I'm a 56-year-old woman and just completed cleaning my Lumix! I would suggest a magnetized 00 phillips screwdriver. This saved me a fairly costly repair bill. Thank you!
I recently bought a second hand TZ20 with a shutter count of aprox 2,500 shots, but it had a big spec of dust on the sensor. Thanks to your video I was able to open the camera and clean the sensor just like you did. Thanks a million!
I was just about to send my Lumix DMC-ZS10 back to Texas for repairs when I found your great video. Nice easy to follow step-by-step instructions. I had my camera sensor clean and back in operation in 20 minutes! Thank you!!
Thanks SO much. I had sent one camera in for repair and it took Panasonic 3 months. I ended up buying a new one in the mean time. Now I have TWO Lumix with dirty sensors and I was thinking : "I love these cameras but I'm not buying a 3rd one!" I'll use your video to clean both. You are the Man !
You're a lifesaver! The only advice I'd give anyone is to pay attention to which screws go where. There are three different sized screws removed during the process.
Very impressed by all your previous contributors who have seemed to fix their cameras so easily. Yes , it should be easy....the second time, but being in my mid 70's, I found the job somewhat tricky. The screws are unbelievably small and the way the camera is "clipped " together in sections takes some fiddling.to get apart. I made a mess of one part and ended up with rear screen and three cables out of their plugs and spent a serious amount of time getting the wires back in . Was close to giving up, but thought , having come this far, I might as well clean the lens so did as described in the video and then put the whole thing back together, not really expecting the camera to work at all. To my surprise and relief, it did and the dreaded shadow seems to have gone so will try outside when we get some blue sky to test it on. Thanks for your video, very good. (Four hours incidentally.....but for sure would be much easier and quicker the next time )
Just about to go on holiday tomorrow and again some dust on the sensor. This is now the 4th time I have used your video, getting quicker every time. Thanks again.
Intelligent person's instructions; precise and to the point. Beautifully musically arranged to keep your mind focused and hands steady! Great production. Thank you.
Just cleaned my TZ20 lens/sensor. From a camera full of dust and pollen leaving spots on my photos I now have an as new camera again. Very helpful and accurate video, Panasonic wanted £70 to clean it, it only took about an hour with a bit of care, what a saving! Thanks for the video
Thank you for your supremely excellent video. You just saved me a bundle. I magnetized my screwdriver bit a little with an old hard drive magnet. It made it pretty easy with the screws. I had no little puffer brush, so I used a drinking straw and a larger slide brush. The dust was pretty easy to see with plenty of light and a magnifier.
Thank you! Second time my TZ18 sensor has had dust on it. Last time paid £60 + postage to have it fixed. Cleaned it in less than hour with the help of your video.
You sir, are a legend. 2020 now and this is still helping people. Breathed life into a 10 year old little point & shoot that is still fantastic. One small addition, make note of the position of the play/record switch and the placement of the corresponding lever when you re-assemble it.
Thanks a lot man ! Merci beaucoup ! Après avoir entendu dire que plus personne ne réparait ce genre d'incident et qu'il fallait racheter un appareil, en 10 minutes, le problème était réglé !
Thanks again. I used your video 3 months ago and had to use it again today. just a moment when your hand is right in front of the camera hiding what you're doing but easy all the same. Many many thanks to you
Perfect instructions. Clear and visually accurate. Just removed dust spot from my TZ20 14 months old, saved £60.00 and will not hesitate to repeat when the inevitable dust spots reappear - thank you!
Thank you very much. I was out with my family taking some pictures when some dust or bug managed to get into my camera lens. I now know that I can fix my camera myself without having to take it to a shop. My camera is the exact same model as your video and I just love it. I will fix it on my day off when the kids are at school and have a bit of piece and quite. Thanks again
Great Video that restored life to my TZ20. I did put one screw back in the sensor after cleaning and turned the camera on to check all the dust had gone.
Merci, fantastique, last time I paid 70 € and had to bring it to a shop and back. . The guy there told me he had to work on it for one hour and a half. Liars everywhere! Another time it was done under warranty THANKS A LOT. Very well explained. Easy to do. Facile à faire.Et la musique de Roger Chapman super LOL
YES!! I did this brilliantly successfully. Thank you. Lovin my pocket Lumix. And I learned not to keep this cam in a sock in my pocket. A sock protects the live view screen from scratches but invites lint to the sensor face. In fact I now preach do NOT keep pocket superzooms in your pocket. Get a lint free pouch. Thanks for this awesome contibution.
