5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

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Archive 2009 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

SpeedyGonzales
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p.1 #1 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

I'm on vacation in China, and the mirrror of y 5D has cone loose from its frame. My best suggestion so far is a tiny drop of superglue on the four points it was attached before. Right now, I don't care about warranty, I just want a working camera.

Jul 04, 2009 at 06:36 PM

SpeedyGonzales
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p.1 #2 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

Addenum: The body works just fine, but no mirror means neither metering nor focus.

Jul 04, 2009 at 06:44 PM

lancemoreland
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p.1 #3 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

Rubber contact cement may be a little less damaging if you can find some. Spread a little on each surface and allow to dry until tacky and then seat the mirror in place. I am not positive if it will hold but you can always go the super glue route, if not. When Canon does the repair, it is my understanding that they replace the entire mirror box, so it may not matter. That is a shame this has happened on your trip. Good luck with the repair.

Lance
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Jul 04, 2009 at 06:44 PM

scelia
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p.1 #4 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

I would recommend against super glue as the fumes from cyanoacrylate could cause irreparable damage to the sensor/shutter.

Jul 04, 2009 at 07:08 PM

Nathan Hobbs
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p.1 #5 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

i would use super glue as an absolute last resort and if you do place a fan at a ninety degree angle to blow as much fume as possible out of the mirror box.

what scelia says is true the fumes are highly acidic and can destroy cameras.

Jul 04, 2009 at 07:29 PM

GeorgeK-NJ
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p.1 #6 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

Pack it away and use your Back-up!

What do you mean you didn't bring a Back-up.

Jul 04, 2009 at 07:33 PM

mMontag
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p.1 #7 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

Double adhesive (two-way) tape.

Jul 04, 2009 at 07:42 PM

scalesusa
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p.1 #8 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

Changing the position of the mirror in any way will throw off the autofocus. Just the thickness of additional glue will likely be a problem, so remove the old first and try to make it the same. Canon adjusts the position of the mirror in a calibration step which corrects for any variance in the thickness of the glue. I do not know if you can easily adjust the 5D mirror position or not, the Rebel XTi has a tiny hex head screw under the mirror that I used to adjust mine. Just a tiny fraction of a inch affects focus.

Plan to use manual focus if you are successful in glueing it in place.

Jul 04, 2009 at 08:26 PM

Kamil Kisiel
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p.1 #9 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

Buy another camera, send your 5D in for repair (it's on recall due to the mirror problem).

Jul 04, 2009 at 08:54 PM

wlachan
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p.1 #10 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

Kamil Kisiel wrote:
Buy another camera, send your 5D in for repair (it's on recall due to the mirror problem).

Ditto.

Jul 04, 2009 at 09:20 PM

Emile Gregoire
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p.1 #11 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

wlachan wrote:
Kamil Kisiel wrote:
Buy another camera, send your 5D in for repair (it's on recall due to the mirror problem).

Ditto.

Ditto the ditto unless you're a trained technician used to repairing delicate and small items.

That said, if it were me and my 3+ years old 5D in the middle of the trip of a lifetime, I'd even use gaffer tape if it had the remotest chance of getting the thing going again... Have any gaffer tape on ya

Jul 04, 2009 at 09:25 PM

phillipyan
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p.1 #12 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

Double sided tape will not work under the high cyclic acceleration of the mirror, it will come off quite quickly, and the extra weight of the tape will affect timing of the mirror movement. Superglue is a better bet, but you need to be careful where to apply glue, and how much you apply. That being said, there are feedback from internet I have seen that the mirror comes off even after superglue. Good Luck!

Jul 05, 2009 at 12:05 AM

Gochugogi
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p.1 #13 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

I was worried about my 5D mirror detaching while traveling this summer (really hot locations). So I had Canon install the mirror clips the month before I left.

Also doublestick tape is about as thick as the mirror itself. No way will it function correctly let alone render a focused VF image.

Jul 05, 2009 at 12:13 AM

phillipyan
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p.1 #14 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

Gochugogi wrote:
I was worried about my 5D mirror detaching while traveling this summer (really hot locations). So I had Canon install the mirror clips the month before I left.

Also doublestick tape is about as thick as the mirror itself. No way will it function correctly let alone render a focused VF image.

The mirror detachment problem seems to plague cameras in hot AND humid zones mostly

Jul 05, 2009 at 04:11 AM

Curator
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p.1 #15 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

phillipyan wrote:
The mirror detachment problem seems to plague cameras in hot AND humid zones mostly

All cameras, or only the 5D?

Jul 05, 2009 at 04:28 AM

SpeedyGonzales
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p.1 #16 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

I went the superglue route, as it was the only possibility right here and now. The glue is very liquid, so it shouldn't build much at all. AF seems fine after some quick checks with 135/2, but the preview on the 5D isn't very good, so I can't be 100% certain.

I can afford a mkII if I dig deep, but it's still a big unplanned expense. The sticker price here is 200-250$ higher than B&H, might get it down a bit with some haggling. It's still much cheaper than Norway.

Jul 05, 2009 at 07:57 AM

Gochugogi
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p.1 #17 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

phillipyan wrote:
Gochugogi wrote:
I was worried about my 5D mirror detaching while traveling this summer (really hot locations). So I had Canon install the mirror clips the month before I left.

Also doublestick tape is about as thick as the mirror itself. No way will it function correctly let alone render a focused VF image.

The mirror detachment problem seems to plague cameras in hot AND humid zones mostly

It's 90 degrees and 90% humidity all the time in where I live, so I think I qualify. A friggen freakin' sauna. Walk outside for 5 minutes and you sweat through your clothing and are coated in oil. The cute counter girl at Canon Hawaii said I was probably the only 5D owner left on the island with an intact reflex mirror. Amazingly, much of Asia is worse this time of year so I'm gonna make BO but have a damn strong reflex mirror. Hopefully the extra pheromones off mah pits will attract hot women.

Jul 05, 2009 at 08:31 AM

Emile Gregoire
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p.1 #18 · 5D EMERGENCY REPAIR: Loose mirror

Curator wrote:
phillipyan wrote:
The mirror detachment problem seems to plague cameras in hot AND humid zones mostly

All cameras, or only the 5D?

5D, at least that one got a recall for this problem.

Oh, and guys, the gaffer tape was just kidding... hence the smiley at the end. I've used it for many an emergency repair in the bush, but wouldn't dream of using it on the inner workings of a 5D. Still glad I didn't suggest hammer and nails though

Jul 05, 2009 at 08:46 AM


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