Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

19

Time Required

                          25 minutes - 2 hours

Sections

1

  • Card reader
  • 19 steps

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Introduction

Let me first start out with a precaution:

This is a challenging repair. I would advise against it if you don’t have repair experience, especially since it’s an expensive camera.

What you need

Step 1

              Card reader
  • First the outside screws need to be taken off. Start with the three screws on the left of the camera (looking from the back).
  • To get to these screws, the front rubber pieces will need to be removed. Run a plastic opener under the edge, and peel the rest off.
  • Once the rubber is off, remove the top two screws pictured

First the outside screws need to be taken off. Start with the three screws on the left of the camera (looking from the back).

To get to these screws, the front rubber pieces will need to be removed. Run a plastic opener under the edge, and peel the rest off.

Once the rubber is off, remove the top two screws pictured

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Step 2

  • Once the top two are removed, the bottom one must be removed.
  • Open the port covers to gain access to the screw, and remove it.

Once the top two are removed, the bottom one must be removed.

Open the port covers to gain access to the screw, and remove it.

Step 3

  • Three screws on the bottom need to be removed next. They can be removed in any order

Three screws on the bottom need to be removed next. They can be removed in any order

Step 4

  • The top 4 screws need to be removed next. They are located behind the eyepiece.
  • Remove the eyepiece by squeezing the sides and pulling up
  • Once it’s removed, you will be able to see the 4 screws.
  • Remove these 4 in any order

The top 4 screws need to be removed next. They are located behind the eyepiece.

Remove the eyepiece by squeezing the sides and pulling up

Once it’s removed, you will be able to see the 4 screws.

Remove these 4 in any order

Step 5

  • The final screw securing the back of the camera is located under the thumb grip rubber. Using the same process, peel back the rubber starting from the top.
  • The entire piece does not need to be removed, just enough to reveal the final screw well
  • Once access is gained to the final screw remove it.

The final screw securing the back of the camera is located under the thumb grip rubber. Using the same process, peel back the rubber starting from the top.

The entire piece does not need to be removed, just enough to reveal the final screw well

Once access is gained to the final screw remove it.

Step 6

  • At this point, the back is ready to be removed.
  • Do not pull up hard, as there is still a cable attached. Instead, slide a plastic opener along the bottom and open up until you can see the flex cable securing the back.

At this point, the back is ready to be removed.

Do not pull up hard, as there is still a cable attached. Instead, slide a plastic opener along the bottom and open up until you can see the flex cable securing the back.

Step 7

  • To remove the connecting flex cable, something can be used to hold it up (CF card was used in the example photo), or simply hold it up with another hand
  • Use a plastic opener to pry the bottom connector out of the socket.
  • Once disconnected, lift up the back and set it aside, it will not be needed until reassembly.

To remove the connecting flex cable, something can be used to hold it up (CF card was used in the example photo), or simply hold it up with another hand

Use a plastic opener to pry the bottom connector out of the socket.

Once disconnected, lift up the back and set it aside, it will not be needed until reassembly.

Step 8

  • The two screws securing the logic board shield need to be removed next.
  • The shield can then be lifted off, revealing the dual Digic 4 processors.

The two screws securing the logic board shield need to be removed next.

The shield can then be lifted off, revealing the dual Digic 4 processors.

Step 9

  • Now, the flex cables need to be disconnected.
  • There is no particular order they need to be disconnected in, as long as they all are disconnected.
  • Upon reassembly, it helps to swab all the contacts at the end of the cables with a degreaser such as Isopropyl alcohol.
  • Most of the cables can be disconnected by flipping up a tightening bar.
  • To do so, insert a plastic opening tool under the edge and pry up
  • Now that the cable is lose, use tweezers or just simply your fingers to pull out the cable.

Now, the flex cables need to be disconnected.

There is no particular order they need to be disconnected in, as long as they all are disconnected.

Upon reassembly, it helps to swab all the contacts at the end of the cables with a degreaser such as Isopropyl alcohol.

Most of the cables can be disconnected by flipping up a tightening bar.

To do so, insert a plastic opening tool under the edge and pry up

Now that the cable is lose, use tweezers or just simply your fingers to pull out the cable.

Step 10

  • The two middle cables need to be removed next. Use the same process as before, or if no tightening bar is present, gently pull the cable straight out.

The two middle cables need to be removed next. Use the same process as before, or if no tightening bar is present, gently pull the cable straight out.

Step 11

  • Lift up the largest flex cable connecting the sensor to the board.
  • Use a plastic opening tool

Lift up the largest flex cable connecting the sensor to the board.

