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I dropped my equipment - how much will it cost to repair?
An impact can be a collision, drop, fall, knock, force, applied pressure, etc resulting in a dent, crack, breakage, shattering or oops.
All accidental damage could cost a little or a lot to repair depending on the extent of the damage.
This is a common phone inquiry we receive that is very difficult to answer sight un-seen.
If your equipment has sustained impact damage you may want to contact your insurance company, they may cover the repair or replacement cost.
Digital compact cameras
Lens assembly
A lot of times the lens assemblies are damaged on the compact camera. due to impact.
We can try to repair/refit/straighten the bent lens but in most cases the lens assembly will have to be replaced however this is uncertain until a technician assesses it.
Even a dent this small can cause
issues with the focus system if it is
knocked out of alignment
Read more: Compact lens
LCD assembly
LCD assemblies can be damaged due to strong pressure on the external window and internal glass. These can be replaced at a reasonable cost depending on the cost of the LCD assembly. Touch LCD screens are more expensive.
Read more: Compact LCD
Digital SLR
There are numerous problems that can be caused from impact, and again sight un-seen it is very difficult to provide an accurate diagnosis over the phone.
Impact faults and general repair requirements:
Cracked case
The camera body casings are broken/cracked. This is internal break and can not be found unless dismantled.
Cracked body casting
Bayonet mount
If a lens was on the camera at the time of impact it could tear the bayonet mount screws from the body casting. It the bayonet mount is out by a 0.5 mil the focal plane will be out
No power
There are many circuit boards and power board in SLR units, they could be dislodged/torn or a fuse may be blown.
Focus out
The focus could be out because the bayonet mount is bent, focusing screen and sensor out of alignment or the body casting has shifted.
Error
The LCD is showing an ERROR: this could be a power/circuit board, shutter, mirror box, dislodged part or in need a full re-set.
Most cameras have a EPROM a memory in the camera logging errors and error codes.
Shutter not firing
Shutter mechanism jammed up: it may require a new shutter unit, shutter electromagnets, phase circuit, shutter button, mirror box, or power/main circuit boards.
Hit by a car Fell down a mine shaft
Flash units
Impact faults and general repair requirements:
Hot shoe
If the hot shoe is torn from the flash we can replace the hot shoe assembly.
Broken hot shoe It's seen better days
Wont fire
Could be a flash tube, circuit board, battery connection, battery box, loose power/circuit board connection or hot shoe.
Lenses
The lens focus, resolution and movement is reliant on many tubes and guide rollers operating together. Each tube is located one inside a another and the rollers guide the lens movement. If a lens has sustained impact it may only take one bent/broken roller to cause a lens problem. Lenses are the most time consuming photographic equipment to work on as the lenses have to optically be precise.
Zoom tight
Tight spot in the focus/zooming mechanism, there are many tubes and rollers in a lens assembly. When a lens is impacted the rollers can bend/break and the tubes distort or crack
Cracked internal tube assembly
This is unknown until the lens is dismantled
Loose lens assembly
If the front of the lens has movement in it, this can be from impact or wear.
Focus out
The lens resolution or focus is out. The lens may require a calibration, part replacement or an optical realignment.
Not communicating with the camera
There is a contact pin assembly at the end of the lens, if this is damaged it could cause communication problems with the camera. There are also circuit boards in lenses that could be damaged.
A rattle in the lens
This could be a broken guide roller or a loose screw. You need to get this looked at immediately because a loose screw can cause a short circuit that can damage circuits or the diaphragm blades (aperture).
In some cases the impact damage is not prominent
Due the uncertainty of the extent of damaged caused by the impact for a accurate diagnosis we recommend you have the equipment assessed by a technician.
Read more: Repair process