If a camera doesn't work as it should, the question is what is best to do.
If it is a current model and there is still a warranty claim, the manufacturer will take care of the repair and you don't have to worry about anything else.
Otherwise you pay for the repair, provided the camera is still within the service period in which the device is looked after by the manufacturer.
After that you have to organize repairs yourself. Either you find a workshop for it or you try it yourself.
Factory standard specification
You should be aware that only the manufacturer has the ability to repair a camera according to its factory standard - and thus optimally.
The manufacturer has the necessary know-how, original spare parts and the necessary facilities and equipment in its service facilities.
Even a well-equipped hobby workshop cannot achieve the manufacturer's standard when it comes to repairs.
Workshops and do-it-yourself (DIY) can therefore usually only carry out repairs to a limited extent, if at all.
Even a well-equipped DIY workshop is of no help here.
Limit for DIY at the end of the 1980s
In my experience, the limit for DIY camera repairs is around the end of the 1980s.
Later models are already equipped with electronics that are too highly integrated and there is nothing left to tinker with in the true sense of the word.
The camera housings are also no longer easy to open, as they may be glued or locked instead of screwed.
Highly integrated and artfully installed electronics
Recently, we had an interesting discussion in the German Netzwerk Fotografie, on the occasion of the repair of a Nikon F3, about whether an error in the electronics should be investigated further.
Circuit diagrams are available, so it should be possible to identify the cause of the problem and perhaps even fix the error.
There is a limitation here that you often don't have in other DIY repair projects - in this extreme form:
The installation of the electronics in the camera housing.
Less space than in a submarine: artfully installed electronics in the Nikon F3 from 1980.
As cameras are even more cramped than in a submarine and free space is scarce, the electronics are intricately integrated into the camera housing.
The circuit surrounds components on a flexible board, is connected via cables that run across the housing, and is artfully woven into the case, sometimes on several levels.
In order to accommodate all of the camera's functions, there are usually only integrated circuits (ICs) that are soldered onto the circuit board as small black blocks. These ICs are usually not documented either, as they are a manufacturer's secret.
So the cards are bad for the do-it-yourselfer, even if he has more than one screwdriver
Masterpiece of Japanese circuit board winding art: Canon's T90 from 1986. Here the flexible conductor tracks run in layers on top of each other, which makes access to the camera's built-in components almost impossible.
Point of no return
Attempts to repair often have to be aborted because troubleshooting sometimes involves dismantling the camera, which can cause further problems.
For example, the position of gears in a transmission no longer matches (electronic cameras also cannot function without mechanics). Or factory settings are lost that can no longer be reproduced. Parts can also be damaged or can no longer be put together, etc.
Otherwise you have passed the point of no return. The camera is then sometimes a total write-off and is only suitable as a spare parts store.
Realistic goals to keep DIY fun
When doing DIY, you should therefore set realistic goals for repair attempts so that you don't lose the fun.
This can mean, for example
Nevertheless, it is often amazing what you can do yourself in a repair case.
What you need to get started is not much and certainly not expensive:
www.photrio.com
If it is a current model and there is still a warranty claim, the manufacturer will take care of the repair and you don't have to worry about anything else.
Otherwise you pay for the repair, provided the camera is still within the service period in which the device is looked after by the manufacturer.
After that you have to organize repairs yourself. Either you find a workshop for it or you try it yourself.
Factory standard specification
You should be aware that only the manufacturer has the ability to repair a camera according to its factory standard - and thus optimally.
The manufacturer has the necessary know-how, original spare parts and the necessary facilities and equipment in its service facilities.
Even a well-equipped hobby workshop cannot achieve the manufacturer's standard when it comes to repairs.
Workshops and do-it-yourself (DIY) can therefore usually only carry out repairs to a limited extent, if at all.
Even a well-equipped DIY workshop is of no help here.
Limit for DIY at the end of the 1980s
In my experience, the limit for DIY camera repairs is around the end of the 1980s.
Later models are already equipped with electronics that are too highly integrated and there is nothing left to tinker with in the true sense of the word.
The camera housings are also no longer easy to open, as they may be glued or locked instead of screwed.
Highly integrated and artfully installed electronics
Recently, we had an interesting discussion in the German Netzwerk Fotografie, on the occasion of the repair of a Nikon F3, about whether an error in the electronics should be investigated further.
Circuit diagrams are available, so it should be possible to identify the cause of the problem and perhaps even fix the error.
There is a limitation here that you often don't have in other DIY repair projects - in this extreme form:
The installation of the electronics in the camera housing.
Less space than in a submarine: artfully installed electronics in the Nikon F3 from 1980.
As cameras are even more cramped than in a submarine and free space is scarce, the electronics are intricately integrated into the camera housing.
The circuit surrounds components on a flexible board, is connected via cables that run across the housing, and is artfully woven into the case, sometimes on several levels.
In order to accommodate all of the camera's functions, there are usually only integrated circuits (ICs) that are soldered onto the circuit board as small black blocks. These ICs are usually not documented either, as they are a manufacturer's secret.
So the cards are bad for the do-it-yourselfer, even if he has more than one screwdriver
Masterpiece of Japanese circuit board winding art: Canon's T90 from 1986. Here the flexible conductor tracks run in layers on top of each other, which makes access to the camera's built-in components almost impossible.
Point of no return
Attempts to repair often have to be aborted because troubleshooting sometimes involves dismantling the camera, which can cause further problems.
For example, the position of gears in a transmission no longer matches (electronic cameras also cannot function without mechanics). Or factory settings are lost that can no longer be reproduced. Parts can also be damaged or can no longer be put together, etc.
Otherwise you have passed the point of no return. The camera is then sometimes a total write-off and is only suitable as a spare parts store.
Realistic goals to keep DIY fun
When doing DIY, you should therefore set realistic goals for repair attempts so that you don't lose the fun.
This can mean, for example
- not trying to repair a camera completely, but rather repairing parts of it,
- investing your time in more promising repair projects and thus avoiding disappointments,
- specializing in care and maintenance, and thus successfully carrying out simpler repairs yourself,
- dissecting a camera without putting it back together afterwards in order to get to know its inner workings and thus also obtain spare parts for future repair projects,
- not trying to solve everything on your own, but getting advice on repairs here in the forum, everyone is an expert in their field.
Nevertheless, it is often amazing what you can do yourself in a repair case.
What you need to get started is not much and certainly not expensive:
Photo equipment: Basics for getting started with DIY repairs
As others I enjoy to report on my repair efforts here, but maybe someone would like to get into the topic? The desire is there, but there is still a lack of information on how best to start, what tools are needed and how much it might cost? That can be easily clarified. But it is even more...
www.photrio.com
