Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers
Also called: Aircraft Photographic Equipment Mechanic, Aircraft Photographic Equipment Repairer, Camera Machinist, Camera Mechanic, Camera Prototyping Engineer, Camera Repair Specialist, Camera Repair Technician, Camera Repairer
Repair and adjust cameras and photographic equipment, including commercial video and motion picture camera equipment.
What camera and photographic equipment repairers do
Typical tasks
- Adjust cameras, photographic mechanisms, or equipment such as range and view finders, shutters, light meters, or lens systems, using hand tools.
- Disassemble equipment to gain access to defect, using hand tools.
- Test equipment performance, focus of lens system, diaphragm alignment, lens mounts, or film transport, using precision gauges.
- Clean and lubricate cameras and polish camera lenses, using cleaning materials and work aids.
- Requisition parts or materials.
- Calibrate and verify accuracy of light meters, shutter diaphragm operation, or lens carriers, using timing instruments.
- Examine cameras, equipment, processed film, or laboratory reports to diagnose malfunction, using work aids and specifications.
- Read and interpret engineering drawings, diagrams, instructions, or specifications to determine needed repairs, fabrication method, and operation sequence.
- Measure parts to verify specified dimensions or settings, such as camera shutter speed or light meter reading accuracy, using measuring instruments.
- Fabricate or modify defective electronic, electrical, or mechanical components, using bench lathe, milling machine, shaper, grinder, or precision hand tools, according to specifications.
- Install electrical assemblies and wiring in aircraft camera housings and memory cards or film in cameras, following blueprints and using hand tools and soldering equipment.
- Assemble aircraft cameras, still or motion picture cameras, photographic equipment, or frames, using diagrams, blueprints, bench machines, hand tools, or power tools.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers salary
The median annual wage for camera and photographic equipment repairers is $52,720 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $34,320 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $83,940. The mean annual wage is $56,040.
The mean hourly wage of $26.00 is 3.6× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $52,720 → in 3 years $56,300 → in 5 years $58,800 → in 10 years $65,500 (10-year range $56,400–$76,100). The model assumes pay growth of +2.2% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 3 — medium preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become camera and photographic equipment repairers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as camera and photographic equipment repairers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.