Collectables... To fix or not fix yourself

[ac12]

Wheather I dissassemble something or not depends on my confidence in being able to fix it and put it back together again.
There is the old joke that my car friends in high school/college poked fun about an automechanic who had left over parts after repairing a car.

 

[Kschmid]

Just to update on this... $180 to repair. So expensive it right but since I really want to use it, I'm going to spend it

 

[snowbear]

As far as Polaroids, I don't think most are worth much, the SX-70 being one that does have some value (which I have and it's a joy to use). I have another vintage one that used roll film but I got it because it's cool looking. And supposedly it could be used as a pinhole sort of thing but haven't tried it.

What do you have Charlie? I find that the pack film lasts and is usable but The Impossible Project film has/had emulsion that tends to dry up. I may have a pack of something in my fridge I could let you have.

It's the 800.

Happy birthday to me by Charlie Wrenn, on Flickr

 

[espresso2x]

Some lenses were even vacuum sealed i think ive read, you have to drill a hole into them to take them apart.

 

[azor]

SLRs are very difficult to repair, but the others types (box, RF, folding, etc), depending of the model and the problem, could be repaired at home... All my cameras that had problems where repaired by me... even my Canon SLRs...

 

[Mitica100]

Some lenses were even vacuum sealed i think ive read, you have to drill a hole into them to take them apart.

There were lenses coated during a vacuum procedure (i.e. Zeiss), I haven't heard of a vacuum sealed lens. Yet.

 

[espresso2x]

Some lenses were even vacuum sealed i think ive read, you have to drill a hole into them to take them apart.

There were lenses coated during a vacuum procedure (i.e. Zeiss), I haven't heard of a vacuum sealed lens. Yet.

Some Asahi Takumar lenses, require drilling into to disassemble. If i can find the info to support, i will post a link.

 

[espresso2x]

Nothing to support my drilling comment, but a reference here to the tolerances and elements
Pentax Super-Takumar 24mm f/3.5 SM

 

[espresso2x]

I found a reference on a forum to some? Takumars needing drilling to disassemble but it's a comment not supported by any info; i think i conflated it with the vaccuum seal of the element assembly referenced on the website i linked.

 

[mimstrel]

My philosophy is that if I can see it (i.e., if I can understand how it works and how the parts work together) I can build it. My first try usually isn't real pretty, if it's something intricate, but as long as the thing I'm disassembling isn't valuable, I'm always willing to try it out. And I'm successful more often than I expect of myself.

 

[Mitica100]

Sometimes, and that's how I started being attracted by camera restoration or repair, having two of the same make and model cameras makes things easier. I started with two Voigtländer Vitomatics, both broken and I swapped parts that worked onto one body and voilá, a good working camera and a bunch of other parts that await their time to be used. Each Vitomatic cost me $10 at a flea market. It was very thrilling to see one Vitomatic come back to life!