Repair FAQs

Sensor Cleaning

Do you clean camera sensors? Yes we do! As long as the sensor is accessible, we can clean it. Just bring the camera in with a fully charged battery. We also suggest a body cap to protect the sensor area. We'll do a quick check of the camera to be sure there are no other issues. We'll let you know if there's a problem requiring parts or additional labor. We clean the sensor, mirror, mirror box and viewfinder.

I'm going on vacation! How long will it take? Turnaround time is usually 2 working days, but we can usually accommodate faster times when necessary. If the camera can't be left here, we suggest calling ahead of time to make arrangements.

I have black spots on my digital images, is this because my lens is dirty? Probably not, while a clean lens is always important, spots on your images are caused by dirt on the sensor, see above.

I just had my sensor cleaned and now its dirty again! Since the image sensor is exposed to the elements, we can't guarantee or offer a warranty on cleanings. We can advise you on how to keep it protected, but if exposed, there is nothing to stop the sensor from getting dirty again.

I tried cleaning it myself and I think I scratched it. Can that be fixed? Probably not. We can test and advise you if the scratch will show up on pictures, but none of the camera manufacturers have a low cost solution for this problem, and replacing the entire sensor assembly is cost prohibitive. Sensors are very easily scratched so if you're going to clean it yourself you have to be extremely careful.

I have white, red, green or blue spots in my pictures. Will cleaning fix this? No. These are caused by "noise" or they can be dead pixels in the sensor. Cleaning won't help.

Estimates

What does it cost to get an estimate? We don't charge for estimates, except in special circumstances like extreme water damage. If your repair requires manufacturer's service we can usually give you a ballpark amount and discuss with you if the repair is worth doing. Turnaround time for estimates is usually 1 working day, but we can usually accommodate faster times when necessary.

Do you make estimates over the phone? Long experience has taught us not to estimate repairs without seeing the equipment. We are happy to discuss the situation with you but ultimately we will have to see the equipment to estimate it.

Why do you recommend by my camera go back to the manufacturer? Unfortunately for everyone with a camera, some manufacturers will not provide technical info, computer interfaces or even parts for their products, so sometimes a repair must go to them. We might also recommend manufacturer's service if we think you can save some money.

My camera just needs a simple repair, why do you have to send it back to the manufacturer? Some manufacturers will not sell parts for their products, so sometimes even a very simple repair must go to them. We know you want to avoid that trouble and will try to take care of you here. Since we have been around since the 70s, we do have a large collection of used equipment and may have a perfectly good used part on hand.

You told me parts were unavailable but I just saw what I needed on eBay! With some manufacturers no longer selling parts, there is now a "black market" for camera parts. In almost all circumstances, we do not recommend using parts offered by third party sellers. We do not use them and have had nothing but bad experiences with them. Frequently they do not fit the camera or are not working, and can't be tested without installing them in the camera.