Do it yourself Camera repair

This is not something recommendable for the average person, so you have do decide if you are the "average person" or not before diving in. Do you have the little screwdrivers and other precision tools? Have you done this kind of small work before with success? There will be lots of tiny parts to not loose and put back in the proper places.

There are also some things that require precision alignment using jigs and tools that only a factory service center will have. You have to be wise enough to know what things not to touch.

There are those who are eager to jump in and scold people who want to try to learn to repair their own equipment. There is certainly merit to taking your gear to an experienced repair person (when and if you can find one). There is no substitute for experience, but you also have to consider that certain people are attracted to this sort of thing, and these are the very people who end up becoming experienced repairmen.

It is your camera, and your decision - not without risk.

To replace a scratched LCD screen, buy a repair kit on Ebay for $10 or $20. Search for "New Canon EOS 5D Mark II Outer TFT LCD Screen Display Window Glass + Tape", then remove the old one using a heat gun to soften the adhesive: And here is a guy who took his 5D entirely apart and put it together without the mirror for use in some dedicated video application. The photos are highly instructive: People who are mounting focus confirm chips on adapters report that if you get the position wrong it can "brick the camera", apparently due to shorting of contacts which blows a fuse inside the camera. This requires sending the camera to Canon for repair or doing some adventurous repair work. Here is an image showing the repair done by one fellow to his 5D classic for this reason. It looks like he replaced the blown fuse with a wire-wrap wire connection, which makes him vulnerable to worse damage if he manages to short the same contacts yet again:

Feedback? Questions? Drop me a line!

Tom's Digital Photography Info / [email protected]