On top of that being the ND filter, it is really a substitute for aperture. So there is a fixed aperture for a given focal length, determined by the lens, and there is this filter which provides a second aperture opening. Pretty common on cheap cameras, this (usually 4x) filter is used in strong sunlight and waterfall 'magic' modes.
I had a jammed lens in a newer Lumix. I took it apart, but couldn't get it working. Managed to get it back together and discovered it was still covered by warranty. I had already bought a new one, but I sent it off for repair. Now I have it as a spare.
@robot797 Remember that ADSL is designed for high speed download, low speed upload. 448Kbit for 8Mbit ADSL, 1.4Mbit for 24Mbit ADSL2+. Cable TV areas will be faster if you're lucky enough to live in a cabled area, fibre will be faster but ridiculously expensive in the UK.
Oh, I was hoping that flash cap was going to get you Mike! Good of you to warn people about it but you forgot to mention how it can be used to be wired up to a metal door handle to surprise your pals!
I've done this before! I have no idea how I managed to not get zapped, perhaps I was lucky and it was fully discharged... I know by experience how powerful capacitors are. I once received the charge of one 12V and two 8 V capacitors that were connected to each other (total of 28 V). I don't know the amperage but the jolt arced through my arms, passing through my chest. I can tell you one thing, I was very upset the lady before me in the assembly line didn't properly discharge them... My chest was hurting inside for a week. I wouldn't be surprised if I could easily have had my heart stopped by that.
Camera looks so innocent but that cap is why electronics scare me. I'm bit interested but hate the thought of getting a shock :) was shitting bricks the other day just trying to sort out the mains charger for the hair clippers other day. It had cracked open and partly fell out. Didn't understand the inners but got it back in and hot clued the edges.
I really enjoyed this video. it's wonderful to see that you can actually show some of the parts work independently, it was quite fascinating to see the shutter at work. Any idea what the tiny mobile filter inside the optics does? Is it just a regular gray density or something more peculiar? Anyway, thanx for this great teardown, I'd like to see more cameras insides. Cheers.
Oh it more than hurts.. When i was 13-14 or so, I was having fun outside after church showing the other kids how one could charge and make a spark and recharge and make another spark... I then accidentally touched it with my finger and instantly vaporized two tiny spots on my finger... charred ash.. smelled like a bug zapper hahah... I think i've been shocked by just about any electricity one can find in most households, from 120vac mains to electric fences to 25kv flybacks from old monitors :D
I used to work in a tiny development shop down my high street.. It used to be awful, when people decided to charge up AFTER the film was full... The kodaks were the worst, because of the cap's terminal placement... when we'd crack open the cases to get at the film, like 50% of the time we'd get a little wake up...
I have a similar camera (Lumix DMC-LS2) and I'm pretty sure those things are gyros to detect which way you're holding the camera. This gets stored in the file as EXIF rotation data and software that's aware of it can use it. My new point and shoot lacks this, which is annoying me. I'm disappointed that you didn't max out the shutter until it went completely whack. And the audio desync is annoying. You hear a screw drop and see it a second later.
Next time I'm asked "are you any good at fixing digital cameras?" I'll show them this video before telling them to bugger off to Argos* and buy a new one! *other high street electronics retailers are available.
At approx.19:00 you employ a signal generator to actuate the shutter, you mention the wave form, bipolar....19.... something? Could restate the specs for me, and to satisfy my curiosity, can you mention what signal generator you use, I'm shopping for one and am looking at a rigol dg1022a, dg4062, any input you offer would be appreciated. Your vids are the bomb,keep up the interesting work,and thanks for taking the time to share out this otherwise unseen view of the technology that surrounds us.
Do you know what processor was in that camera? I couldn't make out the markings from the video. I've seen some really weird stuff like "micro SPARC" that seem to only be used in very special and rad sensitive applications in simple point and click cameras.
When doing teardowns I always wonder when I reached the "point of no return". At least clipping a flex connector is a dead giveaway ;) . I "converted" an old digicam to IR by replacing it's filter to block daylight. Was much easier than it would have been with this camera though, because the filter wasn't glued to the sensor but somewhere before in the optical path. Did I see correctly that there still was another glass on the sensor underneath? (so it'd still be dust proof if converted)
How do you power up the white LEDs in an TFT LCD screen? do you just put 3.6 volts to the 2 wires on the ribbon strip the LEDs are on? I have one from an old PSP video game screen from a replacement I did and I want to power up the LEDs and make a light out of them
Now put the case back together, leaving out all the guts. Fill it full of gravel or something to give it some heft and leave it in a public place. Take a movie to show how long someone pockets it.
