Reading mode: Light Dark

I opened P200 successfully to remove dust from sensor!!!

Go to last post
Thank you for this cleaning guide
I finally had time to attempt this cleaning.

I have had the p-150 since it came out, 6mths after I got I had dust problems. I took it in under warrenty got it cleaned, 6 mths later I saw dust again. Now it is no longer under warrenty so I have not used it much.

This guide was very easy to follow it is exactly the same for the p-150 except you only have to take the back cover off after you remove the exterior screws
It took me maybe 15 minutes.
Now it is clean I don't see any dust.

Thank you again
 
I am new to the Sony talk forum, was "sent" here by RonFlash, and now have a clean P200!!

Thanks for the help. Your picture sequence deserves to be posted on a site where it will be easy to find even years from now. A great service that I am sure will help many.
 
This is awesome. Great photos, brilliant to put the instructions right on them.

The dust on mine got a lot worse on a recent trip. I was thinking about trying it myself, but it would have taken me a long time to figure this out.

Or, I was thinking about just tossing it, even though I really like the camera.
 
I added one note to a different thread on this subject. The first 9 screws that are removed (the last 9 you put back into place!!) had a thread locking compound - like Loctite on them.

I used a thread locker when I put these back and I think it is the wise thing to do.
 
First, let me say that this guide was a life (well, at least $$$) saver for me. I had this camera for about 2 months and suddenly this big black spot started appearing on the LCD screen and more disappointing-ly on my pictures.

Searched the web via google and came across this dissection "how-to" guide. Didn't think I'd have the guts to do it - but then the frustration of looking at photos of my baby daughter from a new camera with black spots on them pushed me to give it a shot. That and getting ZERO confidence after talking to the Sony support guy that they had any clue how to fix this problem. He kept trying to convince me there was probably "just a bad pixel on the LCD screen". Hello??? I'm no techie - so how does the spot appear on the photos if it was just a problem with the LCD???

Anyway, like I said, I'm not savvy with taking apart small electronic devices. But I found this guide to be very dependable. It wasn't the easiest thing I've ever done, and somewhat stressful to me, but it took me less than an hour moving very slowly and meticulously - making sure I could always put it back together at each step.

I felt like I was playing that old game "Operation" and at any moment the camera was going to BUZZZZZZZZZ at me =)

Everything was fairly straightforward though. I only found one step to be difficult - that was the 13.jpg step where you have to get that last thin metal plate out of the way. I unscrewed everything, but it still felt stuck on something. I was really careful not to ever apply too much pressure when trying to pull it off. But the plate is kind of wrapped around (and houses) the speaker at the bottom of the camera. It seemed to take me alot of finaggling, and I even stepped away for about 10 minutes to regroup and not get frustrated. I had to pull a little harder than I desired to, but it eventually worked its way around the speaker. I would like to ask mamkho how he gets that metal plate off "with ease without having to apply any force." Putting it back on was quite the trick as well.....maybe I did it the hard way.

Anyways, when I got to the sensor, I wasn't expecting to see anything - for how big can dust be? To my amazement, there it was clear as day, a big chunk of dust sitting right in the middle of the sensor! How the heck it got there I don't know. But I felt satisfaction that I had indeed located the culprit and swiped the sensor once with the microfiber. Putting it back together wasn't tough at all (except for the metal plate).

SO RELIEVED when I took my first pictures....and....NO SPOT! Crystal clear pictures again. A great camera when there's no dust or dirt on the sensor!

I hope I don't have to go through that process too many times but now have complete confidence that if I do get dust spots again, I can fix the problem myself in 30 minutes tops!

Thanks so much mamkho!
 
(re: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1009&message=18038181 )

I had a DSC-W1 and it developed this problem, I ended up selling it (with the flaw disclosed). I just got another one, this one has been in a case the whole time--not sure how much that will help.

Anyway, I decided to go with returning to this as opposed to going with something else because, other than the Fuji F10/F30 which I loved, none of the ones in the same price range had the same speed, focus accuracy, large 2½" LCD, good movie mode, and usage of 2 AAs (and the F10/F30 cost more).

One person mentioned using a shop-vac with the camera on & the lens extended, which I can kind of see happening as apparently that was how the dust got into mine as well. But maybe the method described in this thread will help also?

---



LRH
http://www.pbase.com/larrytucaz
http://larrytxeast.smugmug.com/
Nikon Dee-50, click profile for more on gear
 
Hi - Thanks for this instruction guide. Can you tell me what size and/or where I could get the screw drivers you used? I have large hands and would need a magnetic tip, too.

Thanks!

Eric
--
Sony R1, Sony P200
 
I 2nd all of the positive comments made regarding this post, howerver since my P200 had a few dust spots on it I decided to attempt to remove it by following this guide. While I successfully completed it, I would like to let others who may wish to give it a try, it is not as easy as it looks here. It is very tedious and I was sorry I had attempted it when I finally got the LCD up. The toughest part is getting the LCD up and then the cover under the LCD off. It is even more more difficult getting the cover under the LCD back together and in place. This area of the guide really needs more instruction. One other thing is you are dealing with teeny, tiny screws and you do need a good magnifying glass, excellent light, a pair of tweezers, and good set of very small screwdrivers.
--
Ralf
 
I suggest you clean the sensor with eclipse and pec pad, not micro cloth Check the DSLR forums on cleaning sensors. You can ruin the sensor with a cloth.

