Here's what you need to know.

Contacting the Manufacturer
If your camera equipment is less than 10 years old, the manufacturer may still stock the part you need. Fargo Enterprises has an excellent online Parts and Service Directory with the addresses and phone numbers of most photo and electronic equipment manufacturers.

If you don't find the company listed in Fargo's Directory, look for the web site in our Index of Camera Equipment Manufacturers.

Do not attempt to obtain parts by sending email to the manufacturer. Phone them. Camera manufacturers are not set up to deal directly with consumers. Their parts department will usually want the part number to fill your order. The best route is to let your local camera repair technician order the parts and fix your camera equipment.

Fixing Older Camera Equipment
Older cameras don't always require parts for repair, but when parts are needed, obtaining them can be difficult or impossible.

If the camera equipment manufacturer no longer stocks the item, the only way to obtain a missing or broken part is by doing the following:

1. Find a camera repair facility which has a non-working identical camera, etc. which they can cannibalize for the part. Be aware the same part often fails on identical cameras. Camera repair technicians can sometimes obtain a used or replacement part from other camera repairmen. Index of Camera Repair Facilities.

2. Buy a non-working parts camera from a used camera store. More than fifty dealers are listed in our Index of Used Camera Dealers. You'll need to send a lot of email, and it will take time to locate a parts camera. Some dealers call them junk cameras. Remember a parts camera may be missing parts and the same part often fails on identical cameras. A parts camera may not have the parts you need!

3. Check eBay weekly for non-working parts cameras, or watch for the same model at a bargain price because it's working but in rough condition. Movie projectors sell for almost nothing on eBay, slide projectors are also inexpensive. You might find a replacement in better condition than the machine you planned to fix.

The best route is to take the parts camera and your broken camera to a camera repair technician and have him switch the parts.

Camera Repair
We are frequently asked to recommend a good, cheap camera repairman. There isn't any such thing.

Camera repair is expensive because it is labor intensive - often a camera has to be completely disassembled to fix or replace an internal part. Camera repair shops spend a small fortune on repair tools, service manuals, electronic test equipment, calibration equipment, on-going training, and overhead.

Modern electronic cameras have no user serviceable parts inside. Don't consider it! For best results, even out-of-warranty repairs should be performed by a factory authorized service facility.

Beyond Economic Repair
If the estimated repair will cost more than 50% of the value of your camera, many camera repair technicians will advise against having the camera fixed. It just doesn't make economic sense. Furthermore, many camera repair facilities are unwilling to work on older cameras if parts are not available.

Fargo Enterprises maintains TechNet, a mailing list which goes to camera repair technicians around the world. By filling out one form, giving complete details about your camera and the problems you are encountering, you may be able to find a camera technician willing to repair your vintage camera equipment.

Self-Repair
You may be able to fix a 20-30 year-old mechanical camera if you have patience, mechanical aptitude, the proper tools and parts (if needed). Sometimes this is the only option you have. Be aware that many people ruin the first camera they try to repair. Patience, the correct tools, careful examination and methodology are required for camera surgery.

There's the Classic Camera Repair Forum to ask questions about self-repair of old cameras.

Camera repair tools and camera restoration supplies can be purchased from Micro-Tools. Service manuals can be obtained from Craig Camera in Connecticut, Infotech in Colorado and Old Timer Cameras Ltd. in the United Kingdom.

Vintage-Camera-Repair.info specializes in camera repair manuals and distributes training publications from National Camera and the complete Valera self-study camera repair course for vintage cameras.. References available on CD, printed reproductions and microfiche film.

Basic training books on mechanical camera repair are also available from Ed Romney.

Warning: Exercise extreme caution if you attempt any repair on an electronic flash unit. You may get the electric shock of a lifetime if the capacitor is not fully discharged.

Shortly we'll be adding an index of mechanical camera repair information on the web. Watch for it.

Projector Bulbs - Web Sources
Bulb Direct, Pittsford, New York - replacement lamps for audio visual equipment, photo equipment, stage and lighting. Toll free number.
Bulb Source, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Replacement bulbs for audio-visual, stage/studio, theatrical, and photographic customers. Projection bulbs for slide and movie projectors, LCD projectors, overhead projectors. Toll free phone.
Bulbman, offices in 6 US Cities - great cross reference chart for replacing projector bulbs. Toll free number. Outlets in Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami, Reno, Sacramento and Seattle.
Interlight Specialty Bulbs, Hammond, Indiana - photographic, projection bulbs, toll free 1-800-743-0005 and 219-989-0060.
Douglas Banks Photographic Equipment Repair in Kingston, Ontario stocks over 1000 hard to find or discontinued projection lamps.
Mediavision Services Limited, Tadley, Hampshire, UK LCD projectors, replacement bulbs and more.
Pureland Supply, Bridgeport, New Jersey - projector bulbs, LCD projector bulbs, flashtubes, halogen bulbs, more. Toll free number.
Visual Techniques Inc., Longview, Texas - If you know the 3 letter code for the projection lamp you need, this audio-visual dealer probably has it on this page. Online prices. Toll free number.

Projector Parts - Web Sources
Projector belts are no longer manufactured. All rubber belts deteriorate with age.

We've heard Brian Vita of Cinema Service & Supply has a large inventory of replacement belts and other parts for 8mm, Super-8 and 16mm projectors. Phone 1-800-231-8849 in the US and Canada, (978) 538-7575 when calling from abroad, Fax 1-800-FAX-CSS5 email sales@cssinc.com -- this information is several years old.

In Canada, Douglas Banks is a nationwide supplier for Kodak projector parts. He stocks and sells thousands of hard to find parts, projection bulbs and accessories.

An extensive list of movie projector parts suppliers can be found here at Projector Parts Sources. Almost none have web sites.

The low price of movie projectors and slide projectors on eBay makes it an excellent starting point when looking for projector parts. Remember that the rubber belts in all old projectors, even those described as in mint condition, are subject to fail at any time. The belts on another projector may be in as bad condition as the ones you are trying to replace.