DIY Nikon camera repair

When you ask Google how to fix your long-suffering camera on your own, smart Google somehow doesn't really advise doing it.

Most often, there are tips not to repair cameras yourself, but to give them to people with special knowledge and skills. Otherwise, you can be so refurbished that then no reanimation measures will help.

However, we are after all interested to see what is inside - all of a sudden some wiring is sealed off or a lot of dust has collected. Then, after wiping off the dust, we can be very proud that we have repaired the camera ourselves!

However, in all fairness, it should be noted that repairing a camera is not an easy task and takes a lot of time and mental strength.

Google is right in many ways. Modern cameras are such that it's a big problem not only to fix it, but also to correctly disassemble it. What and in what order to unscrew, not everyone can understand. And especially nervous people can pick up a hammer.

However, if a person from childhood likes to engage in radio engineering and went to the "Skillful pens" circle, then the likelihood that the camera will be able to take a couple of pictures increases. But here, in addition to talent, you also need to be able to take risks and have one more camera in stock, just in case. Well, actually, all of us are driven, as I have already noted above, a desire familiar from childhood - “And what's inside. "

Another important detail should be noted. The cost of repairing a digital camera is often the same as the cost of the camera itself. And a person is faced with a choice whether to repair a broken apparatus or buy a new one. And at the same time dig deeper into the insides of the first.

What if it turns out to be repaired! This is what moral satisfaction you can get!

So, the choice is yours - take the camera for repair or buy a new one. Or repair complex digital equipment yourself and get previously unexplored moral satisfaction and pride in yourself.

Who disassembled the first SLR camera in life, it might seem that half a bucket of various screws and screws had been unscrewed. We will not describe each screw in detail. We will omit some aspects of the disassembly, because, trust me, somewhere on the seventieth screw, you will get bored, you will lose interest in the article and we will not get to the most important thing - the inner filling of the camera.

When starting to repair electronic equipment, first of all, you must turn off the power. In case of repairing a DSLR - remove the battery from the camera compartment.

The Nikon D5100 battery type is EN-EL14 Li-ion 7.4 V 1030 mAh, this type of battery is also used in the D3100 SLR camera and Nikon COOLPIX P700 digital camera.

In order to dismantle the rear part of the case, unscrew the screws on the lower part of the camera case, on the right and left sides, in other words, everything that is around the perimeter of the case.

Unforgettable about one hidden screw under the rubber pad (thumb grip), as shown in the photo above.

Carefully dismantle the back of the case. Remember that the back cover is still held by two cables.

First, we lift the connector latch and remove the cable going to the control buttons, then carefully disconnect the display cable from the motherboard, as shown in the photo above.

In the next part we will look at the composition of the Nikon D5100 DSLR mainboard ...

The process of obtaining a high-quality photograph initially required a lot of skill and experience.With the invention of digital cameras, a new era began in photography. Anyone can capture a moment in digital format and, if desired, transfer their work to paper or photo frame.

• First, the room must be practically sterile. Otherwise, a speck that gets on the matrix or internal lenses of the photo lens will spoil all your photographs.
• Secondly, it is desirable to have good illumination of the table surface on which the digital camera will be disassembled. You will be surprised how small screws hold the internal parts of the camera.
• The third condition is preliminary disassembly of the digital camera for troubleshooting, as a result of which a large number of small screws of various sizes and the parts of the lens with lenses and a photo matrix are stored in disassembled form until the purchase of the part instead of the faulty one.

The most important thing is to carefully remember the sequence in which you shoot the parts of the digital camera, because you will have to assemble them in the reverse order.
For ease of use, we recommend pre-magnetizing the screwdrivers.
The cost of disassembling and assembling such a camera in a service center is 1500 rubles. If you are a DIY and enjoy exploring the device of a digital camera, then the time and patience you spend will more than pay off with the awareness of the money saved and the experience gained. If you still doubt the availability of patience and proper skill, it is better to contact specialized service centers. To have a camera repaired in a service center means getting a high-quality repair, accompanied by warranty obligations. Indeed, in case of failure, the time and effort spent cannot be compensated for by colorful photographs taken with a refurbished digital camera.

