ZS100 sensor dust

I took my ZS100 on one too many backpacking trips and now I've got dust all over my sensor. Has anyone had luck opening up their camera to clean it off? I found a Youtube video on how to do so for Panasonic compacts but it's about 5 years old, so not sure how relevant the instructions still are.

I've done several sensor cleanings on several different Panasonic camera models using the info from YouTube that you mention. The hardest part is finding the tiny tools. Kits sold for working on cellphones, on Amazon, seem to be the best bet.

I Strongly suggest working over a large paper towel so that tiny screws don't bounce off the table if dropped. Cloth also works well, but may have more lint of it's own.

Some newer cameras have tiny springs around the 3 screws which hold the sensor assembly to the lens assembly - don't lose them !!

I have also found it convenient to sketch on a piece of paper towel an outline of the item you are working on, and place the screws and other tiny parts on the sketch in the location the screw came from - some screws are different lengths and may only fit their correct hole.

I gave up on an LX100 because there was a whole second layer of things to remove and it was not my camera (and the spot was 'way over at the side, not seen except at the edge of a wide-angle image).

I have since seen how to get to the LX100 sensor on https://www.ifixit.com/ and I suggest looking there in addition to the YouTube tutorials.

It's a little frightening, but actually quite easy.

I hope this helps, and I'll be happy to answer any questions you still have.

NOTE: I've never had to do this on a camera of my own, possibly because I always carry my camera in a loose-fitting plastic "Sandwich Bag":



It provides a physical barrier against dust & lint and also a static-electric barrier. I replace the cheap bag when it starts to look "worn" (it doesn't have as much static-electric effect when "worn").



--
"Measure wealth not by things you have but by things for which you would not take money"
www.flickr.com/ohlsonmh/ [email protected]

A lot of people have cleaned their lumix camera with a vacuum cleaner.

I cleaned the lens and/or sensor of my old TZ18 with this method with success too.

Thanks Erik, I will give it a try!

johndigi said:

A lot of people have cleaned their lumix camera with a vacuum cleaner.

I cleaned the lens and/or sensor of my old TZ18 with this method with success too.

Click to expand...

Always worth a try !!

"Can't hurt".



--
"Measure wealth not by things you have but by things for which you would not take money"
www.flickr.com/ohlsonmh/ [email protected]

mattb3rt said:

Thanks Erik, I will give it a try!

Click to expand...

Great.

Be especially careful with those ribbon cables - I usually manage to avoid unplugging them by simply folding the LCD Screen (for example), to the side maybe even propped up on something like a folded piece of paper towel.

Hopefully it will only require a small Phillips (cross-point) screwdriver, but manufacturers are using more & more tiny TORX (star point) screwdrivers that are IMHO harder to work with at these tiny sizes - and it's kinda' hard to be sure exactly which size fits right.

A magnifying glass helps.

Drop me a PM if you need to - always willing to help.







--
"Measure wealth not by things you have but by things for which you would not take money"
www.flickr.com/ohlsonmh/ [email protected]

Thanks! I just tried this out and it did get rid of all but one dust spot at the upper edge of the frame. Now I'll need to decide whether I can live with that spot or attempt to mess with the camera's innards to remove it.

mattb3rt said:

Thanks! I just tried this out and it did get rid of all but one dust spot at the upper edge of the frame. Now I'll need to decide whether I can live with that spot or attempt to mess with the camera's innards to remove it.

Click to expand...

Matt, may I suggest that you repeat the vacuum process with the camera in contact with a vibratory medium? I’m not delving in to in to devices you may have available for that (!) , but I’m thinking electric toothbrush or the rubber pad of a vibro sander. The combination of vibes and suction may well do the trick and dislodge the remaining stubborn dust spot

Dave