I accidentally dropped my Nikon 18-105mm lens and noticed some distortion on the bottom left quadrant of all my photos. I gave Yakov a call and he told me to bring it over immediately for inspection. On first look, he actually wasn't convinced that anything was wrong but after taking a few test shots, he noticed the same issue I saw (most of the bottom left quadrant was blurry while the rest of the image was sharp). Unfortunately, he wasn't sure that he could fix it. He also had to borrow my camera body because he didn't have a Nikon on hand. During the duration of holding my camera, I neither received an update via email or via phone. It was a bit unsettling. I called him after 4 days for a check in and he told me it wasn't ready and hung up. I gave another call today (6 days later) and he told me that it was ready for pick up. When I arrived, he told me that he couldn't completely fix the issue but that it was greatly improved from its previous state. True, the distortion was drastically reduced in well lit situations or when focusing on objects far away, but on items closer, I can hear still the lens struggle to focus. Yakov said there's nothing he can do about that, but recommended I call Nikon. He still charged the entirety of his estimate...which I wasn't really satisfied with, given how the problem still persists. Yakov has 52 years of experience under his belt so he certainly knows his craft. But whether or not I would choose to use his service again, I'm not sure. read more

Comrade Yakov is awesome!!! He fixed 2 of fungus infected pro lens I had. Very impressed with his talents. Other yelpers who whined about customer service... Well they just don't know how to communicate! Nothing a little patience and languages adaption wouldn't fix. After all comrade Yakov is retired and working not as a necessity. So what if he doesn't answer his phone 9-5... sheesh. Just be nice and leave a message like I did. If he likes you he will help you out. Nothing but admiration for this older pro who treated my son and I with honesty, integrity and a smile read more

Weird that there are a handful of reviews for Nikon repair, but when I called to inquire, was told he doesn't work on Nikon... Sad for me that I was in his neighborhood and have to figure out where next to go... read more

Advance Camera Saved My DAY! I am a professional photographer and during a shoot, my 70-200mm lens was no longer stopping down. I realized that the aperture lever wasn't snapping back, so I assumed the spring had failed and I saw nowhere online where one could just buy the spring, and all shops I called simply told me they could only help facilitate me returning it to Nikon for servicing. During my search for local camera repairs, I found Advance Camera and I was able to bring it in immediately following my call and he started trouble shooting the issue right there on the spot. Turns out the spring was fine, but somehow the aperture lever ring itself was bent just enough to restrict the spring from snapping back. With a few tweaks that only years of experience fine tuning and repairing camera gear could ever produce, the ring was straightened and the lens stopped down like new and I was out the door with my lens performing in great shape for my next shoot. This saved me time in not having to ship my lens out, money in not having to rent one (or giving me the excuse to shell out $2,800 for the latest one on the market!) but most importantly, it just felt great knowing that there is still a local repair out there that can still provide personal service and help out in a jam to get people back out there shooting! While I don't look forward to the day I have camera issues again, it does feel great having found Advance Camera and knowing they are just one call away! read more

Advance camera is in fact NOT closed. They... well, "He" is still in business but he is working out of his house now. Makes no difference to me and doesn't make a difference to the great service you get from Yakov. Highly recommended for any mechanical camera repairs. He did a great job on my Hasselblad and at a good price. **UPDATE** I wanted to update my review to make a comment on Bill P.'s review. FIrst, I just got off the phone with Advance and it was answered on the first ring on the first call. But, more importantly there is a reason they would rather have you email. The man who is Advance Camera has a really bad stuttering problem, so talking on the phone is a bit of a challenge. I've worked with him a few times before so I'm used to it. But, to a new customer it may be frustrating. As to why he didn't return your email, I can't say since I've only dealt with him over the phone and in person. Still 5+ stars for me. read more

What are these guys ... attorneys?? I called and the recorder said the best way is to reach them by e-mai. I e-mailed on Monday. Today is Thursday. I checked the e-mail address twice to make sure my problem was going to the right place. I checked the e-mail was sent. Monday - no response Tuesday - no response Wednesday - no response Thursday - no response Thursday - now something to bitch about on Yelp. (What a concept!) Thursday - Crap ... my camera is still dirty and I need to waste time finding a new place? Thursday - Piss on you Advance Camera for not writing back. At least you could've told me to piss off or something. Thursday - 1 star review final on Yelp. No response to inquiry means I still have a problem and this business does not care. ---- Friday [not yet occurred] - Drink beer perhaps??? (hmmmmmmmm beeeeeeeeeer). Ah who cares about the camera. I never download the useless pictures anyhow... read more

