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Walters Camera Video and Digital Repairs
Rating Details »
21 reviews for Walters Camera Video and Digital Repairs
A couple years ago, I was looking for an older 50mm lens for my Pentax, just so i could mess around with using manual focus. I don't remember how I found Walters. But I'm glad I did.
He had a Pentax-A 50mm F/2, just what I wanted and for only $30! When I mounted it on my camera to test it out, the focus ring didn't work, darn. "No worries" he said, went into the back and fixed it in 5 minutes. We then talked about his business and his old store location for probably half an hour.
He's a wonderfully nice guy, and with his free repair quotes, there's no reason to go in and have a look.
It is very difficult for me to accept the inevitable reality that film cameras are hastily becoming extinct and correspondingly, film camera repair shops are also following suit. I hope Walter's Camera Repair won't meet this fate while I'm still alive because the shop's main technician (named Saeed-- Walter died in a car crash back in 2001.. may be a touchy subject..) is a veritable camera-repair genius super hero.
I brought in a Wittnauer rangefinder from the 1950s with a broken selenium light meter and an impossibly stiff focusing ring (old, dirty lube?) and he fixed it in less than a week.
A friend of mine brought in a Konica Rangefinder from the 70s with busted up circuitry and he managed to repair this, too.
I am almost tempted to take a bat to one of my (girlfriend's) cameras just to give Saeed a treat because his eyes truly do sparkle whenever these battered beauties are carted into his shop. He is one of the warmest, kindest men I've met in a very long time. He's got the ethos of the man I always thought was my grandfather but turned out to be my grandma's "man on the side" who had no inherent obligation to love me but did anyway.
The quality of service was so good I was finally moved to write a Yelp review after lurking silently for years.
I had a Canon Digital Rebel with a bent pin on the flash card reader (curse you, ex-girlfriend). Years ago I got the dismal estimate that I might as well replace the camera rather than the cost of shipping it off to the Canon factory to have the camera serviced at over half its value at the time.
So I read all these great reviews on Yelp, and I dust off the old camera and take it in. My free estimate? If they can fix it and make it operational, it costs $80. If they can't fix it, meaning the pin shorts out the camera, then they charge nothing, and I send it off to Canon (which I once thought I'd have to do anyways). That's a pretty good deal in my book.
Within a week they fixed the pin, and now I'm back in business. When I picked up the camera, the guy very genuinely tells me that seeing happy customers is the greatest thing in life. And boy, is he good at making happy customers.
Highly recommend this place for a great value and very personal, mom-and-pop vibe plus some clear technical finesse.
As long as I've owned a camera, I've been told that if it breaks, it's better to just buy a new one because a) it will cost more to fix than the camera is worth and b) no one knows how to fix it anyway. Until I found out about Walter. Not to get your hopes high, but he seems to be able to fix any camera.
I brought him a 70's era Konica rangefinder with a dead meter. He was able to tell that it had been dropped hard by the previous owner by the telltale sign of a lack of a film counter window, that tiny one-millimeter piece of clear plastic that tells you how many frames you have left. A few days later, he had performed surgery on my little camera, gotten it working again, re-calibrated it to accept modern batteries, AND replaced that tiny little film counter window. 5 stars because I don't think anyone else could have done this.
Yes, he is eccentric, but just follow his cue because the difference between having a working camera and a broken one is immeasurable.
A very mom n' pop type feel. You get in there and it's a cramped shop with cameras and parts all over the place. Walter (I'm assuming) will come out and get to business minus pleasantries, and really, who needs pleasantries?
My friend tripped while filming on my canon IS1100 and the silver ring around the lens popped off. I tried to pop it back on but failed. Walter brought my camera to the back, returned, and bam. All is well. He didn't charge me and told me, "next time, break it good".
This is a camera shop that runs the way it used to work: small shop, on-site service, lots of great information from Walter if you care to listen. It's not slick. It's not pretty. It's a very functional repair shop without a lot of frills, glitz or bling.