I used a vacuum cleaner with an empty toilet paper tube placed over the extended lens assembly with battery removed. The toilet paper tube is a perfect power fit and large enough to extend over the telescoping gaps of the assembly. Place vacuum cleaner over tube. Worked on first try. Totally clean. A 1 minute job that worked flawlessly on my panasonic Lumix LZ8.
Thank you. Even though I found that my Lumix is somewhat different and I needed to remove a couple of more screws, this video helped me a lot. The local camera shop wouldn't touch it and they told me not to attempt this on my own. They told me to buy a used one rather than cleaning mine out. I don't like throwing things away so I figured I might as well try it. Thanks again.
Thank you Tomislav. Really good video instructions. These Lumix cameras are very poorly designed regards dust getting onto sensor. It was cleaned previously without charge by store where I bought the camera.... Now out of warranty. Saved approx. £80 to get it sent for cleaning again. BRILLIANT ! Thanks again :)
Thank you. This definitely helped with the process of cleaning my ZS10. A couple of small steps were left out but we figured it out. I put the screws from each step in a separate tiny bowl so that they wouldn't get mixed up. Manipulating those tiny screws was the hardest part. And we got great results.
I wish you listed what I overlooked. For sharing. Someone wrote that they magnetized the screwdriver and it helped a lot. Glad it worked for you. Cheers!
Great video, worked a treat on my TZ19. Slightly different config inside with no need to un-clip the screen. Also worth noting that the 6 outer screws are not all the same, the 2 slightly shorter screws are needed for the bottom of the case, the 4 longer screws for the sides. I've never been a big fan of this camera, low light shooting is poor so I wasn't too bothered if I killed the camera! However it's working fine and lives to shoot another day!
And a BIG THANKYOU from Copenhagen. It just fixed my camera problems. Very nice and detailed video - exactly what you need when you have several "UFOES" on your pictures. It saved my day...
thanks, I followed this for my Lumix Panasonic DMC-TZ10 it was more or less the same. I had many dark blodges on my photos, they are gone now! thank you so much and the music helped calm my nerves! xx
I did it! Have my Lumix ZR3 back again, after 4 years abandoned in a drawer because of blury spots on the pictures. Thank you for spending your time and effort doing this very helping video!
Thank you! Your TZ20 looks exactly like mine, and I cant believe I have just taken it apart and cleaned it, but I have - it still works and the blob has gone. All it cost me was a set of jewellers screwdrivers.
Thank you from Germany, mit deiner Anleitung traute ich mich und es war wirklich ganz einfach. Meine Kamera hat jetzt endlich wieder ein fleckenfreies Bild. Dankeschön
Followed these instruction to cure same problem on a TZ14. All went well and no ghosts on the pictures. Note however that the TZ14 screen attachment ribbon cable is much shorter so had to have help holding the screen so as not to damage ribbon. Whole operation took about 20 mins. Thanks for a useful video.
Thanks. I was able to remove the dust from my ZS10 sensor in about 25 minutes. I used a dust blaster and a lens brush. Would not advise cotton swab for reasons already stated. Excellent video. Thank you.
Thanks a bunch !!! ... This saved my DMC-ZS6 as well ... slightly different config, but very similar on the inside (the LCD screen is attached to the outer case, no side panel that needs to be removed on the outside). One thing to note: On my unit, that little rectangular rubber gasket over the bottom glass (not really a lens but a thin sheet of green glass) is actually a loose and can come off, exposing the entire glass pane, that also can be removed. In my case, I had to clean lint between the rubber and both sides of the glass pane using an alcohol wipe. Had the same shadow UFO's as Max and so far, after the cleaning, no more sightings. Excellent instruction video :-D !!!
I wish I had read this comment prior to starting since I was surprised by the screen being attached to the back on my ZS7 as well. Other than that the cleaning worked pretty well. Not perfect but I was afraid to be very aggressive with the Q-tip. Thanks for this video.
Thank you for the great tutorial. I had the same issue and your solution worked for me. I have a Lumix DMC-ZS15. They should have put a small gasket around the sensor assembly to keep the dust out. I have had this camera for 4 years and did not have a problem until this May.
Awesome, thank you so muchTomislav. I just saved $175 (plus shipping and taxes). The sensor is spotless. Just one note. Be careful as the bottom screws are not the same size as the side ones on the outside. About 30 minutes from start to finish. Cheers
Thanks for posting this video, I cleaned my Panasonic DMC ZS10 same exactly way. I was disappointed with camera and after cleaning it is perfect and I am happy now.
