Worn out cameras, motor drives and lenses: Is it worth the work?

For my repair attempts, I mostly work with cameras, motor drives and lenses that were bought as defective or worn out.

For me, it's mostly about experience and learning. If the repair works, I'm happy. But this gear does‘nt have to work anymore.

Sometimes there is equipment that has been used intensively for decades and not looked after very well, or has obviously not been serviced.



On the outside, these devices are dusty, there is dirt in the corners, the leatherette is damaged.



Inside, the lubrication is used up, tough or dried out, the mechanism is tired, solder joints are falling apart, foam is rotten and sticky.

Or lenses suffer from broken plain bearings, optics with fog etc.





These cameras, motor drives and lenses still might work to a certain extent, but they've had their good times.

For a thorough cleaning, you would have to take them apart extensively, replace parts, lubricate the mechanism and then reassemble, which requires adjustments.

For example, with the Nikon F3, whose repair manual contains pages of information on adjustment. From the spring pressure of the shutter release to the correct mirror position to voltage target values in the electronics. Special equipment is needed for some of these adjustments.



When to give up?


I wonder where the limit of what is reasonable lies here. And whether it isn't better to use this worn out gear as training and study devices and as a spare parts store.

What are your experiences?

Where do you see the limit of investing work in a camera, motor drive or lens?

There are also states of wear and tear that make it difficult to approach the matter.

For example, this MD-4 Motor Drive for the Nikon F3:



Greasy, dirty, filthy on the outside, oily on the inside, garnished with rotting foam and hair from a previous owner's dog …

I think it depends on the camera, a high end pro level camera like the F4, with a good, clean, lube and adjust might last many more years, if the LED bleeds dont kill the top information display. A mid level to entry level cameras, you can service it only to a part break in short order. rendering the camera useless. At some point it is just a matter of judgment.

It's worth it no matter what, if it entertains you, fill your day, teaches you the value of practicing with camera/camera related kit, gives you good spare parts and, possibly positive results in a working unit.

If you've the inclination, if it's fun or otherwise, if you have the time to fool around (no negative connotations intended in the use of the word "fool") with this equipment and your tools, imagination and pleasing to your ego, just do it and enjoy it as another dimension of your Hobby or personal "tool box".

Have fun and Godspeed.

eli griggs said:

It's worth it no matter what, if it entertains you, fill your day, teaches you the value of practicing with camera/camera related kit, gives you good spare parts and, possibly positive results in a working unit.

If you've the inclination, if it's fun or otherwise, if you have the time to fool around (no negative connotations intended in the use of the word "fool") with this equipment and your tools, imagination and pleasing to your ego, just do it and enjoy it as another dimension of your Hobby or personal "tool box".

Have fun and Godspeed.

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It's not about me, I know why I do it.

I'm interested in your opinion.

Good questions. So far in 2024, I've been very active photographically, but have not repaired or acquired any new film cameras, and I don't know if this is just a passing thing.

But even in previous years, I tried to be selective about my camera-repair projects. And I probably would not touch:

• Motor drives and winders (unless built into the camera). Why? Because the days of my buying 100' rolls of Ektachrome at modest prices are long gone.
• Consumer-grade zoom lenses, also most 3rd party lenses unless there's something noteworthy about them.
• Seriously battery- or moisture-damaged items, unless I felt there were parts I could salvage
• Dedicated flash units, unless there's something particularly interesting about them (rarely the case)

I guess if I can't imagine myself using it at least occasionally, I'm not too curious to acquire or attempt to repair something for it's own sake. But who knows, maybe I just need to take a break: I spent many pandemic hours repairing cameras, after all. In any event, I've got a couple of standalone, software defined radios that I'd like to complete this year.

My repairs have been a bit scary. I'm afraid something will fly out like a bad cartoon. I would never try to open up a Nikon anything.
I really enjoy your posts, always amazed that these old cameras worked for 5 years let alone 50!

In the future it's very very unlikely that people will be trained except as an apprentice (which is probably the best) preserving and teaching are essential.

How much darkroom equipment has been destroyed? Cameras are just smaller, but are likely to end up destroyed, except for brilliant things, mostly mechanical or very robust.

mshchem said:

My repairs have been a bit scary. I'm afraid something will fly out like a bad cartoon. I would never try to open up a Nikon anything.

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The recent defeat with my F3 Press calls for revenge

I still have a probably defective F3 and another one that is already missing parts. And two heavily dismantled examples, one of which is the F3P.

Maybe I can get one of them working again, at least I have three LCDs as spare parts, but I have only tested one of them so far.

4season said:

I guess if I can't imagine myself using it at least occasionally, I'm not too curious to acquire or attempt to repair something for it's own sake. But who knows, maybe I just need to take a break: I spent many pandemic hours repairing cameras, after all. In any event, I've got a couple of standalone, software defined radios that I'd like to complete this year.

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I can understand that well, at some point you ask yourself why you are doing it and whether the effort is worth it.

I am always drawn to it, probably because I can't see an end.

Overcoming challenges is a bit like taking drugs. And if you are enthusiastic, you have a serious problem

I enjoy cleaning cameras and lenses, but there are situations where you can only describe them as filthy. When oil mixes with dirt and has spread inside, along with rotting foam and greasy adhesive strips.

It all needs to be dismantled and bathed in Zippo lighter fluid, partly cleaning isn't enough. And that's where my limit is.

A Leica R3 and an F3 Press were cases like that for me. I lose respect for the device and that's it.

R3 and F3 are high end comers, what it had been a Pentax PZ 5, Minolta A3000, or Petri, FTII?

Paul Howell said:

R3 and F3 are high end comers, what it had been a Pentax PZ 5, Minolta A3000, or Petri, FTII?

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Sorry, I don't understand your question?

So repairing a high end camera is one thing, even as a hobby is it worth the trouble and time to fix a low end camera?

Paul Howell said:

So repairing a high end camera is one thing, even as a hobby is it worth the trouble and time to fix a low end camera?

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I can't speak for the OP, but IMO, it absolutely can be worth the trouble if you like the camera. But bear in mind that much of a film camera's true cost may be the labor one invests into refurbishing it, and an inexpensive, consumer-grade model may be just as labor-intensive to service as a flagship model.

In general, if I have reason to believe that a particular model of camera is likely to deteriorate as quickly as I can patch it back together, I may need to think long and hard before accepting that particular challenge!

Paul Howell said:

So repairing a high end camera is one thing, even as a hobby is it worth the trouble and time to fix a low end camera?

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Absolutely! Unless you have to think economically.