Call Me Crazy...Repairs

[jamesb84]

OK, so I paid a lot of cash for a lens calibration last weekend and it occured to me in a pique of stingyness (blame the scottish heritage) that it may work out cheaper to undertake some training to learn how to carry out repairs on my own equipment...

So I've got 2 questions;

1. Is there any way of getting training or doing a course on camera repairs?

2. If there is a market for Canon repairs (believe me there is in the South West...our nearest Canon Authorised Repair centre is in Stoke-on-Trent), does anyone know of the best way to become an authorised repair centre.

I suspect that both the questions are linked! Ie. training through Canon leading to Authorised Repair status...however, I'd be interested to know if anyone has any experience or knowledge in this area.

Out of interest, anyone in the South West or Wales who uses Canon...would you welcome a Repair Centre in the South West?!

 

[arclight]

I suspect you'd need to get taken on as an apprentice somewhere.
Don't know if you are inemployment. If not you could ask established repairers if they'll start an apprentice (probably a very long shot).

 

[jamesb84]

In employment as a pro tog, but dont want to keep spending tons of cash and risking postage to Stoke/London/Colchester/Glasgow for a Canon Authorised Repair centre. Grrr.

We have a good repair shop in Bristol, but more and more I'm seeing them say "we can't do it, you'll have to send it to Canon etc"

I'd almost be tempted to buy a 300D or something for cheap/spares and a service manual and teach myself from there!!

 

[CReid]

Your biggest problem would be parts availability.... You work for Canon in a Canon approved repair center and accidently drop a customers mirror on the floor?? - No problems, get another out of stock. One man band?? That's this months profits down the pan....

It's not uncommon for manufacturers to only supply approved repairers with parts or price parts favourably for approved repair centers, plus bulk discounts which don't work in the favour of smaller businesses.

These practices are common in IT and especially the hardware side and I can guarantee it will be the same in the camera business.

Carl

 

[jamesb84]

Your biggest problem would be parts availability.... You work for Canon in a Canon approved repair center and accidently drop a customers mirror on the floor?? - No problems, get another out of stock. One man band?? That's this months profits down the pan....

It's not uncommon for manufacturers to only supply approved repairers with parts or price parts favourably for approved repair centers, plus bulk discounts which don't work in the favour of smaller businesses.

These practices are common in IT and especially the hardware side and I can guarantee it will be the same in the camera business.

Carl

Hmmm, this is true...however i'd be looking to (eventually) become a Canon Authorised Repairer...so ideally that wouldn't be a problem but until that point it would definitely be an issue. Funnily enough there's nothing on the Canon website that describes how to become a repair centre.

 

[kieranmcmanus]

OK, so I paid a lot of cash for a lens calibration last weekend and it occured to me in a pique of stingyness (blame the scottish heritage) that it may work out cheaper to undertake some training to learn how to carry out repairs on my own equipment...

So I've got 2 questions;

1. Is there any way of getting training or doing a course on camera repairs?

2. If there is a market for Canon repairs (believe me there is in the South West...our nearest Canon Authorised Repair centre is in Stoke-on-Trent), does anyone know of the best way to become an authorised repair centre.

I suspect that both the questions are linked! Ie. training through Canon leading to Authorised Repair status...however, I'd be interested to know if anyone has any experience or knowledge in this area.

Out of interest, anyone in the South West or Wales who uses Canon...would you welcome a Repair Centre in the South West?!

I would love Repair Centre in the South West. I am in the process of trying to get my 300mm recalibrated to my Mark II as it is completely out (thankfully the 7d has microadjustment), but everywhere is saying it will take 2 weeks which is a joke!

 

[jamesb84]

I would love a Repair Centre in the South West. I am in the process of trying to get my 300mm recalibrated to my Mark II as it is completely out (thankfully the 7d has microadjustment), but everywhere is saying it will take 2 weeks which is a joke!

Yeah, i know...it's a long turnaround for a pro tog. And I'd be loathe to send stuff that far by Royal Mail around christmas time!

 

[fezzr]

Its a very interesting point and one id like to know more about it, but from an initial look, its one of those things where its who you know as i cant find any information online.

 

[CReid]

Hmmm, this is true...however i'd be looking to (eventually) become a Canon Authorised Repairer...so ideally that wouldn't be a problem but until that point it would definitely be an issue. Funnily enough there's nothing on the Canon website that describes how to become a repair centre.

The Authorised Repairers will just send stuff back to Canon who will have a dedicated central repair center with all the incredibly specialised equipment required to perform repairs (clean rooms, calibration equipment, diagnostic tools etc) and a massive floating stock of spare parts.

Carl

 

[fezzr]

The Authorised Repairers will just send stuff back to Canon who will have a dedicated central repair center with all the incredibly specialised equipment required to perform repairs (clean rooms, calibration equipment, diagnostic tools etc) and a massive floating stock of spare parts.