Thanks for this video. I applied this procedure on my DMC-TZ10. Small difference: To remove the inner sheet, the two screws on the left side holding the front housing part have to removed, too because the latches have two screw holes each. I used as special camera brush and bellow kit for cleaning the sensor and the len from the inner side. Result: Nearly all dust spots are away (much better than before). Before I had the same dust spots as shown in the video. To check the result, it's best to set the highest camera resolution (12 megapixels in my case) and take some photographs from the sky in different zoom levels. When each photograph is spot free the cleaning was successful. In my case I suppose some remaining dust between the lens (neither reachable from outside nor from inside after removing the sensor holder plate).
Thank you so much ! It took me a while to open up the camera (and put it back together), but I managed to wipe that black shadow away ! Great choice of music too - it helped to keep me calm. :)
Brilliant video, saved me £60 I was quoted to get it cleaned. Thank you very much. Good tip as said in other reviews, use a magnetised good quality screwdriver, it is a great help especially when re-assembling.
Just cleaned my Lumix LF-1 and although it was a little more complicated than this camera, it worked and the sensor is clean. I'm used to cleaning sensors on full frame cameras but taking apart a small compact camera is quite a different story! I would strongly suggest NOT using Q Tips as small fibers can be left on the ccd, lens or inside the cavity. I would recommend a can of compressed air (not pointing down!) and sensor brush or similar product designed for that purpose. Thanks and good luck!
Thanks very much, this helped me a lot. I have a Lumix DMC-XS3, quite easy to dismantle but the last 3 screws were star shaped so I used a Nielsen Star Screwdriver Set - T4 / T15 and one of those fit. I am pleased to have my point and shoot back!
thanks, this video gave me the confidence to tackle my DMC-TZ10 which had been bugging me for months. The layout is slightly different and I had to remove an additional two screws on the outer casing before I was able to lift out the inner silver cover. The LCD screen was attached to the outer case as in the post by tend2it below.
Used these directions for the DMC-ZS8. Worked well. Slight difference, the LCD is connected to the back panel so the back half doesn't come off, you have to work around it.
Thanks for the video, it all worked like a dream once I'd located the small screwdrivers from my previous job. My Brother in law's camera so no pressure! The grunt of thanks was worth the effort.
Thank you soooo much. My Lumix TZ20 is taking clear photos once again. Your tips were perfect and ever so helpful. Much appreciated. Saved me buying a new camera. Ta
Thanks for the great Vid. 2 suggestions: 1: don't let the battery door spring open, eventually the hinge pin can break. 2: Use blower first, then brush, then Qtip
A great video that worked great on my older Lumix camera. Unfortunately on my newer Lumix DMC ZS25 Panasonic changed the screws holding on the back of the lens to extremely small star screws. I was unable to find a small enough driver to remove them.
I used a cheap blower brush (puffer brush) from a photo shop (camera store). I think you can use any brush which is soft and gentle mechanically and free of grease or dirt. I don't recommend blowing directly with your mouth because of micro spits. Try on a mirror and you'll see what I mean. Good luck.
Thanks for the demo! I didn't know what it was, perhaps acrack in the lens or so. I like my little camera(TZ20), it was a good buy. I have ordered a TZ40, it will be fun to compare. Great song, Simon Philips on drums, I think.
Gute Anleitung - war damit erfolgreich bei meiner TZ7. Da ist es noch einfacher, da die große Abdeckplatte innen fehlt. Du brauchst nur Rückseite der Kamera aufschrauben . Die nächste Reinigung schaffe ich in 5 Minuten .
I have a camera just like that, shortly after fulfilling the warranty the zoon started giving me problems, I turn on the camera and the zoon starts moving in and out, if I turn off the camera the zoon stays out, after several attempts the zoon enters inside, and so on continuously. Do you have any fix? Thank you.
Just want to say thanks for the guide. Just saved myself £50 by not sending this off for service. Mine was a TZ35 and mostly the same except the lcd and key pad come off in one piece from a small plug on the mainboard. These have to be removed to detached the shield inside to then access the sensor. Just be careful of the plastic insert for the activity led. Also, what is the background song? (Piano)
Thanks for sharing with other users. Sorry, no idea about music. I originally used "Shadow on the wall" sang by Roger Chapman but it was blocked here because of copyright until I picked up something they offered for free.....
This is great, thanks. Had the problem on my Sony DSLR, and thought I'd be immune switching to a compact, so very annoying to find it happening here too, but at least there's a solution!
