Repair or Replace? The Camera Break-Even Math

A camera stops working and the question is immediate: fix it, or buy another? The honest answer is a little math and three exceptions. Here is how to run it.

The rule

Start with two numbers: what the repair will cost (get a real estimate — see the cost index) and what the camera is worth (what an equivalent used body sells for, or what a new replacement costs). The rough rule photographers use:

If the repair is more than about half the camera's replacement value, replacing usually wins. Below half, repair.

So a $60 sensor clean on a $1,400 body is a trivial yes. A $250 CLA on a $120 plastic point-and-shoot is usually a no. A $400 shutter on an $800 body is the genuinely hard call — which is where the exceptions come in.

The three times the rule doesn't apply

1. Film and mechanical cameras. A well-made mechanical camera is not a depreciating electronic gadget — it is a repairable machine, and many film cameras are appreciating. A $150–$300 CLA can return a 40-year-old camera to full working order for another few decades. You often cannot buy a better copy for the price of the service, so "replacement value" is misleading.

2. Sentimental cameras. Your grandfather's rangefinder is not an economic decision. A good repair shop will tell you honestly whether it can be fixed and what it will cost, and then the choice is yours to make on other grounds.

3. Discontinued or hard-to-find gear. If the camera or lens is no longer made and the used market is thin or expensive, repairing the one you have can beat hunting for a replacement that may have its own problems.

A fault-by-fault guide

• Dusty sensor: always repair. A $50–$80 clean is trivial next to any modern body.
• Sticky aperture / light seals / dim rangefinder (film): repair. These are cheap, routine, and transformative on a film camera.
• Shutter fault: depends on the camera. On a valuable body, repair; on a cheap one, weigh it against a clean used replacement.
• Lens fungus or haze: repair if the lens is worth more than the cleaning, which for any decent prime it usually is — caught early, before the coating etches.
• Water damage: act fast, get a diagnostic, and be ready to write off a low-value body. Salt water is the worst case.
• Cracked screen / worn dials on a current digital body: often authorized-service territory; compare the quote to a used replacement.

The one move that never hurts: get a written diagnostic first. Until a technician has opened the camera, both the repair cost and the odds of success are guesses — and a good shop will tell you plainly when a repair simply isn't worth it.

Common questions

What is the rule of thumb for repair vs replace?

If the repair costs more than about half of what the camera is worth (or would cost to replace with an equivalent), replacing usually wins on pure economics. Below that, repair. But film cameras, sentimental cameras and discontinued gear routinely break this rule.

Is it worth repairing an old film camera?

Often yes, even when the math looks marginal. A $150–$300 CLA can add decades of reliable life to a mechanical camera you cannot buy new, and many film cameras are appreciating rather than depreciating. For a purely disposable point-and-shoot, though, replacement is usually smarter.

My camera got wet — repair or write off?

Water and especially salt water damage is the one case where fast action beats everything: powered off, battery out, to a technician quickly. Even then, liquid damage is often not economical to repair on a low-value body. Get a diagnostic before deciding.