Home Forums Gear Photography Truck camera repairs

My truck camera, a Sony point & shoot has the lens hung up. It moves a little, but can't extend. I emailed Cameraland & asked what it would cost to repair. Seems that Sony has a minimum charge of $150. It's not worth it with decent cameras running around $200.
Does any brand have reasonable repair charges or have all cameras become nothing but disposable, like computer stuff?

Since the camera is trash, I think I'll tear into it myself. I sure can't hurt it any and maybe I'll find a tiny piece of crud that's blocking it.

make a note of the indexing of the lens pieces. It's assembled as a unit consisting of barrels than rotate like a screw. The outside of the barrel has two or three little pegs that ride in the grooves located on the inside of the next larger barrel. Sounds like there is either dirt between the barrels or the motor is shot. That motor has a worm gear mated to a ring gear around the outer barrel. If the repair is not successful save the barrel with the lens. It makes a great loupe for cleaning sensors, etc.

The motor is working as I can see the inner barrel move when I turn it on. It just hangs up before it can extend even a little.

Are you sure your batteries are good?

If it's been dropped a barrel can be bent or misaligned. Probably just a small grain of dirt tho.

I also think that both barrels should move at the same time. The outer barrel should be driving the inner one. I'm not sure on the model you have. My experience is with Panasonic.

It was working fine, then just quit. It wasn't dropped. The barrels do move a little like they're struggling to come out but it's hard to tell which barrel. I agree that there's just some crud in there.