Postovani Tomislave, hvala na ovom videu! Hteo bih da Vas zamolim, da li mi mozere reci da li se moze IR filter na TZ 20 jednostavno skinuti, posto ne vidim dge je postavljen, jedino ako nije zalepljen za senzor. Treba mi zbog nocne fotografije. Srdacan pozdrav!
Laci, I am replying in English for wider audience. Unfortunately I cannot help you about removing IR filter. I have no idea. Perhaps somebody here did it and can share their experience. Good luck. BTW are you a philatelist? I knew a nice guy Castven in that field.
I had exactly the same shape of dust on my TZ19 and got rid of it by placing the end of a vacuum cleaner pipe over the entire lens and using the lowest power on my vacuum ..turned it on for about two seconds and the dust was gone, that was nearly three years ago and i have not had any more dust particle problems since! But good video..and nice to know how easy it is to take apart if need be.
Thank you for taking time to share your unusual experience. I am glad it worked fine for you without problems. I read a post somewhere by a guy who used vacuum to clean the mirror in his Canon SLR. Unfortunately it destroyed the mechanism, the suction was too strong. In your case you don't open camera but still don't know how safe it is.
I had a dirt on the sensor problem on a Panasonic LF1 a few years ago and was about to try taking it apart when I read online about using a vacuum cleaner to suck it off and it worked. I taped a empty toilet roll over the vacuum cleaner suction pipe which was a good fit over the zoom lens of the LF1. Switched on the vacuum cleaner and it immediately removed the dirt. I know its still in there but after a few years of use its not visible in the viewfinder or on the pictures
I have stripped one of the screws on the outside any tips on how I can get that undone I have tried the latex glove trick but it didn't work I've also tried a bigger Phillips driver but that didn't work I either
TZ40 Essentially the same procedure, however all screws very tight and some cross-cut screws stripped with 00 screwdriver, necessitating manoeuvring with an oblique 1mm plain slot screwdriver to remove them. The final set of 3 screws holding the lens cover had 2 screws with underlying springs, and all 3 screws required a 0.9mm hexagonal key to be removed, rather than a screwdriver.
I'm a 56-year-old woman and just completed cleaning my Lumix! I would suggest a magnetized 00 phillips screwdriver. This saved me a fairly costly repair bill. Thank you!
I recently bought a second hand TZ20 with a shutter count of aprox 2,500 shots, but it had a big spec of dust on the sensor. Thanks to your video I was able to open the camera and clean the sensor just like you did. Thanks a million!
I was just about to send my Lumix DMC-ZS10 back to Texas for repairs when I found your great video. Nice easy to follow step-by-step instructions. I had my camera sensor clean and back in operation in 20 minutes! Thank you!!
Thanks SO much. I had sent one camera in for repair and it took Panasonic 3 months. I ended up buying a new one in the mean time. Now I have TWO Lumix with dirty sensors and I was thinking : "I love these cameras but I'm not buying a 3rd one!" I'll use your video to clean both. You are the Man !
You're a lifesaver! The only advice I'd give anyone is to pay attention to which screws go where. There are three different sized screws removed during the process.
Very impressed by all your previous contributors who have seemed to fix their cameras so easily. Yes , it should be easy....the second time, but being in my mid 70's, I found the job somewhat tricky. The screws are unbelievably small and the way the camera is "clipped " together in sections takes some fiddling.to get apart. I made a mess of one part and ended up with rear screen and three cables out of their plugs and spent a serious amount of time getting the wires back in . Was close to giving up, but thought , having come this far, I might as well clean the lens so did as described in the video and then put the whole thing back together, not really expecting the camera to work at all. To my surprise and relief, it did and the dreaded shadow seems to have gone so will try outside when we get some blue sky to test it on. Thanks for your video, very good. (Four hours incidentally.....but for sure would be much easier and quicker the next time )
Just about to go on holiday tomorrow and again some dust on the sensor. This is now the 4th time I have used your video, getting quicker every time. Thanks again.
Intelligent person's instructions; precise and to the point. Beautifully musically arranged to keep your mind focused and hands steady! Great production. Thank you.
Just cleaned my TZ20 lens/sensor. From a camera full of dust and pollen leaving spots on my photos I now have an as new camera again. Very helpful and accurate video, Panasonic wanted £70 to clean it, it only took about an hour with a bit of care, what a saving! Thanks for the video
Revived my old TZ20 by following the instructions on this video, Good job! In my case it was condensation staining on the lens and sensor.
