Fixation Team | Canon Technicians (Part 2) image

Fixation Team | Canon Technicians (Part 2)

In part two of our Canon technicians feature we meet the rest of the team who work hard to keep your Canon kit in top working order.

 

Arison

Arison joined Fixation in January 2016 with a level 3 BTEC diploma in Electronics and Electrical Engineering under his belt. He lives up to his status as Fixation’s youngest staff member by being a bit of a party animal – he’s a regular attendee of all-night raves and Techno House. As Spare Parts Co-ordinator, Arison is responsible for stock control and ordering our Canon spares. He also repairs entry-level Canon cameras and some L series lenses. He enjoys playing pool, savours good cognac and recently spent 3 weeks back-packing around Europe by train. Arison likes to keep his feet firmly on the ground though; he suffers from Acrophobia and this fear of heights meant he could only manage the first level of the Eiffel Tower. He’s hoping his next trip will be to Canada, we’re guessing Toronto’s CN Tower won’t be part of the itinerary!

 


Navin

Navin trained as an electronic engineer before starting his first job as a merchandise examiner in 1979, checking equipment for quality and safety. In 1984 he joined photographic distributor, Johnsons of Hendon (latterly Johnsons Photopia) as a technician, repairing enlargers, projectors and flashguns. In 1987 he began work at KJP where he worked alongside our own Mick Edwards and Fixation founder, Mike Allen. He later joined Pentax UK where he advanced to Technical Endoscopy service manager. Navin joined Fixation in February 2012 and specialises in Canon lens repairs. In addition to the decades of technical experience, Navin has also managed his own newsagents; he enjoys a good malt whiskey and watching international cricket 20/20 matches.

 


Luigi

Luigi studied electronics at college before joining Camera Service Italia, Canon’s authorised repair agent, in his hometown of Naples in 1999.

He worked here alongside Giuseppe Cirello until 2012 when both men and their families moved to London and joined Fixation in February of the following year. Luigi specialises in the repair of L lenses and pro to mid-range camera bodies.

He’s known for his humour and cheeky smile, but there’s really no mistaking where his heart lies – a love of Ducati bikes, Neopolitan pizzas and Sicilian holidays says it all.

But one day, who knows? He may even get used to British weather.


Aleksejs

Born and raised in Soviet Latvia, tri-lingual Aleksejs served his national service repairing military electronics in Chenobyl, just two years before the notorious disaster struck. He later spent many years running his own food stores before returning to a safer form of electronics repairs in 2001. He started in a multi-brand service centre before moving to Latvia’s Canon-authorised service centre in 2003 where there were strong connections with Canon repairers in Finland, Sweden and Russia. In 2010 he uprooted to the UK to join Fixation and his only lament about living in London is the lack of fresh water fishing. Thankfully for us, he doesn’t carp on about it.


 

You can read part 1 of the Canon technicians feature here.

Fixation Team | Nikon Technicians (Part 2) image

Fixation Team | Nikon Technicians (Part 2)

In part two of our Nikon technicians feature we meet the rest of the team who work hard to keep your Nikon kit in top working order.

 

Sunny

Sungharsh’s career began in Hyderabad, India, where he was trained by Konica-Polaroid and where he worked for around nine years before leaving for the UK and joining Fixation in March 2007.

Nikon flashguns are his main area of expertise, as well as professional cameras and mid and pro-range lenses.

Sunny’s hobbies include watching cricket, designing JavaScript HTML websites and astronomy. He studied the latter at UCL and combines it nicely with his interest in cameras by practising Astro-photography in his spare time.

 


Tiho

Bulgarian national, Tihomir studied journalism and literature in Veliko Tarnovo before working as a radio station DJ whilst at the same time running his own photography studio and portrait business. He later set up his own business repairing electronic equipment such as film projectors and has worked in a digital photo lab.

Tiho joined Fixation in March 2016 and repairs mainly Nikon semi-pro bodies such as the D300 and D600 series, as well as flashguns and some lenses. He may have quite a giggle, but this belies a penchant for serious literature of the classic Russian type, in particular Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment.

 


Pabita

Pabita may be petite, but she’s a powerhouse when it comes to repairs. She studied electronics and engineering at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, Nepal, before joining Nepal Television Corporation as an operation technician using Sony video cameras and monitors in the studio, later making the switch to repairs. She began by repairing large, heavy-duty products, later adding more conventional consumer products to her repertoire. She joined Fixation in April 2007 and these days specialises in expiring Nikon pro bodies such as the D700 and D800 series. Pabita’s free-time revolves around her young family, but she also enjoys reality shows such as Strictly and Bake-Off. Her ideal dinner party guests include a feisty American comedienne and two British Prime ministers. It might result in some lively conversations, but one thing we’re sure they’d agree on is the tastiness of Pabita’s Nepalese curries.