Lens malfunction - this must be the most common failure of digital cameras. Some common error messages that may appear on the display of cameras with this issue include“E18 lens” (“E18 lens error” on older Canon models), “ACCESS” (access error) (Sony), “Zoom Error” (Fuji), “Lens Obstructed” (“lens problem”) (Kodak), “Lens> error, restart camera” or just “lens error” (almost all camera manufacturers use this option lately). Some cameras may not show anything at all on the display, but only beep, the lens moves in and the camera turns off. Sometimes the lens won't even extend.

The problem is actually quite common with all digital camera models. Usually it is sand or other small particles that get into the lens extension mechanism and autofocus mechanism. Or the camera was dropped with the lens extended. The camera may have been turned on, but the lens was prevented from extending (for example, it was accidentally turned on in the bag). It happens that after extending the lens, the batteries run out and the camera turns off with the extended lens. Believe it or not, one of the causes of lens malfunctions is the use of cases and purses. Sand, dirt, fibers, etc. accumulate at the bottom of the case. These materials like to cling to the camera body due to rubbing electrostatic charge (especially when the case is soft and fluffy). After these particles find their way into the lens mechanism and error messages occur. I own a lot of Canon cameras and never use cases for this very reason.

For the owner of the camera with this problem, there may be no point in contacting the warranty workshop. Many camera manufacturers will not cover this issue under warranty.According to them, this is due to damage to the camera due to shock or sand or debris trapped in the lens extension mechanism (none of which are covered by the warranty). The cost of repairs is usually close to or more than what the camera actually costs. Since warranty workshops in most cases change a faulty lens for a new one, the cost of which is high as a spare part.

Fortunately, about half of the cameras that suffer from this trouble can be easily fixed by one of the following methods. None of these methods require disassembling the camera, although some can cause other damage if overdone and careless. If the camera is still under warranty, before applying any of these, please visit your camera manufacturer's warranty workshop to see if the repair will be covered under warranty, or to determine how much they will charge for paid repairs. Who knows, you might get lucky. But if they list an amount that is higher than the value of your camera, you may want to consider the following methods. Here is a video description of each of the troubleshooting methods, followed by a detailed description of them.

The methods are listed in order of risk of damage to your camera. Therefore, you should try them in the order shown. And remember that these methods (in particular, No. 6 and 7) should be considered only for cameras for which the warranty period has expired, the indicated repair cost would be excessive. If these methods did not lead to the correction of the error, it is possible to contact a paid service, the cost of repair in which is lower than in the warranty.

Method 1: Remove the batteries from the camera, wait a few minutes. Insert a fresh set of batteries (preferably rechargeable NiMH 2500 mAh or higher) and turn on the camera. If you have been using batteries for more than a year, consider purchasing new batteries as they may not provide enough power to start the camera.

Method 1a: If new batteries do not work, try pressing and holding the Menu, Function, Set, or OK button while turning on the camera. This, along with Method 1 and # 2, sometimes works to correct lens errors that occur due to low battery power when the lens is extended.

Method 1b: For those of you who were able to access the camera menu with this error, try locating and selecting “reset” to reset the camera to its original position. On some Canon cameras, this requires holding the menu button with the power button for up to 10 seconds. Note, however, that a lens error may sometimes prevent the reset option and thus the parameter may not be displayed.

Method 2: If the camera's batteries are completely discharged while its lens was still open, the camera may show a lens error or not start correctly when new batteries are installed. Remove the memory card and do not insert it into the camera, then install new batteries. When you turn on the camera without a card, it may come back to life as it causes a reset in some models. Error E30 (for old Canon) means that you have no card installed, so you should turn off the camera, insert the card and turn it on again.