I cleaned my wife's DMC-ZS15 with your technique. I thought that I had to buy a new camera but now I don't. I works great. Thanks.
Hi Tomislav, thank you for sharing this instructional video. With this I was able to successfully clean the sensor of my Panasonic TZ20 today.
Thank you for your supremely excellent video.
You just saved me a bundle.
I magnetized my screwdriver bit a little with an old hard drive magnet. It made it pretty easy with the screws.
I had no little puffer brush, so I used a drinking straw and a larger slide brush. The dust was pretty easy to see with plenty of light and a magnifier.
Thank you! Second time my TZ18 sensor has had dust on it. Last time paid £60 + postage to have it fixed. Cleaned it in less than hour with the help of your video.
You sir, are a legend. 2020 now and this is still helping people. Breathed life into a 10 year old little point & shoot that is still fantastic. One small addition, make note of the position of the play/record switch and the placement of the corresponding lever when you re-assemble it.
Thank you! Panasonic wanted $200 to get speck off sensor. Son did it for free following your great directions
Thanks a lot man ! Merci beaucoup ! Après avoir entendu dire que plus personne ne réparait ce genre d'incident et qu'il fallait racheter un appareil, en 10 minutes, le problème était réglé !
Je suis très heureux d'entendre que vous avez résolu le problème.
Thanks again. I used your video 3 months ago and had to use it again today.
just a moment when your hand is right in front of the camera hiding what you're doing but easy all the same. Many many thanks to you
Yeah, I know.... covering the hot spot. That's what happens when fixing is primary task and taping secondary. Glad it worked for you too.
Perfect instructions. Clear and visually accurate. Just removed dust spot from my TZ20 14 months old, saved £60.00 and will not hesitate to repeat when the inevitable dust spots reappear - thank you!
Worked great for my DMC-ZS10 (after sending it to the lab the first time, it happened again few months later...) Thank you so much!!
Thank you very much. I was out with my family taking some pictures when some dust or bug managed to get into my camera lens. I now know that I can fix my camera myself without having to take it to a shop. My camera is the exact same model as your video and I just love it. I will fix it on my day off when the kids are at school and have a bit of piece and quite.
Thanks again
Great Video that restored life to my TZ20. I did put one screw back in the sensor after cleaning and turned the camera on to check all the dust had gone.
Merci, fantastique, last time I paid 70 € and had to bring it to a shop and back. . The guy there told me he had to work on it for one hour and a half. Liars everywhere! Another time it was done under warranty THANKS A LOT. Very well explained. Easy to do. Facile à faire.Et la musique de Roger Chapman super LOL
YES!! I did this brilliantly successfully. Thank you. Lovin my pocket Lumix. And I learned not to keep this cam in a sock in my pocket. A sock protects the live view screen from scratches but invites lint to the sensor face. In fact I now preach do NOT keep pocket superzooms in your pocket. Get a lint free pouch. Thanks for this awesome contibution.
I used a vacuum cleaner with an empty toilet paper tube placed over the extended lens assembly with battery removed. The toilet paper tube is a perfect power fit and large enough to extend over the telescoping gaps of the assembly. Place vacuum cleaner over tube. Worked on first try. Totally clean. A 1 minute job that worked flawlessly on my panasonic Lumix LZ8.
Thank you. Even though I found that my Lumix is somewhat different and I needed to remove a couple of more screws, this video
helped me a lot. The local camera shop wouldn't touch it and they told me not to attempt this on my own. They told me to buy a
used one rather than cleaning mine out. I don't like throwing things away so I figured I might as well try it.
Thanks again.
Thank you Tomislav. Really good video instructions. These Lumix cameras are very poorly designed regards dust getting onto sensor. It was cleaned previously without charge by store where I bought the camera.... Now out of warranty. Saved approx. £80 to get it sent for cleaning again. BRILLIANT ! Thanks again :)
Thank you. This definitely helped with the process of cleaning my ZS10. A couple of small steps were left out but we figured it out. I put the screws from each step in a separate tiny bowl so that they wouldn't get mixed up. Manipulating those tiny screws was the hardest part. And we got great results.
I wish you listed what I overlooked. For sharing. Someone wrote that they magnetized the screwdriver and it helped a lot. Glad it worked for you. Cheers!
