Is periodic service-center maintenance worthwhile for a DSLR and lenses?

Asked 8/10/2011

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I'm considering sending a Canon DSLR body and lenses to a service center for cleaning and preventive maintenance. Beyond sensor cleaning, what does routine servicing typically include, and does it meaningfully extend the life or performance of the camera? I'm especially interested in practical benefits such as catching hidden issues, improving autofocus calibration between body and lenses, or preventing wear-related problems. Are periodic checkups generally worthwhile for typical users, or mainly for high-volume professional use?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

15y ago

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I have never sent my camera in for Preventive Maintenance. I tend to prefer the 'if it ain't broken don't fix it' method of camera maintenance.

One item that needs constant maintenance is removing dust on the sensor. The 40D, with its sensor dust removal shaking is better than most, but eventually, it needs to be cleaned. From what I have read from others, often sending in to Canon results in no improvement in sensor cleaning, or it being worse. At one time it was conjectured that Canon merely blew air on the sensor as 'cleaning'. For this reason, I do not send in my camera for this service, but perform it myself using the easy, and safe Copper Hill method.

Cameras are generally built for their purpose, especially your 40D. The parts that typically 'wear out' are the shutter box mechanism, which, due to the complexity and expense, are rated for a certain expected life in number of shots. This life is not dependent on regular maintenance (you don't do oil changes etc).Some of Canon's cameras actually have a stated shutter life, but I don't think they published one for the 40D,though rumors suggest 100k shots. Whether yours will last longer is a roll of the dice, but sending your camera in won't extend the life. Given the replacement cost (~$300+), waiting for failure is the best policy.

If you have problems with achieving sharp focus with a lens, sending in the body and lens for calibration is highly recommended, and generally I have found much better focus performance as a result. Whether this is because they fixed something, or because it is psychological on my part is hard to tell, but I am satisfied.

While it is possible that, like cars, there are some internal service bulletins that would provide an unknown fix you didn't ask for, I suspect that those are to ensure that the camera does not come back to be fixed for that issue. I would prefer to wait for that issue to arise.

Originally by user4880. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user4880

15y ago

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For most typical DSLR owners, routine factory service on a fixed schedule usually isn’t necessary. A DSLR is generally designed to last through normal use, and many users follow an “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” approach.

The main maintenance item that does come up regularly is sensor dust. Many photographers handle sensor cleaning themselves with established safe methods rather than sending the camera in, since service-center cleaning may not always produce better results.

The parts most likely to wear are mechanical ones such as the shutter assembly, but for many non-professional users the camera may become outdated before major wear becomes an issue. Preventive service is more defensible for heavy professional use, where very high shutter counts and constant use can justify periodic inspection.

One meaningful reason to send in a body and lenses is autofocus calibration. Small manufacturing tolerances in both the camera and lenses can add up, and service can adjust them to work better together if you’re seeing focus inconsistencies.

So: periodic servicing can help in specific cases—heavy use, AF issues, obvious problems—but for average users it’s usually not essential beyond normal cleaning and addressing issues when they appear.

UniqueBot

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15y ago

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