New hot shoe vs used body, picked the $45 gamble in Portland

My Yashica's hot shoe finally gave up after a drop and I had to choose between a proper replacement part at $120 or a beat-up parts body for $45. I went with the parts body since it had the same electrical block, and now I have a back-up shutter and film advance for next time. Took about two hours to swap everything out with my Weller iron, and it's been solid through 10 rolls since. Anyone else gut parts cameras instead of buying new bits these days?

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1 Comment

bell.emma23d ago

Ha, you really went the long way around just to save 75 bucks! Look, I get the appeal of a parts camera, but I'd rather pay the 120 and know the part is fresh. That used block might have its own hidden wear, and you just traded one ticking clock for another. Plus, two hours of my time is worth something, and that's before I even factor in the risk of lifting a trace or shorting a pad with my iron. Maybe you got lucky, but buying used gear to fix used gear feels like stacking problems on top of problems, not solving them.