Client Review on Photo Darkroom, Inc.

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AVOID!!! HORRIBLE SERVICE, UNTRUSTWORTHY, MISSING PARTS, BAD REPAIRS!!! Towards the end of May, I took my canon camera and two lenses to Al at Photo Darkroom. Aware of Al’s lengthy repair times, I allowed adequate time to get my equipment serviced. I needed everything completed no later than July 21. A few weeks passed I emailed Al asking for an update. He told me the problem with my lens and asked me if I wanted him to proceed with the repair. I told him yes. A couple more weeks passed. Now I am getting called by the owner of Photo Darkroom telling me my camera is ready to be picked up. I asked him if the lens was also ready as I didn’t want to make two unnecessary separate trips. He said he would find out and call me later. No call. I let a few days go. I emailed Al a couple times asking the status of my Canon L lens. He finally gets back to me saying he now needs to send it out, a couple days prior to me needing it. At this point, he has had a ridiculous amount of time and NOT ONCE during this period did he contact me to let me know, I ALWAYS had to contact him. I let him know I will be in July 19 to pick up everything. I pick up my camera only to find it filthy! IN ADDITION, my lens is missing the lens hood, the camera is missing the eyepiece, and the strap is not mine!!!! The strap is barely strapped on and is absolutely filthy and my camera is covered in particles/dust of some kind. What kind of shop are they keeping??? He then proceeds to tell me I’ll need to make another trip to pick up my missing parts. I am meticulous with my equipment and never have I had my equipment in such horrible shape. Worst part, he was to repair my control dial on my camera, well, this ‘repair’, left my camera un-functional (which Al admitted himself). The control dial does not glide, manual is stuck on bulb, Av only controls the shutter speed, Tv is stuck on 30”. Today, July 21st, I went in and spoke with the owner. Al was late getting there and the owner told me he was embarrassed and we needed to confront him on these problems. Al arrived and after I told him all the problems with the camera, he proceeds with the following comments: ”Isn’t this just your back up camera?”, “You didn’t pay that much”, “You didn’t pay for an overhaul.”, “Camera is older anyway”. Who is he to devalue the importance of my camera? He was paid to repair it. So apparently I paid him $200 to for a bad repair because in his eyes it isn’t that much and I get what I paid for?? A more expensive problem? Because now I have a problem far more expensive than I ever went in with because of his “repair service”. Side note, the owner didn’t even say a word, great management…