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Camera repair guides

Six guides to the decisions that cost money: choosing a bench, whether to fix or replace, what the common jobs actually involve, and how mail-in repair works. Real prices and honest trade-offs, written for people who want a number rather than an adjective. Everything here is generic industry reference — for actual shops, use the directory.

406verified repair shops

44authorized service centers

88accept mail-in

226film & vintage specialists

Before you hand it over

How to pick the right bench, and whether the repair is even worth doing.

How to choose a camera repair shop

Authorized vs independent, flat-rate vs estimate, the diagnostic fee that may not be refundable, turnaround, warranty on the repair, and the red flags — from shops that ghost you to quotes that balloon at the bench.

Repair or replace? The break-even math

When a CLA or a shutter job is worth it and when it is not: repair cost vs. what the body is worth, sentimental and film cameras, and why a $2,000 mirrorless almost always gets fixed while a $150 point-and-shoot rarely does.

What camera repairs cost

Real US price ranges from published repair-shop lists: CLA $150–$300, sensor cleaning $50–$80, shutter service $165–$425, plus the bench/diagnostic fee and whether shops credit it against the job.

Repair by type