Method 3: Insert its audio / video (AV) cable into the camera and turn on the camera. Connecting the cable ensures that the camera's LCD remains off while the process begins. Thus, additional battery power will be available to the camera lens motor during startup. This extra power can be helpful in bridging dust or sand that can interfere with the lens. If the AV cable does not correct the lens error on its own, I consider keeping that cable installed on the line when trying to fix 4, 5, and 7 as a means of providing extra power to aid in those attempts. But please note that I do not recommend keeping the cable installed during the Fix 6 process as this may damage the AV port when trying to turn on the camera.

Method 4: Place the camera on its back on a table with the lens pointing towards the ceiling. Press and hold the shutter button and at the same time press the power button.The idea is that the camera will try to autofocus while the lens is being extended. Hopefully while the lens extends and the autofocus lens moves, the guide pins will sit in place.

Method 5: Use a rubber blower to blow out the gaps between the lens cups with compressed air. The idea is to blow out sand or other debris stuck in the lens mechanism. Other options for blowing out are using a hair dryer in cold mode or sucking air out of the lens gaps (be careful with this!). Some people use a vacuum cleaner for this.

We are now entering the area of ​​potentially dangerous camera rescue methods. There is certainly some risk, so be careful when doing the following:

Method 5a: If you actually notice sand particles in the cavity around the lens barrel and the airflow does not help knock them out, consider using tissue paper or a sewing needle to help remove them. Take special care not to scratch the lens barrel with the needle. Also, I do not recommend going too deep around the lens barrel with paper (do not go deeper than 1 cm). I especially do not recommend deep probing around the outermost (largest) part of the lens barrel, as you can knock out the anti-dust pad that sits just inside this gap.

Method 6: Hit the rubber USB cover repeatedly with the intention of knocking out any particles that might be obstructing the lens. It is also possible to tap the camera body with the palm of your hand. Many people report the success of this method. However, there are also some obvious possibilities of damage or displacement of internal components using this method, such as loose cables from connectors, or cracked LCD screens.

Method 6a: This is a variation of Method 6 and is applicable if the lens barrels are straight (not bent by impact). In other words, try this if there is no obvious mechanical damage to the barrels that is causing the problem. With the lens facing down, try to “gently” tap the lens from all sides with a small object such as a pen or pencil. The idea is to try to knock out sand particles that might interfere with the movement of the lens frames. Try turning the camera on and off at the same time while you are doing this.

Method 7a: Note that this correction method is intended only for cameras whose lens extends, then stops, passing part of the way, and then returns to its original position. Try to grab and hold the smallest front lens barrel at its most extended position, preventing the lens from returning. Inspect and clean the area around the lens cups from dust and sand. Turn the camera off and on again. If the lens extends further, grab the front glass again to prevent it from coming back. Repeat cleaning again. Turn the camera off and on again to see if the problem has gone away.

Method 7b: The most extreme fix. Just keep in mind that this is absolutely the last method before discarding your camera, and there is obvious potential for further damage to the camera with this method. You may want to consider this technique if the lens is visibly and clearly damaged, bent, or distorted, such as from dropping. In this case, try thinking of the lens as a dislocated shoulder. Try forcing the lens to straighten and snap back into place. In this case, the pins of the lens cups will be in their guides. Your goal is to try to transplant them by straightening the lens. Listen for a “click” confirming that the pins have jumped into the guides, and immediately stop further efforts at this point. More and more people are reporting the success of this method compared to any other method.

Variations on Method 7b: Gently pull, rotate, and / or twist the lens barrel while pressing the power button. Check the lens for any hint of tilt or unevenness. Again, the goal is to try to straighten or align the barrels if they are bent or kinked. Another option is to look for uneven gaps around the lens barrel and then push down on the side of the lens barrel that has the largest clearance (note that pushing the lens barrel all the way in is not recommended as it may get stuck there). Again, with all of the above, you should listen to the "click", which means the pins of the glasses hit the guide grooves. If you hear this sound, stop immediately and try turning on the camera.

