Repair forums - How to do?

[CameraQuest]

4/1/07

New Repair Forum created with for now simple 4 sub forums. Time will tell the need for brand specific repair forums.

Also Photo Acc Bag / Tripod / Filter etc Forum created

both forums linked from side menus.
this thead now locked.

Stephen


Many people have requested a repair forum.

Keep in mind how those threads are likely to grow over the years, eventually with thousands of posts.

Is it preferable to have

1) no repair forums, just present categories combined with repair posts?

2) a new repair forum with sub categories

3) new repair subcategories of equipt forums, for example a new repair subcategory for the Epson RD1, etc?

Please vote. Poll closes April 2nd

Stephen

 

[Spyderman]

IMHO at the moment the number of posts about repairs grows, because older posts with similar problem are hard to find...

I'd vote for no. 3 - repair sections in each of the equipment forum.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

If the forums didn't need a fine-tuning, I'd suggest a Repair Sub-Forum in each one of them. Since a number of them are too segregated (FSU Cameras and "Other" seem to describe overlapping areas, for example; Nikon has its own, although there are Nikon LTM lenses, so looking under the LTM forum is not the place to go if you're discussing Nikon LTM lenses and FSU LTM lenses...etc...).

I believe that a Repair Forum with some logical subforums would make more sense: Film Cameras, Digital Cameras (i.e. R-D1, M8), Lenses, and Misc. (rather than "Other") for starters.

 

[VinceC]

I voted for #3.
On the other hand, many repairs are "cross-platform" so there could be a good argument for lumping repair topics together.

 

[shadowfox]

Always aim for future-proofing the forum, a separate Repair sub-forum with sub-categories will allow us to be flexible in the future.

Sub categories should include General upkeep of cameras, then specific ones mirroring the Main Forum's sub-categories.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I voted for #3. Often I go out of my way to try something because of the discussions on the equipment thread. Sometimes, I'm spontaneous. But very rare.

 

[ruben]

#2 or #3 = Yes to repair forum.

# 3 is clear about.

# 2, in contrast to #3, is not clear enough.

Nevermind, as tons and tons of stickies are not expected the day after, the most practical to start with would be to organize it by answer/educational/instruction posted item, and regroup it later.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[dnk512]

OK, I do not like not being able to change my vote

I meant to click on 2, but did so on 3

There is a core/common set of repair advice that can not fit in the existing forums tree. Then there are tips by body, lens, accesories etc. Model specific entries can be in further sub-subcategories. So, my vote is 2

 

[ferider]

I voted 2 because there is commonality and it will be easier to search.

Roland.

 

[mjflory]

OK, I do not like not being able to change my vote

I meant to click on 2, but did so on 3

There is a core/common set of repair advice that can not fit in the existing forums tree. Then there are tips by body, lens, accesories etc. Model specific entries can be in further sub-subcategories. So, my vote is 2

Well, maybe I've balanced your mistake, Dmitri...

I voted for 2 (a separate forum), thinking that there are many repair-specific, brand-independent questions. (For example, "What's the best brand of spanner wrench?") But I wonder, too, if repair questions won't flow more naturally from a discussion of specific camera types. Contax rangefinders and shutters are very different from Leica ones, and a Leica M3's rangefinder is a much bigger challenge than a III's.

Maybe there's room for both... "General repair topics" and, e.g. "Repairs" under "Leica M," and so forth. But it's a tough decision.

-- Michael

 

[c.poulton]

My vote goes to number three.

 

[RichC]

No. 2

(Or No. 3 if the forums arereduced in number and made more logical.)

 

[rxmd]

A repair forum with four or five subcategories - something sensible like: lenses, Leica/FSU/Leica clone cameras, Contax/Kiev cameras, fixed-lens cameras, and another subforum for everything else. Just not this inflationary category overload that we have now.

IMHO it doesn't matter if Nikons, Yashicas, Olympuses, large-format rangefinders etc. don't have their own repair forum, as long as we have a clear, simple, minimal structure which makes it clear what goes where.

 

[like2fiddle]

I would go for #2 or #3. Either way we would have repairs separated from other subjects and hopefully easier to search.

 

[VinceC]

>>something sensible like: lenses, Leica/FSU/Leica clone cameras, Contax/Kiev cameras, fixed-lens cameras, and another subforum for everything else.<<

But don't put Nikon in with the Contax/Kiev subforum. Though superficially similar to Contaxes, the Nikon RFs are actually much closer, inside, to Leicas.

I've got to admit ... If I have a question about fixing a Nikon or Kiev, it seems more likely I'll get my answer from someone on that forum, not a general repair forum. And a lot of the long-term value comes from being able to browse older threads. If I went to a REPAIR subforum on the NIKON forum, chances are I'd quickly find a post related to my problem/situation. But, if there's just a general repair forum, without many sub-categories, then it's harder to find into on specific cameras. This kind of detail is also helpful for people trying to make purchase decisions. They can research common problems with specific models.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

I vote number 2.

 

[rxmd]

>>something sensible like: lenses, Leica/FSU/Leica clone cameras, Contax/Kiev cameras, fixed-lens cameras, and another subforum for everything else.<<

But don't put Nikon in with the Contax/Kiev subforum. Though superficially similar to Contaxes, the Nikon RFs are actually much closer, inside, to Leicas.

Yes, I would assume they are different.

The main reason why I didn't list extra Nikon or Canon subforum in there is that I don't know how much traffic there will be in these specific subforums. Are there that many of us here who actually can CLA or even repair a Nikon camera? IMHO there's no point in having a forum just for the sake of having a forum, if there's too little traffic, which is precisely what's wrong with RFF at the moment. So the "everything else" subforum could cover whatever repair needs arise for Nikons, auxiliary rangefinders, Canon 7s, accessory viewfinders, Bessas, large-format shutters, Rolex wristwatches, what have you

Philipp

 

[shutterfiend]

3 over 2. I like all men am a creature of habbit and never pay attention.

 

[oscroft]

I don't see a poll - is it restricted in some way?

Anyway, I would vote #3 first, then #2 - I'd definitely like to see repair forums of some sort.

 

[oscroft]

I don't see a poll - is it restricted in some way?

Weird - as soon as I'd replied, I could then see the poll (brain malfunction, I suspect.) So I voted 3.