I think, you need to use multimeter or something like that to discharge your caps. Capacitor inside camera might not kill you, but it is best to have a habit of discharging caps.
The downfall of the consumer only society. The amount of precision tech required to make something work is taken for granted and assumed that a newer cheaper replacement will always be available. At some point in the future, this may prove to not be true. How screwed we would be as a society to have to start over.
jeez yes not funny!! took the cover off my little Samsung looking to repair .earlier in year...i dropped it and screamed like a girl when the thing discharged through my overconfident fingers and burnt me!! Be aware..ha ha nothing like electricity to wake you up. lol
That cap always gets you in the end.
On top of that being the ND filter, it is really a substitute for aperture. So there is a fixed aperture for a given focal length, determined by the lens, and there is this filter which provides a second aperture opening. Pretty common on cheap cameras, this (usually 4x) filter is used in strong sunlight and waterfall 'magic' modes.
Great video. I've enjoyed it. The funky stuff at the end that concentrates the light is a fresnel lens.
First LCD i took apart was a 24" desktop monitor, the optical sheets amused me way more than they should have.
I had a jammed lens in a newer Lumix. I took it apart, but couldn't get it working. Managed to get it back together and discovered it was still covered by warranty. I had already bought a new one, but I sent it off for repair. Now I have it as a spare.
It´s amazing the amount of components of this cameras. the optical mechanics are a masterpiece.
and they are so cheap now.
@robot797 Remember that ADSL is designed for high speed download, low speed upload. 448Kbit for 8Mbit ADSL, 1.4Mbit for 24Mbit ADSL2+. Cable TV areas will be faster if you're lucky enough to live in a cabled area, fibre will be faster but ridiculously expensive in the UK.
0:42 so much satisfaction for no particular reason
Oh, I was hoping that flash cap was going to get you Mike! Good of you to warn people about it but you forgot to mention how it can be used to be wired up to a metal door handle to surprise your pals!
I've done this before! I have no idea how I managed to not get zapped, perhaps I was lucky and it was fully discharged... I know by experience how powerful capacitors are. I once received the charge of one 12V and two 8 V capacitors that were connected to each other (total of 28 V).
I don't know the amperage but the jolt arced through my arms, passing through my chest. I can tell you one thing, I was very upset the lady before me in the assembly line didn't properly discharge them... My chest was hurting inside for a week. I wouldn't be surprised if I could easily have had my heart stopped by that.
Infrared actually turns hot areas purple. Techmoan demonstrated this in one of his camera reviews.
The filter in the aperture is a Neutral Density filter that probably reduces the light level by an f-stop or so.
Camera looks so innocent but that cap is why electronics scare me. I'm bit interested but hate the thought of getting a shock :) was shitting bricks the other day just trying to sort out the mains charger for the hair clippers other day. It had cracked open and partly fell out. Didn't understand the inners but got it back in and hot clued the edges.
I really enjoyed this video. it's wonderful to see that you can actually show some of the parts work independently, it was quite fascinating to see the shutter at work. Any idea what the tiny mobile filter inside the optics does? Is it just a regular gray density or something more peculiar? Anyway, thanx for this great teardown, I'd like to see more cameras insides. Cheers.
"You turn it on and it says please turn off" lmao :D
Oh it more than hurts.. When i was 13-14 or so, I was having fun outside after church showing the other kids how one could charge and make a spark and recharge and make another spark...
I then accidentally touched it with my finger and instantly vaporized two tiny spots on my finger... charred ash.. smelled like a bug zapper hahah... I think i've been shocked by just about any electricity one can find in most households, from 120vac mains to electric fences to 25kv flybacks from old monitors :D
I took apart a disposable and the flash cap got me real good.
Yeah, i know the experience. My finger ended up with two burn marks and it was numb for some time, one of the worst pains i have ever felt.
I used to work in a tiny development shop down my high street.. It used to be awful, when people decided to charge up AFTER the film was full... The kodaks were the worst, because of the cap's terminal placement... when we'd crack open the cases to get at the film, like 50% of the time we'd get a little wake up...
@robot797 Not sure what's happenning there - Sync looks OK in the editor.
Not serious enough to justify another 8 hours upload time!
I have a similar camera (Lumix DMC-LS2) and I'm pretty sure those things are gyros to detect which way you're holding the camera. This gets stored in the file as EXIF rotation data and software that's aware of it can use it. My new point and shoot lacks this, which is annoying me.
