Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers

Camera repair is almost all done by hand today. Core duties like adjusting shutter mechanisms or calibrating light meters require careful hand work ^{[1] [1]}. As O*NET reports, this job is only about 13% automated ^[1] – in other words, robots aren’t doing these tasks yet.

We found no examples of fully automated camera mechanics; even related industries still rely on humans. (For instance, vehicle service technicians use AR headsets to overlay digital schematics on real parts and speed up wiring repairs ^[2], but even that is assistance rather than full automation.) In camera shops, tasks like cleaning lens elements and testing shutter speed are still done with cleaning cloths and manual timing tools, not by AI.

There are a few reasons AI hasn’t swept into this field. First, there aren’t ready-made AI systems for delicate camera work. Technicians mostly rely on ordinary tools and software – for example, basic databases, email and spreadsheets ^[1] – rather than any special AI app.

Second, it’s often cheaper to pay a tech than buy a robot. Camera repairers earn about \$28/hour on average ^[3], so shelling out huge sums for a custom robot doesn’t make financial sense for most small shops. Also, each repair job is often unique and needs a gentle, creative touch.

In short, cameras vary a lot and fixes often involve ‘hands-on’ judgment. Because of that, human skills like careful troubleshooting and steady adjustments remain very valuable, and AI tools haven’t replaced them yet.