 


Tom

Tom studied electronics at Szczecin University in Poland before setting up his own travel business providing tailor-made packages to holiday-makers.

Always a photography enthusiast, Tom joined Fixation in November 2006 and specialises in Nikon’s pro and semi-pro camera models. Biker Tom loves to travel, especially in Asia and is a regular attendee at music gigs. Favourite performers include electronica artists, Jon Hopkins, Moderat and Bonobo. In quieter moments he’ll be found watching US drama series such as Breaking Bad, or reading a cyberpunk novel by William Gibson. He’d probably win the title of “Fixation’s Coolest Dude”.

 


Jay

Perpetually cheerful and all-round nice guy, Jay studied motor mechanics at Willesden Polytechnic before becoming a mechanical engineer at a machinery factory in 1978. In 1985 he joined Olympus as a repairer and in 1987 moved to Pentax where he happened to work alongside our own Navin Ranpura. Following a stint at Orion Photographic, Jay joined Fixation in July 1994, making him the second longest serving member of staff. Aside from family, Jay’s big love is cricket. Once an all-rounder, but now predominantly a batsman, Jay plays for Bharat CC in the Wembley area of Middlesex. He also values the sense of community and volunteers as a helper at events such as a 10-day Indian festival and summer BBQs that cater for 800 people. Jay also enjoys Eastenders and has fond memories of watching Crossroads in its heyday. Perhaps this is what gave him the incentive to fix broken things.

 


John-Jay

Possibly the quietest person at Fixation, no-one would be surprised to know that John-Jay is a keen chess player in his spare time, but even close colleagues may raise an eyebrow when they learn that John-Jay rocks out to the likes of Aerosmith and Bon Jovi in the privacy of his own shower. After studying electronics at Zamboanga University in his native Philipines, John worked with robotics and machine manufacturing for a company called Greatech Philipines Inc. before working as a programmer and wirer for companies such as Motorola, Samsung and intel. Chelsea fan John joined Fixation in October 2008 and repairs Nikon entry and mid-range cameras and their range of flashguns. He tries to return to the Philipines as often as he can, in fact life is a Bed of Roses if he’s able to do this every year.

You can read part 1 of the Nikon technicians feature here.

Tips & Tricks | The importance of a UV filter image

Tips & Tricks | The importance of a UV filter

I’m sure we all recognise the importance of keeping a UV or protector filter on our lenses, but judging by the number of scratched front elements we see in our workshop every week, it looks like some photographers believe in living dangerously.

It can sometimes feel like a hard-sell when the salesman suggests you part with even more money on top of the considerable amount you’ve just handed over for your lovely new glass, but there’s a good reason for it…

Fixation lens care advice

This 12-24mm ƒ/4 Nikkor arrived recently looking rather sorry for itself and an accidental drop. Luckily the filter had taken the brunt and the front element was untouched, so £40 for a new filter and the customer was happily on their way, rather than spending around £275 to have a new front element fitted.

Oh, and another £40 for a filter, in case the lens attempted to defy gravity again!

Call our sales team for details on 0207 582 3294 or email sales@fixationuk.com

Sony PRO Support Centre Now Open image

Sony PRO Support Centre Now Open

The first UK walk-in service centre for Sony professional camera users is now officially open at Fixation.

Plans for the pioneering Sony PRO Support Service centre were announced in June at a special joint presentation by Yosuke Aoki, Sony Europe Digital Imaging Vice President and David Garratt, CEO at Wex Group (Fixation’s parent company) – with a planned a target opening date of September 1st.

Yosuke Aoki, Sony Europe Digital Imaging Vice President and David Garratt, CEO at Wex Group at the Fixation announcement in June

Said David Garratt: “We are delighted to announce we have met that deadline pledge. This is a truly groundbreaking partnership with Sony – and a very important development for Fixation. 

Now the growing numbers of Sony professional camera shooter can simply drop their kit off at Fixation for service and support rather than having to despatch it to the Sony plant in Wales.”

He added: “Our long experience in this business tells us professionals want choice, advice, convenience and continuity. Our new service promises free estimates, free sensor cleaning opportunities and fast turnaround times on service and repairs, and incorporates all Sony E-Mount bodies and lenses. Enhanced services will be offered as part of the Sony PRO Support Programme.”

Jay & Pabita, two of our experienced technicians are now fully trained to handle our Sony Pro repairs

Yosuke Aoki said: “This new centre demonstrates our intent to support professional photographers to the fullest extent. The very latest Sony capture products, including the new A9 means there are now huge opportunities for professional photographers to create many new and original images.”