Just the way I like it. Walter repaired a 20 year old camera of mine that I've dragged all over the world. It wasn't the fastest repair, but it was solid and his price was more than fair.
I shoot a variety of older cameras, some as old as 70 years. I wouldn't hesitate to bring him my Rollei TLR that dates from 1940. But then, I like old shops like this. As Walter told me today: "These are cameras that will not come again in our lifetime." A man who thinks like that understands old cameras and we serious shooters who still use them. Works for me.
Only reason it's not a 5-star review is this - repair took a bit longer than I wanted. But, I own 20+ cameras, so I had backup and it didn't bug me. And it's hard to find parts for the camera I had him repair.
walter has been expertly reparing cameras in downtown los angeles
for several decades.
his little store also carries cameras and accessories.
take note of the collages of dismantled vintage cameras created by his wife.
a fine upstanding fellow and craftsman.
I don't review many non-restaurant, bars, but this place is exactly what Yelping is about. Walter's Camera spot is simply the best. I don't say that lightly - it's cramped, located in an odd spot and is owner-run. How the hell can he survive vs. the giants? Because, like I said, he's the best!
Walter is unique. He reminds me of Mario (Bros) but he's not Italian (...ok, I know Mario wasn't really Italian!) and is a little stern, but he's a craftsman and there's not a lot about cameras he doesn't know about. Yet, he's no snob. He has classic 'film' cameras, but knows his digital cameras too and is happy to work on them when others want to charge more or simply tell you to "buy a new one".
Tucked away on a quiet downtown street he's always got a customer or two in his store. When I arrived a lady was there with her Sony digicam (Walter had one for sale too). He told me my dropped Canon Sureshot needed the zoom lens rebuilt which is possible 75% of the time and costs $70. If he couldn't fix it then there was no charge. Wow. That's idiot-proof if you know anything about repairs. Canon will charge $130, other places may be ~$100 but they'll outsource it if you can find them.
When asked why he thought it was the lens when the power seemed to be the problem he just said "the lens shuts everything down..." Hmmm. Fair enough boss!
I got a call three days later that the camera was ready and happily paid the $70. He scolded me before I could pay , "put the camera away...", he said. "Don't let anyone else use it, don't drop it, don't leave it in the car". (Earlier he told me the heat burns the CCD which is the smart technology in the camera that lets it take pictures. So now you know.)
Walter knows how we find him. "The Internet", he replied when I asked him if he knew how I discovered him. Let's hope he will say "Yelp" next time someone asks.
Oh and I think V.V. below is just being proud. Yes, Walter is a bit acerbic, but cash or equivalent is the way to go for a small business where cashflow is king. Some of my favorite spots are cash-only. That's not a sign of shady (unless you're the IRS.) Instead, listen to Joz Joz J's review. She knows enough about Walter and how to have a smooth repair when you can't get to his store.
This place was great, to be brief.
I had dropped my 50mm 1.4 canon lens and it bounced 3 times...the focus ring was proper f'd. He was was able to save the auto focus and was very resonable in price. The turnaround was only a day which was great. Very friendly and knowledgable with a great sense of humor.
Takes his profession very seriously and knows his stuff. If anything every wrong with anything photography bring it here first.
Shop houses some pretty darn incredible cameras from the past that are worth checking out. Owner hooks his patrons up with useful advice and superb service. I most definitely recommend this place to those who want to learn more about their personal photography gadgets, get these items fixed for super cheap rates, and walk away feeling that you got the best deal around town.
About 4-5 years ago I picked up a Canon T90 at auction for $50, it looked like it was in pristine condition, but the batteries had corroded and it wouldn't turn on.
Canon wanted to charge $160 to LOOK at it, plus cost of repairs. Samys wouldn't look at it. Walter said no problem and did the repair and cleaned it for $60.
Sure "parking isn't free", but when you can save $100 on a repair, I'm willing to forgive.
I also had him repair an ancient Rolleiflex TLR, and he brought that back from the dead at a reasonable price as well.
Best repair business I've ever dealt with in any field.
