Quality on a budget

Leigh B · Apr 30, 2017

Yes, this is in the proper sub-forum.

Decades ago, when I got interested in photography, my aspirations for quality equipment far exceeded my financial abilities. I was not willing to lower my standards, nor to rob banks.

So I decided to learn camera repair.

That allowed me over the years to assemble a large assortment of very high quality gear cheaply.

Of course, finding documentation and repair parts is not as easy now as it was then.
But I suggest this option is still viable, and quite rewarding.

- Leigh

BrianShaw · Apr 30, 2017

Yes it is.

naaldvoerder · Apr 30, 2017

Most certainly!

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

paul ron · Apr 30, 2017

yup! hahahaha expensive cameras n equipment are dirt cheap when not working. you can afford to buy an extra for parts too.

besides its a great extension to your photography hobby to keep you busy while waiting for negatives to dry.
as you get better, it can be a means to afford more supplies by offering your services.
repairmen are getting scarce these days.

Leigh B · Apr 30, 2017

paul ron said:
it can be a means to afford more supplies by offering your services.

I worked full-time for five years servicing Nikon cameras while I was in night school.
It paid much better than flipping hamburgers.

I only work on those and =V= series Hasselblads.
I bought the entire parts stock from National Camera when it closed.
I also bought out a couple of shops that had closed, so I have a large stock of parts.

One of the closed shops was a Hasselblad warranty center, so I have a full set of their tools.

But generally I only work on my own equipment.

- Leigh

John Layton · May 1, 2017

Years ago someone gave me an eight element 35mm summicron-m with a "frozen" focus mechanism...which Leica Repair had returned to him as "unrepairable." So...I did the sensible thing and held it over a hot wood stove for awhile - and lo and behold the thing started working!

AgX · May 1, 2017

Problem is, stuff is piling up I plan to repair, but miss a certain tool, spare or am just deterred by what is awaiting me.

paul ron · May 1, 2017

agx, you cant break anything thats already broken. sometimes the price of the education is a sacrificial lens or body.

just dive in and try. get information here n the net. special tools are not needed, you can make a tool to fit.

AgX · May 1, 2017

You are right, and indeed I make my tools myself. But maybe I'm more into procrastinating than you.
In cases I know the fault, its location, have the repair manual and know the way to handle it, the inherent need for recovering a otherwise mint sample may be the reason for procrastinating, not the repair proper...

By the way, who had the idea to cover body screws under the cover...?

Leigh B · May 1, 2017

AgX said:
By the way, who had the idea to cover body screws under the cover...?

Covering the screws is an extremely good idea.

It keeps the uninitiated / uninformed from poking around inside the camera.

- Leigh

AgX · May 1, 2017

I guess that was a broad hint...

paul ron · May 1, 2017

AgX said:
You are right, and indeed I make my tools myself. But maybe I'm more into procrastinating than you.
In cases I know the fault, its location, have the repair manual and know the way to handle it, the inherent need for recovering a otherwise mint sample may be the reason for procrastinating, not the repair proper...

By the way, who had the idea to cover body screws under the cover...?

they hid the screws to make it a pita to peel the leather in the future when you cant get a replacement 80 years later!

oh i understand its nice to have instructions handy. but perhaps getting some junkers to fiddle with just to see the innards? you'll find over the years, most mecanicals are similar n getting familiar with how they work. it lends confidance as you get to those intimidating gorgious specimens as you get experiance.

i was a curious kid n took everything appart. i also had a huge box of parts that never seemed to go back together.

.

Pioneer · May 1, 2017

Good idea Leigh.

In my case keeping my eye on my goal and saving my money worked better than further destroying other cameras. I have a few cameras in my past that never went back together quite the same as they came apart.

I do however enjoy working with wood so I have had some success repairing large format field cameras. Unless I start trying to disassemble shutters I am usually successful.

AgX · May 1, 2017

Yes, a wreck with a stuck Compur shutter for instance is a good way to estimate whether one could handle a real shutter repair.

AgX · May 1, 2017

A problem I got is finding wrecks for spares. By this near mint samples with just one part missing or broken accumulate.
Though even having got them for cheap I find it a pity to slaughter them, but rather wait for that real wreck to come across to serve them all. Do you experience similar?

Leigh B · May 1, 2017

AgX said:
... but rather wait for that real wreck to come across to serve them all. Do you experience similar?

Back when I was doing this routinely (50 years ago), all the numerous camera stores had boxes of cameras that had been deemed unrepairable and abandoned by their owners.
They were happy to sell those for $5 or $10 apiece.

Of course, that was then...

- Leigh

AgX · May 1, 2017

Today the cameras I find for cheap in rummage boxes often are too good...

They are of the kind of budget repair patients themselves.

stawastawa · May 1, 2017

Everyfew months I catch the repair bug and think of going to buy a bunch of junkers and get grimy.

But while I can do the self learning I really would like to watch a master for a while and learn 'the tricks' and the be told to do the 'stupid work' to build good habits.

Sirius Glass · May 1, 2017

But covered screws just looks ever so much better and helps sell the product.

Quality on a budget

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