Carl

I dont think this is true as they all avertise the fact they have manufacture trained staff etc. and you would expect them to have other avenues of income but from their website it looks like all they do is repairs.

 

[seriousrikk]

The Authorised Repairers will just send stuff back to Canon who will have a dedicated central repair center with all the incredibly specialised equipment required to perform repairs (clean rooms, calibration equipment, diagnostic tools etc) and a massive floating stock of spare parts.

Carl

Certainly not true in the case of my local canon authorised repair centre. They do all the work themselves and that includes Canon warranty work.

 

[jamesb84]

Certainly not true in the case of my local canon authorised repair centre. They do all the work themselves and that includes Canon warranty work.

Nor mine...not since I watched them repair/calibrate the lens as I waited!

 

[CReid]

Certainly not true in the case of my local canon authorised repair centre. They do all the work themselves and that includes Canon warranty work.

Nor mine...not since I watched them repair/calibrate the lens as I waited!

I stand corrected, but those are pretty straight forwards "repairs", I'm sure there will be loads of stuff that cannot be sorted unless it goes back to a central repair center.

Carl

 

[jamesb84]

I stand corrected, but those are pretty straight forwards "repairs", I'm sure there will be loads of stuff that cannot be sorted unless it goes back to a central repair center.

Carl

I dont think so...the vast majority seems to be done on-site. Including full service/repairs and sensor replacement. Mine have done all sorts before...including a horrible "car accident" (not my body, but someone elses) where they'd left a mkIII on the grid for a touring car race at Brands Hatch by mistake...you can just imagine!

 

[CReid]

I dont think so...the vast majority seems to be done on-site. Including full service/repairs and sensor replacement. Mine have done all sorts before...including a horrible "car accident" (not my body, but someone elses) where they'd left a mkIII on the grid for a touring car race at Brands Hatch by mistake...you can just imagine!

Sounds nasty but a worthy incident!!! From the sounds of it camera repair bucks the trend as all other consumer electronic repairs have been centralised / outsourced over the years. Mebbe I'm just bitter as I used to be an electronics engineer and I now work in broadcast / IT as everything was outsourced or was "centralised" as far back as the mid 90's There was also the stark reality that most "repairs" are now just a case of replacing a PCB and throwing away the old one... the engineering side of it all went away as well

Carl

 

[seriousrikk]

Sounds nasty but a worthy incident!!! From the sounds of it camera repair bucks the trend as all other consumer electronic repairs have been centralised / outsourced over the years. Mebbe I'm just bitter as I used to be an electronics engineer and I now work in broadcast / IT as everything was outsourced or was "centralised" as far back as the mid 90's There was also the stark reality that most "repairs" are now just a case of replacing a PCB and throwing away the old one... the engineering side of it all went away as well

Carl

<off topic>

You are spot on with the majority of electronics stuff. Oddly enough when my tv broke down a couple of months back the engineer who came out was quite excited to actually have to do some fault finding - and spent about an hour working out exactly which component was faulty, then fought his head office to get them to order said component.

He said his skills were becoming a dying art

<back on topic>

My old DSLR had some pretty intense surgery at the hands of my local - in the camera industry they are definitly bucking the trend.

 

[jamesb84]

Well...as an update I've spoken to Canon and Sigma so far about this.

There appear to be all sorts of training programmes and courses to take, and then you can start carrying out Warranty repairs. Since there is so much learning and teaching involved it's not that popular to become an approved repairer...since it stops you from actually being able to do repairs!!!

Hence if you send your stuff to a non-authorised centre...a lot have never received any more training than you or I can find on google!

I'm still in discussion with Canon and Sigma about this...but I'm in the process of putting together a business plan to scope the viability.

Watch this space!

 

[CReid]

Brilliant news James, reminds me of my old days working for Compaq / DEC, some months I spent more time on training etc than hands on in the workshop. We ended up doing a "train the trainer system" where one guy would to the course then comeback train everybody else to save on down time... Fingers crossed for you in your venture!

Carl

 

[classcams]

Forget it. Requires so many specialist tools for repairing, stripping, building and most important testing the completed repair.

 

[jamesb84]

Forget it. Requires so many specialist tools for repairing, stripping, building and most important testing the completed repair.

Thank you for your enthusiasm Andrew...I am aware of what tools etc. the job entails. Of course, if so many share your opinion, that might be why there are no repair centres in the South West for example.

 

[kieranmcmanus]

nice one mate, top idea and i'm sure knowing working photographers in this area you shouldn't find it too hard to find people to use you. how is the mark iii? still cuddling it?

 

[jamesb84]

nice one mate, top idea and i'm sure knowing working photographers in this area you shouldn't find it too hard to find people to use you. how is the mark iii? still cuddling it?

Stopped cuddling now, but it's made my mkII and Siggy 70-200 look appalling...so the siggy's going back to have it checked over and possibly a new AF Motor.

I've already thought about marketing etc. and I think the working tog connection could come in quite handy!