What no review... let me be the first one to say this place is small/old sckool/underground repair at its best...
1st repair.. Didgital camera..cannon SLR REBEL... dunked in water... fryed board... guess what.. cannon dont fix and no one touch this..but WALTERS... fixed it up good...replaced the board only and got it back fast!!!
2nd... Poloroid 110a ...Bellow went bad... droped off..Walter had it fixed for $100 bucks and i got back the next am...
the place is a mess..the guy running it is eccentric... its got no free parking and thats tha way its done..
if your looking to fix your sony didgital cam to your old school polorid i highly recomend..used 2 x's and have not been let down.. a real find!!
Have you ever had a digital camera crap out on you for no apparent reason? About a month ago, my camera started taking images that had a greenish tinge. As much as I like Shrek, I don't like resembling him in all my photos. Sorry ogres: green is just not my color.
I've had my Sony Cybershot (5MP) for several years now and even though I could upgrade to a newer/better camera for just a few hundred dollars, I love my little point & shoot camera. I could probably justify the expense of a new camera, but I felt guilty for throwing away a camera that probably had just a small problem with it. I'm really trying not to buy any new things (don't want to put more things into landfills, etc) and wanted to repair the camera, if I could do it for a reasonable amount of money.
Let me be second to tell Yelpers about what a find Walter's Camera Repairs is!
This business has existed since 1952 and they do retail and wholesale on most photographic equipment, no job is too small or too big. They also do modifications and custom work on photographic equipment.
And they fixed my camera for me; easy peasy for less than $100 in less than two weeks. (I was in no rush, I bet he could have done it faster.)
The best part is that they offer a FREE estimate. All you have to do is send them your broken camera (UPS, US Postal services or FEDEX insured for the correct value) and include a note with your street address, phone number, and a note describing what you think is the problem. When they receive it, they give you a call right back letting you know how much it costs to fix it. If you want them to fix it, you just give them the go ahead. If you don't want them to fix it, you just have to pay for the shipping and they will ship it back.
The only negative part is that they don't usually accept credit cards or personal checks (they might accept a money order, I'm not sure). So in order to pay for your repair, you may have to bring cash on-site and pick up your camera. (You should ask and get clarification.)
In my case, they made an exception and did accept a personal check. I just mailed them my check with a pre-printed FedEx label (from my own FedEx account) and I got my like-new camera back in days!
Oh and they are responsive via email; a fresh change of pace from places that you try to send an email to and it just gets lost in the ether.
My camera is now working like a charm and I don't have to feel guilty for spending money on a new toy when I already had one that I loved.
I love Walter. I can see why he would be likened to the Soup Nazi. He is very protective of cameras and just likes to make sure you treat them right :) He is mostly teasing you if he sounds stern. He is really very funny.
I have had my Canon 20 D camera cleaned twice and once the flash was stuck closed. He fixed within 24 hours both time for $80 cash. I'm very picky and often disappointed with the service industry but he does his job and does it well.
I bought a "Zeiss-Ikon" Contaflex camera (1954) on eBay for about $45 dollars. It was described as "fully functional" but when it arrived it was not. So, being sentimental, I decided to keep it and get it repaired.
I found Walter's Camera Repair because he fixes ZI cameras and many others. The shop is in an old, dilapidated building on the southern edge of Chinatown parallel to the Hollywood Freeway.
I walked in and immediately spoke to Walter. He showed me a "plastic" Nikon lens and described it as "junk" and said Zeiss was the best. But I needed no persuasion. He repaired the camera and called me a few days later to say it was ready.
It cost $95 but I would trust this type of place where the technician focuses on fixing cameras, rather than projecting an arty air of slickness as can be found in an other camera shop or processing place in Hollywood.
i had noticed walter's storefront before but this yelp listing basically sent me to him with two medium format cameras, and very positive cost-effective outcomes! he has a personality that befits his swamped shop and was happy to tell me a bit about his decades of fixing cameras "that you'll never see again in your lifetime"- since the 1950s. i showed up with 2 half-way working seagull cameras i overpaid for in the philippines and on ebay for about $100 each - a 4a tlr & their 203 rangefinder.
the tlr's crank and frame counter wasn't working properly and the 203 was missing a bottom film spool assembly. he fixed both within 2 days, at a very affordable rate! i'll go to him as long as i have camera problems, no question.