Great video, worked a treat on my TZ19. Slightly different config inside with no need to un-clip the screen. Also worth noting that the 6 outer screws are not all the same, the 2 slightly shorter screws are needed for the bottom of the case, the 4 longer screws for the sides. I've never been a big fan of this camera, low light shooting is poor so I wasn't too bothered if I killed the camera! However it's working fine and lives to shoot another day!
And a BIG THANKYOU from Copenhagen. It just fixed my camera problems. Very nice and detailed video - exactly what you need when you have several "UFOES" on your pictures. It saved my day...
Jeg kan godt lide UFO beskrivelse. Kort og strålende. :)
thanks, I followed this for my Lumix Panasonic DMC-TZ10 it was more or less the same. I had many dark blodges on my photos, they are gone now! thank you so much and the music helped calm my nerves! xx
I did it! Have my Lumix ZR3 back again, after 4 years abandoned in a drawer because of blury spots on the pictures.
Thank you for spending your time and effort doing this very helping video!
Thank you! Your TZ20 looks exactly like mine, and I cant believe I have just taken it apart and cleaned it, but I have - it still works and the blob has gone. All it cost me was a set of jewellers screwdrivers.
Great video. Saved me a load of frustration and money. Sensor now clean thanks to you. Many thanks.
Done this 3 times now and saved a fortune thanks to you. 👍🏻
Thank you from Germany,
mit deiner Anleitung traute ich mich und es war wirklich ganz einfach.
Meine Kamera hat jetzt endlich wieder ein fleckenfreies Bild.
Dankeschön
Glad to hear it worked for you.
Wünschen Ihnen viele angenehme Fotos.
Followed these instruction to cure same problem on a TZ14. All went well and no ghosts on the pictures.
Note however that the TZ14 screen attachment ribbon cable is much shorter so had to have help holding the screen so as not to damage ribbon. Whole operation took about 20 mins. Thanks for a useful video.
Thanks. I was able to remove the dust from my ZS10 sensor in about 25 minutes. I used a dust blaster and a lens brush. Would not advise cotton swab for reasons already stated. Excellent video. Thank you.
Thanks a bunch !!! ... This saved my DMC-ZS6 as well ... slightly different config, but very similar on the inside (the LCD screen is attached to the outer case, no side panel that needs to be removed on the outside). One thing to note: On my unit, that little rectangular rubber gasket over the bottom glass (not really a lens but a thin sheet of green glass) is actually a loose and can come off, exposing the entire glass pane, that also can be removed. In my case, I had to clean lint between the rubber and both sides of the glass pane using an alcohol wipe.
Had the same shadow UFO's as Max and so far, after the cleaning, no more sightings. Excellent instruction video :-D !!!
Thanks for sharing additional details.
I wish I had read this comment prior to starting since I was surprised by the screen being attached to the back on my ZS7 as well. Other than that the cleaning worked pretty well. Not perfect but I was afraid to be very aggressive with the Q-tip.
Thanks for this video.
This cleaning was really to do. Even by me being an elderly person at 64 years. Thanks!
I am over 60 and I don't understand why do you call yourself an elderly person? Haha....:)
Thank you for the great tutorial. I had the same issue and your solution worked for me. I have a Lumix DMC-ZS15. They should have put a small gasket around the sensor assembly to keep the dust out. I have had this camera for 4 years and did not have a problem until this May.
Awesome, thank you so muchTomislav. I just saved $175 (plus shipping and taxes). The sensor is spotless. Just one note. Be careful as the bottom screws are not the same size as the side ones on the outside. About 30 minutes from start to finish. Cheers
Thanks for posting this video, I cleaned my Panasonic DMC ZS10 same exactly way. I was disappointed with camera and after cleaning it is perfect and I am happy now.
Thanks for this video. I applied this procedure on my DMC-TZ10. Small difference: To remove the inner sheet, the two screws on the left side holding the front housing part have to removed, too because the latches have two screw holes each. I used as special camera brush and bellow kit for cleaning the sensor and the len from the inner side. Result: Nearly all dust spots are away (much better than before). Before I had the same dust spots as shown in the video. To check the result, it's best to set the highest camera resolution (12 megapixels in my case) and take some photographs from the sky in different zoom levels. When each photograph is spot free the cleaning was successful. In my case I suppose some remaining dust between the lens (neither reachable from outside nor from inside after removing the sensor holder plate).
Thank you so much ! It took me a while to open up the camera (and put it back together), but I managed to wipe that black shadow away ! Great choice of music too - it helped to keep me calm. :)
Brilliant video, saved me £60 I was quoted to get it cleaned. Thank you very much. Good tip as said in other reviews, use a magnetised good quality screwdriver, it is a great help especially when re-assembling.
