At the Restoration35 workshop, we honor the timeless craftsmanship of vintage cameras (mostly Leica but often others) while enhancing them with a modern, durable finish. Each restoration project is a meticulous blend of preservation and innovation, ensuring that the rich history of your camera is maintained while updating its appearance and functionality.
Our skilled technicians carefully disassemble, clean, and reassemble every component, applying custom finishes and making necessary adjustments to bring new life to these classic instruments.
The result is a one-of-a-kind camera that beautifully marries its storied past with a fresh, stylish look, ready for many more years of capturing memories.
Vintage cameras often bear signs of wear such as dings, dents, engravings, or crumbling leatherette (or all of the above) which tell their unique life stories.
Our goal is to restore these cameras to their former aesthetic glory, and sometimes, through meticulous craftsmanship and modern techniques, dare we say it – enhance their beauty even beyond the original.
We’ll discuss our restoration expectations with you during the inspection of your camera, so you can get a good feel for the final outcome, as not every cosmetic flaw can be completely eliminated.
Leica is renowned for its special edition cameras. If you have a vision for your own unique special edition, challenge us to bring it to life!
From alternative colors, custom color combinations, to laser engravings, we can transform your Leica into a stunning, one-of-a-kind creation
Not all restoration projects require repairs, but since cameras must be fully disassembled before painting, many customers opt for a complete overhaul (CLA – Clean, Lubricate, and Adjust) during the process.
We collaborate with experts like Don Goldberg (“DAG”) for comprehensive overhauls.
Minor repairs and adjustments can often be seamlessly integrated into the restoration process without the need of specialists.
Cameras that arrive for paint or customization that require CLA or have other optical or mechanical needs are forwarded to our specialist partners who have the experience and proper tools to address almost any problem.
I recently sent my M3 Single Stroke camera to Restoration 35 for a re-paint. The camera had dents on the edge as well as a name engraved on the back. They were able to smooth out both of these issues and painted the camera in a matte black finish. The engraving was beautifully filled with white paint and and the rewind knob was filled with two red dots. I asked for the advance lever to be painted and it looks terrific. I'm very happy with the work and am looking to see what I want to send for the next project. Very classy packaging!
Robert at Restoration35 is a master craftsman when it comes to painting Leica cameras. He’s done a Leica M3 in the “anti-panda” look. A Leica IIc recently. He has two more of my cameras in need of repair and painting including a Leica IF. Obviously, I’m very happy with the work he’s done for me thus far.
Sweet paint job, you've got skills! Thanks again for a sweet SP, I'm still impressed with its viewfinder!
It [my M3] looks friggin awesome man. I love it:) I did a little happy dance when I opened the package. He he:) You really did a great job.