Getting started with DIY repairing electronic SLRs: a suggested route

[Andreas Thaler]

Inspired by

Electronic SLRs: Why are there so few repair reports on the web?

As a fan of 80s SLRs, I'm always on the lookout for repair reports online. Unlike mechanical cameras, however, there's very little, or even nothing, to be found for some models. Why is this? Cameras like the Nikon F3 and F4, Minolta X and AF, Canon T, and others are popular. Does the word...

www.photrio.com

I would like to ask if there is any interest in a tutorial on the topic mentioned.

It is about the basic approach to repairing and servicing an electronic SLR for which technical instructions are available.

I would do this using the Canon T90, which is the one I currently have the most experience with.

It should be a general approach with no guarantee (and obligation) of success.

But if you can't find anyone who repairs your electronic SLR professionally, you have no choice but to try it yourself. Otherwise the camera will remain defective.

Topics:

• Where do you have a chance of success, where not?
• Where can I find repair instructions, what can I expect from the content?
• What do I need to be able to do and know, and what tools should I have?

I would like to do this in cooperation with other DIY repairers with the goal of generating interest and a bit of encouragement

 

[BrianShaw]

Voted yes, especially if light meters are included.

 

[Andreas Thaler]

Voted yes, especially if light meters are included.

That's supposed to be your expert part, I don't know anything about it!

 

[Andreas Thaler]

Here are two interested parties, 10 thousand views on

Canon T90: recommendations and notes

Based on my previous (repair) experiences with the Canon T90 with regard to preservation/problems/repair options, I would like to give a summary of the following recommendations/hints: Sticky shutter - gummed-up shutter blades: Can be permanently repaired, damper in the shutter area that has...

www.photrio.com

This means that the interested parties will likely come from all over the web.

No matter who or where they're from, everyone is welcome

I'll write the tutorial tomorrow.

 

[Andreas Thaler]

Since I am convinced that the reputation of electronics for being complicated deters many DIY enthusiasts from camera repairs, I would like to keep it very simple here. But it doesn’t work without preparation.

I recommend approaching it in the following steps:

1. Familiarize yourself with the basics of analog electronics. Ohm's law explains the relationships between the three fundamental quantities: voltage, resistance, and current. This will help you understand most of the electronic work in cameras. There are many offers on the web, so choose what suits you.
2. Get a multimeter to measure these quantities and continuity. The latter determines whether sufficient current can flow through an electrical connection. This is important for troubleshooting. I like working with this multimeter, which costs EUR 18. It's sufficient for my work.
3. Learn or practice soldering. You'll often have to solder and unsolder cables and make and break solder joints in SLRs. For this, you'll usually work with the lead-based solder used in the cameras. It's recommended not to mix lead-free and lead-based solder.
4. Get repair manuals for your camera. Especially the SPT Journal, the C & C Guide, The Camera Craftsman, and the manufacturer's service manual. You can find much of this on Learn Camera Repair. It takes some time getting used to the language used there; it's concise and technical. But in return, you'll get first-class instructions and won't have to fiddle around with things.
5. Get an SLR for spare parts of the same type you intend to repair and try to follow the instructions in your technical documentation. You can open the cameras, get your bearings, take measurements with the multimeter, identify components, and practice disassembling and soldering. This will give you practice and help you determine whether you're suited to this type of work.
6. Take your time with everything and see it as a journey of discovery.
7. Never open electronic flash units, cameras with built-in flash units, or work on devices powered by mains voltage. This is dangerous due to the high voltages involved.

Everything else follows naturally


+++

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