Otherwise, kudos to this inventive and creative person.
 
I own a Sony DSC-P100 and it has the same dust problem as its successors P150 and P200. The instructions of removing dust from the P200 were very helpful and encouraged me trying to do the same thing to my P100. The camera is about 20 month old. I have sent it to service a year ago for dust removal. It cost 150 euro (about $190), so I wasn't keen to pay the same sum again, especially when it doesn't stay dust free for long.

I successfully removed dust from the sensor. I decided to do new instructions for P100 because the structure differs a bit from P200. I also used a football pump to blow away the dust instead of using a microfiber lens cloth (Note: under no circumstances use aerosols to blow the dust away because they always contain impurities). I hope that someone finds these instructions helpful and good luck!!!



























 
Hi Triggerhappy2

My DSC P100 lens are stuck - I can hear the motor humming, the lens try to pop, but then stops.
Following your steps,
(great post, Triggerhappy2!!)
I opened it.

Tried to remove the front plate, but couldn't, then removed the back plate as you detailed + the LCD and metal plate, and with some twisting the whole lens assembly (a sort of cilindrical black plastic block) can now be swung at 90 degrees to the body.

Now I am trying to somehow get access to the gears and motor, to try to clean any dirt there.

But after removing all screws, the black plastic thing still refuses to be taken apart.
Do you have any ideia how to disassembly it?
--
Rec
 
Would you have any info on replacing an LCD in this model? Your pics and descriptions on opening the camera were very helpful. Just wondering if you have ever tried replacing the LCD and if you could send me some info on how to do it.

Thanks,

Joey
 
Hello;

First lots of thanks to Mamkho and Triggerhappy2 for publishing such clear instructions how to remove dust from the sensor of P-series!

My P120 (black P100) showed dust spots 4 months after I bought it (1000 pictures ?). It was cleaned perfectly by Sony under Warranty, free of charge. Recently, 14 months and another 5000 pictures later, it suddenly shows dust again.

This time, I expect it will again be cleaned under (the dealer's extended) warranty, but I was very unshure what to do after that, as the problem may occur again after the warranty. I really love the camera, first of all for it's (overall) performance (though of course improved Sony"s have appeared since), but also for its design. Knowing that I will be able to clean it myself if necessary makes me very happy: so I will not need to sell the cam as soon as it returns from this time's "professional" cleaning.

But I would like to ask you or others who have done the job themselves: didn't you experience any problems with the autofocus after dis- and reassembling the camera? I don't know by which principle the autofocus works, but I would expect that the CCD should be very exactly positioned and/or calibrated with respect to the optics, which could easily change very slightly by the operation.
Did you not see any change in the sharpness?

And is the CCD covered by a similar glass or at least hard surface (the IR or AA filter, as I understand) that is present in DSLR-camera's, and that is apparently resistant to a (very soft, nylon) brush and eventually purified methanol (if necessary)? Or are there other options for this ccd, which is so much smaller than that in a DSLR?

Regards,
Marcanto
 
(Sorry: I repeat my message as something went wrong with my earlier message subject)

Hello;

First lots of thanks to Mamkho and Triggerhappy2 for publishing such clear instructions how to remove dust from the sensor of P-series!

My P120 (black P100) showed dust spots 4 months after I bought it (1000 pictures ?). It was cleaned perfectly by Sony under Warranty, free of charge. Recently, 14 months and another 5000 pictures later, it suddenly shows dust again.

This time, I expect it will again be cleaned under (the dealer's extended) warranty, but I was very unshure what to do after that, as the problem may occur again after the warranty. I really love the camera, first of all for it's (overall) performance (though of course improved Sony"s have appeared since), but also for its design. Knowing that I will be able to clean it myself if necessary makes me very happy: so I will not need to sell the cam as soon as it returns from this time's "professional" cleaning.

But I would like to ask you or others who have done the job themselves: didn't you experience any problems with the autofocus after dis- and reassembling the camera? I don't know by which principle the autofocus works, but I would expect that the CCD should be very exactly positioned and/or calibrated with respect to the optics, which could easily change very slightly by the operation.

Did you not see any change in the sharpness?

And is the CCD covered by a similar glass or at least hard surface (the IR or AA filter, as I understand) that is present in DSLR-camera's, and that is apparently resistant to a (very soft, nylon) brush and eventually purified methanol (if necessary)? Or are there other options for this ccd, which is so much smaller than that in a DSLR?

Regards,
Marcanto
 
Wow - I was just about to buy a new camera but then I found your amazing description of the P200 dust problem that is exactly what I have. A large dark round spot in the upper left quarter that shows best in high zoom on a plain background.

Thanks for the incredible step-by-step cleaning procedure photos. It looks very difficult for me but I have no alternative except to waste $300 on a new camera. I am amazed that Sony did not respond to my support email with any solution except "pay $180 for repair". A crime that they don't acknowledge the problem or provide any simpler cleaning method (like remove the lens to get at it).

My large single dust spot suddenly appeared in the camera during a vacation when I kept the camera loose in my pocket for a few days. Now I would recommend keeping the camera out of the pocket unless in a dustproof sleeve.
Again, Many Thanks for taking the time and trouble to help others.
--
brianftl
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top