Just cleaned my Lumix LF-1 and although it was a little more complicated than this camera, it worked and the sensor is clean.
I'm used to cleaning sensors on full frame cameras but taking apart a small compact camera is quite a different story! I would strongly suggest NOT using Q Tips as small fibers can be left on the ccd, lens or inside the cavity. I would recommend a can of compressed air (not pointing down!) and sensor brush or similar product designed for that purpose.
Thanks and good luck!
I cleaned mine with a great deal of trepidation but I got my sensor cleaned. It was really dirty, thanks for the video.
I followed this video exactly and, voila, my camera is nice and clean. Quite and easy process. Thanks to Mr. Mikulic for filming and posting.
Thanks very much, this helped me a lot. I have a Lumix DMC-XS3, quite easy to dismantle but the last 3 screws were star shaped so I used a Nielsen Star Screwdriver Set - T4 / T15 and one of those fit. I am pleased to have my point and shoot back!
thanks, this video gave me the confidence to tackle my DMC-TZ10 which had been bugging me for months. The layout is slightly different and I had to remove an additional two screws on the outer casing before I was able to lift out the inner silver cover. The LCD screen was attached to the outer case as in the post by tend2it below.
Used these directions for the DMC-ZS8. Worked well. Slight difference, the LCD is connected to the back panel so the back half doesn't come off, you have to work around it.
Just used your video to help me clean my Lumix TZ20 - all nice again now - great stuff, many thanks. :)
Thanks for the video, it all worked like a dream once I'd located the small screwdrivers from my previous job. My Brother in law's camera so no pressure! The grunt of thanks was worth the effort.
Very useful! Worked like a charm on my ZS10 and saved me a $60 sensor cleaning ... or hundreds on a new camera.
Thanks to your video, I just cleaned my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 still my favorite little camera.
THANK YOU! I now have a dust free sensor! Appreciate your help!!!!
Super! Sehr hilfreich. In 10 min war die Kamera wieder staubfrei. Danke.
It worked perfectly. Thank you. Finally clean pictures after many years of unwanted spots!
Thank you soooo much. My Lumix TZ20 is taking clear photos once again.
Your tips were perfect and ever so helpful. Much appreciated. Saved me buying a new camera. Ta
Thanks for that! Here I was thinking I'd have to toss the camera because the dust was so bad but you've saved me having to buy a new P&S camera.
I had 3 dots on my pictures, I found 3 tiny dusts on the sensor, thank you so much!
Thanks for the great Vid. 2 suggestions: 1: don't let the battery door spring open, eventually the hinge pin can break. 2: Use blower first, then brush, then Qtip
Outstanding video!!! I just saved $160.00. It was so simple and right to the point Thank you so much!!!!
Just cleaned my work collegues ZS10, great video, super easy!
Thank you so much for your video, it's been incredibly helpful, clear and almost easy. Sensor was soooo dirty...
All summer holiday pictures had a spot. With your solution the christmas fotos will be fine!
Thanks a lot !!!
Thanks for the how to guide. I just cleaned my TZ20 and its working great again.
Cleaned my sensor with the help of your video. Many thanks!
A great video that worked great on my older Lumix camera. Unfortunately on my newer Lumix DMC ZS25 Panasonic changed the screws holding on the back of the lens to extremely small star screws. I was unable to find a small enough driver to remove them.
I regret I cannot help. But thanks for sharing, perhaps somebody found a solution and will post it. Good luck.
I have same tz20 camera with same problem, I am going to try and clean sensor and lens, what did you clean the sensor with, thanks
Thanks a lot for this great video. What kind of brush do you have used? Can I use also a new cosmetic brush?
I used a cheap blower brush (puffer brush) from a photo shop (camera store). I think you can use any brush which is soft and gentle mechanically and free of grease or dirt. I don't recommend blowing directly with your mouth because of micro spits. Try on a mirror and you'll see what I mean. Good luck.
Thanks for the demo! I didn't know what it was, perhaps acrack in the lens or so. I like my little camera(TZ20), it was a good buy. I have ordered a TZ40, it will be fun to compare. Great song, Simon Philips on drums, I think.
Gute Anleitung - war damit erfolgreich bei meiner TZ7. Da ist es noch einfacher, da die große Abdeckplatte innen fehlt. Du brauchst nur Rückseite der Kamera aufschrauben . Die nächste Reinigung schaffe ich in 5 Minuten .
That's great. Thanks for sharing. Dankl.
