by admin | Feb 22, 2011 | DIY Repairs
Firewire Socket Replacement Procedure
Symptom for firewire socket replacement: The computer doesn’t recognise the camera when connected via firewire cable. Pins in the socket are bent or missing.
Caution: If the socket has been replaced, or the old one looks perfectly OK, the whole main circuit board is suspect and needs to be replaced.
If you can’t get hold of a new or 2nd hand socket it is a board replacement job anyway.
How does an electronic fire-wire problem occur?
Fire-wire is direct data transfer from your editing computer to the main computer of your camera. There are no couple components and in the most cases not even buffer IC’s. That means, if there are any spikes on the data line from your computer to the camera, the fire-wire connection on your camera will be destroyed. That what happens in the most cases, a faulty fire-wire card causes the camera fault in the first place!
Important Firewire socket replacement
Never use a different camera on a suspect computer. Rather connect the camera in question on a computer you know, the fire-wire connection works.
If your camera fault is not listed or you need advice with your particular camera issue click on the logo below.
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by admin | Feb 21, 2011 | DIY Repairs
DIY Capstan Drive Repair
Symptom for capstan drive repair: Error message, the cassette leaves a tape loop during eject. The camcorder won’t release the tape at all. Clicking noises during playback/record and FF/REW.
Often dirt particles and sand in the tape transport mechanism prevent the reel tables or capstan motor from turning.
If you see any sand grains outside and inside the camcorder, it is most likely a cleaning job. Start by dismantling the camera s described in blog post.
Repair procedure
- Remove the complete tape drive
- Drive the upper chassis in full eject position with your variable power supply
- Clean the whole chassis thoroughly with a brush
- Try to turn the capstan motor rotor with by hand from the front on the shaft, or at the back
- If the rotor doesn’t turn at all, sand or dirt is preventing it from turning. You need to pull off the rotor and clean it from underneath and the stator with a brush.
- Furthermore you want to pay very close attention to the capstan belt and all gears involved in driving the real tables. Little sand grains may sit between the teeth and need to be removed for proper operation.
- Once the mechanism is clean and assembled, drive the chassis into eject and play position and turn the capstan motor by hand to check for proper function.
- Now you can assemble the camera in reverse order and test it in all functions.
Capstan Motor mounted on chassis - Rotor pulled off
Capstan Drive from the back of chassis
If your camera fault is not listed or you need advice with your particular camera issue click on the logo below.
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by admin | Feb 21, 2011 | DIY Repairs
DIY Lens Repair Procedure
Symptom - Lens shutter doesn’t open and/or lens doesn’t extend or retract. In addition the display shows an error message and the camera makes a beep noise.
Caution - This camera repair applies only to sand and dirt damaged cameras. Impact damaged cameras usually require a whole lens replacement, which is most likely an uneconomical repair.
In most cases it is sand grains and dirt inside the gearbox, which drives the lens segments in and out. In order to clean the lens and gearbox the whole lens assembly needs to be pulled out of the camera.
To drive the lens motor manually, we use a variable power supply at the motor terminals of the lens mechanism. Furthermore you need a brush to clean the camera before and while disassembling. You can use compressed air in hard to reach places.
Camera Repair/Part Replacement
In most cases you have to undo the screws and remove the back cover, the LCD screen and perhaps a circuit board or two. Once you have access to the screw which hold the lens inside the housing, undo them, disconnect all cables and flexible circuit boards and remove the whole lens assembly including CCD and gear box at the side. With just the lens assy in front of you, remove the screws and cover of the gear box. Take out any dirty gears and clean all the teeth with a brush or compressed air. Now assemble the gearbox and apply 3-5V from your variable power supply at the terminals of the motor. Once the lens extends and retracts smoothly, you can start assembling the camera in reverse order. If not you may want to repeat the cleaning procedure again. After the cleaning the lens should work fully in and out even with lower voltage without any stopping.
After you assembled the camera check it in all functions.
Good luck and great success.
Dismantled gear box without cogs
To avoid any damage and self induced faults, check out our Camera Care Video.
For more technical knowledge about camcorders I recommend THE Camcorder Handbook, or the Camcorder Technology Course
If your camera fault is not listed or you need advice with your particular camera issue go here.
For free repair estimates
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- Australia–wide send in service
- ALL BRANDS, Video & Photo
- Professional & Domestic equipment
- Very competitive rates
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by admin | Feb 19, 2011 | DIY Repairs
Camcorder Disc Drive Replacement
Symptom: The camera won’t play or record any discs and comes up with an error message.