He added: “But it’s not just about the sale of the camera, it’s also about providing highly professional support and service.”

Barry Edmonds senior workshop manager at Fixation added:  ‘Sony are upping their game for professional photographers and we’re seeing more and more of our customers realising the benefits of their mirrorless cameras. It’s important for us to be able to offer these users the same level of support that we’ve been renowned for over many years.’

For more information on pricing and the models we can service, see the Sony Repair section

Pushing the boundaries | The Nikon D850 images

Pushing the boundaries | The Nikon D850

When Nikon unveiled the full specification of the highly anticipated D850 they set a new benchmark for high resolution photography.

The 45.7 megapixel CMOS sensor approaches medium format-level resolution and forgoes an optical low pass filter to harness the maximum sharpness of Nikkor lenses, with fantastic fidelity, tonality and clarity. This is also Nikon’s first DSLR to incorporate a back illuminated CMOS sensor, which captures light more efficiently, resulting in a wider dynamic range and low-noise image capture.

Beyond the incredible resolution, the Nikon D850 offers photographers superior performance:

 

  • High-Speed Capture
    The D850 is capable of shooting up to 7 fps at full resolution, with full AF/AE or 9 fps at full resolution with the addition of an optional battery grip (MB-D18) and EN-EL18a/b battery.
  • Wide ISO Range
    The D850 offers a wide ISO range from 64-25,600 (Expandable down to ISO 32, up to 102,400).
  • Flagship Focus System
    The D850 uses the Nikon D5’s 153-point, Multi-Cam 20K AF system, which features 99 cross type sensors.
  • EXPEED 5
    Nikon’s most powerful engine yet, allowing for fast data readout and swift image processing, improved low light performance, high speed shooting, full-frame 4K UHD video capture and greater power efficiency for longer battery life.

In addition to its phenomenal performance, the Nikon D850 boasts a range of innovative new features that professional photographers and videographers will appreciate:

  • Tilting LCD Touchscreen
    The 3.2” high resolution (2359k-dot) LCD monitor offers Nikon’s most extensive touch functionality ever.
  • Silent Shooting
    The D850 offers the ability to operate with an electronic shutter in Live View. When in this mode, users can shoot in complete silence. The electronic shutter operates at up to 6 fps (AF/AE locked) at full resolution, while an additional mode enables 8.6-megapixel capture in DX image area mode at up to 30 fps.
  • Radio Flash Control
    Like the D5 and D500, the D850 also supports Radio-controlled Advanced Wireless Lighting with the optional SB-5000 Speedlight and WR-A10 and WR-R10 accessories.
  • RAW File Options
    Users can choose from 3 sizes of RAW files to enhance workflow, including Large (45.4MP), Medium (25.6MP) and Small (11.4MP).
  • Bright Viewfinder
    The 0.75x viewfinder magnification is the highest ever for a Nikon DSLR, and offers a wide and bright view of the frame to easily track and compose subjects.
  • Battery Performance
    Battery performance has been increased considerably allowing up to 1,840 shots at full resolution or approximately 70 minutes of video on a single charge. Users who opt for the additional control and handling benefits of the optional battery grip can expect up to 5140 shots.
  • Dual Card Slots
    The D850 features dual memory card slots — XQD for high-speed capture and transfer, as well as SD.
  • Focus Stacking
    Ideal for macro, product and landscape photographers, this feature lets the user automatically shoot up to 300 shots at adjustable focus step intervals to infinity which can be easily assembled into a focus-stacked image using third party software.

Videographers will also appreciate the significant improvements over previous models:

  • Full-frame 4K UHD at 24/30 fps
    The D850’s FX BSI CMOS sensor allows 4K UHD output at a full-frame width at 16:9, to increase lens options and provide a full field of view.
  • Slow Motion
    Capture Full HD 1080p at up to 120fps for dramatic slow-motion video capture.
  • Focus Peaking
    When shooting Full HD or in Live View for stills, focus peaking can be enabled which highlights in-focus subjects in the frame to ensure sharpness.
  • 8K / 4K Timelapse
    Users can create 4K UHD timelapse videos easily in-camera, or can use the built in intervalometer to capture images for an ultra-high resolution 8K time lapse that can be assembled in post for those who want the ultimate in video quality.
  • Zebra Stripes
    The D850’s highlight display mode uses zebra patterns to quickly spot overblown highlights. What’s more, the zebra patterns come in two varieties, selectable according to the patterns and textures of the subjects.
  • HDMI Output
    Using HDMI, users can record uncompressed, broadcast quality 4:2:2 8-bit 4K UHD footage, directly to an external digital recorder while simultaneously recording to a card.
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