인생은 오십부터래...

인생은 오십부터래... ^^

2011년 7월 23일 토요일

고장난 카메라... 고칠까 말까


고장난 카메라... 고칠까, 말까? www.popphoto.com



카메라가 고장나면, 많은 사람들이 고민을 하게 된다. 

과연 돈을 들여 고쳐야 하는가?
아니면, 깨끗이 포기하고 쓰레기통에 던져버려야 하는가?
돈을 더 보태서 이참에 새로운 기종으로 업그레이드를...?

우리는 부족한 지식과 결핍된 판단 기준으로 인한 편두통에 시달리게 된다.
모든 결정은 개인의 것이지만, 다음과 같은 글은 우리의 결정에 중대한 도움을 줄 수 있다.
또한 인터뷰는 2002년 당시 미국의 화폐 기준으로 진행되었기에, 개개인의 판단이 요구된다.

다음의 글은 2002년 4월 "Popular Photography" 에 실린 글로서, 메이슨 레스닉(Mason resnick)과 뉴저지의 유명한 에섹스 카메라써비스의 이안 리(Ian Lee)와의 인터뷰에서 발췌, 편집한 것이다. 
Trash it!
Fix it!
50/50


SLRs


"For some reason," says Lee, "users of autofocus SLRs (as well as point-and-shoots) treat their autofocus cameras more casually than those who own older models." His theory is that users of older cameras are camera lovers who will take better care of their cameras. As a result, the nature of SLR maladies varies, depending on age and type of camera.

Most common problems: In all-manual cameras (such as the Minolta SRT-101 or Canon FTb), the meter circuitry can oxidize, shutter speeds may stick, or the self-timer can break. With electronic cameras (Canon AE-1, Nikon FA), circuitry components can wear out, or sliding on-off switch can accumulate dirt, resulting in loss of power. An error message in the LCD screen could mean circuitry has water damage and needs to be replaced. According to Lee, the most common problem among autofocus SLRs is impact damage. Cameras are cracked and circuitry is traumatized because the camera has been bumped or dropped.
What it costs: Essex charges a flat fee that covers not just the specific complaint, but the entire camera. SLR repairs can run from around $110 for a less expensive model to $160 for a pro model-including a six-month warranty that covers the whole camera.

Camera locks up, can't be wound. 
Reason: In mechanical cameras, the motion of the SLR's rising mirror releases the shutter's first curtain mechanism. With age or lack of use, the lubricant on the gears that drive the mirror can dry out, causing the mirror to freeze, thus preventing the shutter curtain from moving.
Cure: A repair shop can remove the parts, lubricate them, and put them back together. Easy fix, and worth it.

Vertical-travel metal-focal plane shutter is broken 
Reason: User puts finger in shutter while it's moving, or impact damage. Sometimes it simply gets stuck due to accumulation of dirt.
Cure: Repair shop can clean the shutter. If blades are bent, it needs to be replaced, which may not be possible because replacement parts may be hard to find, or unavailable.

Mirror sticks 
Reason: Either the gear train (which runs the mirror mechanism) gets dirty, or the mirror sticks to the mirror bumper sponge at the bottom of the prism housing
Cure: Clean the gear train, and/or replace the bumper sponge. A doable pro job.
Say ahhh: Mirror sticks on old mechanical SLR, a curable malady, usually worth fixing.



Never mind: Fast shutter speeds (arrow) stick on this $60 (eBay) Canonet rangefinder. Fix costs much more than used replacement camera!


Mirror silver
coating is damaged 

Reason: Silver wears away with age. Some older cameras (particularly the Kodak Retina Reflex) are particularly prone to this problem.
Cure: Make sure repair shop has mirrors they can cannibalize from spare cameras. If not, forget about it. Most repair shops won't even attempt to resilver mirrors because, according to Lee, resilvering is labor-intensive and will not work or look the same as the original silver coating.


Built-in meter isn't working 
Reason: In older cameras, match-needle path is blocked by dirt, meter housing is dirty, or meter coil is pivoted out of position when user bumps the camera. In newer cameras, LED circuitry oxidizes.
Cure: Open camera, clean contacts reposition and if necessary untangle meter coil spring, clear meter needle paths, or resolder circuitry. Some components may need to be replaced. "We're successful 80 percent of the time," says Lee.