Caution: If the disc cover physically won’t release or close, there is most likely an issue with the disc release mechanism. This is not part of the disc drive!
Disc drives are none serviceable items and need to be replaced as a whole unit. The disc drive contains of laser and disc mechanism including spindle motor.
Repair/Replacement
The camera needs to be dismantled to remove the whole recorder mechanism. Disconnect all cables and flexible circuit boards from the mechanism to the circuit board before unscrewing and removing the disc drive.
From here you just go ahead, replace the mechanism and assemble the camcorder. The disc drive is usually aligned in the factory as it comes complete with laser and motor.
Once the camera is aligned, test it with the different disc types it supposed to work with.
DVD-Disc Drive (bottom view)
Camcorder DVD Drive (top view)
To avoid any damage and self induced faults, check out our Camera Care Video.
If your camera fault is not listed or you need advice with your particular camera issue click on the logo below.
For free repair estimates
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- Australia–wide send in service
- ALL BRANDS, Video & Photo
- Professional & Domestic equipment
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by admin | Feb 19, 2011 | DIY Repairs
LCD Ribbon Replacement for Camcorders
Symptom for : Side screen has no picture or lines. Touch screen can work perfectly. The picture in eye is viewer OK.
Caution: Test all functions in record and playback to see if there is further damage to the camera, which would make a repair uneconomically.
LCD Ribbon Replacement
- Dismantle the camera as far as you need to, to remove the whole side cover, which supports the Flip-out screen.
- Disconnect the flexible circuit board, which leads to the hinge unit.
- Unscrew and open the side screen itself.
- Undo the flexible circuit board and screws which hold the side screen and remove it from the hinge.
- At this point I would like to advice to take several close-up photos, which reveal how the ribbon cable is fed through the hinge for later reference.
- Prepare the new ribbon cable by folding it like the old one.
- Now unscrew and remove the plastic cover attached to the hinge and replace the ribbon cable.
- Assemble the hinge, fit it in the side case and assemble the whole camera in reverse order.
- Test all functions – Done!
Side Screen Hinge and Flexible circuit board
New Side Screen Ribbon
To avoid any damage and self induced faults, check out our Camera Care Video.
For more technical knowledge about LCD ribbon replacement and camcorders I recommend THE Camcorder Handbook, or the Camcorder Technology Course
If your camera fault is not listed or you need advice with your particular camera issue click on the logo below.
For free repair estimates
- Fast Free workshop Estimate
- Australia–wide send in service
- ALL BRANDS, Video & Photo
- Professional & Domestic equipment
- Very competitive rates
- 6 month warranty on repairs
- 24/7 online job tracking
- Technician advice
by admin | Feb 19, 2011 | DIY Repairs
Camera Iris Repair
Symptom for Iris Repair : No Camera picture in camera mode, sound is normal. Playback is OK.
Alignment/adjustment checks: check exposure in different light conditions
ATTN: No camera picture or black screen can also be caused by a faulty CCD image chip!
Check: unscrew the CCD, leave the ribbon cable connected and pull the CCD slightly away from the lens. If the monitor lights up with some sort of picture, it is an iris problem!
Iris Repair / Replacement
- Dismantle the camera and remove the lens assembly including CCD.
- Locate the screw which holds the iris inside the lens and remove it.
- Carefully pull or push the iris outside the lens.
- Watch the flexible circuit board which connects all of the lens components.
- If you need to solder (try to avoid it), watch the temperature. It should be below 400 degrees.
- Spray the iris blades with contact cleaner, which doesn’t leave any residue.
- Use a little screw driver to force the blades open and close several times, by moving the little lever on the iris motor.
- Let it dry for a few minutes and check if the closes easily by itself. It is spring loaded closed without power (most of them).
- Repeat this cleaning procedure several times if necessary.
- Refit the iris into the lens and the lens into the camera.
- Assemble the camera in reverse order.
Camcorder lens with iris
To avoid any damage and self induced faults, check out our Camera Care Video.
For more technical knowledge about camcorders I recommend THE Camcorder Handbook, or the Camcorder Technology Course
If your camera fault is not listed or you need advice with your particular camera issue click on the logo below.
For free repair estimates
- Fast Free workshop Estimate
- Australia–wide send in service
- ALL BRANDS, Video & Photo
- Professional & Domestic equipment
- Very competitive rates
- 6 month warranty on repairs
- 24/7 online job tracking
- Technician advice
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