Camera Repairs & Servicing

Table with dismantled Nikon F3 camera, camera repair tools, and repair mat. Film Camera Repairs Bristol

We are now taking bookings for camera repairs and servicing in 2025.

We are continually reviewing our offering and plan to expand the makes, models and types of repairs we offer in the future. However, there will be some equipment/repairs that we will not support at this time - our main focus is the quality of our work.

As a general rule, we do not repair faults with electronic automatic ‘point & shoot’ type cameras.

Please take a look through the services we offer and our FAQs on this page which cover some important aspects of our repairs and servicing.

If you would like to discuss a repair/service, please contact us via our ‘Contact Us’ page, or via email: hello@southwestcamera.co.uk

Please see our Ts & Cs page for further information on our repair services.

FAQs

  • We predominantly specialise in servicing and repairing Nikon F3, FM2, FM and F2 cameras, however we also work on a large range of other makes/models of cameras.

    (Please contact us for make/model specific options).

  • If you would like to discuss a repair/service, please contact us via the form, or contact us via email: hello@southwestcamera.co.uk

  • Prices vary dependent on the type of service/repair, and the condition of the camera (plus any parts required).

    Please see the services section below for further information about our costs.

    The customer is responsible for sending and return postage costs (usually in the region of £10 each way) via Royal Mail Special Delivery.

  • Our ‘Full Service’ comes with a 60 day warranty as standard, however as our ‘Full Service’ is so comprehensive, we expect your camera to be capturing precious moments for many years to come!

    Repairs come with a 30 day warranty on parts and labour for the issue that has been fixed.

  • Nothing lasts forever - sadly this also applies to our beloved cameras, however they can often be used for parts to keep other cameras alive!

    In the rare event we deem your camera irreparable, we are happy to discuss waiving the inspection fee and retaining the faulty camera for spare parts.

Vintage film camera repair testing equipment, testing a Leica M4 at South west camera co Bristol

Our Services

  • All servicing and repairs start with an inspection of your equipment.

    This allows us to provide you with a more accurate cost and confirm whether the camera is repairable and if it requires any replacement parts.

    An inspection fee of £45 is applicable for all repairs/servicing. This fee is deducted from the total cost of the repairs/servicing should you decide to proceed after receiving your personalised costs. (This fee does not apply to Health Checks & Light Seal Replacement)

    If you decide not to proceed, or if we deem the equipment is not repairable, the inspection fee is still payable before the return of your equipment.

  • When it comes to servicing, we only do a full service.

    This is due to many cameras now being of an age where they require a much deeper level of disassembly to service them appropriately.

    Additionally, partial services often don’t address issues that have resulted from old lubricants, oxidisation etc.

    Full services include (but are not limited to): significant disassembly, cleaning, appropriate lubrication, shutter adjustments (manual and auto modes), light meter adjustments, internal foam replacement, and much more.

    Currently, full services are only available for the below cameras. We have included some example servicing costs below, which will be confirmed once an inspection of your camera is completed for you to approve:

    • Nikon F3 (including DE-1/DE-2 prism cleaning) - £210

    • Nikon FM2/FM2n - £170

    • Nikon F2 - £200 (does not include metered prism)

    In the event a camera requires a further repair not covered by the service, this will be charged at an additional cost of £30 per hour (however, we will always discuss and agree this with you prior to doing any additional work)

  • We undertake repairs on a variety of makes and models, these start from £45 + any parts required.

    Once an inspection is complete, we are able to advise of the cost of repairs/parts for you to approve.

    In the event the fault requires significant disassembly or something that would be addressed by a service, then we will advise you of this and discuss options.

    If you decide not to proceed, or if we deem the equipment is not repairable, the inspection fee is still payable before the return of your equipment.

  • If you’d like to understand how your camera is functioning, we offer a ‘Health Check’ service.

    This includes:

    • Checking of manual & automatic shutter speeds (where applicable) on professional grade testing equipment (to check your camera is exposing your images correctly across all speeds)

    • Checking of the inbuilt light meter (if applicable) to confirm it’s accuracy across different light levels

    • Replacement of mirror bumper foam & rear door light seals, all with hand-cut Japanese foam

    • Exterior clean and mirror clean

    Prices range from £55-85, please contact us for more accurate costs.

  • Old light seals degrade and allow your film to be exposed to light (in places where it shouldn’t be!).

    We replace mirror bumper foams and rear door light seals with hand-cut Japanese foam seals to ensure many years of light-leak-free shooting!

    Prices start from £45 for 35mm cameras.

    We also offer light seal replacement for Hasselblad V series film backs for £55.