My lens was repaired better than I expected, faster than I expected, for less money than I expected. Easy five stars. Long story: Called on a Sunday morning, dropped off my damaged lens and and picked it up all repaired in the afternoon. I had brought him a Canon 5D 24-70 L lens that fell out of my bag, hit concrete and bent the filter ring. It still focused fine but the filter was shattered and I couldn't get it off. I used pliers and couldn't get it to move at all. I was frustrated and didn't want to make it worse so I sent it to Canon in Irvine. Their estimate was astronomical based on a "major drop" in which case they go through the entire lens comprehensively. I had been shooting with the lens for months and was confident that it was functional, just compromised by the bent ring. Camera Heaven had some sketchy stories about lost gear so I searched Yelp some more and found Advance Camera. Called up and spoke to the owner who had me come right over. He gave the lens a careful look and quoted me $20. Thank you Advance Camera! read more

This guy repaired my Canon 50mm f1.4 AutoFocus issue. My Canon 50mm 1.4 malfunctioned, the AF on my 50mm f1.4 didnt work, that was the only issue. Other than that, it was a functioning Canon Glass. i said ill give it a shot if YouTube can fix it, tons of videos says that the motor is the usual cause of why the AF doesnt work, solution is to replace it. It seem simple to replace...but one thing that wasnt easy to buy is the AF motor. I cant find a brand new AF motor, its either a used one, selling off from eBay or off some sketchy website to purchase it. I wasn't gonna do either. I never had open lens before, and i didnt want the first one to be a $300+ lens. Went to yelp, looked for Canon Lens Repair, theres a couple on top, but i wasnt in the mood to go into the city, the thing that threw me off from the city lens repair shops, was that i know they where in areas of "good luck finding parking" I'm not in the mood to deal with that..I live on the city line of SF and Daly City, and this guy shop/home is less then 20mins away from me, lives in a hella nice neighborhood where i know in the back of my mind my car wont get broken in and the one thing i loved about this spot...i found tons parking on his street, and i didnt have to pay any meter, that like super bonus for me. So about the repair itself, he confirmed that the motor was broken, something common with a 50mm 1.4 said it will take about 14days to order the motor from the east cost and repair it. i wasnt in a hurry, he gave me the price, I totally accept it. Saw how much a used AF motor would go for on eBay, split the difference on what would be his labor, totally acceptable. Then he called me 7days later, my Canon glass was fixed. End result, he did a GREAT JOB! MORE THEN I CAN IMAGING. he cleaned the focus ring (mine was hella dirty, i didnt know you can clean that) the new motor is better then the previous one. it didn't have the mouse noise im familiar with. it was QUITE! when he handed it to me, i thought it was a new lens. it looked and focused like brand new! He said, he had an account with Canon, thats why he can get a brand new AF motor shipped fast. I love that hes very local, you can tell his been living in SF for long time, this guy HAS the experience of fixing camera's PERIOD! You can tell off the bat he knows what hes doing, he did a great job, worth the money. He'll be the guy ill go for any of my Camera repairs. read more

My Nikon D610 was hit against the floor a couple of weeks ago and suddenly the autofocus stopped working. I went online to find a repair shop in the city and I found Advance Camera on Yelp. I gave Yakov a call and I setup an appointment for the following day. (I should probably add that I called after 7PM and he picked up the phone) He was very honest with me. He didn't know if he could fix the camera until he'd take it apart. I wasn't happy to hear the news but I decided to leave it in his hands. Three days later he called me and said: "I thought you'd like to take pictures this weekend". My camera was fixed. The price was reasonable and I was amazed at how soon I had my camera back in perfect working conditions. 100% recommended!!!! read more

The guy had my lens for over a month, finally I called him to see what's up. He said, "oh yea, I can't fix it." Easy ZERO stars read more

I dropped my Nikon DSLR while photographing a soccer tournament, and was sure that the camera was toast. While I was happy that my lens was unharmed, I knew that something had broken loose inside the body. Upon several recommendations and seeing the reviews here on Yelp, I gave Yakov a call. Even though I had told Yakov that the repair was not urgent, he was able to finish within a day. I was very lucky that the only damage was that the mirror had jammed. I felt that the price to repair was very reasonable. He even cleaned the body and my filthy lens, something I consider a good mark of professionalism. If I ever have camera problems again, Advance Camera will be the first call that I make. read more

