People tend to get careless with their digital cameras. Ironically, they get more careless when they try to “fix” damage that’s a result of carelessness. The truth is that there are some things you can fix yourself, but very few. These cameras really don’t like getting tinkered with. There are some things you shouldn’t even try to fix, too.
What’s DIY fixable about a digital camera? Very little, if anything
The only really fixable things related to digital cameras are all external. You can repair very minor things yourself, but do not, ever, try to tinker with the insides of your camera. You can do little patch jobs on the camera case, maybe glue a crack on something, but that’s about it, and even these very minor jobs can be a mistake waiting to happen.
These cameras are sensitive to a range of things which “fixing” is likely to make a lot worse. They don’t respond well to impacts. A clumsy attempt to open the case can do real damage, instantly. Even humidity can cause serious problems. Heat is another problem that can truly trash the innards of a digital camera very effectively.
You might, theoretically be able to patch something external which has nothing to do with the camera’s internal functions using adhesive. But don’t try gluing anything else together, particularly inside. These really are “precision instruments”, and a bit of glue can cause all sorts of problems. Cameras do use adhesives for various purposes, but they’re special industrial adhesives. A microscopic bit of glue, which is usually a polymer, can heat up and pass that heat on to the camera electronics- Result, a camera that doesn’t work.
A few more good reasons for not fixing your camera yourself
There are several financial and practical reasons for not fixing your camera yourself:
• Voiding warranty- This is inevitable if you tinker with the camera. It’s also usually unnecessary, because major brands like Canon cameras have good warranties and plenty of places around the world to get your camera serviced.
• Destroying the camera- This is a real possibility, and you may never even know how it happened. If you fool around with a DSLR, there’s about a 90% chance that you’ll do something which will physically damage the camera. In some cases, you may wind up with a bill for repairs which equates to “get another camera”.
You may be wondering why it’s even necessary to tell people not to damage their cameras. The problem is that if people can “save” money by repairing something themselves, it’s the preferred option. The mentality that believes it can repair a car safely and up to basic standards also thinks it can repair a complex, expensive camera.
If you want to destroy any type of electronic equipment, the best and surest way of doing it is to tinker with it yourself. It’s quite easy to do irreparable damage or add a lot to the costs of repairs. Do yourself or your friends a big favour- Don’t even try to fix a camera.