Sergey Kravchenko lomo update

[Matt Gerard]

If your point is to tell me that all lenses from Russia are crap and need to be worked on, that's just plain wrong. There are plenty of reports that state people have bought Lomo's from Russia and the lenses were in great usable condition, even some bought from Sergey!

If that person from God knows where expects to do business in the US, they should be expected to provide good service that we are accustomed to (and willing to pay for) if they want to continue doing business here! Its what the customer wants, and if the customer doesn't get it, they go elsewhere. i don't get why that is such a hard concept. If I am selling widgets to people in Minnesota, and they want their widgets shipped in a red box, I do it. If I then sell to someone in Florida, and they want their stuff shipped in blue box, guess what? They get the bluest damn box I can find, because that will make them happy and buy from me again.

Damn. I got pulled into posting again. I'm going to play with my EPIC, and appreciate the RPP's we have.

Cheers!

Even if the lenses Sergey is selling are crap and need to be worked on, I'm sure his business would flourish if he was just honest about the condition of the lenses. People relish honesty, accross the world. Making exceptions for this because "its from Russia" is just wrong and unfair to others that are trying to run legitimate businesses.

[Jacek Zakowicz]

And how many lenses have you sold Matt, how many have you seen straight from there? I've seen many, worked with many, speak from hands on experience.
BTW I don't sell lenses, just work on them. For 25 years
Again- I'm not saying it's right but it's the way it is, that's all. Reality check. Go ahead and try to change the world with your preaching. Talk is cheap...
Changing yourself is a lot easier and more effective- cliche, and so true....

[Brandon J.F.]

Robert, I think you did a great service to everyone by speaking so openly about your experience.

I totally agree. I was very close to buying some lenses from Sergey around 7 months ago, but because he took so long to reply when I wrote him I went with Dima instead. Doing business with Dima was like getting "Amazon" service. He shipped them out the same day he received the money and immediately provided a tracking number (a real one). The lenses arrived as described. If you are looking for LOMOs he is a very good source. I am sure others here who have done business with him would agree as well.

[Matt Gerard]

Dammit. This is exactly why I tried to refrain from posting on this issue. I knew I'd get into a pissing match with someone, and it is not worth it. You're not going to change, I'm not gonna change, that's what makes the world an interesting place. How boring it would be if everyone thought the same way!

I appreciate your vast knowledge and experience in the lens industry. I know very little about the internal workings of lenses, and the technical abilities of the people that work on them is near magic in my eyes. I don't dispute that, and I applaud you for staying in business for 25 years doing something you are obviously very passionate about. I don't sell them either. I barely use them. I'm a tech. I fix and rig stuff so others can use it. But that doesn't mean that I have to sell old motorcycles to know that most factory Lucas electrical systems suck. I don't need to be an expert in lenses as you are, to read about other people that have been very happy with Sergey and the lenses they got from him.

Also, I DO try to change the world in my own meager and modest ways. I do so by researching and choosing my vendors carefully, and make my purchasing decisions accordingly. If I can be part of helping take one more dishonest vendor out of the market by not buying from them, I'm changing something for the better, so others don't have to deal with it.

I don't believe in changing myself to other's standards or situations just because its easier. If I do that I never get better.

Over and out.

Matt

[Rob Ruffo]

Well, there is no need to paint all Russians with the broad paintbrush of universal dishonesty.I deal with Russians from Moscow on weekly bases and I couldn't be happier. Majority of Russians are warm, outgoing and honest. Sergey is one bad apple, not unlike infamous Torrey Lomis.

Agreed. Russians can be excellent clients, and tend to have great respect for artists, much more, on average, than do Americans or Canadians. Of course there are exceptions on both sides, anywhere you go, so no generalization could ever be 100% true, just a tendency.

[BRANDON JAMESON]

I totally agree. I was very close to buying some lenses from Sergey around 7 months ago, but because he took so long to reply when I wrote him I went with Dima instead. Doing business with Dima was like getting "Amazon" service. He shipped them out the same day he received the money and immediately provided a tracking number (a real one). The lenses arrived as described. If you are looking for LOMOs he is a very good source. I am sure others here who have done business with him would agree as well.

Dima is indeed a very reliable seller!!!!

[Adam Eden]

Adam, i didn't know that. If that thread had been available somewhere i would have thought twice about doing business with him. I did search Sergeys name on reduser and didn't find that thread. There have been many people who have contacted me during this process, most of whom still remain anonymous for their own reasons. Some are still in a sticky situation either trying to get lenses sent from sergey or repaired.

The title of my thread was "do not buy anything from Sergey kravchenco" some moderator took it down. I even suggested that reduser start a sticky thread of dodgy suppliers, but apparently that against "someone's" constitutional rights.

I think threads like this are great, but at least you got your lenses. It took me over three years and about a dozen lenses till I got a good set of square fronts. And I still spent a lot of money getting them fully restored. I had another really bad experience with Sergey with a couple of lenses I sold to people from reduser that sent the square fronts to him for pl conversion. Sergey claimed I only sent one lens when I sent two on behalf of the people I sold them to.

One reduser guy was claiming I was defrauding him. Thanks to my In house producer she managed to track Sergey down and email everyone involved tracking numbers and signed documents. So everyone got their lenses in the end.

Another good supplier is ken rich lomo235.com

[Nick Gardner]

To be fair, Ken Rich is a bit of a freak show himself. He sold me lenses he didn't have, didn't deliver when he said he would, ended up emailing my MOM!! a bunch of porn, and generally being a nut case. I got one of the lenses I paid for, and another lens that was sort of what I wanted so that was ok i guess? From personal experiance, Sergey has been better to me than Ken. As long as we are plugging people, Samson is very fair. His lenses should be considered in need of service, and make sure you get good pictures, and he is over priced, BUT, he ships you the stuff and you pay after you get it. I have had several dealings with him and he has been very fair in that he takes all the risk, and he ships fedex.

Nick

[Tony Covell]

Dear Matt,
I whole heartedly agree with everything you have said.
I did research on Sergy with Russian " special friends" for Bob who is a good friend of mine and I have a lot of information on SK and his previous sales career in his own country.
It is better Not written, even though relevant to Bob and others problems.
Thnks for being very sane in your reply.
Kindest Tony Covell
London.

[Tony Covell]

And how many lenses have you sold Matt, how many have you seen straight from there? I've seen many, worked with many, speak from hands on experience.
BTW I don't sell lenses, just work on them. For 25 years
Again- I'm not saying it's right but it's the way it is, that's all. Reality check. Go ahead and try to change the world with your preaching. Talk is cheap...
Changing yourself is a lot easier and more effective- cliche, and so true....

I have always had a lot of time for you and your knowledge and the work you do but your strange attitude towards guys who state the plain truth has amazed me completely.
By the way I was a working Camera Mechanic for the first 25 years of my life and then went the sales Rental and corporate route for the next 25 but I still know inside out this business and I can assure you that your words have dissapointed and surprised me.
Tony Covell
London.