Use a plastic opening tool

Step 12

  • Next to remove is the bottom left corner flex cable. It has no tightening bar, so pull it out with tweezers or with your fingers.

Next to remove is the bottom left corner flex cable. It has no tightening bar, so pull it out with tweezers or with your fingers.

Step 13

  • Remove the top right corner cable. It also has no bar, and can be pulled straight out. Move it out of the way.
  • This will give access to the cable underneath, which can be removed next
  • Flip up the bar, and pull out the cable.

Remove the top right corner cable. It also has no bar, and can be pulled straight out. Move it out of the way.

This will give access to the cable underneath, which can be removed next

Flip up the bar, and pull out the cable.

Step 14

  • The red and black power cable can be removed next. It it different than the rest, and can be removed by either using a plastic opening tool or a very small pair of pliers to remove it.

The red and black power cable can be removed next. It it different than the rest, and can be removed by either using a plastic opening tool or a very small pair of pliers to remove it.

Step 15

  • The final cable to be removed is in the top right corner.
  • Flip up the bar and pull it out.

The final cable to be removed is in the top right corner.

Flip up the bar and pull it out.

Step 16

  • Now that all the cables are disconnected, the screws must be removed.
  • Remove all of the marked screws securing the board.

Now that all the cables are disconnected, the screws must be removed.

Remove all of the marked screws securing the board.

Step 17

  • The board now is ready to come out. It has a connector on the top right, so it cannot be pulled out quickly. Instead, slide a plastic opening tool under the top right of the board, and pry up.
  • Once the connector is disconnected, carefully remove the board and set it aside.
  • Reassembly: Make sure the black tube goes into the slot on the board, it’s easy to miss.

The board now is ready to come out. It has a connector on the top right, so it cannot be pulled out quickly. Instead, slide a plastic opening tool under the top right of the board, and pry up.

Once the connector is disconnected, carefully remove the board and set it aside.

Reassembly: Make sure the black tube goes into the slot on the board, it’s easy to miss.

Step 18

  • With the main board gone, the removal of the card reader can begin.
  • Remove the first two screws securing the reader.
  • Then remove the bottom final screw securing the reader

With the main board gone, the removal of the card reader can begin.

Remove the first two screws securing the reader.

Then remove the bottom final screw securing the reader

Step 19

  • The card reader can now be removed
  • Start by pushing the card reader in from the outside slot.
  • Once it’s lose, lift the card reader out vertically
  • Insert the new part into the slot, and follow all the steps backwards. See notes for reassembly

The card reader can now be removed

Start by pushing the card reader in from the outside slot.

Once it’s lose, lift the card reader out vertically

Insert the new part into the slot, and follow all the steps backwards. See notes for reassembly

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                                                                                      23 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 7 other contributors 


                    Nick

Member since: 03/10/2014

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Mikel - Aug 5, 2014

Reply

I am so grateful for this guide! The directions and photos are crystal clear. Every step is thoroughly yet simply explained. I saved about $350 on this repair.

Dave Dal Pos - Aug 10, 2015

Reply

Excellent guide! Some additional tips:

  1. be extra sure that you’ve seated the ribbon connectors securely and correctly. I didn’t and got an “Err 20”. I disassembled, cleaned ribbons with alcohol, reassembled and it was fine.

  2. It would be great if there was some pictures for removing the actual connector for the CF card from the housing. It was a little tricky but practicing using the old broken one will help you to seat the new one correctly.

Hardy - Oct 29, 2015

Reply

Great guide. I was successful with my fix. A few more tips:

  1. Eyepiece removal – squeeze sides and SLIDE it upward toward the top of the camera.

  2. Use a magnetic or slightly magnetized screw driver. On one of the tiny internal screws it came off my screw driver and dropped into the internals of the camera. I thought I was doomed, but after removing the main board and by carefully lifting and tilting the camera, I was able to find and retrieve it with tweezers.

  3. When removing ribbon cables, the tightening bar flips up and the ribbon cable slides out (don’t lift upward, slide it back toward the direction the cable comes from).

  4. In step 13, I think he means “top left” corner and on my camera both cables had a tightening bar.

  5. When reinserting the ribbon cables, I found it very helpful to use the tiny whole in the cable and pair of pointed tweezers to gently “squeeze” the ribbon cable into the connector. This also helped it go in straight.

wendy - Oct 5, 2016

Reply

After I reinstalled everything, I put in the battery, the empty battery signal blinking even on full charge.

nothing else showing.

Anyone know which part went wrong?

Sebastian Zamora - Jul 26, 2017

I have this same problem, where I’m stuck is with the main flex cable, which looks like it’s not connected to anything.. help?