How mail-in repair works
No repair shop nearby? It does not matter where in the EU you live: the courier network is our counter. Here is exactly what happens from the moment you decide to send us your equipment to the moment it is back in your hands.
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STEP 01
Ship your gear
Pack your camera or lens and ship it to our lab in Ancona, Italy, with the courier of your choice (at your cost). No customs paperwork inside the EU.
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STEP 02
Free diagnosis
Our technicians inspect your equipment and identify the fault. Diagnosis costs nothing — you owe nothing until you approve a repair.
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STEP 03
Fixed quote
You receive a written quote with a fixed price and the repair turnaround for your specific job. No hidden costs. You decide whether to go ahead.
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STEP 04
Repair & warranty
We repair, test and calibrate your equipment. Every repair is covered by a 6-month warranty.
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STEP 05
Return shipping — €20 flat
Your gear travels back to you by UPS, tracked, for a flat €20 to most EU destinations. Remote areas and islands may need a separate quote. Transit insurance is available on request.
Nothing is repaired without your explicit approval of the written quote. If you decline, or if the equipment turns out to be beyond economical repair, you owe nothing for the diagnosis — only the €20 return shipping (or we recycle the equipment for free if you prefer).
Typical timeline
- Transit to Ancona
- 2–5 working days (depends on your courier)
- Diagnosis
- When your parcel arrives we confirm receipt by email. Diagnosis is free — we inspect the equipment and email you a fixed quote, and nothing is charged until you approve it.
- Repair after your approval
- Simple jobs (sensor cleaning, firmware) 1–2 working days; camera bodies about 2–3 weeks; complex lens, vintage and film work about a month. Your exact turnaround is stated in the quote.
- Return shipping
- 2–5 working days by UPS, tracked — €20 flat to most of the EU (remote areas and islands may need a separate quote)
Return shipping is tracked; optional transit insurance for the declared value is available on request.
How to pack your equipment
Almost all transport damage we see comes from poor packing. Two minutes of care avoids it entirely:
- Use a double box: the camera or lens wrapped in bubble wrap inside a smaller box, then that box inside a larger one with padding on all six sides.
- Remove the battery and memory card (keep them — we do not need them unless the fault is power-related; if it is, mention it and include the battery).
- Detach the lens from the body and pack them separately, each with front and rear caps fitted.
- Do not ship loose accessories, straps, bags or filters we did not ask for.
- Sending more than one item? Pack each one separately inside the same box — one form, one parcel, one reference covers them all.
- Put a note inside with your name, email address and a short description of the fault.
- Choose a tracked service. Inside the EU there are no customs forms — it ships like a domestic parcel.
Where to ship
European Camera Repair (c/o Fotoriparatore)
Via Primo Maggio 16
60131 Ancona, Italy
Include the confirmation of your repair form inside the parcel, ship with a tracked and insured service, and every incoming parcel is logged on arrival.
EU only — why not the UK?
Since Brexit, shipments between the UK and Italy require customs declarations in both directions, with possible duties, VAT handling and delays entirely outside our control. To keep prices fixed and turnaround predictable, we currently accept repairs from EU member states only. Inside the EU single market there are no customs, no forms and no surprises.
Ready to get your gear working again?
Tell us what is wrong, ship your equipment to our lab in Ancona, and we take care of the rest. Diagnosis is always free — you only pay if you approve the quote.