A bit of a different take on repair reports

[lumoStoria]

Hi all,

Somehow related to @Andreas Thaler's recent post on the lack of repair reports, I want to present my own idea. Recently, I started a blog for the majority of my DIY/repair/restoration-related hobbies. My plan is to also write about camera repair. However, I would not like to write large, monolithic repair reports but want to break them down into smaller chunks of knowledge, each dealing with a very specific part of the repair. This way, tasks that are commonly repeating (like how to remove the mirror box of a specific camera model) among similar repairs get their own blog posts. Then, in the post that describes the particularities of a specific repair, I do not need to describe these tasks over and over again. Instead, I can just link to the respective "basis" post and concentrate on writing about the peculiarity of the repair. For me, this approach has several advantages:

• I can start with writing a description of one specific task instead of being overwhelmed by the need to describe a complete repair project.
• I can always go back to the "basis" posts if I got new knowledge or experience and enhance or correct them.
• I can describe the tasks in more detail than it would be possible if they were part of a monolithic repair report.

Currently, I do not know whether this approach makes sense and if I have the endurance to describe all the relevant tasks needed to repair a specific camera model. However, I wanted to give it a try and just wrote the first of the "base" posts as a proof-of-concept. To not choose a complex task for the beginning, I described a quite simple, but often repeating task: The removal of the top cover of a Canon A-1 (I know, it's underwhelming ). As said, not complex but still with one or the other potential pitfall. Here's the link:

https://www.oldstuffstillworks.com/blog/canon-a-1-how-to-remove-the-top-cover/

Why did I choose to publish in an own blog instead of in this forum:

• This way, I have full control on the presentation and I'm not limited to the given structure and technical restrictions of the forum.
• I can go back and adjust the original post whenever I want.
• I do not flood the forum with posts on tasks that might be considered "trivial" or "irrelevant" by the more experienced participants.
• I can stop posting at any time without feeling sorry.

Cheers, Sven

 

[BrianShaw]

Thanks, Sven. Looking forward to monitoring your blog!

 

[vandergus]

Looks really nice. Very thorough, nice pics, and I appreciate the extra description around removing various parts. I don't have any experience with the A-1, but it looks like it has some finicky mechanisms on the top cover.

Will be following.

 

[Andreas Thaler]

Every step is explained in detail; no prior knowledge is required, so anyone with basic tool and soldering skills should be able to do the job.

Very nicely presented.

It saves users the trouble of having to familiarize themselves with the technical documentation. This is sure to encourage many potential interested persons and lowers the barrier to entry.

But this requires that the author explains everything in full. And only that is the subject.

That's a smart approach—congratulations!

This full-service approach reminds me, in principle, of

Camera Service Manuals

Camera Service Manuals & Camera Service Guides - An end to end & step by step instructions with pictures, tips & real world explanatory notes

high5cameras.com

These guides have an excellent reputation.

Do you provide assistance with questions?

 

[koraks]

However, I would not like to write large, monolithic repair reports but want to break them down into smaller chunks of knowledge, each dealing with a very specific part of the repair.

I that would work very well indeed. Especially if you find a good way to index the entries. This is the Achilles' heel of both a classic blog and forum posts, as they don't readily allow for a sensible and stable structure. On a blog you usually have the opportunity to create a menu structure that fixes this. I'd give that a thought.

Why did I choose to publish in an own blog instead of in this forum:

Check this out: https://www.photrio.com/forum/news/
You can have both!

 

[lumoStoria]

This full-service approach reminds me, in principle, of

Camera Service Manuals

Camera Service Manuals & Camera Service Guides - An end to end & step by step instructions with pictures, tips & real world explanatory notes

high5cameras.com

These guides have an excellent reputation.

Do you provide assistance with questions?

I had a look at the website, the service manuals look great. At some time, I will probably buy their Canon FTb manual.