I always wanted to see what the camera had under the body, and now, the opportunity presented itself. My old Nikon D-80 fell into the water with the photographer and the camera went bad a little. “After returning from there,” I mean, from the service center, she was asked to retire. And although the camera can still be reanimated, which I talked about in the review about extreme cameras, I, in self-education, decided to disassemble it in order to learn how to repair it.

ERR error blinking in the information display is possibly a Nikon D80 shutter error... Usually, in such cases, when the shutter release button is pressed, only the mirror is activated and the shutter curtain does not rise. Sometimes this problem can be fixed without changing parts. You just need to disassemble, get to the shutter and manually put the curtains in place, or repair the program gear. But let's not get into the jungle by just looking a little inside the camera.

- Screwdriver PH00 (from a set of watch screwdrivers) - it is better to get a good one;
- Tweezers;
- Pin;
- Organizer box for parts;
- Rag-bedding (flannel);

After reading a guide from Nikon "D80 repair manual", I got down to business. We begin to disassemble the camera, after removing the lens, taking out the battery and flash drive.

Remove the bottom of the case by unscrewing 8 screws. Next, you need to unscrew the side screws - 2 on the left and 2 on the right to remove the back of the case.
I did not remove the left side of the case, as there is a capacitor under it. Attention, high voltage - be careful, the capacitor can hit hard, as well as damage the camera with a discharge. It is recommended to discharge it by shorting to a 2 kOhm / 5 w resistor.

Inside, at the top, there is a ribbon cable to the board, which must be disconnected by bending the clip.
Pay attention - there are loops, and there are, I call them, connectors or harness (in the repair manual). A ribbon cable is a flat plastic orange ribbon cable with thin veins inside. It just lies on the contacts, held by a narrow clamp bar. All clips are folded towards the center of the board. And harness is a belt made of white wires - it can be pulled out like a plug from an outlet.

Remove the rear metal strip by unscrewing 7 screws.

To remove the first large board, you need to disconnect 3 loops and 2 connectors. This work requires accuracy and precision. You need to figure out how to disconnect and connect them.

The board now rests on two wires. I do not own a soldering iron, so - let it hang - does not interfere.

Now let's remove the front part of the case.

You can raise the flash using the spring action plate.

Unscrew the 2 screws located under the flash. Strange, but I didn't have them. Looks like they stole it in the service center. Now unscrew the 2 screws on the front housing below the flash.

There is a screw on the side under the AF-M switch. Hook up the switch tab with a pin, unscrew the screw, remove the switch.

Remove the front section of the housing. If it is held by the bayonet cover, remove it, then put it back.
Remove the battery compartment by unscrewing 1 screw inside.Unscrew 1 screw at the front under the left side panel and remove.

We go back. Unscrew the 3 screws on the right holding the metal plate and remove it.

Unscrew 1 screw and remove the small board on the right.

Remove the eyecup and unscrew 2 screws near it, as well as 1 screw each on the bottom right and left. The upper part of the case is now resting on the 1st screw under the diopter adjustment wheel. Use a pin to remove the blotch and unscrew the screw by removing the wheel. Removing the top of the case, disconnect the ribbon cable on the right.

Be extremely careful. All details are very delicate. In case of inept handling, you can pierce the train.

I didn’t disassemble it further, but it was not far from the shutter - a dozen screws and two boards. Or even less. The main thing is that I satisfied my curiosity. Maybe later, I will analyze it further. Collect it back ...

The post is intended for all owners of Nikon D40 with 18-135mm lens. The article will warn and warn about a possible malfunction. If the lens strikes a hard surface, it may crackle. If you look at the light, you can see that the diaphragm blades are crumbling.

Repairing such a malfunction in a service center will cost a little less than the cost of a new lens. Those who are faced with the choice of renting out or buying a new one can try to repair the optics on their own.

