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Rant: I was a total snob about using only original parts for old SLRs
For years, I refused to use anything but original factory parts for any repair, especially on classic 35mm cameras. I'd tell customers the wait and cost were just part of keeping things 'pure.' The tipping point was a Nikon FM2 that sat on my bench for almost 8 months because I was hunting for a specific, discontinued film advance gear. A customer finally said, 'Look, I just want to take pictures with my dad's camera. A modern copy part is fine.' That hit me. I found a third-party gear from a supplier in Chicago for $12, fitted it perfectly, and the camera has worked flawlessly for a client ever since. My stubbornness was about my pride, not the camera's function. Has anyone else had to swallow their pride about 'original only' repairs to actually get a tool back in someone's hands?
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wesley_jones27d agoMost Upvoted
Yeah, that whole "original parts only" thing feels like gatekeeping sometimes, doesn't it? I read a blog post from a repair tech who said the goal should be a working camera, not a museum piece. If a modern part gets the job done and lets someone make photos, what's the real problem? It's like we forget these were mass-produced tools, not holy relics. That Nikon story just proves the point, waiting months for a part that doesn't make the pictures any better.
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robin59127d ago
Right, like @parkerbrown said, it's how everything gets treated now.
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parkerbrown27d ago
Isn't this just how everything gets treated now?
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