Repairability, Service Life and Sustainability
When choosing a camera brand, we photographers mostly look at specifications, brand appeal and lens selection.
Be that as it may, if you want to stick with one camera system for many years, the service life and repairability have to be taken into account.
As I’ve just got back a bunch of items from Nikon service, I thought it is time to share my experiences not only with Nikon but with other brands as well.
Three Types of Service
As a consumer, you can essentially run into three scenarios.
In the first scenario, the camera or lens is still in production. This was the case with the Nikkor 28m f/1.4E. Manufacturers are essentially obliged to offer repairs and replacements by law. Interestingly, even there are differences. Olympus – now OM Systems, Nikon and Leica – offer genuine repairs, meaning they take the product apart and try to fix it. Some other manufacturers simply trash the defective item and send you a replacement.
In the second scenario, the camera or lens is no longer in production but still sold in stores. This was the case with the 20mm f/2.8 AF-D. When you send such a product to Nikon, they put a little remark on the bill stating that they cannot guarantee spare parts being available for the product in the future. This means that they still have the necessary parts, but might run out in the future.
In the third scenario, the camera or lens are out of production and no longer sold new and the manufacturer has no longer all spare parts in stock. This was the case with the Nikon FM3A. Nikon notified me that they do not have any parts left. According to my experience, Nikon puts this note in there when they no longer have all the spare parts. It can be quite possible that they still have most or at least some spare parts somewhere.
The last two situations are where the wheat is sorted from the chaff. Most manufacturers won’t even inspect equipment outside a certain period. I once attempted to send an old Olympus DSLR – the E1 – to the manufacturer, and they unfortunately refused to do so, because it was outside the service period.
Two manufactures really deserve an honourable mention, and those are Nikon and Leica.
Leica accepts most cameras for service, while Nikon accepts every camera ever made by them for service. If the equipment needs CLA or minor repairs that do not need spare parts, then they both will attempt to fix it.
Regarding Leica, they are as of 2022 no longer servicing any R-cameras.
Food for Thought
While basic analogue cameras can be repaired by many trained technicians, having excellent support is essential for digital cameras. Many issues they might run into require specialized knowledge.
Choosing a manufacturer that provides parts and repair service for many years helps to protect the environment, save money and connect with the camera in your hand. Because no one wants to shoot with a disposable camera.
