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General Information and FAQsHere you will find general information about our repair services and answers to Frequently Asked Questions:
Where do I ship my camera and how do I contact you if I want to talk to a real person who is actually a technician and can answer my questions:When you call MCVR, you can talk to the technician who will be repairing your camera, either at that time or by receiving a return call.
Are you a reputable company?We have been doing business in the same location since 1993 and in Morgantown, WV since 1980. We have been at this internet domain since 1994. We are a real company with many satisfied customers and an excellent reputation. If you want to know more about us, go the the <about us> page. <go back to the top of the page> Should I have my camera repaired, or should I buy a new one?There is no easy answer to this question, but we can suggest a few guidelines. First of all, it depends upon whether you have a digital camera or a film camera. If you have a film camera, you should not look at your investment strictly in terms of dollars and cents. Replacement is often a difficult option. The selection of film cameras available is limited and decreasing. Many people still like using film and have lenses that will not be useable on other cameras. Film camera prices are rather depressed these days, so you may be spending more on the repair than the market value of the camera after it has been repaired. Since you are probably not having the camera repaired so you can sell it, this is really not relevant. If you are going to use your camera and get pleasure from the photos produced and you like using film, most of our repair prices represent a worthwhile investment. If you have a digital camera, you need to consider the current replacement cost, rather than the original purchase price. You also need to consider whether you are happy with the images the camera produces. The number of megapixels a camera produces is not always the best measure of picture quality. Pretty much all digital cameras use compression to reduce the file size of digital images and some cameras render and separate colors better than others, and this is independent of the number of megapixels. The most important factor in determining image quality is THE LENS. A three megapixel camera with a good lens will produce better images than a six megapixel camera with a poor lens. If you like your camera and it is less than a year or two old, it may be worth spending two-thirds to three quarters of the replacement cost to repair it. It is rarely wise to spend much more than half the replacement cost to repair a digital camera that is three or more years old. There are two final two factors to consider, regardless of the type of camera you have. These are overall condition and your attitude toward learning to use new gadgets and features. Cameras that are heavily worn and in rough condition are often not worth repairing (unless you have a particular sentimental attachment to them). In fact, we often choose not to attempt repairs on such items. The last factor is highly subjective. Some people are happy to spend more than the replacement cost of a camera because it took them a long time to understand how to use the camera the way they want to use it and simply don't want to start over. We do our best to meet the needs of those folks if we can. On the other hand, some people like to check out the latest and greatest features and enjoy getting new gadgets. <go back to the top of the page> The bottom line is that we will be happy to give you our expert advice, but the final decision has to be yours. For most people, the decision is more personal than economic. How do I ship my camera to MCVR?We have a page with lots of shipping information. You can find it <here>. How do I pay for the repair?If you want to enclose a check or credit card authorization for the estimate and return shipping charges, you are welcome to do so. We will call you before exceeding that amount and will refund the difference if the repair is less (no kidding, we really do that). Most people, though, would rather arrange for payment after the repair is complete and the exact amount is known. For this reason, we ask that you enclose an email address and/or a daytime telephone number with your camera so that we can notify you when the repair is finished. Once we have contacted you and you know the exact cost of the repair, you have several options:
<go back to the top of the page> We currently accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. Please note that we need the card number, the expiration date, the correct billing address, and the last three digits of the number on the signature line on the back of the card (the CVV code) in order to process credit card payments. We take the security of your credit card information seriously. We do not store any credit card numbers on paper or in computer files. We have a shredder next to the credit card terminal. When we take the information from you, we write it on a piece of paper and process the payment immediately. As soon as the transaction is complete we shred the written information. Our terminal only prints the last four digits of the number on the receipt. Even we cannot recover all the processing information after the paper is shredded without contacting our processor. Your credit card information is secure with us. Do the estimates listed cover all repairs?We try to list estimates that will cover 80-90% of all repairs and the most common repairs for that model. Of course, some repairs will require higher estimates, especially in the case of impact or liquid damage because there can be hidden damage. We ask that you include a note with your camera that lists the estimate that you got from this website or were given over the telephone. We will not exceed this amount without notifying you first. <go back to the top of the page> What if I receive a higher estimate and don't want the camera repaired?If we do have to send a higher estimate, and you do not want the camera repaired, the only charge will be for return shipping (and only if you want the camera returned to you). What if my camera is not repairable or is beyond economical repair?There is no charge if we do not complete repairs. If you want the camera returned to you, return shipping charges to apply. How long will the repair take?We are able to complete most repairs within a week or less, as long as we have the necessary parts in stock. We cannot keep all parts in stock for all models, so some delays do occur when parts have to be ordered. We usually receive parts from Canon, Olympus, and Pentax within a week or less and Nikon parts within two weeks. Minolta parts often take 2-3 weeks or more to arrive, since they have to be ordered trough a Sony parts supplier. Other manufacturers vary in their parts delivery times. <go back to the top of the page> Parts Backorders: All manufacturers sometimes place parts on backorder (even they cannot keep all parts for all models in stock at all times). When this happens, it is beyond our control and there often is not a reliable estimate of the delivery date. We will keep you apprised of the situation as best we can. We do our best to meet your needs and get your camera back to you as quickly as possible. However, we cannot make firm promises on repair completion dates. There are simply too many unknowns involved and we don't want to make promises we cannot keep. Do you offer a rush service?Yes, we offer a rush service for an additional $16. This additional charge moves your camera to the "front of the line" . We still cannot guarantee a completion date, because the repair may require parts that have to be ordered. If we cannot complete repairs within two working days, we will notify you and the additional rush charge will not be added. We will still make every effort to complete repairs as quickly as possible. The rush charge does NOT include any special shipping. Second day and overnight shipping are available for most locations, but these services will incur additional shipping charges (in addition to the rush charge). <go back to the top of the page> How long are repairs warranted?The warranty depends on the type of equipment and the type of repair.
<go back to the top of the page> Do you sell parts for cameras?We do sell some parts. Please <click here> to go to our parts sale page. Do you repair camcorders or other video equipment?We no longer service camcorders, digital video recorders, or other video equipment. We service film cameras, some still digital cameras, some lenses, and Kodak Carousel slide projectors. What if it just needs cleaning?We generally do not quote lower prices for "cleaning". If the camera is dirty enough to be causing a problem, we consider this to be the same as a repair. In our experience, people rarely decide to have equipment serviced unless they are having some sort of problem. If your camera is working properly and is not excessively dirty and has not been exposed to unusual conditions, cleaning is neither necessary nor cost-effective. There are a couple of notable exceptions to this. Cleaning of the CCD on digital SLRs is a routine procedure that normally costs $24, plus return shipping. Some (but not all) cameras have removable focusing screens that can be cleaned. If you see dust or dirt in the viewfinder of your camera and want us to clean it, please <call us>. |