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jcr4486
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Regular Member
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Posts: 470
Re: issue with 100-400 tripod mount screw cap
cba_melbourne wrote:
The screw is M1.3x0.3, overall length (with the head) is 4mm. And it has a spring washer as well as a flat washer permanently attached to it.
I am afraid but it will be very hard to find that exact screw. The best you can hope for, short of buying the whole bracket assembly from Panasonic, is to find a longer plain M1.3x0.3 screw that you can shorten in a bag of 100 or 1000.
That is why I take apart old cameras etc and salvage such tiny screws in my screw collection

If you go to a camera (or watch etc) repair shop, they may find a suitable screw in their screw box and charge you $20 for their time.
What I would do in your shoes, is to drill out the screw hole and tap for an easier to find larger screw. But I have a set of miniature-taps.
If you do not have such small taps, just hammer a 1.5mm brass nail (cut to 4mm length) into the existing threaded hole. It may last forever, it's like a rivet. Won't look perfect, but after all it's just a tripod bracket, and your IQ does not depend on it looking flashy shiny as new.
PS: and in future, make it a habit once a year to check all visible screws are tight on your cameras and lenses
thank you for the extra info on the spring washer+ flat waher, that I was not aware yet
buying the complete mount I considered already,and found it but the price is a bit absurd... considering I just need the tiny screw... would love to find the panasonic code just for the screw...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224925768752?hash=item345e9edc30:g:GncAAOSwSxliTvOU
to find a longer one and make it shorter was my next best bet, but could not find that either yet... in whatever qty...
to drill in something near t that size is something I am not able to do, have a lot of tools, and I cosider myself resourcefull, but nothing near that smalll, neither I feel conformtable to do at such size... sadly...