Yakov is an Incredible kind man. I called him in EMERGENCY because some kind of soft drink had spilled on to not one but TWO of my lenses just days before a job. In a panic I called him and he said to just come by and we will figure it out. LITERALLY THE NEXT DAY I got my lenses back in brand new condition for an amazingly fair fee. So grateful for Yakov's services and he is a definite Gem of San Francisco. Thank you so much again Yakov! Great work, -Mark read more

My Nikon DSLR took a serious fall and the power switch was badly damaged. Not looking forward to the process of shipping it off to Nikon and waiting to hear how many hundreds of dollars it was going to cost to install a new switch, I began the search for a local shop that could help me out. Yakov was able to repair my damaged switch for a very reasonable charge in much less time than it would have taken for the shipping alone to Nikon. He was very responsive to my emails and very conscientious. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Advance Camera and will definitely go back again if I have camera work in the future. read more

Talk about coming through on short notice! About ten days ago, I dropped a 1960s-vintage manual focus Nikon lens (malfunctioning camera bag!) and the focusing ring became physically difficult to turn. After calling last Wednesday to see if this could be fixed, I was able to drop off the lens at Yakov's place and he not only was able to undo the recent damage (as well as my own failed attempt at fixing the focus ring at home) but he cleaned up years of grit building up underneath the focus ring...all completed a day earlier than estimated! Prompt repair of decades-old glass...not bad. Yakov also was delighted to see this ancient bit of photographic equipment still in action, now way more usable than it has been in some time. Great work! read more

I took my Nikon 18-200mm lens to Advance Camera, it was a minor repair and he did it while I waited. A very nice man and will take my equipment to him in the future. Thank you Yukov! read more

I pulled up to the location and was confused because i followed the directions on yelp. It took me a really nice neighborhood with no camera store. When i called the store the man who picked up had a heavy accent. I told him i was confused on his location on yelp and all he asked was what i needed help with. I told him my camera lens is not opening. He told me he, "doesn't work on Nikons." read more

Called and was really rude. They answered with a dry "hello" and I asked what services they offered. He did not offer any solutions other than I need to do it myself. read more

I learned of Yakov here on Yelp! I dropped my Canon A-650 on our first day at Disneyland. Lucky for me I had my older Canon A-640 in the car trunk so it was not a photographic disaster picture taking wise. Sure was for the A-650 though as I creamed the display. Upon contacting Yakov I found him very friendly and set up a meeting at his home. Yes, as some have mentioned he has a speech issue but no biggie at all. All went well and yesterday my wife picked my camera up for me. Yakov did a great job replacing the broken LCD display and the camera once again works fine. I could not recommend Yakov more. Not a thing to complain about and he was great to work with. O! and his price was outstanding. Much, much better than the other repair places I contacted. read more

When my D80 wouldn't do anything but display "Err" I took it to Yakov and he diagnosed the problem as a failing shutter. He quoted me $200 to replace it. When I came back to get it, he told me he wasn't completely confident in the repair and would only take $45 for the part and nothing for his labor. This is no small deal -- taking these DSLRs apart and getting them back together takes a long time. So far, the camera works perfectly. This is a guy you can trust. read more

I had an old 18mm Sigma lens that was so dirty and flary it was like staring into the sun. Ugh. I brought it to Yakov and he pointed out that there was actually a tiny dead insect right in the middle of the glass. Awkward! Still, he gave me an estimate on the spot. I dropped it off on a Tuesday and it was ready by Friday. Yeah, three days to clean and/or fumigate that lens and it works perfectly now. I am so happy. Not only that, it's pretty charming to go over to someone's actual house to drop off photo gear for repair. Also very convenient not to have to ship anything and wait months to hear back. It was a great experience, but unfortunately, all my other lenses are in pretty decent shape so I don't know when I'll see Yakov again. read more

I'm glad I found Yakov. He is knowledgable, experienced, professional, and very friendly. I was nervous about leaving my precious vintage TLR in anyone's hands but my own. Within three days the camera was fixed. And, if that wasn't enough, he cleaned it, and even reattached an accessory piece that was falling off. My camera has never worked, or looked, this good. Good service, great work, awesome dude. I wouldn't go anywhere else. read more

My Voigtlander 25mm had a sticky focus ring, and everyone I called (Gasser's, Samy's, even the manufacturer) said they couldn't do it or to call someone else. Finally I found Yakov on Yelp and gave him a call. He said to bring it over. I took it to him and he took a quick look and said he could fix it. He called a day later with a quote and I gave him the green light. He said it would take about 2 weeks as he was backed up with work. Two weeks later he gave me a call to tell me that my lens was ready to go. I picked it up immediately and it has been perfect since then. I highly recommend Yakov. Nobody else was interested or willing or able to fix this lens, but Yakov came through. I was very impressed. Thanks again! -Andrew read more

