Originally posted by stevebrot Unlike the precision-made mechanical cameras of the past, your digital camera is engineered to fail catastrophically after a certain number of exposures and will not be repairable for less than the price of a new replacement. Every shutter release brings that day closer.
That's a big overdramatic, don't you think. It's not really a vast conspiracy - with most products there is a target lifespan, but this is mostly due to controlling unit cost. You might be happy to pay more for a camera which will last longer, but how many others will?
With regards to repair, remember that most modern electronics are manufactured on partially, or fully automated production lines, with inventory delivered on a just in time basis.
To support servicing requires a stock of spare parts, sitting there, costing money while they wait to be useful. It also requires the time of a skilled human to repair the item. Given how aggressively manufacturing costs are minimised, is it really surprising that repair isn't economical for most of these items?
To give a parallel example, my day job is as a software developer (specialised business software). Generally, whenever any performance issues crop up, it is better value to simply buy faster hardware than it is to look at altering the software. Crazy? Yes, but the market wants the best return on investment, and that is how it is achieved.
(BTW...interested in knowing an item with an even worse resale value? Try to sell a used diamond engagement ring...worth about 25-30 cents on the dollar...)
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Diamonds are basically the biggest scam on the planet. Until very recently, they were a market controlled by a small cartel who controlled the supply to give the illusion of scarcity...