Hot take: stop taking in customer cameras with sand in them, just say no

Aaron Gonzalez · 2026-09-16T17:05:03.798031+00:00

Last Friday a guy walked into my shop in Phoenix with a 15 year old point and shoot, and I could hear the grit rolling around inside before I even opened the door. I made the mistake of saying yes because it was a slow day, and 4 hours later I had a shutter assembly that looked like a beach and a $60 quote that turned into $140 of my own time. I pulled the lens barrel apart, cleaned 3 separate gear trains, and the zoom still crunches like chips in a bag. Now I have a policy: if I shake it and it sounds like a maraca, the customer gets it back with a smile and a referral to the recycle bin. Some folks in here will say take the money, but you can't fix sand, you can only chase it around for free. Where do you all draw the line on jobs you know are a lost cause?

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Hot take: stop taking in customer cameras with sand in them, just say no | Camera Repairers - The Community Guide