Anyone ever drop a digital camera? (1 Viewer)

[Scott Dautel]

Not good! We were at an amusement park last Friday and my wife hands me a couple of stuffed animals to hold ... with my Kodak DX3600 in the middle.
It was about 3 ft to the concrete. Still turns on, but display says it needs service. Also the zoom lens wiggles like a loose tooth and won't close.
Went to the Kodak website - troubleshooting. They have FAQs for just about everything ... except "I dropped it and it broke" (go figure). So I called. Repair cost is $150 + $11 return S&H + cost to get it to Rochester, NY = (approx. $170.)
I told the rep ... "basically, you're telling me to throw it away, because I can buy a new one for about the cost of repair. (Actually I can upgrade to the DX3900 for $205.) She says ... well, you can try to find a local shop to fix it ... good luck.
So ... anyone have experience with local digi-camera repair?
[inner voice]
...Or should I just get a mini-micro screwdriver and perform the autopsy myself? Could it be just the lens came loose from the gear that drives the zoom? hmmmm ... what have I got to lose ...
[/inner voice]

 

[Jay H]

I had a Kodak DC480 fall a short bit, but it more of a roll and tumble and not a 3ft drop onto concrete. I was out on a solo hike nearby my house and decided to take a picture of myself at an old iron mine so I got the tripod out and setup the camera on a rock. However, somehow it wasn't too stable and tumbled to the ground, but it kind of hit the cornice of the rock and then eventually hit solid ground so it was ok, just a little scratched up. Fortunately it didn't land on the lens itself (camera was on) so it has it's corners scratched and a small nick on the lens edge but it's been good ever since, no problems. I took my photos from Alaska with it as you can see in my other thread.

Hopefully you can find a place that does free estimates..

Jay

 

[Bill_Weinreich]

Link Removed Listen to your inner voiceLink Removed
Bill

 

[felix_suwarno]

my old camera was an olympus d460z. somehow the blitz light was damaged, i had no idea what caused it. it worked just fine, but i had to use my point finger to "make it stand". otherwise it would lump to its "sleeping position".

and the camera was still working just fine.

a local camera repair at loop / chicago told me that i had to pay ( more or less ) about 100 bucks. i dont remember how much it was, but i realized i had better purchase a new camera. he told me that it was very hard to even open the body of the cam.

when that camera could not be connected to my pc, i went ahead to purchase canon g1.

 

[BrianW]

My camera (a Fuji Finepix 2400) has been dropped twice. Both times, however, I was able to open it up and fix it myself. The first time, I had to make a new linkage for the zoom lens. The second time, I had to fabricate a new part that operated the lens cover latch mechanism. (The camera wouldn't stay on without it. Otherwise, I wouldn't have cared, really.) After I opened it up, I became really impressed with the camera's design and build quality. I made the parts from scrap metal I had in my garage. The original lens linkage was plastic, and the original lens cover latch was metal, but lost forever, I'm afraid. The camera operates like new - it just has a scratch on one corner.

I've never been afraid to open anything up just to see if I could fix it. But if I had to do it over again, I'd think twice: I nearly killed myself when I shorted the capacitor through my thumbs. Honestly, that was the worst shock of my life, including the time I was struck by lightning.

If you're not comfortable taking your camera apart, then I think your only option is to find a local shop that will give you an estimate.

 

[Will Pomeroy]

I dropped my friend's down a flight of contrete staris into some snow... it still worked... as long as you didn't mind a crooked lense that wiggled when you shook the camera! It was his fault though, i handed him the camera with the wrist strap still on (stupid wrist straps) and so when i pulled my hand away, the camera fell to the stairs below.

On two occasions dealing with digital camera repair was been a huge ordeal that i would rather not go through again.

Good Luck!

 

[DavidY]

Get yourself a more resistant camera.
I have a splash- and dust-resistant camera, Kodak DC5000....2 megapixels, 2X optical. Supposedly one can drop it from 3 feet off the ground and not have any damage. Personally, I haven't tried to confirm this....I'm too chicken. :b The big con is that it's bulky due it's rubberized protection. Wish it was a 3X optical too.
Dave

 

[Rob Tenniswood]

I've got a Canon Elph s110 that I've dropped and banged countless times (I'm talking in the dozens here) and it's working just fine. Now that's one resilient camera...

 

[Bill_D]

Get yourself a more resistant camera.

Better yet, get a camera strap! You don't have to wrap it around your neck but your wrist or a belt loop will do just fine. It has saved my Sony DSC75 countless times.

Surely your camera can survive a quick jerk?

 

[Scott Dautel]

I really appreciate all the responses. We will surely be much more careful in the future. My wife was the first to say "why isn't the camera in the case when when we're carrying it around ... that's what it's for". She's right of course, but sh!t happens.
Anyway, I just can't see going back to an old film camera and couldn't resist upgrading to this bargain on the Kodak DX3900. This one is 3.1 Mpixels and has much better exposure controls. Plus, it will still work with the Kodak dock I just got. Delivered price was $214 after $15 e-coupon.
I'm still gonna try to tinker with the broken one. IN the meantime ... anyone have opinions on the DX3900?