A female friend from work had small tiny thin Fuji camera that just stopped working after a year. Walter asked me some questions about how she cared for it. He was able to tell me the cause and all the details that created this issue all within a few minutes with estimate for repair. I was impressed since it is rare to find someone so knowledgeable on this subject. He answered all my questions. If you want to bring your camera back to life - he is the maestro of cameras!
I went to this store after buying a camera of rather dubious origin, off the street. I would have paid whatever he charged me, but he explained what was wrong with the camera and how much it was worth, and recommended that I buy a new one instead. A totally honest man is hard to find, and I appreciated that he didn't take advantage of my naivite. He also offered me some recommendations on a new camera, free of charge. The man is quite nice, honest, and knows what he is doing.
Sorry...but someone needs to tip the scale on this one...this place is shady...they only accept cash and when you're talking about hundreds of dollars (2 cameras repaired) that's ridiculous...but more importantly Walter or whoever it is that you deal with there...is extremely rude. He gave no estimate of when the repairs would be complete and when I called several days after the drop off to inquire when they would be ready he reluctantly gave a date and I replied with--"Great! I happen to be leaving town that day, so when's the earliest time that day I could come and pick them up?" and Walter curtly replied with "If I would have know it was going to be a rush I wouldn't have accepted the repair."
WHAT!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? There was no rush---HE'S the one that said it would be done that day...I just needed to know the earliest time in the day that I would be able to come pick it up at...so if you're going to go here to get your camera repaired...please be prepared for the "Soup Nazi" of camera guys...cause they act like it's a privilege for you to use their business and couldn't give two craps for customer service.
I got a hopeless Lubitel 166 TLR from eBay working again perfectly thanks to Walter. The man is very knowledgeable on cameras, old and new. He may seem rude at first but after talking a little bit, he's actually a nice guy. As he handed my revived Lubitel back to me he said, "This camera was very f-cked up, but it works fine now." And it did! The repair costed me around $40 and took about 3 weeks.
Several months and many shots later, my last set of prints seemed to be severely out-of-focus. I took it back to Walter and told him the gear teeth on the lenses seem to be unaligned. He called me the next day to let me know it was ready. I came in to pick it up and asked him how much it was and he said not to worry. Sweet.
The shop is almost hard to miss but there's a sign on the street that mentions camera repairs. It's only street parking and judging from the signs he has posted on his door, the parking enforcement seem to be strict on this side of town, so make sure you have some loose change on you. The place also only takes cash and money orders. If you happen to bank with Washington Mutual with no cash on-hand, you're in luck. The CVS pharmacy across the street has a WaMu ATM machine right when you walk in. I didn't even know they made ATM machines outside of their bank.
My sister gave me a Cannon SD100 digital camera about 4 years ago, and I love it, great and simple to use. Till about a few months back it stopped working, so I decided to replace it with a same one off eBay... Paid about $45 for it and it was fine...for about 2 weeks..then it stopped working..Great..What luck I have huh? Did some web browsing and stumbled upon Walters Camera Repairs...Took both to Walter and he said he can fix them both for $65 a piece. Only problem was he said that the parts were on back order. No biggie, I wasn't in a rush...He called me about 3 weeks later and I just picked them up on Monday (8/4/08). Both cameras work great! I am happy with this outcome. I read some reviews about Walters here on Yelp before going...Some one said he was like the "Soup Nazi". Ha-Ha.. Walter wasn't to bad, I didn't have any problems with him..When i picked up my cameras, he said, "There are 3 things you don't lend out, your toothbrush, your girlfriend, and your camera." I found that funny. Parking kinda sux, cause you gotta find a spot using parking meters, and there are certain time frames you cant park there on Cesar Chavez.
