of golfers who makes
the best clubs and you'll see few agree. Worse, after you watch them
play you wonder if they were qualified to comment in the first place.
After a few at the 19th hole the clubs probably get used for making a
point or too. Just like the cavemen.
Lastly links to things I like in the industry: I once said I would never
recommend something I wouldn't use or buy for my self. Obviously I
don't have a closet as big as Texas and I couldn't afford everything I'd
like to have either in financial terms, but I can wish...
REPAIRS .ooooh, ouch, arrrghhh!
Southern Photo Technical
Service
Isaac Hamid
EQUIPMENT
SERVICED:
Digital Cameras-Digital SLR
Cameras-Medium Format-35mm Film Cameras-Lenses- TV Lenses -
Flash Units - VCRs - ID/Passport
Cameras - Legacy Cameras.
Please Note:
Most
Local, State and Federal consumer
affairs organizations suggest using Authorized Service Centers (like
Southern Photo) when seeking service, since they are Trained,
Supported and Authorized by the equipment manufacturer to properly
service their equipment. Always shop for service wisely. S.P.T.S. does do
warranty work for the brands mentioned below.
CANON - CHINON - BRONICA - FUJI - HASSELBLAD - JVC - KODAK - KONICA -
MINOLTA - NIKON - NORMAN - NOVATRON - OLYMPUS - PENTAX - PHOENIX-
POLAROID - QUANTARAY - RICOH - SAMSUNG -SIGMA-
SPEEDOTRON - TAMRON - TOKINA - VIVITAR - YASHICA
Palm Beach County
Southern Photo Technical Service
2275 South Federal Hwy. #360
Delray Beach, Florida 33483
Phone: (561) 272-2306
Fax: (561) 272-9681
Miami/ Dade County
Southern Photo Technical Service
16781 North Miami Ave
North Miami Beach, Florida 33169
Phone: (305) 653-7355
Fax: (305) 653-7356
Michael Bass
Designs,
Mike Bass, F.O.G.
Fellow Order
of the Gadgetmeister
Gadgetmeister is not
a term I hand out too often because it has been my nickname for the past
50 years or so. So when I see someone who utilizes many of my tenets and
philosophies like thinking out of the box and using common sense I have to
recognize those things. Mike Bass Designs fits the billing. He
takes Nikon/Canon/ secondary brands of components and with micro precision
creates cables and modules that do a host of things too numerous to
mention here. Here is a partial list of what he has to offer;
and here is the tag for mikes site;
www.MichaelBassDesigns.com
;
Canon Flash Auxiliary Sync
Modifications
;
Lens Mounted Trigger Cable
(Single/Dual Versions)
;
Pre-Trigger Cables
;
Off Camera Shoe Cord Auxiliary Sync
Mod and Extension Set
;
Safety Cables
;
Combo Pre-Trigger Cords
;
Handheld Trigger
;
Hot shoe adapters (mini plug, combo
plug,
attached to Off Camera Cord)
;
Always Ready Flash Stand
;
Custom Cables
;
Repairs -- Custom Projects |
The work is excellent and that's
coming from someone who does micro soldering all day long. Some of these
components require the skilled hands of someone who works on small objects
with finesse. Dr. Michael Bass is a Doctor of Dentistry so he's
comfortable working with this stuff. I caution most folks who soldered the
pipes under the sink, that micro soldering especially around plastic and
22-24 gauge wiring is a different ball game. You know you have a problem
when the item you were soldering vanished and is melted on the end of your
gun. It's cheaper to let the pro do the work and not burn up your 400.00
strobe or 80.00 cable. I know I have many soldering guns attached to parts
I have no idea of what they were.
DASAGA Photographic,
Sam Kennedy F.O.G.
Fellow Order of the Gadgetmeister
(FOG)
Dasaga
Photographic
5400 S. Rockwood
Oklahoma City, Ok 73119
405-682-3980
Here is another Gadgetmeister who
knows what's going on with Lumedyne and Quantum, especially when they have
to be re-filled with fresh batteries and more importantly re-calibrated. When
it comes to repairs on Lumedyne He will
replace all the battery Cells
and perform a load test and make the crucial input/output
adjustments. He uses Hi-Quality NiCad's with virtually No-Memory Problems.
Read more in my battery section on why the commercial NiCads are different
from the store bought ones you were told were inferior to NiMH. He's
the go to guy on those Turbos and Lumedyne's
Website: www.dasaga.com
Contact: sam@dasaga.com
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