I'm disappointed that you didn't max out the shutter until it went completely whack. And the audio desync is annoying. You hear a screw drop and see it a second later.
It's hard to believe they can build all that stuff for the price they do. They must not be unionized. :-)
Desoldering braid - I reccommend Chemtronics Soder Wick brand (despite that they can;t spell solder)
Next time I'm asked "are you any good at fixing digital cameras?" I'll show them this video before telling them to bugger off to Argos* and buy a new one!
*other high street electronics retailers are available.
8:38 Various chippery!
At approx.19:00 you employ a signal generator to actuate the shutter, you mention the wave form, bipolar....19.... something?
Could restate the specs for me, and to satisfy my curiosity, can you mention what signal generator you use, I'm shopping for one and am looking at a rigol dg1022a, dg4062, any input you offer would be appreciated.
Your vids are the bomb,keep up the interesting work,and thanks for taking the time to share out this otherwise unseen view of the technology that surrounds us.
What a fancy ceramic BGA for such a cheap looking camera.
Do you know what processor was in that camera? I couldn't make out the markings from the video. I've seen some really weird stuff like "micro SPARC" that seem to only be used in very special and rad sensitive applications in simple point and click cameras.
@batteryhead15 That would really hurt, but you'd have to be sitting on the camera to get a zap in your -end- :-)
When doing teardowns I always wonder when I reached the "point of no return". At least clipping a flex connector is a dead giveaway ;) .
I "converted" an old digicam to IR by replacing it's filter to block daylight. Was much easier than it would have been with this camera though, because the filter wasn't glued to the sensor but somewhere before in the optical path. Did I see correctly that there still was another glass on the sensor underneath? (so it'd still be dust proof if converted)
How do you power up the white LEDs in an TFT LCD screen? do you just put 3.6 volts to the 2 wires on the ribbon strip the LEDs are on? I have one from an old PSP video game screen from a replacement I did and I want to power up the LEDs and make a light out of them
@CxC2007
Yeah, it has Leica optics.
Yay! Someone who knows what editing is!
Great teardown. Thanks.
Min 10:30 Lens, zoom, 11:40 sensor, 13:00 motor zoom, 14:03 zoom,
once at boy scout camp we and like 30 other kids tore apart a disposable camera... shocked the shit out of us.
Desolder braid
@mikeselectricstuff it is 30:30 long, but at my house it takes like 5 min to upload a video of about 3-7min long.
Bloody fascinating, thanks very much :o)
ouch that's all I remember about taking apart cameras shits dangerous the flash capacitor electrocuted me shit hurts like a bitch.
shutter use = electric shuter for 35mm filme cameras... electric for fine shutter time tuning
OMG how tiny are those e-magnet traces ?!
What is the tape like item that you use when you unsolder the battery clips?
Solder braid!
Now put the case back together, leaving out all the guts. Fill it full of gravel or something to give it some heft and leave it in a public place. Take a movie to show how long someone pockets it.
can you use the in and out movement of the lends as a car jack?
Warns about being careful not to take a shock from the flash cap, takes a shock from the flash cap :))
Take. A fucking. Chill pill. Slow down. Someone had too much caffeine...
Other than that, nice video!
(Yes, I am aware there was fast-forwarding.)
Ive been shocked by one of them caps before lol
@robot797 it'd take much longer than that to upload 30 mins at 720p on my internet the joys of british adsl....
bloody half an hour !
I think, you need to use multimeter or something like that to discharge your caps. Capacitor inside camera might not kill you, but it is best to have a habit of discharging caps.
the audi gets desinced around 12:00-13:19 just after a video jump
The downfall of the consumer only society. The amount of precision tech required to make something work is taken for granted and assumed that a newer cheaper replacement will always be available. At some point in the future, this may prove to not be true. How screwed we would be as a society to have to start over.
Ah, thanks for the reply :)
Connect the image stabilizer directly to a 440 kV 50 Hz "signal generator" to see how many miles it can toss the lens
Cool tear-down ! NOW lets put it all back together ....NOT.
3:47 hahahaha ;)
@mikeselectricstuff 8 hour for 30 min
wow you have slow internet :P
Made of plastic it's fantastic
jeez yes not funny!! took the cover off my little Samsung looking to repair .earlier in year...i dropped it and screamed like a girl when the thing discharged through my overconfident fingers and burnt me!! Be aware..ha ha nothing like electricity to wake you up. lol
Gordon Ramsey of electronics
mike i love your videos but for the love of god, cut your finger nails