Flash Sync doesn't work 
Reason: 1) Shutter speed may be mis-set or flash is not on contacts, (user problem). 2) Shutter speeds have slowed down or sped up due to spring tension changes (see sidebar) and flash is no longer synchronizing. 3) User may think the flash fires, but it doesn't because the user didn't wait long enough for it to recycle. 4) Carbon accumulates over time on contacts inside the flash unit itself, blocking the current.
Cure: 1) Make sure flash is solid in hot-shoe, double-check shutter speeds. 2) Repair shop must replace springs. 3) Wait for flash to recycle. 4) Hit flash test button with the flash off the camera. If it doesn't fire, the flash needs to be repaired. If it does, see 1, 2 or 3.

Lens is locked onto the camera 
Reason: Lens was forced into mount and is jammed.
Cure: A professional presses camera at certain points, pushes lens back into camera then removes it. Inexperienced users who try to take lens off this way may destroy camera or lensmount.

Camera has been dropped in water 
Reason: Water (salt or fresh) fries sensitive electronics. In all mechanical cameras, fine gears (self-timer, slow shutter speed gears) are affected by rust, even after cleaning and drying out.
Cure: Ninety percent of water damaged cameras can't be repaired, says Lee, and even those that can be repaired will develop problems in the fine gears in short order. Chuck it.


Rangefinder Cameras 

"The decision to repair a rangefinder typically depends on the value of the camera versus the cost to repair it?as well as the owner's emotional attachment to the camera."

The most common problems: Double image in viewfinder (focus mirror prism is misaligned), foggy viewfinder (moisture), cotton shutter backing hardens or cracks. Fortunately, a competent repair shop can fix all.

An easy fix, and worth it: Slow shutter speeds (arrow) stick on this ancient Canon II S RF.
What it costs: At Essex, rangefinders cost $160 to repair, no matter how much the camera is worth. A torn shutter curtain on a Leica M3 (value around $600) or a Canon QL17 (value around $60) costs the same to repair. Lee's guideline: if the repair cost is less than 50 percent of the cost of a replacement camera, do the repair. If the repair costs more than 50 percent of a replacement, don't repair.

Damaged cloth or metal shutter 
Reason: 1) Cloth shutter is torn due to dirt in shutter travel mechanism or misuse. 2) Metal shutter is dented.
Cure: 1) Replace the cloth. 2) Replace entire metal shutter if available. If not available, replace camera. Value of camera will determine if it's worth fixing.

Electronics in modern rangefinder not working 
Reason: Soldering points in aging electronic camera are loose, sliding contact switch is dirty, or camera has a faulty CPU.
Cure: Clean or resolder contacts and soldering points?an $80 job. If CPU is going, the camera must be returned to manufacturer for repair. Note: Manufacturers are liable for service and have replacement parts for seven years on cameras sold in the U.S. market. Older camera parts may not exist.

Mirror prism needs resilvering 
Reason: Silver in mirror prism of the rangefinder (used to aid focus) oxidizes or wears out with age.
Cure: Resilver the mirror prism?a labor-intensive process. "If we can get our hands on a replacement part, we'll replace the mirror prism," says Lee. "Otherwise, the repair isn't worth it."

Shutter sticks at slow shutter speed 
Reason: Grime in fine slow-shutter gears, springs settle.
Cure: Replace springs and slow-speed gears. An easy fix.

Leather on camera develops bumps 
Reason: Screw heads underneath leather rust, pushing up the leather. This, a typical problem with old cameras, doesn't affect their operation.
Cure: Peel off the leather, clean up screw heads, put leather back. It costs $60 at Essex. Worth it? Your call.

Scratch on lens surface 
Reason: User misuse.
Cure: Replace the lens. Any attempt at buffing the lens elements to remove the scratch will change the focal length slightly and remove the multicoating layer.

