# Anyone Repair your own DSLR Bodies?



## Mt Spokane Photography (Aug 27, 2014)

I bought a old 5D classic lest weekend, it had a scratch on the lcd cover, and the tine / date battery did not work, so I had to reset the time / Date every time I replaced the main battery.

The LCD cover replacement was easy, I bought a replacement from ebay for $4.88 and replaced the old one in 5 minutes, its something I've done on other cameras I've owned.

I also decided to try fixing the battery issue, and found a free download of the 5D classic maintenance manual online. It turned out that disassembly was easy. I already have JIS type screwdrivers required for screws on Canon lenses, and the rubber covers on the camera body peel back easily to get at screws to disassemble the camera. I'm at a disadvantage with my big fingers and poor eyesight, but still managed to tear down the camera to where I could get at the button battery interface module to remove it. That's where I hit a snag. There are some fine wires going thru a ferrite core that is glued to the module, and I'd have to completely disassemble the camera right down to the mirror box, unsolder the two wires to pull it out. That seemed excessive to me just to get that little part out, and I think there was only a small chance that a new one would fix the issue.

Still, for most repairs, like replacing the main board, or replacing the CF card slot, it would only take a few minutes and is a quick and easy repair. There is no need to disturb the sensor or any of the critical parts that must have precision alignment with special tools.

Because the 5D is such a old body, parts are relatively cheap, so doing it yourself is a option and messing up a repair on a old camera would not be a huge loss.


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## AcutancePhotography (Aug 27, 2014)

You are braver than I am. Good luck with it. I would be very interested in some pictures of this process.


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## Tanispyre (Aug 27, 2014)

I would also have loved to see some photos. Also where do you get your parts for the cameras?


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Aug 27, 2014)

This is the first DSLR repair I've tried other than replacing the LCD covers (they cannot be replaced on newer bodies any longer).

I'll buy parts from Canon, a distributor, or even ebay depending on who has it in stock. The cheap $5 LCD cover came from China, it may be a fake, but it looks and fits good. A fake piece of clear plastic isn't a concern to me, a fake battery is!

I did not take photos, I only spent a hour for the whole disassemble / reassemble process, including the replacement lcd cover. I was in a hurry to get it over with, my PC dies and I needed to put the remains back together today. I narrowed it down to a processor or motherboard issue, its not worth it to replace them, its a old i7 first generation processor. I'll probably get a new processor / motherboard / memory when Haswell E comes out. I might spring for updated video as well. In the meantime, I have a New Dell XPS 8700 arriving tomorrow, along with a SSD and hard drive. I'll remove the hard drive with windows 8.1 and put in the Samsung MSATA SSD and a 3TB Hard drive and install Windows 7 64 bit. Then, a 2nd DVD Burner. I'll rotate the oldest one (i7 2nd gen) to my workshop and use the newer one in my office. I usually upgrade every 2 years and rotate them, so the dead one is from 2008.


I'd recommend that a person get the service manual for their camera, knowing the right screws to remove plus the warnings about dressing the wires properly and placement of the light seals are worthwhile. There are instructions for shimming the lens mount, the focus screen and the sensor, but I'd only do the focus screen, since some high precision tools are needed for the other jobs that are more accurate than my 1/1000 in dial indicator.

I use frog tape doubled and stuck to my workbench in several places and place the screws on it in the approximate location that they came from. This keeps me from knocking them off and helps keep them organized. I also have a pretty good assortment of various sized screws just in case I lose one.


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## AcutancePhotography (Aug 28, 2014)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I use frog tape doubled and stuck to my workbench in several places and place the screws on it in the approximate location that they came from.



This is a clever idea! 

Losing screws is one thing, but mixing up the arrangement is something else. Your solution is simple and elegant. Best of all, it is cheap, inexpensive and it does not cost too much.


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## Don Haines (Aug 28, 2014)

At work, when I dis-assemble an unfamiliar piece of equipment, I shoot a video of me doing so....

It has helped several times on re-assembly......


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Aug 28, 2014)

Don Haines said:


> At work, when I dis-assemble an unfamiliar piece of equipment, I shoot a video of me doing so....
> 
> It has helped several times on re-assembly......



That's a good idea. I happened to have the Canon service manual which has step by step instructions, drawings and photographs, and even the type and length of the screws at each location, so taking my own photos wasn't needed.


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## Valvebounce (Aug 29, 2014)

Hi Don. 
Tsk tsk! When you disassemble things you are unfamiliar with, you trust your memory. When you reassemble them you replace the bits you can remember place the remains in a box, proudly proclaim " look at all the bits I've saved" and rest easy in the knowledge that you know better than the designer 'cause all those other bits were superfluous! :
This works best if the item continues to function but is acceptable if the item looks complete and you can get away without demonstrating functionality! ;D

Cheers, Graham. 



Don Haines said:


> At work, when I dis-assemble an unfamiliar piece of equipment, I shoot a video of me doing so....
> 
> It has helped several times on re-assembly......


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## WillThompson (Aug 29, 2014)

*Are you shure?*

Why would you disassemble a camera to replace the clock battery?


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Aug 29, 2014)

*Re: Are you on drugs?*



WillThompson said:


> Why would you disassemble a camera to replace the clock battery on a camera that has a user replaceable clock battery?
> 
> On page 41 of the 5D user manual there are instructions how to remove one screw to remove the clock battery holder.
> 
> ...



You are clueless. I know what I'm doing. There is a internal issue with the connection of the clock battery to the motherboard. Replacing the clock battery does not fix that issue.


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## Valvebounce (Aug 29, 2014)

*Re: Are you on drugs?*

Will, we're you spaced when you read the original post, it is made quite clear that a new battery didn't fix the problem so a repair was needed. 
Is it you who should read and comprehend before spouting off? 

Cheers, Graham. 



WillThompson said:


> Why would you disassemble a camera to replace the clock battery on a camera that has a user replaceable clock battery?
> 
> On page 41 of the 5D user manual there are instructions how to remove one screw to remove the clock battery holder.
> 
> ...


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## WillThompson (Sep 3, 2014)

*Re: Are you on drugs?*



Valvebounce said:


> Will, we're you spaced when you read the original post, it is made quite clear that a new battery didn't fix the problem so a repair was needed.
> Is it you who should read and comprehend before spouting off?
> 
> Cheers, Graham.



Graham, please quote exactly where this is clearly stated???


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## Valvebounce (Sep 4, 2014)

*Re: Are you on drugs?*

Hi Will.
I was careful to avoid saying it was "stated", I said it was made clear! I guess it comes down to the individual reading a post, I understood that the issue was not a flat battery but something more serious as an experienced user was deep inside his camera talking about the battery module needing changing.
I see you have edited down your original post to remove the rudeness of rtfm when it was clearly STATED that Mt Spokane found a free download of the manual online and was clearly reading it! As for changing the title to are you on drugs that was just insulting. I see you have changed that too! 

Cheers, Graham. 



WillThompson said:


> Valvebounce said:
> 
> 
> > Will, we're you spaced when you read the original post, it is made quite clear that a new battery didn't fix the problem so a repair was needed.
> ...


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