Classic dropped camera- repair advice?

[got ants]

Izzie, on july 1st I was skateboarding down a parking garage in Hollywood and some lady drove past me on my right, cut in front of me, and slammed on her brakes, just so she can pay at the meter station.

I was holding my Canon SD1000 Digital Elph and filming myself as I rode down the garage. Well having this vehicle stop short in front of me, I turned my skateboard to brake it, but immediately hit a metal grate with water and the skateboard shot out from under me.

Needless to say the camera smacked the concrete hard, as did I. Personal injuries, fractured scaphoid bone (under the snuff box) on the left wrist; sprained right wrist, torn ligaments/sprained left knee. Camera didn't work either.

I got home and took the batteries and data card out, and put them back in. Camera now works.

I was surprised at how well the camera took a hard shot and survived. Me, not so much...

The lady got out of her car and said..."Doesn't that thing have brakes?" of which I replied.."Lady, it's a f'n skateboard". She then started rambling in spanish and drove off.

Anyhoos, back to the camera...

Try removing the batteries and replacing them. Also, does the camera focus in macro on it's own? Mine doesn't. in the macro mode, it will only focus when you press the shutter release half way. I know that it's working because I see the orange lazer glow on the object I'm focusing on.

[stefpix]

if you get a DSLR then you may need to get a separate macro lenst or at least screw on attachments.

[Oscarman]

Sadly like much of technology after a few years it seems to cost more to repair an item than buy a new one. My only dropping experience was with my Sony dslr and fortuntely it was under warranty. The repair would have been $3-400.00 - ouch!

Good luck on your repair quest.

[Call_Me_Bob]

if you get a dslr, i seuggest getting a macro lense, or extension tubes to go with a normal lense

[Izzie]

Thanks for all the input everyone.

I agree- it might end up cheaper to get a new equivalent. However, of the cameras out right now- I like this one better. It's manual mode lets me mess with everything I want to mess with, and I don't need or want any more than it's 8mp.
I get really attached to anything that's constant in my life, that I can depend on- so after some thought, I think I'm just paying for the repair.
I was just wondering if there's anything I should look out for.

I did talk to a professional photographer that I'm friends with and got the number for a good repair place. Diagnostic is $35. With it being such a minor problem, they don't think it will be too expensive.

Thank you for all the replies! This is great! I'll reply to more people later in the day.

[stefpix]

not worth spending 35 for diagnostics. would send to canon.
or
Canon PowerShot SD1100IS 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Blue) 2512B001

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by stefpix

not worth spending 35 for diagnostics. would send to canon.
or
Canon PowerShot SD1100IS 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Blue) 2512B001

Hmm. I'll check those out then. Thank you for your help!



Another reason why I balk at getting a new camera- waste. Where would all these 'cheap' but perfectly good 'old' cameras go if everybody replaced them with so little thought? Mine is like a grain of sand, but I'd still rather fix this camera that has served me well and takes excellent pictures, than send it to a dump.

Even if it turns out that I have to get a new camera, I'd save this one, fix it when I get the money, and send it to a friend in Madagascar that could give it to some one who otherwise has no access to this kind of technology, or cannot afford it.

I'm aware that there are ways to recycle appliances, but those services are hard to find (in my area), and not always what the say they are. Of course I'd do that over just dumping the camera- but I hope you all get the gist of what I'm trying to say.

[stefpix]

same with cars. people do not fix screws and mechanisms as they used to. all made in plastic and circuitboards. cheaper to make in china than spend hours to fix. some questions are rethorical. no way to go back to the way it was. cars replaced horse carriages.
maybe in chinatown someone could fix it. but US economy is about planned obsolescence and buying new gadgets.

[Call_Me_Bob]

dont you hate that!!??!! i hate planned obsolescence!!!!!!!!

[Hedge]

Originally Posted by help

dont you hate that!!??!! i hate planned obsolescence!!!!!!!!

Yeah, but I guess it's in the DNA - we are programmed to replace ourselves and degenerate - the ultimate planned obsolescence