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When I began selling underwater photography equipment part of my plan was to offer a solution for those people who want to buy equipment that has been serviced and is ready to dive with when they receive it. I personally learned the hard way that service is critical after buying used Nikonos equipment, replacing the user-replaceable o-rings, and promptly having the equipment flood through one of the places where there are o-rings, but o-rings that are only replaced when the camera has an annual service by a professional. I've lost bodies to leaks through the ASA/ISO/Rewind shaft and through the mode selector/film advance lever shaft. I've also flooded a body being a bit too aggressive getting a close-up lens off in the middle of a dive, but that's another story....
I've used a number of companies to service my equipment, including Nikon directly. I've discovered that Bob Warkentin at Southern Nikonos is passionate about what he does and has a wealth of information that he's taken the time to share with me.
Almost all the Nikonos and other underwater equipment you buy is recommended to have an annual service before you dive with it, even if it's brand-new off the shelf at your favorite camera store. The reason is that o-rings eventually flatten over time, becoming problematic. Since Nikon stopped manufacturing Nikonos equipment a while back, that means everything you buy, including brand-new equipment, needs a service unless it's actually had a documented service in the past year or so. I've pushed the year interval, and some folks swear it's safe to go 18 months or more. All I'll say to that is I'd hate to be on that diving trip of a lifetime and have my gear fail--service ahead of time makes a lot more sense.
That takes us to the equipment I'm selling that has been serviced by Southern Nikonos prior to me listing it. I often have more items in stock that I haven't had the time to photograph and list yet, so please ask if there's something specific you want. If you are buying equipment for a dive vacation and aren't sure you'll have time to get it serviced, pre-serviced equipment is for you. Even if time isn't crucial, this equipment may also suit those people who just don't want to deal with the hassle of buying something, just to get it and have to mail it right off again. Finally, this equipment is ideal for gifts, since you are giving something that's immediately useful.
To make things easy, all equipment I sell that has been serviced by Southern Nikonos is cross-linked so it will show up in the appropriate category in my store, but all of it will also show up in the Serviced @ Southern Nikonos category on the left of any store page.
It's important to remember that properly service equipment is not protection against improperly-installed o-rings or other errors like the flood mentioned above caused by me wiggling the close-up lens a bit too much in my haste to take a picture of a larger fish. If you're new to underwater photography I strongly recommend taking some time to go through the Southern Nikonos Workshop series here.
It's true that serviced items I sell will cost more than identical items that haven't been serviced since I must recoup the cost of having the items serviced before sale, but, as always, you get what you pay for! I will, of course, provide a receipt or copy of the receipt documenting the service as completed. I'm offering this service because I perceive a need for it. Please give me feedback if you have any other suggestions I can consider to make my store better.
As a summary--I've sometimes bought equipment from sellers who were less than candid about the true condition of their Nikonos equipment. The equipment that I have identified as being serviced by Southern Nikonos for me has had any known problems checked and/or repaired to good working order at that time unless I have noted otherwise. Also, the Annual Maintenance service has been done and then "proofed" (in accordance with Nikon specifications) that the equipment is water tight or, as Bob puts it, "has been prepared such that it will NOT flood....itself" and is now "humanly water-tight capable" (meaning it's now all up to the human to do his/her own part to prepare and check....capably and correctly....before each dive!!). Now, take another look at his Nikonos Workshop articles...they are all about preventing your human mistakes.