I'm absolutely aware that my posts will contain a lot of redundant information. "Redundant" in the way that others have already provided this information in manuals, articles, forums, and videos. Especially because I'm not dealing with "exotic" cameras but well-known mainstream cameras like the Canon A series. My intention is not to become the go-to resource for these cameras but rather to publish information on repair tasks on my blog that would otherwise just live on my computer (and partly in my head). The first person that benefits from this is me, since I can easily display the posts on my tablet when doing repairs. Sometimes, it's just the small things that you can't remember, like "In which order do I have to put on the metal and the teflon washer?" or "What was the diameter of the steel ball that just disappeared?". If this information is also useful for others, that's a plus.

There is an email address at the bottom of every post for questions. Deliberately, I decided to not activate the comment functionality on my website since this would become a GDPR nightmare here in Germany.

 

[lumoStoria]

I that would work very well indeed. Especially if you find a good way to index the entries. This is the Achilles' heel of both a classic blog and forum posts, as they don't readily allow for a sensible and stable structure. On a blog you usually have the opportunity to create a menu structure that fixes this. I'd give that a thought.


Check this out: https://www.photrio.com/forum/news/
You can have both!

Indeed, indexing can become a problem over time. I will think about this when I have produced more posts. As long as the list of posts fits on 1-2 pages it might be sufficient to just scroll through this list. At least, I will create a post on each camera model and link the specific repair posts there.

Yes, I could post on both my blog and Photrio. I tried to explain why I don't want to do it. It's also a question of time. Reproducing my blog posts at Photrio would be quite some extra effort (my proof-of-concept post alone contains more than 70 photos). I think about maintaining also a German version of the blog (since KI is not good enough yet to translate specific technical terms) and this would be extra effort enough. I only have limited spare time for this specific hobby and don't want to spend its majority in "writing" .

 

[koraks]

Reproducing my blog posts at Photrio would be quite some extra effort

I imagine, that's why we have this system where you simply submit the link and a very brief description and then the original blog is included in a "gallery", and when people want to read it, they end up at your original blog entry on your own website. So no duplicate input.

 

[lumoStoria]

I imagine, that's why we have this system where you simply submit the link and a very brief description and then the original blog is included in a "gallery", and when people want to read it, they end up at your original blog entry on your own website. So no duplicate input.

OK, sorry for my ignorance and thanks for the tip. I only had a short look and thought that the linked articles where forum posts. Will definitely link one or the other blog post if I have something interesting to say (not just how to remove a top cover ).

 

[koraks]

Each blog 'entry' is technically also a forum post that people can respond to, but the actual blog contents remain on your own website and don't replicate onto the forum. So people can respond to it here on the forum, but will have to read your blog offsite. It's really intended as a means to make people aware of your interesting blog entries.

 

[Andreas Thaler]

I see two ways to share knowledge here:

1. Tutorials that spell out every single step and provide users with a step-by-step guide to safely perform specific tasks on their SLR. This is similar to what - from my point of view - @lumoStoria excellently offers on his blog. Advantage: low barrier to entry, no in-depth knowledge of the subject required, and tasks can be completed safely. E.g., replacing specific parts, servicing.
2. How-to guides that rely on the user’s initiative and draw on existing training materials and technical documentation. Only key points in projects are highlighted, and guidance is provided. The user must familiarize themselves with the process independently. Advantage: fosters self-reliance and independence; anyway the barrier to entry is higher; may be overkill for specific, limited tasks. This is the approach I usually take.

I’ll take the liberty of directly comparing the two approaches—as I see them—using the Canon A-1 as an example:

Canon A-1: How to Remove the Top Cover – Old Stuff Still Works

Canon A-1: A closer look at service and technology of the first fully digital SLR

From my perspective, there’s no contradiction; the two complement each other.

My intention isn't to derail this thread, nor is it to bring my work here off-topic. Rather, I'm interested in exploring ways we can help those who are interested and share knowledge effectively. I think a variety of approaches is the right way to go, depending on what the user needs.