It is better to get to the optics from the back.

Disassembly begins with unscrewing 3 screws on the bayonet and two on the contact group

Next, the mounting ring is removed along with the diaphragm lever

These are calibration pads. Most likely, they regulate back and front focus.

The lens group at the back is secured with three screws at the back. Three screws higher up connect the lenses into a group.

Focus mode switch and focus ring itself.

Unscrew 6 screws on the inner glass.

To remove a further group of lenses, you need a special tool. The group is deep in the lens.

There are many complaints about the auto focus motor. It is believed to be out of order frequently. In fact, it looks very reliable, which cannot be said about the diaphragm unit.

Next, you can remove the boards and the motor. This will not do much, but they will not interfere with further disassembly.

You can make your own wrench to remove the front lens.

A focusing group is visible near the front lens group. To dismantle this group of lenses, you need to loosen, or it is better to completely unscrew the two screws on the guide at the rear of the lens. After that, you need to rotate the group counterclockwise and gradually push it forward.

After all these actions, you can get to the diaphragm. The crackle is caused by the small spring that closes the diaphragm. Reinstalling the spring without special skills and tools is problematic. She becomes under the petals. It is impossible to get there without disassembling the diaphragm unit.

If you assemble a lens without a spring, all of its functions, except the ability to close the aperture, are preserved.

And some more photos of the front of the lens.

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#21 sla

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• Group: Users
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Alex87 (09 July 2015 - 11:33):

#22 Yurydan

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Alex87 (09 July 2015 - 11:33):
I put it on glue Sekunda is especially transparent at 4 points where there was an adhesive tape. Withstood the day. everything works great. Good pictures to everyone.

and the amalgam is not dissolved by the glue?

#23 sla

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Yurydan (10 July 2015 - 09:46):

#24 Alex87

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#25 Alex87

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#26 sla

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Alex87 (11 July 2015 - 00:02):

Well, it's good that everything turned out well.

And then I glued my wife's glasses with a second (also very transparent), so they flew apart exactly a week later and seemed to have no load in the place of gluing ((
Clay Sekunda has the ability to sometimes dry up into dust and moreover suddenly.

Message changed: sla (11 July 2015 - 20:52)

#27 Yurydan

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#28 Yurydan

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#29 sla

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Yurydan (11 July 2015 - 20:51):

#30 Alex87

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#31 Irbis_SnowCat

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#32 sla

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Alex87 (16 July 2015 - 09:50):

Thanks for the information.

Keep us informed and if it's not difficult, unsubscribe after a while (a few months at least), such an experience is the most valuable thing that you can learn first-hand

#33 Nord87

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Finally I found my post, but forgot the password and write under a different nickname. Carcass assembly - THAILAND. First, the front mirror fell off, then the lower small one. I decided to do it myself. I glued it with glue “Sekunda”. I worked up to 500 frames and again everything fell off. The amalgam is intact.
In October this year I arrived in Voronezh. I gave the carcass to a service accredited for Nikon at 86, 20-Let Oktyabrya Street. They kept it for a month and, citing the lack of spare parts, they returned it back. They did not glue it.
VERDICT: I did everything myself. In a car shop I bought a two-component glue “Perma oxi 5 min” USA for 400 rubles, in a shop I bought a large desktop magnifying glass for 1000 rubles, poured some alcohol (for degreasing). I fiddled for a long time, tk. Needs accuracy and patience. Under a magnifying glass, everything is clearly visible, so I did not disassemble the carcass. Where the glue crawled out a little from under the mirror was removed with alcohol until it froze. Then he cleaned the surface of the mirrors. I waited a day (instructions for the glue). The mirrors are glued tight.
I am glad for the good work of the camera and I WISH THE SAME TO ALL FORUM RESIDENTS.

Services are extremely reluctant to take Nikon cameras for repair, citing the lack of spare parts.

