Since I spend a lot of time trying to do DIY repairs, I ask myself at the end of each project whether it was worth the effort, whether I did the right thing and what is or could be possible for me with a screwdriver.
The ideal thing when repairing photo equipment
would be to be able to completely disassemble everything and put it back together correctly, in other words to be able to control the camera or lens.
This allows you to reach defective parts, replace them or try to repair them. Spare parts come from abandoned devices. And that should actually be possible with the right practice and concentration. Ideal for a certain camera or lens model that you specialize in.
Removing the mirror box of a Minolta X-700 and disassembling it into its components is feasible ...
A nice, motivating idea
but there is a problem: even if I can completely disassemble a camera or lens and put it back together again, I also have to adjust it accordingly so that it works properly.
… also correctly assembling its components should be possible ...
This involves correctly set shutter speeds, aperture values, infinity, centering lenses or adjusting the flange focal distance. And this requires precise adjustments to the electronics and mechanics. Trim potentiometers have to be set, spring tensions adjusted, mechanical and optical components adjusted.
... but can you adjust everything so that it is set up correctly in the end?
A look
at the repair manual for the Minolta X-700, for example, gives you an idea of this. You need the right measuring equipment, the knowledge of how everything is connected and brought together correctly.
I think that is impossible even for a modern repair shop. Only the manufacturer and its service facilities could carry out such work, if they were not mainly just replacing prefabricated modules. If you don’t believe it, just ask a repair shop whether this or that work can be done or not.
This means that the options for repairs are very limited for DIYers
and you should be prepared for this, no matter how high your expectations and ambition are, and exceptions are the rule.
Some people will achieve more with DIY, others less.
But it is always worth trying to repair something, because if you do nothing, a faulty camera or lens will definitely remain defective.
And you will often be amazed at what works
The ideal thing when repairing photo equipment
would be to be able to completely disassemble everything and put it back together correctly, in other words to be able to control the camera or lens.
This allows you to reach defective parts, replace them or try to repair them. Spare parts come from abandoned devices. And that should actually be possible with the right practice and concentration. Ideal for a certain camera or lens model that you specialize in.
Removing the mirror box of a Minolta X-700 and disassembling it into its components is feasible ...
A nice, motivating idea
but there is a problem: even if I can completely disassemble a camera or lens and put it back together again, I also have to adjust it accordingly so that it works properly.
… also correctly assembling its components should be possible ...
This involves correctly set shutter speeds, aperture values, infinity, centering lenses or adjusting the flange focal distance. And this requires precise adjustments to the electronics and mechanics. Trim potentiometers have to be set, spring tensions adjusted, mechanical and optical components adjusted.
... but can you adjust everything so that it is set up correctly in the end?
A look
at the repair manual for the Minolta X-700, for example, gives you an idea of this. You need the right measuring equipment, the knowledge of how everything is connected and brought together correctly.
I think that is impossible even for a modern repair shop. Only the manufacturer and its service facilities could carry out such work, if they were not mainly just replacing prefabricated modules. If you don’t believe it, just ask a repair shop whether this or that work can be done or not.
This means that the options for repairs are very limited for DIYers
and you should be prepared for this, no matter how high your expectations and ambition are, and exceptions are the rule.
Some people will achieve more with DIY, others less.
But it is always worth trying to repair something, because if you do nothing, a faulty camera or lens will definitely remain defective.
And you will often be amazed at what works
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