I have a camera just like that, shortly after fulfilling the warranty the zoon started giving me problems, I turn on the camera and the zoon starts moving in and out, if I turn off the camera the zoon stays out, after several attempts the zoon enters inside, and so on continuously. Do you have any fix? Thank you.
Does the ZS20 have the same infrared filter on the sensor with the rubber gasket as the earlier models?
Sorry, don't know anything about it.
Just want to say thanks for the guide. Just saved myself £50 by not sending this off for service. Mine was a TZ35 and mostly the same except the lcd and key pad come off in one piece from a small plug on the mainboard. These have to be removed to detached the shield inside to then access the sensor. Just be careful of the plastic insert for the activity led. Also, what is the background song? (Piano)
Thanks for sharing with other users. Sorry, no idea about music. I originally used "Shadow on the wall" sang by Roger Chapman but it was blocked here because of copyright until I picked up something they offered for free.....
This is great, thanks. Had the problem on my Sony DSLR, and thought I'd be immune switching to a compact, so very annoying to find it happening here too, but at least there's a solution!
Postovani Tomislave, hvala na ovom videu! Hteo bih da Vas zamolim, da li mi mozere reci da li se moze IR filter na TZ 20 jednostavno skinuti, posto ne vidim dge je postavljen, jedino ako nije zalepljen za senzor. Treba mi zbog nocne fotografije. Srdacan pozdrav!
Laci, I am replying in English for wider audience. Unfortunately I cannot help you about removing IR filter. I have no idea. Perhaps somebody here did it and can share their experience. Good luck.
BTW are you a philatelist? I knew a nice guy Castven in that field.
Thank you Tomislav! And no, I am not thet one Castven!
Hi - I have just followed this and it has worked well so thank you very much for posting.
Thanks, it helped a lot! And shame on Panasonic for the dust protection of this camera.
I agree. With almost no extra cost they could have done it way better. Wonder if they are aware that this issue affects a buying decision next time.
Thanks man! You just saved me alot of money! Very simple task in the end. Thanks so much!
I had exactly the same shape of dust on my TZ19 and got rid of it by placing the end of a vacuum cleaner pipe over the entire lens and using the lowest power on my vacuum ..turned it on for about two seconds and the dust was gone, that was nearly three years ago and i have not had any more dust particle problems since!
But good video..and nice to know how easy it is to take apart if need be.
Thank you for taking time to share your unusual experience. I am glad it worked fine for you without problems. I read a post somewhere by a guy who used vacuum to clean the mirror in his Canon SLR. Unfortunately it destroyed the mechanism, the suction was too strong. In your case you don't open camera but still don't know how safe it is.
I had a dirt on the sensor problem on a Panasonic LF1 a few years ago and was about to try taking it apart when I read online about using a vacuum cleaner to suck it off and it worked. I taped a empty toilet roll over the vacuum cleaner suction pipe which was a good fit over the zoom lens of the LF1. Switched on the vacuum cleaner and it immediately removed the dirt. I know its still in there but after a few years of use its not visible in the viewfinder or on the pictures
Thank you. I fixed my GFs ZS10 and now it works fine.
I have stripped one of the screws on the outside any tips on how I can get that undone I have tried the latex glove trick but it didn't work I've also tried a bigger Phillips driver but that didn't work I either
Thank you! Worked fine for my DMC-TZ18 as well. :)
thank you so much for your easy steps presentation!!! I cleaned my camera without any stress!!!
TZ40 Essentially the same procedure, however all screws very tight and some cross-cut screws stripped with 00 screwdriver, necessitating manoeuvring with an oblique 1mm plain slot screwdriver to remove them. The final set of 3 screws holding the lens cover had 2 screws with underlying springs, and all 3 screws required a 0.9mm hexagonal key to be removed, rather than a screwdriver.
Cleaned my lens successful with the help of this instruction. Thanks.
Successfully the purification completed of camera, using your video, thanks.
thanks for posting. My camera fallen down when i was riding on the beach. I'll try it. Good job
Thanks for posting this. Worked out perfectly for me.
Thnx for the great video, the camera is working as a new one.
Many thanks. I followed your instruction and it solved my problem.
Fantastic. Right first time for my TZ20!
It works! It's very easy. Thank you very much!
Perfect video and instructions. it has been a great help!! thank you!!
Excelente video. Muy ilustrativo. La mia es una lumix DMC ZS15 y el desarme es muy parecido.
Grazie mille!!! eccelente video di grande qualità!