After having worked on some of my own cameras because either I can't afford to have someone else do it, or it's just so much fun for an old repairman like myself, I've come to the conclusion that a CLA is what you do after you've torn the thing down to repair what's wrong with it.
Very few cameras in my estimate were ever designed to have regular maintenance done to them. They were either built like a Rolls, or a Volkwagen, with the resulting quality control determining the life of the unit. Why would a camera manufacturer want to have their old models still working way beyond the next model cycle? How do you sell more cameras that way? Leica dosen't sell all that many cameras per year, but because of the cache of ownership, they can charge what they damn well please for one, so who cares if it's still running after fifty years? They also are one of the few companies to take personal interest in their clientel by providing service beyond what any other company does.
That said, the matter of what can be done to any camera in a CLA is dependant on the way the camera was designed. And some camera repair persons will either be looking to maximise their profits by pointing out things that could need repair while the unit is open, or will just do what the client asks for, waiting for the camera to show up again in a short while when it finally does break. Which is even more profitable.
There are good, great, not so great, and downright thieves in the repair business, you just have to determine yourself whether the one you use fits into which category. Do some research, check the forums, and make up your mind what you are willing to settle for when sending a camera in for work. They won't all need the same thing done to them, and so it's hard to determine how much to spend for the work. Many factors go into the decision, such as the sentimental, commercial, and collectable values of your camera equipment. Spend a bit for top-notch service. And beware of the low-cost alternatives. Some are okay, but most aren't.
PF