I've Known Advance Camera ever since he was on Clement St. 35 years ago. He is a knowledgeable, careful, and very clever repairman. Sure, he can replace modular stuff on many modern cameras quickly and easily, but I collect antique cameras for which there are frequently no easy fixes. Jacob rises to the challenge, understands the missing function, and then makes necessary parts from scratch if needed. His price is always fair, and his evaluations are scrupulous: if it's not worth fixing he will tell you and save you money. If you have something special and need a genuine expert, see Jacob. If i could give six stars I would, but this form allows only five, so that's it -- with enthusiasm. Stephen Shohet, M.D. read more

I love my two Canon Powershots. So, after they both died, I scheduled a consultation with Yakov. While he advised me that it would be cheaper to buy a new camera than to get them repaired, I really appreciated his honesty and advice. I found his old world integrity very welcome in this modern age. And I thought it was kind of charming that he asked me to call when I was ready to bring the cameras by, rather than make an appointment. It's so old school! If I need a camera repaired in the future, I will definitely call Yakov. (The four stars is only because I cannot rate his work). read more

Yakov is great. I broke a lens filter and had some dust and what I thought were some small glass fragments in my lens, so I took it to Yakov to get it cleaned. He could have easily cleaned it, charged me, and I would have been just fine. However, he took the time to pull out his magnifying glasses / loupe, looked in detail at the lens, and concluded it was just some small dust inside there. He told me I wouldn't notice it on the pictures at all and suggested I should just go use it and not waste money on tearing it apart to clean. I appreciate the great, honest service, and will go back to him for repairs in the future!!! read more

I used to work in the repair department at Brooks Camera on Kearney way back in the 1990's and we would always send the more difficult repairs to Jacob at Advance. It's sad that they no longer have their Columbus street store it makes it all the more difficult to support these absoloute professionals when it comes to repair. read more

I had a really good experience getting repair work with Yakov. I had dropped my Nikon 80-200mm lens and needed to get it repaired sooner than later. I found Yakov online and hoped he'd be a better option than shipping out to a Nikon repair center for who-knows-how-long. He cited me an estimate from a 2001 Nikon repair guide and then (despite it seeming to require more work than he had thought), he still came in on the low side of the estimate. And....the lens works great. So yes, very trustworthy and pleasant to deal with. Highly recommended. read more

Yaakov is my Camera Doctor ! ! I love old precision mechanical equipment, and photography is my hobby. I collect old unloved cameras the way some people can't stop adopting puppies and kittens ! Yaakov has been a tremendous help in keeping my "babies" healthy. His work is outstanding, his prices very reasonable, and always completed on-time. With his help, my cameras are ready to take wonderful pictures any time ! I highly recommend his camera repair services for any valuable camera you have that you would like to keep using, but needs help because of "camera-health" issues. read more

Yakov helped me continue to use my little FED-1 rangefinder camera for years to come. The turnaround was unexpectedly fast, less than a week; considering he estimated a couple weeks for the repair, it was almost inconveniently quick. I will definitely be bringing other cameras to Advance Camera. New, old, and classic. read more

I dropped my Nikon D80 SLR while traveling in Alaska, and on my return, was unsure how to have it repaired--or whether it could even be repaired. I found Yakov and Advance Camera on Yelp and, because of the strong reviews, I decided to give him a try. It was the right choice. Yakov repaired my camera, cleaned it, and checked out my lens--and had the camera ready for me in a week. And the price was completely fair and reasonable. Today, the camera's working like new. One final point: Yakov really seems like a good man. Old school, with a nice sense of humor. It was a pleasure to do business with him. I'm going to try to keep a good grip on my camera from now on, but but if anything bad ever happens to it, I'll go back to him right away. read more

Unfortunately, like many small, indepent repair shops, he has closed his store front. If you need a repair on a older camera give him a call at 415 242 4455, just be patient in listening to him. read more

I finally found someone who repairs real cameras (not a phone camera). I live in the East Bay & had contacted quite a few places closer to home but could not find someone who would take on a minor repair (it was a broken battery cover & I had the part.) I found the website thru Yelp. Thanks, Yelp! This person had a storefront camera shop called Advance Camera in San Francisco but has since sort-of retired (I believe). People can contact him (his name is Yakov) thru his old shop website. http://www.camerarepair-sf.com/ I arranged the times to drop off & pick up the camera (which was fixed beautifully & not too expensive) at his house, which was somewhat near the old shop. He works on a cash only basis. Since I had contacted quite a few places, this place (or person) is really useful. Highly recommended. read more

