5 Easy Steps: How to Get a Camera or Lens Repaired

Broken Camera Gear, Now What?

5 Easy Steps: How to Get a Camera or Lens Repaired

Is this lens broken? Actually, it’s just an inexpensive protective UV filter. It unscrews and can be replaced for less than $10.

It’s scary, it’s awful, it sucks… I know! It’s the worst feeling in the world looking at a shattered front element or a cracked LCD screen. But fear not, cameras are tools, and just like all tools they can be repaired and replaced.

This article will take you step-by-step through the process of repairing your equipment, and common pitfalls to watch out for.

Step 1: How to diagnose what’s broken with my camera or lens Sometimes this is a no brainer (like if you drop your camera and break the screen). Sometimes it can be a little harder to tell what the true issue is. I can’t count the amount of times someone brought me a lens with a broken front element, and it turned out to only be a broken filter. They had clearly put a filter on for protection long ago, or even bought the lens with the filter, and never knew or remembered it was there. The filter did it’s job, we were able to remove it and replace it at the camera store, and the customer left having spent less than $30.

Sometimes there are multiple issues. A cracked screen might seem obvious, but until that is fixed, it would be virtually impossible to tell if the camera is taking photos correctly, because we cannot see the results or the camera settings.

To diagnose an issue yourself, Google and YouTube are excellent resources. Typing in your gear name/model, as well as your symptoms, will often lead you to others who have had similar experiences, plus, loads of information on repair options and pricing.

Need help with your diagnosis? We can often help with a quick video call.

Step 2: Should I replace or repair my broken camera gear?

This seems simple enough, but it gets complicated quickly. The short answer to this question is, if it’s more expensive to repair it then to replace it, or the same price, it’s smarter to replace it.

The reason for this is obvious; you can get a new piece of equipment that doesn’t have any wear or tear on it, perhaps one with a new warranty, which would then allow you to use the old piece of equipment as a back-up, even if it only partially works.

With this train of thought, it’s important to evaluate the age and wear that is on the broken piece of equipment. If the item needs a relatively cheap fix, but it’s seen more than its share of photoshoots, it might be wise to replace it anyway. This also helps maintain a set of more reliable equipment if you’re a professional photographer.

To see what a replacement or new part would cost, we recommend going to eBay and searching under the criteria “sold items”. This will show you what people are actually paying for that piece of equipment at both new and used prices.

Determining repair fees is harder. It really depends on the issue that is needing to be fixed, and it’s always wise to reach out to the manufacturer before paying for a repair. This will allow you to check if you still have a warranty on the part. Otherwise, reaching out to the repair department is still a great jumping off point. If they can’t repair your item, they might recommend someone who can.

Having trouble deciding if it’s worth it? We can’t choose for you, but we can do some research and give our professional opinion.

Step 3: How to ship broken camera gear to a repair company At this point you probably have already made up your mind as to where you would like to have your item repaired. Whether that be a simple fix that can be done by Riverside Photography, or a larger repair that must be sent to the manufacturer.

At this point, you likely already have a quote from that company as well. Keep in mind, this quote is not 100% guaranteed. If the techs begin to repair your gear and discover another critical issue, they will usually pause the repair, update your quote, and ask you to accept or decline the new price.

Following the instructions from the repair company when shipping (including diligently packing your item in a generous gob of bubble wrap) will help ensure the success of your repair. After all, you don’t want your item to take even more damaged in the mail. The repair company will often send you a shipping label, otherwise they will send you an address. After printing your own label, it’s as easy as that. Drop it at the Post Offices/FedEx/UPS of your choice and await your confirmation email from the repair company.

Step 4: How a camera repair company does payments Some repair companies ask for a deposit, But most will keep your item until payment is made in full.

If you have any concerns that the company you’ve chosen may not be legit, feel free to give us a call and we will let you know.

Step 5: How to check the quality of your repaired gear It’s likely been at least two weeks, maybe a couple months, and you’ve been so patient because you know how busy those repair techs are. But, alas! The day has arrived, your repaired equipment has returned.

You should receive it as well packed as you sent it. (If you have any concerns whatsoever, it never hurts to take out your smart phone and make an unboxing video. You don’t have to share it with anyone, but you will always have proof in case you need it.)

Unbox the item, save the paperwork/receipt somewhere safe in case you need it, and test the functionality of your repaired item. As long as everything seems to work correctly, then that’s all she wrote. Keep on trucking and be more careful next time!

For any questions, concerns, or further assistance, please reach out to us here.

Thanks for reading, Jesse McCullough-Wilson Riverside Photography riversidephotowichita@gmail.com Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram (316) 239-8809