Monitor Back Replacement - HOWTO

[Jim Ford]

[wanderer]

Re: Monitor Back Replacement - HOWTO

Sounds straightforward.

I've heard one or two stories about the monitor back coming off.
Is this because the users stow their cameras with the screen facing inwards and consequently open & shut it every time the camera is taken out or is it just a poorly designed component.
I ask as I usually have the screen facing out (protected by a Jessops screen protector) & only turn it for ease of use at awkward angles. I may not use the rotation facility as often as others.

why not order a flash hotshoe cover and remote socket cap while you're at it

Or for me, an eyepiece. I'm laying in a stock.

Duncan

[Jim Ford]

Re: Monitor Back Replacement - HOWTO

Is this because the users stow their cameras with the screen facing inwards and consequently open & shut it every time the camera is taken out or is it just a poorly designed component.

A combination of the two. The lugs simply aren't robust enough. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the lugs aren't internally threaded and rely on the screws 'self-tapping' into the plastic. This builds in stress when the screws are inserted.

Jim

[CaptainD]

[Adal]

Re: Monitor Back Replacement - HOWTO

Hello Jim,

I did exactly as you suggested, replaced the broken LCD back cover. That saved me loads as my camera is past warranty period. Thanks a lot.

I must mention, Luton Camera rocks, pretty straight forward.

Kind regards,
adal

[Andel]

Re: Monitor Back Replacement - HOWTO

I have just replaced mine, Thanks to Jim for the idiot proof instructions and Luton Camera Repair Service for there prompt and efficient delivery. Job successfully completed.

Len

[Ross the fiddler]

Re: Monitor Back Replacement - HOWTO

I prefer to do my own repairs for obviously straight forward procedures to save on cost & inconvenience & this sounds exactly like one of them. My E410 (which I gave to my son) rolled off a box while connected to the computer & even with the rubber eyepiece, the viewer glass broke. I was able to order the component (viewer cover assembly) from the private company that handles parts in Australia & do the same thing by using a quality jewellers screw driver & blowing out the broken glass & now it is as good as new again.

[inkyblue]

Re: Monitor Back Replacement - HOWTO

Thanks Jim, I've lived with mine for almost a year! For a tenner, I'm going to sort it.
Terry

[rslatem]

Re: Monitor Back Replacement - HOWTO

This is surely an inherent defect that Olympus should repair free of charge warranty or not. From this, and other, forums it is clearly common and known issue. I have contacted Olympus support who directed me to UK support. I have been waiting for almost two weeks for them to confirm whether it is a known issue. UK Support claim that they have never come across this before.

I am rapidly losing trust in Olympus.

I have been considering a 14-35mm lens for some time but the price of a 2nd hand Canon 5D Mark II and new 50mm f1.4 kept me from committing the cash. Now the price of a new 5D is crashing and with Olympus' attitude to their mistake in design I'm tempted to get what money I can for my Zuiko lenes and jump ship.

I really should have listened to those OM users who were turned over by Olympus with the switch to 4/3rds. This is not a company that cares about its customers. They are a company that makes a very good product and sells it for a reasonable price, expecting reason to win out against experience.

It is amazing how something so small can have such a big impact. I was a happy Olympus advocate a couple of weeks ago.

This is an excellent thread and was really helpful when the screen first split.
Are there any suggestions for how to extract the base mount that may be still locked in the camera body, without damaging the LCD?

[peak4]

Re: Monitor Back Replacement - HOWTO

It is amazing how something so small can have such a big impact. I was a happy Olympus advocate a couple of weeks ago.

I must admit from my recent experiences, I'm very much an advocate of Olympus Support/Service.

I had cause to return my E-3 as the hot shoe contacts had corroded. It was well out of warranty and declared as such when I wrote the covering letter. I fully expected to be charged for the repair. Since there was room in the box, I also sent off a couple of lenses for a checkup, although I wasn't aware of any issues with either; they were also well out of warranty. I was just hoping for a once-over and a re-lube of the water seals.

Of the two lenses, one was re-calibrated for AF, the other had the transport mechanism replaced.

The E-3 had the whole top cover replaced and the shutter was renewed due to exposure inaccuracies ( I wasn't aware of a problem).

All three items were returned in about 3 weeks or so free of charge.
Personally I consider that stunning service, which certainly encourages brand loyalty from me.

[Wreckdiver]

Re: Monitor Back Replacement - HOWTO

Seems a very simple job. I always leave my screen face out and hardly ever use live view.

Steve

[rslatem]

Re: Monitor Back Replacement - HOWTO

That is a very positive story, thanks Peak4. Did you speak to the UK Support arm before shipping your equipment off to them?
Where did you send it?

The swivel LCD live view screen was a key feature in picking between cameras when I bought the E-3. It really opens up a range of shots and provides greater flexibility.

When the screen bezel / mount is broken in this way, the LCD is really vulnerable to damage. My LCD was damaged as a direct result of the mount breaking, so this needs to be replaced as well. Not quite so simple.

[Wreckdiver]

Re: Monitor Back Replacement - HOWTO

All three items were returned in about 3 weeks or so free of charge.
Personally I consider that stunning service, which certainly encourages brand loyalty from me.

Some time back I had an RM-CB1 remote that needed repair (broken plug). The remote was way out of warranty but Olympus sent a new replacement free of charge. The type of customer care that keeps people loyal to Olympus.

Steve

[peak4]

Re: Monitor Back Replacement - HOWTO

Yes I spoke to Oly UK but elected to post the items myself as per the instructions HERE

There's a repair form in section 3.3 to download and fill in.
Personally I would add a polite and helpful covering letter referring to what you suspect may be a design fault. A quick search of this and other Olympus forums should provide you with enough ammunition.

I actually had cause to return a previous E-3 body for a viewfinder problem, but they actually replaced the LCD housing as a matter of course, even though it wasn't showing a problem at the time.

When I needed to return the 300mm to the DHL address in Nottingham, the insurance just from Sheffield so Nottingham proved to expensive that it was cheaper to drive down there and hand the package over in person.
The folks at DHL were quite amenable to this; I don't know where you live of course. The DHL office, rather than being the main Nottingham depot, is a small one on a little industrial estate just north of the centre.
It is a bit pot luck as to how long the repair takes; I'm guessing that they don't ship to the Portugese repair centre every day, though I may be quite wrong on this goung by the depots name. Either way a couple of days later I got a receipt of arrival email from Portugal.

I probably should point out that I was a member of the, seemingly now defunct, E-Master Club. I did of course mention this in correspondence.

Good luck

[T800]

Re: Monitor Back Replacement - HOWTO

Display back replaced today, thanks to Jim's post which I found through Luton Camera Repair Services Ltd. website which I was directed to by Geir Ertzgaard on the Flickr Olympus E-3 discussion group.