My 50D strap snagged on a branch in Glacier Park this summer--you know the branch--and yanked the camera from my hand. It fell onto sandy gravel and slightly scuffed the top plate and the cover of the status display. It seems pretty clear that the warranty won't apply, but I'm wondering if any of you have experience with repairs of this sort through Canon.
How long will it take to fix?
Roughly how much would you guess it might cost?
Is it likely to affect resale value?
Are there alternatives I should consider (apart from getting over it)?
erosebud wrote:
My 50D strap snagged on a branch in Glacier Park this summer--you know the branch--and yanked the camera from my hand. It fell onto sandy gravel and slightly scuffed the top plate and the cover of the status display. It seems pretty clear that the warranty won't apply, but I'm wondering if any of you have experience with repairs of this sort through Canon.
How long will it take to fix?
Roughly how much would you guess it might cost?
Is it likely to affect resale value?
Are there alternatives I should consider (apart from getting over it)?
Thanks for any responses.
Not sure how long it takes, but last I checked (for a 1Ds2) it was $150-$200 (or around there) to replace the top section.
Will it affect resale? Ask yourself "would you buy a camera that was scratched"? You know it was a) dropped/damaged in some way, so it's a red flag to most people.
Either suck it up and get it fixed now, or allow yourself to relax a little and know that if something does come into contact with it in the future (and the odds are high for those of us that actually use our gear) it can't really get worse.
I'd say let it go and then either get it fixed before selling or take your chances on the decreased value. A 50d's value is not going to hold up well even in perfect shape, so that should be a consideration.
If you send it to Canon I'm guessing they'll replace the scratched pieces if you want them too. The cover for the status display you might be able to replace yourself. (I know the LCD cover is easy to replace) As far as cost, it will probably cost more than it will affect the resale value.
That's "battle scar" and it does lend your gear more character . I would leave it alone and take a hit when you sell it. I believe it would cost you more now to get it fixed than later on by lowering the price to account for the "damage".
erosebud wrote:
My 50D strap snagged on a branch in Glacier Park this summer-...It fell onto sandy gravel and slightly scuffed the top plate and the cover of the status display.
... Are there alternatives I should consider (apart from getting over it)?
Thanks for any responses.
There are lot's of people (especially here on the 'gear' forum) that would be in shock & cringe over the slightest scuff on their 'investment'...the truth is that photography equipmnet is not an investment, they are tools to be used either for business and/or pleasure. Scuffs, scratches, & other marks are just "battle scars" (as AGeoJO stated). I wouldn't worry about, in fact I would suggest that you thoroughly use & enjoy the 50D so much that you wear it out! BTW, I'd be ALOT more concern about the effect of the fall on the micro-precision of the AF mechanism!
As a 50D it still has a very long life, and will probably need stitches another time or two between now and when you decide to upgrade/sell. I'd use it in the condition it's in, and chalk it up to "character" and over time, it's going to get less noticable, you'd be surprised how invisible minor defects become with other jostling and rubbing. For the status panel on top and the LCD on the back, i do however keep them covered with the "Fellowe's" brand PDA clings, and they do a GREAT job!!! Caress the area with your thumb often, and it'll act as a buffer, the camera WILL love you back!!!
I think this the difference between a pro photographer who thinks of the equipment as a tool compared to hobbyists that think about the equipment as gear and toys.
As a case in point. This past winter I was in Lake Placid at the World Skeleton Championships. I was having a good time getting some pics with my old 450d and 70-200 2.8 IS.... As you can imagine there were several crews of professional photographers there and they are HARD on their gear. I routinely saw them throw their backup 1d body with a 300mm lens attached into a snowbank so they could get shots of the current rider.
I would recommend not fretting over minor cosmetic nicks and scratches, you'll drive yourself crazy.
jamesf99 wrote:
Not sure how long it takes, but last I checked (for a 1Ds2) it was $150-$200 (or around there) to replace the top section.
Will it affect resale? Ask yourself "would you buy a camera that was scratched"? You know it was a) dropped/damaged in some way, so it's a red flag to most people.
Either suck it up and get it fixed now, or allow yourself to relax a little and know that if something does come into contact with it in the future (and the odds are high for those of us that actually use our gear) it can't really get worse.
I'd say let it go and then either get it fixed before selling or take your chances on the decreased value. A 50d's value is not going to hold up well even in perfect shape, so that should be a consideration....Show more →
Of course you would disclose that the camera was dropped enough that it had to be sent in to fix up some slight damage to the body...right?
Get over it. Whether you repair it or not, you should disclose what happened if you decide to sell it, so the damage is done. You wouldn't see me paying 20% the cost of a camera just to make it pretty again and you'll never get back the full amount of $$ in a resale. The 7D messed up your camera's value more than some scratches and scuffs ever will!!
omarlyn wrote:
There are lot's of people (especially here on the 'gear' forum) that would be in shock & cringe over the slightest scuff on their 'investment'...the truth is that photography equipmnet is not an investment, they are tools to be used either for business and/or pleasure. Scuffs, scratches, & other marks are just "battle scars" (as AGeoJO stated). I wouldn't worry about, in fact I would suggest that you thoroughly use & enjoy the 50D so much that you wear it out! BTW, I'd be ALOT more concern about the effect of the fall on the micro-precision of the AF mechanism!
chez wrote:
Of course you would disclose that the camera was dropped enough that it had to be sent in to fix up some slight damage to the body...right?
If it were me selling, then absolutely yes, if it was right after fixing and if there was more than just a "scratch repair", then full disclosure is warranted.
I realize some are "not so ethical" about disclosure.
Lets be serious; this isn't like replacing a fender or hiding major body damage because you got drunk and smashed up your car. This was a "cosmetic only" drop/injury and if there was no other harm done, the camera was used for a substantive period before sale, then I don't know if I would care if the top had been replaced or not if I was the buyer. I'd probably see it as a positive if it was in pristine condition.
fixing it or not, it would be dishonest to sell the camera off as if it had never seen the out of doors.
i would continue to use it, and sell it without the repair. while you have it, the scuff makes a good story, makes it look like you use your gear, and when it's time to sell, just be honest and repeat the story about how the scuff got there. (there i was, staring at three angry bears in the wilds of british columbia, with only my canon between us...)
if i were looking to buy something and it looked as if it had been cosmetically retouched, i'd wonder just how bad the damages looked before the repair. ymmv
. I would leave it alone and take a hit when you sell it. I believe it would cost you more now to get it fixed than later on by lowering the price to account for the "damage".