If the world were ideal, our camera equipment would last forever. We would only need to purchase another piece to expand our current system or to keep up with technology. In reality, camera equipment does not last forever and occasionally fails. The focus of this article is to help you with the decision of whether to replace or repair your equipment and where to have it serviced.

First, if the item is under warranty, take it back to where you purchased it. Bugs in new equipment often turn up quickly and the seller of your item should be willing to have it repaired or replaced at no cost by the manufacturer. (Hint: Promptly put any new piece of equipment through its paces to be sure it works correctly.) If you purchased mail-order, don't expect a lot of cooperation as I have warned in a previous article.

If the equipment is of recent production but out of warranty, I would recommend that you have the company or an authorized repair center tackle the job. Again you may want to take it to the POP (that's marketing lingo for point of purchase). Due to the technological complexity of modern equipment, few repairs are tackled in-house. Expect to pay for shipping, handling and insurance on top of the repair expense. The dealer may incorporate a percentage for his trouble. If cost outweighs convenience, you can attempt to eliminate the middleman and attempt to return the item in need of repair yourself.

Things become a bit more involved in the repair process if your camera is not of recent manufacture. Manufacturers often do not stock parts for their equipment after they are seven years out of production. This means you will often have to deal with an authorized repair center or an independent agent.

One of the first things to determine is if the repair is economically feasible. Don't expect free estimates. Diagnosis costs the repair center. Often a repair will easily approach the $100 mark. A decision needs to be made if you are throwing good money after bad. You may be able to replace the unit with a newer model or perhaps pick up a good used one for the amount you are going to spend on the repair. This may not always be an option depending upon the age of your piece and how

integral it is to your system. Another point to consider if the repair

will be expensive is that it might be time to bite the bullet and upgrade to a new system. I would find the big deciding factor to be whether you are currently using an autofocus system. If not, it might be time to think about getting on the bandwagon. I know that that statement may offend a number of people. But the reality is autofocus is here to stay and has been around for ten years. Many manufacturers backed out of SLR production with the autofocus revolution. Those who survived are not dedicating much of their lines to manual focus equipment.

So where do you go after you have decided that you will repair your equipment but it is no longer under warranty and is out of production?

Well first you could start with Dan Kneller, one of our club members. Not only does he have an interest in older cameras as he demonstrated in our last meeting, but he also can fix them. He has been diagnosing cameras and fixing minor mechanical problems for years.

For more involved problems, I recommend The Camera Craftsmen in Wilkes-Barre with whom I have had a long-term professional relationship. They are factory authorized Canon and Minolta service centers repairing most major brands. Details are found in the Yellow Pages.

Another possible source is Essex Camera of New Jersey. I cannot vouch for their service but I have seen their advertisements in the photo rags for years.

Overall, camera repairs are generally not immediate. Times can vary from a few days to a few months depending where it is sent.

Here are a few pointers to head off the need for repairs -

- Stick to mainstream brand name equipment. It is less likely to fail and should repairs be needed parts would be more readily available. The more obscure the piece, the less likely it can be repaired.

- This may sound obvious but take care of your equipment. If you are accident prone, use camera bags and protective lens filters. Dropped or bumped equipment is one of the most common reasons for repair.

- Again obvious, but remove any non lithium battery from your equipment if it is to stand inactive for any length of time. Battery corrosion damage can start long before it is visible.

- Exercise your equipment. It is not uncommon for equipment to fail simply because of inactivity. Periodic dry firing can keep pieces going. I recently revived a camera body that I thought was destined to become a paper weight.

Finally, let me say equipment does not last forever. Know when to give up. Just as most of us do not sink a lot of money into 10-year-old cars, the same principle can be applied to camera equipment. Divide the amount you spent for your equipment over the years you have had it and you will usually find it served you well for the price.

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