Services - Repair Department
About Your Repair
Our goal at Bergen County Camera is to provide our customers with all of the various services they may need to meet their family, professional or educational imaging needs. We sell the finest photographic equipment on the market and we’re proud to back up our sales with first-rate repair services for both in- and out-of-warranty equipment. We aim to provide quality repairs at a fair price and to get your camera back to you as soon as possible. This sheet will try to answer some of the most commonly asked repair questions. Although Bergen County Camera does not repair your camera in house, we deal with both independent and factory authorized repair companies. Warranty services is also provide no matter where your camera was originally purchased.
How Long Will My Repair Take?
This is probably the most common question our customers have. We understand that you would like to have your equipment repaired as quickly as possible. The average time it takes to receive an estimate for a camera repair is two weeks. The average time for repair completion is three weeks from the time the estimate is approved to the time your camera is returned to the store. This means that the total time for many repairs will be five weeks. We hope that you will understand that certain external factors such as parts availability, repair complexity and shipping time can significantly increase the turnaround time for a repair. If parts needed to complete the work are backordered, this can add several weeks to the five-week average repair time.
Our customers often request that their repair work be completed in time for special events such as a wedding, vacation or graduation. We will do our best to accommodate requests for rush service but because of the variables mentioned above we cannot guarantee that your repair will be completed by a specified date.
If your camera isn’t ready on time, all may not be lost. One of the benefits of buying a film camera from BCC is our free loaner policy. If a 35mm or APS camera purchased from our store needs to be serviced while under warranty we will happily loan you a comparable camera at no charge. If your camera wasn’t purchased here or is out of warranty, for only $25.00 we will rent you a point-and-shoot film camera to use for as long as your camera is being serviced. Digital photography and video equipment cannot be included in this policy due to a number of compatibility issues.
Where Will My Camera be Serviced?
We use several different repair facilities to ensure that equipment is handled in the most prompt and professional manner possible. Determination of where to send a piece of equipment is made on a case-by-case basis. Many customers bring in equipment that is no longer serviced by its manufacturer. These items are sent to a qualified after-market repair service. Each manufacturer and service facility has its own repair procedures and these can also affect the length of time your equipment is in the shop. Why is There a Charge for My Warranty Repair?
All new equipment sold by Bergen County Camera is covered by the manufacturer’s standard USA warranty, and often by an extended warranty too. Keep in mind that damage from sand, water, impact or pressure will void the warranty. This type of damage is often inside the item and cannot be detected until the equipment is disassembled at the repair facility. Furthermore, due to the use of modern polycarbonate materials used in camera housings, impact often does not dent the outside of the camera – the shock is simply transmitted to internal components. Shock from pressure as well as from impact can be transmitted to internal camera components without leaving a noticeable sign on the outside of the camera. It is also possible for a camera to continue functioning for a time after sustaining impact or pressure damage. Nonetheless, the camera will eventually stop working as a result of this damage.
Please be aware that even if you submit a warranty repair claim to us, the manufacturer’s service technicians may decide a repair is not covered under the warranty if they discover damage from sand, water, impact or pressure.
If your camera was not purchased from BCC and is sent out for warranty service there will be a charge to cover our shipping and handling costs. We will be happy to help you obtain warranty service for equipment purchased elsewhere, but you will need to provide proof of purchase and warranty.
What is the Warranty on Repair Work?
Our standard warranty on repair work is six months on analog (film) equipment and three months on video and digital imaging equipment. This warranty begins when the repaired equipment is returned to the store, not when you pick it up from us. We ask that you test the camera as soon as possible after picking it up. To aid you in testing the repair work on film cameras, we provide a free 12-exposure roll of film and ask that you process the film with us so that we can be certain that all is well with the camera.
Please keep your copy of the repair ticket. Should you want to check the status of your repair please refer to the invoice number in the upper right corner of the repair ticket. If you have any other questions regarding your repair, please call us at 201-664-4113, or stop in and speak to a BCC staff member.