Camera and lens repairs: Is it worth investing in expensive tools?

[Andreas Thaler]

You don't need much to work on a camera or a lens.

A few screwdrivers, a spanner wrench, a pair of tweezers, a soldering iron if there are electronic components—you can do quite a bit with just that.

Add a tool or two, and you’re equipped for a wide range of tasks.

But do you really need to buy expensive tools? Can’t you save money here?

And you’re right. Everything you need for the job is available at a reasonable price—just browse through the selection on Amazon, for example.

Complete „precision mechanic sets“ for all common screw head profiles are available for just a few euros. These often even include tweezers.

And you can even find soldering stations with adjustable temperature settings and a selection of soldering tips for the price of a good lunch.

So why should I spend more money?

There’s a saying in English that goes, „You get what you pay for.“

What this means is that quality comes at a price.

More expensive tools are generally more durable, so last longer, are better made, more precise and are ergonomically designed.

Anyone who spends hours working on a camera with a screwdriver—and does so for years—will quickly come to appreciate this.

A soldering station that precisely maintains the set temperature, has sufficient power, and whose soldering tips retain their properties for a long time also makes the workday significantly more pleasant.

Anyone who regularly works on photographic equipment with delicate electronics will not want to do without it.

The same applies to the retaining ring pliers for small diameters shown in the photo.

For the price of one of these pliers, you could already purchase an entire set of inexpensive tools.

The pliers are high-quality, work precisely without play, and are durable. Working with them is a pleasure, and anyone who has ever used them to remove or install stubborn retaining rings will stick with them.

So more expensive tools are often better tools.

This is a worthwhile investment.

Better to have fewer of them but only the best—as a well-known cigar manufacturer once put it about his products.

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A word of caution

Please keep in mind that you’ll be using highly flammable solvents for service work, and their fumes are harmful to your health. Soldering also produces fumes that should not be inhaled. Dangerous high voltages can be present when handling electronics, especially in conjunction with electronic flash units and mains. Therefore, familiarize yourself with the safety regulations beforehand and ensure your safety. Depending on the activity, protective gear may be advisable.

All information provided without guarantee and use at your own risk.

Acknowledgments

Without the work of Master Larry Lyells, in particular, we wouldn’t have the detailed technical information we need today for service/repair of SLRs.

The SPT Journal and The Camera Craftsman, which he helped shape significantly as an author, and which contain all the necessary information and instructions are available for a fee through Learn Camera Repair.

We owe our access to them to Eugene Pate, the founder of Learn Camera Repair.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Good tools last a lifetime.

I still have some that were employer supplied to me over 40 years ago.
Ed: just realised it's actually over 45 years ago

 

[koraks]

In general I start with cheap stuff and upgrade if/when I need to. In the vast majority of instances, I stick with the cheap 'junk' despite its limitations, for a number of reasons:

• I only use it infrequently so I can put up with the drawbacks, and/or wear & tear aren't too much of a factor
• The limitations turn out to be not so relevant or severe for my use case, and/or I can use the tools in such a way that the limitations aren't a problem (e.g. prevent wear with judicious use)
• Some of the cheap junk turns out to be not junk at all and is actually quite alright
• Sometimes, the more fancy/expensive alternative is more expensive not just because of higher quality, but through addition of features or options that I don't really need
• Some equipment, while not qualitatively top notch, can be repaired and thus restored to working order
• Sometimes, buying the cheap option anew when it wears out turns out to be more cost effective than a higher-quality alternative

As a result, I estimate that 95% of the tools and equipment I use falls in the 'junk' category, and despite the qualification, I'm happy with it. In fact, I'm trying to think of a good example where I upgraded from the low-cost option to a higher-quality one, and can't think of any (except camera film). The only meaningful 'upgrade' I did in recent years was a better scope, but that was mostly because the one I used before was rather large and heavy (old CRT style) and I wanted something more compact. I bought a generic Chinese type, which has proven to be more than adequate for my use.

I think it may be different if you do lots of similar work all the time, so you rely on a relatively small selection of tools that see heavy use. But that's not my use case; mine is one of huge variety and I'd rather spend my budget on something else (functionally speaking) than on something better.