#34 What is not

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Nord87 (23 November 2015 - 20:04):

What services? Without a name and status? Not surprising. Where can they get spare parts from?

From the article you will find out how things are going with the repair of Nikon SLR cameras in Ukraine.

It is not difficult: the circuitry of Nikon cameras is thought out, high quality of material and workmanship.
No surprises: hidden screws, fragile parts, etc.

D80, which has problems with the programming gear.
If you are the owner of this model, starting from the 80th thousand of the shutter actuation, check the gear. In order not to miss the moment when it just bursts.

The positive is that it is repaired cheaply and quickly, it works happily ever after after the repair.
Repair takes a maximum of a day, no replacement parts are needed.

For reportage, rapid-fire models (D700, 710, 720, 750), there is a “non-return” mirror.
This is the rate of fire.
The mirror lifting mechanism wears out - it is quick and easy to change.
And it also works long and fruitfully afterwards.

The bouncing diaphragm tongue is made of delicate material and sits close to the mount.
Due to inaccurate use, the diaphragm bends and “sticks”.
This is the only thing worth considering. Applies to all models.

In terms of speed and efficiency of repairing Nikon cameras, Kiev is in the lead.
Nikons are also successfully repaired in Kharkov and Zaporozhye.

In other cities it is more difficult: cameras are often sent from Sumy, Cherkasy, Chernivtsi, Vinnitsa, Zhitomir, Odessa.
The geography is growing.

A high-quality, adequate camera.
Original parts are available in Ukraine, repair methods without replacement have been worked out and have shown themselves to be 100%.
We fix 80% of breakdowns in 2-5 days.

One way or another, all models get “for repair”.

For 10 years of repairing cameras, the master “opened” models, starting with the D70-90, and ending with the D 200, 300.

Models of type D1, D2, D3 only got to the duty replacement of the shutter from exhaustion or cleaning the matrix. It is too expensive to drop or hit them, and they do not break in any other way.

Standard breakdowns rest on mechanical wear of the shutter or its elements.
This applies to everyone.
The rest of the Nikons are workhorses.

Do not drop, do not fill - and the camera will work out every frame according to its conscience.

From the price of the part and the urgency with which you need a working camera.

This video review is about Nikon D40 disassembly

Remove the cover and take out the battery. We unscrew all the cogs.

Disconnect the bottom panel. Remove the upper part where the display is. Disconnect the cable, move the lock. We remove the front part.

Now we have access to the flash capacitor, which must be discharged. This is a very important point!

We set one contact to minus, the second to plus of the capacitor.

I have a light bulb and I can visually see when the discharge has occurred. I have it discharged. Unfasten all visible locks. We begin to disconnect all the cables.

We unscrew the motherboard.

Now you need to unsolder the wires. There are 5 wires on one side.

On the other side there are 2 black contacts. These are negative ones.

Lift the board and unfasten the power cable.

We remove the lower part of the case. Metallic which pulls together. Roughly speaking, the frame of the camera.

Also remove the top. Remove the eyecup.

I'll check the capacitor again. If it is charged, it will be irreparable.

If it runs out. Plus, even on the case, such an electromagnetic surge will occur, which will disable most of the electronics on the board.

That the fee will become unaffordable. Someone discharges with screwdrivers, by closing. It is not right.

We unscrew the metal frame that pulls together the main parts of the case.

Now we unscrew the mirror module miror ace itself. It is held in place by four screws. It is not necessary to shoot the matrix!

Just unscrew, then extract. We also need to unsolder three wires. To do this, you need to slide the capacitor up, which is glued to double-sided tape.

And unsolder. It is not necessary to unsolder pink, we solder only red and black. The motor control driver was unsoldered from the control board.

If you do not unsolder the wires when you connect the power supply, the motor control microcircuit may fail.

This voltage goes not only to the motor, but also to the microcircuit, which leads to a breakdown.