I had a Canon 40D that had collected a lot of dust on the contacts underneath the shutter button. It made shooting near impossible and I missed a lot of shots. I brought this camera to Yakov and after a quick diagnosis he gave me a quote on all of the work. He gave me a reasonable price and said it would take approx. ten days to complete the work. He was able to finish it in five. Springs were replaced. Dust cleaned. I can now shoot knowing that the camera will fire each time. The only thing I noticed that was not perfect was the rubbery grip on the camera body. It was in place but there were a few bubbles here and there and a corner was slightly peeling. Overall, he did a great job. read more

This is a TRUE camera repair technician that really knows his craft. Yakov has performed repair magic on some of my lenses, shutters and cameras that are WAY beyond the normal. Everything that I have sent to Yakov (for the collection or for Professional use) : Copal shutters, Nikon lenses, Hasselblad cameras and lenses, and a lot more, have all come back to me in Fantastic working order. If there was a 6-Star review that I could leave, I strongly would..... read more

I learned of this fine gentleman her on Yelp. I had a very dicey problem with a Nikon D3 and needed some fast help. Fresh off his Hawaii vacation, Yakov had me shooting again in just a day. I cannot say enough good things about him. He told me that he works on bodies AND lenses - a good thing to know. When you bring your camera to him be sure to being an appropriate power supply (AC adapter or fully charged battery) as he may or may not have power for your device. Give this man your business and do so with confidence. He is open and honest about what he can and cannot do. He's like finding a great mechanic - only for your camera! read more

Thanks Yakov First I sent my 400 f2.8 AF-D to another repair service who sat on it for 2 months and then told me they couldn't repair it. Then I sent it to Nikon and same deal. After talking with Yakov, I sent it to him and he had it repaired within 3 days or so and did a great job. Thanks Yakov read more

I have a forty year old Minolta SRT 202 with a broken light meter and follower. It was very difficult to find anyone who could or would repair it. The lenses are very good and it takes sharp images when working and didn't wish to give it up. After weeks of searching, only three people said they could fix it. One who could was Yakov at Asvance Camera in San Francisco. He also had the lowest price. I live in Oakland and took it over to him. He also noticed it had a shuuter problem with my 50mm lens and would repair that also. He said it would be done in two weeks, but called ten days later and said it was repaired. The camera works like new and just checked the light meter with my Luna-Pro SBC meter and it has correct metering. He repaired both for less than anyone else who were just going to repair the light meter only. Yakov is a real camera repairman who knows what he is doing. I highly recommend him for for repair work and will bring other camera equipment for him to repair next time. He now works out of his home and is very easy to get hold of. read more

We were at our honeymoon in cambodia and my Canon 6D camera fell and my lens broke. Going back to SF we looked up and found Mr. Yakov and went to his house. I had a problem with my canon 24-105mm. We were there for two days thinking he was going to ship it because of the damage. We had a new lens! We left the broken lens monday and by thursday we had it fixed like new! New pieces (he showed us the old and broken pieces) Thanks Mr. yakov we thank you for your effort. read more

Yakov is a wonderful human, honest man, and highly skilled camera specialist... Don't bother him too much, let him do his work, and he will perform wonders... Thank you Sir!... read more

Yakov is a wizard of sorts. In all I've taken in 4 camera's to him from a canon 6d to a 1940's Zeiss folding camera. The thing that stands out to me is that he will ask how much you paid for the camera and will give you a no bull opinion on if its cost effective to fix it. He wont string you along knowing it costs more then the camera is worth to milk money out of you. When it is cost effective, he shoots you a ridiculously low estimate for the repair cost. Its almost as if he just enjoys fixing camera's for fun and just charges a little to keep the lights on. This is probably not true but you get my point. About 6 months ago my Girlfriend dropped her 6d on the lens 2 days before her birthday. It screwed up some contacts going to the camera and the lens was toast. I asked him if there was any way he could get the camera fixed in time for me to give it to her on her birthday. He asked me how much I loved her (hahaha) he then shot me a crazy low estimate ($80) and said he couldn't promise but he'd try. over night he had somehow fixed it and for no extra money. This is when in excitement I hugged him and called him a wizard. To which he replied in a heavy Ukrainian accent, "yes I am, now you must get on the yelp and tell others I am wizard." Hahaha so awesome. read more