Dropped P/S costs $60 to fix, $90 new. We'd
replace it.
Focus ring, diaphragm sluggish, stiff 
Reason: Focusing helicoid's grease has dried up.
Cure: Disassemble the lens, clean it, grease the part, and put it back together. Cost: $60-80.


Point-and-Shoot
These cameras are quite sensitive to the knocking around that occurs with casual use. In many cases, it's better to replace with a new camera.

Most common problems: Electronics burn out, zoom lens stops working due to user abuse. Fixable? It's a mixed bag.
What it costs: $50-$115, depending on length of zoom lens.

Autofocus is blurry 
Reason: Dropped camera lands on zoomed lens or front of camera is bumped, causing shutter or zoom gear to shift position.
Cure: Replace shutter flex (which controls shutter and zoom). Fixable, but cause is avoidable (see sidebar). Cost may not be worth it.

Flash stops working 
Reason: Flash capacitor burns out, or flashbulb wears out.
Cure: Replace with new parts. Doable, but may not be worth it.

Digital Cameras 

According to Lee, digital cameras are almost impossible to fix by independent repair shops. "Digital cameras require programming and specialized tools, most of which we don't have access to." The cameras consist of three major parts: the mechanical parts (zoom mechanisms, for instance), image file storage, and signal in/out ports. Each is supplied by the manufacturer as a self-contained module; the individual components within each module cannot be fixed or replaced separately, making repairs expensive.
Additionally, says Lee, new models are introduced so often, it is hard to stockpile spare parts. His advice? Send problem cameras back to the manufacturer and let them sort it out.

Most common problem: impact damage. Banging them around will cause "lots of trouble," says Lee. The second most common problem? Defective electronics.
What it costs: Varies. Check with the manufacturer.
RESOURCE: Essex Camera Repair Service, 100 Amor Ave., Carlsttadt, NJ 07072; 201-933-7272.www.essexcamera.com/


7 things you can do to keep your camera out of the shop

Use your camera.
 Springs stiffen and lubricants dry out when you don't use your camera often. If you have a mothballed camera, run a roll through it occasionally, using all shutter speeds.
Come out of the closet. Dark storage promotes fungus growth. Take your gear out into the light regularly.
Freshen your batteries. Some electronics-related problems may simply be due to dying batteries. Keep fresh one     s on hand. And keep those contacts clean!
Don't drop it. Most cameras are sent to the shop due to impact damage. Invest in a neck strap; learn how to carry your camera.
Air it out. Blow compressed air through the camera regularly. That will help loosen dust which cruds up gears and electric contacts.
Use a UV filter to protect your lens. If there's a scratch, the lens must be replaced.
Keep your point-and-shoot zoom lens at the wide-angle setting. Zoomed out, you risk bumping the front of the lens, which can crack the zoom mechanism, which is an expensive repair.
Inside tips: Should you send your camera into a repair shop for a CLA (Clean, Lubricate, Adjust) on a regular basis? No, says camera repairman Ian Lee. "Use the camera regularly, and if something doesn't work or sound right, bring it in for repair." Make sure your repair shop offers a reasonable warranty on the work (Essex offers a 6-month warranty on the entire camera or lens), and find out if they will just repair (and warranty) your specific complaint, or if they will look over your entire camera or lens to find and fix other potential problems. 

What happens inside a camera when you drop it?

If you drop a point-and-shoot, you might as well kiss it good-bye. The shutter assembly, viewfinder assembly and many gears shift position. Gears that control the zoom lens are cut or cracked if the camera lands on the lens. Replacing and repairing massage damage simply isn't worthwhile. Get a new camera.
Mechanical SLRs, on the other hand, may end up with nothing more than a dented corner. Run a roll through your camera. Sometimes the mirror position may change, causing focusing problems but fixable. In electronic cameras (like the Canon AE-1) circuitry can be cut or autoexposure mechanism can snap-a $110 repair at Essex. If your camera's autofocus, the AF mechanism can snap. SLR repairs can cost $110 to $130 at Essex, depending on the type of camera (a Rebel G will cost less, an N80 will cost more). Compare that with your local shop's rates.

www.popphoto.com

(2007.10.15)

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