Hi

My Mamiya AFD has been in for repairs for an new shutter since November last year and due to no Mamiya distributer in Australia at the moment I cant get parts. The repairs have tried contacting Mamiya Japan and USA but have not been helpful. When will Australia get an new distributer? I will be in trouble if my zd go down. Anyone else having trouble with Mamiya repairs and getting parts?

Joel
D-Max

Hi
Call L&P, I think they have are the new distrubtors for Mamiya in australia. Now if you are really pissed call Japan @ 0011 81 3 5688-8036 ( Idid about 2 months ago). It all started with Maxwells last Sept. The AFDII has a much better shutter than the AFD. The other choice is to switch to the H3D or the new Hy6. So far so good with the ZD, no problems.
Thanks Denis Montalbetti

Denis,
Regarding the better shutter in the AFDII, can you please explain what there is about the new shutter that is an improvememt over the AFD shtter?

http://cgi.ebay.com/MAMIYA-645-AFD-645AFD-...1QQcmdZViewItem

Hi
You could also buy a spare on ebay. When I had my AFD repaired ( new shutter) it cost $900.00 AUD with GST. I always have a spare body on a shoot just in case one fails. I think this is about market value.
Denis

Hi
For the last couple of years the new Mamiya shutters are better. Which means if you get a new one for the AFD it will be one of the new ones. Depends on how old your AFD is? My AFD has a new shutter in it & is for back up only. I prefer the seperate focus capability on the AFDII rather than on the shutter release. I have been told it is a similar shutter to the Contax 645 system made by the same company Seiko?
Yes you can get parts & repairs from L&P, phone 02 9906-2733.
WEB http://www.lapfoto.com.au/contact.cfm

HI
AFDII on ebay buy it now $1595.00 USD
http://cgi.ebay.com/Mamiya-AF-645-AFD-II-F...1QQcmdZViewItem

That is about $2000.00 AUD & to have a shutter replaced it will be about $1000.00 AUD The AFDII retails for about $4000.00.
Denis

Thanks for your help Denis

Just spoke to L&P and yes they are the new distributors for Mamiya in Australia. They have a new shutter in stock for $504+gst this will also need fitting when it gets here.

I have looked at a second body but this one will still need to be fixed otherwise I may as well use it as a doorstop.

AFd-II for $1595.00USD dose seem like good value and is very tempting. The problem with importing it from US is I will get stuck with the import duties + broker fees and gst as it is over $1000.00 I have been stung before with another camera costing an extra $700 -$ 800 to get it through customs.

Thanks, Joel
D-Max

Denis,

Thank you for the reply about the new shutters. I will have to check as I own two AFDs. The first seemed to be draining batteries too quickly so I returned it in warranty for repaiir and it is fine now. The second one I bought when the first was sent back because I decided backup was worthwhile.

Actually, what made a backup AFD worthwhile was a new one I was able to purchase, in warranty, from an authorized dealer on ebay for $850 (body only).

The AFDII would be nice since, as I understand it, allows auto bracketing ove a wider range of stops than does the AFD.

Anyway, thank you, Denis.

Hi Joel
Fed Ex charges $50.00 broker fee and the GST is 10%. If you have a GST# you get that back as tax credit. It is still an inexpensive 2nd body. Or if you have it sent by USPS registered mail you can clear it yourself at Australian post so you have no broker fee.
Denis

There's another option which is send your camera away for a repair abroad - the customs fees will then apply differently; or you can ask a friend to take it to a pro repair shop abroad which gets a shutter change done in a day max.

Edmund