Repairs: You always have the choice

Andreas Thaler · Mar 19, 2024

Sometimes when it comes to repairs, you're afraid to do it yourself. The risk of further damaging a defective but valuable photographic device seems too great. So it's better to hire a specialist workshop or the manufacturer who can do it.

A perfectly reasonable consideration.

But what do you do if no workshop accepts the order or if the manufacturer no longer remembers what he once produced?

Because the effort required for the repair is not economical, there are no spare parts left and probably none of the technicians have the know-how to repair older photographic devices?

You then have two options:

Either you put the defective device in the closet and be sad for a while, or you repair it yourself.

According to the motto: There's no one behind me anymore.

So you always have the choice

Donald Qualls · Mar 19, 2024

I work in power tool repair. Our shop rule is, "If the manufacturer no longer sells any part we need, we're done."

This need not be the case if you're working on your own equipment, though. you get to decide if an old, worn part can be restored to function, a different part (possibly from a different device) converted, or a new part fabricated (3D printers are great for this, if plastic will stand up to the job) -- or whether simple cleaning and relubrication (correct type and amount, please) will put the device back in service, at least for a while.

Andreas Thaler · Mar 19, 2024

Donald Qualls said:
I work in power tool repair. Our shop rule is, "If the manufacturer no longer sells any part we need, we're done."

This need not be the case if you're working on your own equipment, though. you get to decide if an old, worn part can be restored to function, a different part (possibly from a different device) converted, or a new part fabricated (3D printers are great for this, if plastic will stand up to the job) -- or whether simple cleaning and relubrication (correct type and amount, please) will put the device back in service, at least for a while.

That's why you can call us DIY people „tinkerers“ - and we should be proud of it

Andreas Thaler · Mar 23, 2024

Broken cameras for practicing repairs and obtaining spare parts are not that easy to get, at least not online. That's my experience here in Europe.

In particular, former top cameras such as the Nikon F series don't cost much less when broken than when they're working, if they're even offered at all.

I'm just as happy with a broken camera as I am with an intact one.

Donald Qualls · Mar 26, 2024

Andreas Thaler said:
I'm just as happy with a broken camera as I am with an intact one.

And that's a large part of why a broken camera fetches nearly the same price as a working one. If buyers discounted what they were willing to pay by the cost of expected repairs (as you'd do with a used car or a house), we might not have that situation.

Andreas Thaler · Mar 26, 2024

Donald Qualls said:
And that's a large part of why a broken camera fetches nearly the same price as a working one. If buyers discounted what they were willing to pay by the cost of expected repairs (as you'd do with a used car or a house), we might not have that situation.

This is the market.

VinceInMT · Mar 26, 2024

I can related to all of that as I am into vintage audio and vintage cars. Creative opportunities abound. A few years ago I almost bought a Saab Sonett but got a Triumph TR4 instead. The Sonett when to a guy in the next city who bought it for parts to keep his Sonett on the road.

Paul Howell · Mar 26, 2024

There are always options. As mentioned just set the camera aside and wait to see if a startup comes along with the ability to either 3D print or machine small parts, maybe figures out a way to 3 d print a meter sensor. Toss it, sell it for parts, or use it as decoration. Folks are ways posting that an all mechanical camera can be repaired, when was the last time someone posted that they or had a machine shop make a part. At least in part of the world machine shops do want to be bother with a small order, unless you want a 100 not worth their time. My local camera repair shop will work on Hasselblad and Leica M mount as they have parts or can get parts. They will CLA some all mechanical cameras as long as the shutter amd ,meter are within tolerance, and they have the shop manual. There are few techs online who work on specific cameras, Pentax M42, Konica, and Minolta MD, issue is parts.

Steve Roberts · Mar 27, 2024

It's always worth scouring ePay for the exact part you need for a camera. Some people are now dismantling cameras to be sold as individual parts rather than selling the camera as a single item. As one who used to frequent car scrap yards (in the days before elf 'n' safety put paid to that pleasure) I am quite happy to buy just the part I need when I'm repairing a camera, though dud Spotmatic era Pentaxes are so cheap that it's worth having one or two hanging around as 'donors'.
Unfortunately, as with cars, it's often the same parts that wear out or go wrong. I take your point that dead Nikon Fs and F2s seem to be worth nearly as much as working examples, possibly because they were built with repair in mind and aren't difficult to fix unless they've suffered something catastophic (finger through shutter curtain, baptism in salt water or general wear and tear at the hands of a professional).

Steve

btaylor · Mar 27, 2024

VinceInMT said:
I can related to all of that as I am into vintage audio and vintage cars. Creative opportunities abound. A few years ago I almost bought a Saab Sonett but got a Triumph TR4 instead. The Sonett when to a guy in the next city who bought it for parts to keep his Sonett on the road.

OMG, if one has a running Saab Sonnet a complete spare for parts would be essential! I have my own Saab story (couldn’t resist) converting a 3 cyl 2 stroke in my wagon to a V4 which involved buying a mostly complete spare car and more. Went through a similar situation with the Range Rover Classic- had to buy an entire wrecked truck just to get the engine block.
I’ve had great luck with my old mechanical cameras though. A CLA once in awhile seems to keep them running well.

Pieter12 · Mar 27, 2024

Paul Howell said:
There are always options. As mentioned just set the camera aside and wait to see if a startup comes along with the ability to either 3D print or machine small parts, maybe figures out a way to 3 d print a meter sensor. Toss it, sell it for parts, or use it as decoration. Folks are ways posting that an all mechanical camera can be repaired, when was the last time someone posted that they or had a machine shop make a part. At least in part of the world machine shops do want to be bother with a small order, unless you want a 100 not worth their time. My local camera repair shop will work on Hasselblad and Leica M mount as they have parts or can get parts. They will CLA some all mechanical cameras as long as the shutter amd ,meter are within tolerance, and they have the shop manual. There are few techs online who work on specific cameras, Pentax M42, Konica, and Minolta MD, issue is parts.

Some technicians won't even touch a camera with NLA spares, even for a CLA. Because once you open it up something on the verge of going may just go and the client ends up pissed you broke their camera.

VinceInMT · Mar 27, 2024

btaylor said:
OMG, if one has a running Saab Sonnet a complete spare for parts would be essential! I have my own Saab story (couldn’t resist) converting a 3 cyl 2 stroke in my wagon to a V4 which involved buying a mostly complete spare car and more. Went through a similar situation with the Range Rover Classic- had to buy an entire wrecked truck just to get the engine block.
I’ve had great luck with my old mechanical cameras though. A CLA once in awhile seems to keep them running well.

Your Saab must be a 95? Wow, that is one of my favorite wagons. From the rear it defines “quirky.”

Sirius Glass · Mar 27, 2024

Seems like a lot of people have a Saab story.

Repairs: You always have the choice

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency