Will a lack of parts mean we can't get our older SLR's repaired?

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carlb

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I took my Super A in for a service and checkup the other day as it's been sitting in a cupboard for too long and been used very little over the last few years (I intend to change this state of affairs from now on 🙂 )

While I was there, I got talking to the fellow and he said that one of the problems facing older SLR's these days is the fact that new parts are no longer made or available. It sounded like a logical enough statement to me as some of these cameras are now more than 20 - 25 years old and I guess the companies won't make parts forever.

So, as these cameras get older, will the lack of parts availability make it harder to get them repaired or keep them going? Will we end up just nursing them along until they just can't be repaired any more?

Of course, he may just have been referring to the situation here in Australia and it might be a completely different story in places such as Europe or the US.
 
The older mechanical SLRs should be serviceable for some time still. Electronic SLRs are more problematic, since consumer circuitry doesn't age well. Capacitors dry out, humidity gets some components shot etc. Still an electronics repairman can fix them in many cases, but such specialists get harder to come by in much of the western world.
 
Well Sitemistic, it was your point that there are far more used old cameras on the market than people who are willing to use them, right? 🙂 So parts supply must also be more of a theoretical problem.

Besides, most of the later mechanical cameras are not anywhere as fragile as for instance pre-war designs. A lot of problem with them occurs from lack of maintenance rather than structural failure.
 
the problem is, most cameras don't break randomly, they have their achilles' heel. So the solution of buying parts cameras is not viable on long term, since most cameras will have the same part broken.
As long as it's mechanic, the part always can be handmade or adapted from something similar... It's a matter of how much the work would cost.
 
So, as these cameras get older, will the lack of parts availability make it harder to get them repaired or keep them going? Will we end up just nursing them along until they just can't be repaired any more?


Definately.....but one of the best things about about the 'digital revolution' is that high grade film cameras can now be picked up 'for a song', making some almost 'disposable'. As long as this situation continues, I can't justify sending one for repair, when a replacement can be had for less money,- incidently, - I have been lucky, as in forty+ years, the only SLR failure I've had, was an OM2N with a jammed shutter, the Nikkormats just keep going (never been touched!) and will probably last longer than me!,- so I am more worried about film availability!

Cheers, Dave 🙂
 
carlb said:
I took my Super A in for a service and checkup the other day.
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I've just sold my Super A with blocked winding mechanisme for parts. Still got $27 for it, while it cost me 90 euro about two years ago. Still a nice return, I'd say. Didn't bother to take it to the repair shop, as a 'new' Super A can be obtained cheaper than a repair attempt. So: the Super A is definitely a 'disposable' camera. When asking them to do maintenance or repair on my Spotmatic F or ES in the past, they were also very discouraging and told me that these camera's are not valuable enough to be repaired.

But this opens opportunities:

First opportunity is to try the repair myself. It's the best way to learn (but which didn't work out on the Super A😱 )

Second opportunity is that when looking for a replacement, I found myself an LX! It's now in the repair shop for the sticky mirror and a basic CLA. And the repair guy basically states that only camera's like the LX are worth repairing.

Groeten,
Vic
 
sitemistic said:
Tom, just get yourself a metal lathe and learn to be a machinist. 🙂
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Hahahhahahaha if I had the time and money, I wish I could, but I`d be building more than just camera parts LOL!!!!!!

How bout a street legal Porsche 904 GTS or a 910 Replica? 😀

Tom
 
LeicaTom said:
Hahahhahahaha if I had the time and money, I wish I could, but I`d be building more than just camera parts LOL!!!!!!

How bout a street legal Porsche 904 GTS or a 910 Replica? 😀

Tom
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I have mentioned on the forum before, ( and not intended as bragging), that as a retired toolmaker, I produce, in my back yard shop, my own adaptors, shades, soft releases, etc. I have cut a few gears for antique clocks, models etc including making my own cutters!, but as I get older, to put this amount of hassle into a camera-it would have to be of great value (mine are not!) or hold a special place in my affections! -I'd rather be out on my old Yamaha, taking pictures! 🙂

Dave.
 
Spyderman said:
I'd say it's similar all over the world. The only solution is to buy some "parts bodies" for your most favorite cameras...
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I saw a comment on the Harrow Technical website that they will buy old Pentax equipment whether it's working or not, so I guess they must be adopting this aproach
 
I had my Contax RTS cleaned and the light seals and mirror damper replaced two years ago. Then they had no spareparts for anything else, especially the viewfinder assembly, I have a couple eyelashes inside the viewfinder and those can't be cleaned out.

I see problems with any old SLR, prisms and mirrors aren't easy to make at home.
 
i think we'll have to buy the most resistant cameras just to keep our gear working. Somebody made a shutter speed test with a Nikon F2, and thought "we'll see what's going on with the 1/2000" and (un)surprisingly enough, the tester indicated "1/1988".
Now, what's the most important? the Lens or the camera?
 
My approach is to buy good lenses and then find working bodies to support them. After some problems with my Spotmatic SP, I wound up buying a Fujica ST705 from another RFF member to provide a reliable body. The Pentax SMC lenses just keep going and going.

Jim N.
 
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