Introduction 

Today’s cameras take a lot of the guesswork out of photography. Some seem to do everything but aim themselves and snap the picture for you. But as we’ve all learned, the more complicated the device, the more can go wrong. 

Cameras are loaded with miniature mechanical components, computer chips, and complex circuitry. Loss of a single electrical contact or obstruction of a mechanical component by a speck of dust or sand can bring the entire operation to a halt. 

The combination of mechanical and electrical parts, the miniaturization, and the need to handle a variety of functions make cameras much more complex and prone to breakdown than a TV set or a kitchen appliance. 

Worse still, there is little in common from model to model, and virtually nothing in common from make to make. To repair a camera, a technician must learn how that specific model works. The needed parts often must be ordered from the manufacturer’s U.S. parts depot. With models changing every few years, parts may not be available at all. In the face of these difficulties, it obviously makes sense for any photographer to find a good place to turn for repairs. 

Where to Go for Repairs 

You have several options when your camera breaks down. You can take it to a local repair shop that will fix it, you can take it to a camera store that will send it out for repairs, or you can send it to the manufacturer’s own repair facility. 

our Ratings Tables show ratings of local firms that take in repair work and indicates where the firms get work done—whether onsite at the shop or by sending it out. 

our Ratings Tables reveal how customers rated the shops on several aspects of service, including “doing work properly on the first try” and “overall performance quality.” The customer survey results tell you the percent of respondents who rated each firm either “adequate” or “superior” (as opposed to “inferior”). The table also shows the percent of surveyed customers that rated each firm “superior” for “overall performance.” (For more information on our customer survey and other research methods, click here.) There is substantial shop-to-shop variation in customer ratings among the firms. 

Many of the repair shops are relatively small operations. It is a challenge to run such an operation and produce satisfactory results. While larger firms can have technicians specialize in one or a few makes of a camera, at a small shop a single technician must maintain familiarity with a large number of widely different technologies. Larger shops can subscribe to thousands of dollars worth of technical bulletins, but a small shop won’t have the resources to do so. While larger shops can purchase diagnostic and repair equipment designed specifically for different manufacturers—for example, computers to reprogram a camera’s chips to the manufacturer’s specifications—small shops must use universal equipment that depends more on judgment and experience. And while large shops—which are often authorized repair facilities for warranty work—receive notifications of camera modifications (similar to recalls in the automobile business), small shops are unlikely to get all this information. 

These are reasons that many camera stores send out cameras for repairs at large shops that serve many individual stores. Nonetheless, we have seen that some small shops get high ratings from surveyed customers. These shops do have the advantage that you deal directly with a skilled technician. That may make it easier to communicate symptoms, and it gives the shop a more human face, with which you may be more sympathetic even if repairs are unsuccessful. Also, the technician may be able to answer questions, suggest possible diagnoses, estimate costs, and perhaps even make quick repairs right on the spot. 

For firms that send their repair work out, the results depend, of course, on the quality of the outside shop that actually does the work. But we have found that two different firms using the same outside repair facility can have substantially different levels of customer satisfaction. In fact, the firm that receives your camera plays an important role. 

A firm that checks the right things and asks the right questions when you bring your camera in can catch certain minor problems onsite. For example, problems with a light meter may be caused by dirty battery connections. 

The firm is also in a position to catch problems that are really due to owner error—an improperly set control switch or improperly connected attachment, for example. 

The firm that accepts your camera for repair is also in essence an estimator and service writer. The person who checks your camera should spend enough time to make at least basic checks, to get a thorough description of symptoms, and to write a detailed repair ticket. If the problem is cut-and-dried, like a jammed shutter, this person can usually give you an estimate from a flat- rate book provided by the offsite repair shop. 

Whichever firms you consider for your repairs, it is difficult to shop for price. It is virtually impossible to get phone estimates for camera repair jobs. Stores and repair shops insist on seeing the camera first. Fortunately, however, most firms charge nothing or a nominal fee for an estimate; so you can shop if you have the time. For firms that were evaluated in our last full, published article, our Ratings Tables show what each shop will charge you for an estimate if you decide not to have repairs made. 

Remember, though, that a store that farms out repair work may have to keep your camera for a week or more. If the repair is not clear-cut, the camera will have to go to the offsite shop; you’ll have to be notified of the estimate; and after the work is done or refused, the camera will have to travel back to the store. 

We do not have customer survey ratings of the manufacturers’ own service facilities for the various camera makes. These facilities may be operated by the manufacturer’s own employees or may be operated by firms that contract to stand in the shoes of the manufacturer. In general, our experience with other kinds of products is that a manufacturer’s own facilities tend to get lower customer satisfaction scores than most independent shops. If you want to deal with a factory facility, you can find out its location and how to ship by calling the manufacturer. Alternatively, you can take your equipment to one of the shops listed on our Ratings Tables and ask the shop to ship it for you. That saves you from having to trace down the manufacturer’s facility, pack the equipment properly, and arrange for shipping. 

Dealing with a Shop 

The best repair solution is to avoid going to a shop entirely. That might be possible if you take a few steps on your own. Be sure to check batteries and to clean battery contacts (a pencil eraser works well). Refer to your owner’s manual for trouble-shooting advice. 

If you need a shop, it is helpful to bring samples of prints that illustrate the problem. For subtle problems, such as sporadic under- or over-exposure, jot down any details that might help the technician. Does the problem exist only at certain camera settings? Is the problem worse under certain lighting conditions? Describe symptoms but do not make a premature diagnosis that may lead a technician down the wrong path. 

If your camera uses interchangeable lenses, and you know the problem is in either the lens or the camera body, bring in only that component. 

Push to get a written estimate before you leave the shop. Make sure the technician or clerk writes a complete and detailed repair ticket. If you have written a description of the symptoms, ask that it be attached. Also, ask about any diagnosis or estimate charges should you decide not to have the camera repaired. 

When you pick up the camera, get a written guarantee. The shop should offer you at least a 90-day guarantee on workmanship. 

Keeping Your Camera Working Right 

By caring for your camera conscientiously, you can limit the need for expensive repairs. Camera technicians we interviewed made several recommendations— 

• Keep the camera away from sand. A single grain of sand can stop the function of an autofocus lens, for example. 
• Keep the camera dry. 
• Remove batteries if a camera will not be used for a few months. 
• Keep the camera covered when not in use to protect it from dust, which can jam mechanical parts and interfere with electrical contacts. 
• Keep the camera covered when around salty air. The salt water can be corrosive. 
• Don’t leave the camera in the hot sun. Intense heat can cause lens separation and can dry up lubricants. 
• Keep a protective filter over the lens. 
• Don’t leave the camera in a moist area. Mildew causes problems. 
• Be careful with the latch that holds the camera closed. Latches on plastic-body cameras seem to break easily. 
• Clean your camera regularly. You can buy soft, lint-free tissues and cloths made specially for wiping off surfaces, such as a lens, that scratch easily. You can also buy a blower brush, which is a fine-bristled brush with a rubber ball at the end that, when squeezed, pushes a gust of air through the bristles to help dislodge dust particles. For more stubborn dirt in less delicate locations (for example, underneath levers and controls), an ordinary stiff paintbrush is an excellent tool. To clean your camera, first use the blower brush to dust off the camera, particularly the lens. Open the back and dust inside the camera. Then use a tissue or cloth to clean dirt from the lens and the front viewfinder, autofocus, and autoexposure windows. Turn the camera over and wipe the viewfinder eyepiece clean. Use lens-cleaning fluid if the tissue or cloth alone fails to remove all dirt from the lens and other windows.