Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

8

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

1

  • Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10 Image Sensor Repair
  • 8 steps

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Introduction

Apparently this guide also works for a similar camera, the Lumix Panasonic DMC-ZS10, with the exception that in Step 3 there are 4 extra screws to remove, two on each end.

What you need

Step 1

              This shows the problem
  • One can clearly see the dust reproduced on the image

One can clearly see the dust reproduced on the image

1024

Step 2

              Tools I used
  • Magnifying Glas
  • Electronics Screwdriver set
  • Cloth and Q-Tips
  • tweezers
  • My Swiss-Army Knife :-)
  • TIP! have a sheet of letter paper to put the parts on as you remove them. You can keep them in removal order so it’s easy to reverse the sequence on reassembly.

Magnifying Glas

Electronics Screwdriver set

Cloth and Q-Tips

tweezers

My Swiss-Army Knife :-)

TIP! have a sheet of letter paper to put the parts on as you remove them. You can keep them in removal order so it’s easy to reverse the sequence on reassembly.

Step 3

              Front panel removal
  • Remove Bottom screws
  • 3 visible in the picture
  • 2 off screen
  • Only for the DMC-ZS10: there are 4 extra screws to remove, two on each end.
  • Remove front panel

Remove Bottom screws

3 visible in the picture

2 off screen

Only for the DMC-ZS10: there are 4 extra screws to remove, two on each end.

Remove front panel

Step 4

              Battery Cover
  • This Step is optional and provided simply for better handling.
  • slide pin to side
  • use small pliers to pull or pin to push
  • Caution
  • Don’t lose the spring!
  • remove cover

This Step is optional and provided simply for better handling.

slide pin to side

use small pliers to pull or pin to push

Caution

Don’t lose the spring!

remove cover

Step 5

              Lift back cover
  • Carefully lift the cover slightly upwards
  • Remove the switch
  • It’s only secured with a clip at one side and might fall off during handling, if not removed now. However, this step is - optional-
  • Lift sideways and remove the two PCB connectors
  • Best use your fingernail or a soft plastic spudger to gently flip the black plastic on the side of the connector to the right until it flips over
  • Then gently pull the PCB to the left outwards without damaging it or bending it too sharply
  • Remove back cover completely

Carefully lift the cover slightly upwards

Remove the switch

It’s only secured with a clip at one side and might fall off during handling, if not removed now. However, this step is - optional-

Lift sideways and remove the two PCB connectors

Best use your fingernail or a soft plastic spudger to gently flip the black plastic on the side of the connector to the right until it flips over

Then gently pull the PCB to the left outwards without damaging it or bending it too sharply

Remove back cover completely

Step 6

              Remove protective metal cover
  • Remove screws
  • Lift metal clamps gently
  • Remove metal cover

Remove screws

Lift metal clamps gently

Remove metal cover

Step 7

              Remove Imaging Chip
  • Remove screws holding the Chip assembly
  • Remove PCB Connector (optional) or simply and carefully flip the assembly over
  • Now the Chip with its protective cover is accessible
  • Note: The last two images show the whole imaging subassembly removed - this is NOT required if you only want to access the chip

Remove screws holding the Chip assembly

Remove PCB Connector (optional) or simply and carefully flip the assembly over

Now the Chip with its protective cover is accessible

Note: The last two images show the whole imaging subassembly removed - this is NOT required if you only want to access the chip

Step 8

              Clean the protective cover
  • Clean the protective cover (without any cleaning fluid so to not leave residue on the glass)
  • Use a Q-Tip or a lint-free cloth like for glases and check with the magnifier for success
  • This is a delicate procedure that requires much care and a dust free environment

Clean the protective cover (without any cleaning fluid so to not leave residue on the glass)

Use a Q-Tip or a lint-free cloth like for glases and check with the magnifier for success

This is a delicate procedure that requires much care and a dust free environment

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                    BjoernErik

Member since: 05/03/2010

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Paul Fishman - Jul 22, 2013

Reply

I just tore open my ZS10, and here are some notes for that model.

  • remove the wrist strap if it is attached to the camera.

Step 5: there are three PCB connectors; 1 wide, 2 narrow. NOTE: one of the narrow ones (on mine) had the gold connector side facing down, the other 2 had the gold facing up. (I learned this the hard way after putting all with gold up, reassembling the camera, and the screen did not work.)

Step 5: the display screen did not stay with the camera back when I removed the back; it is clipped into the body. There is some black sticky gasket material around most of the inside of the back piece; a small part of this pulled away from the back piece, so I used a tiny amount of glue stick to stick it back down. I figure this helps keep dust out.

General notes:

(continued from previous) a. the side piece screws had some thread lock on them, and were very difficult to remove. I resorted to using a small pliers on the jewelers screwdriver while pressing down to break each one loose. Be careful. (I also used a teeny amount of locktite on each one when I put it back together.)

b. Once I had the camera reassembled, I noticed a very small piece of grey foam that had fallen out. I have no idea where it goes, so it is not back in the camera.

c. Some instructions for these jobs suggests a bulb-type air blower to get dust out. I used a rubber ear irrigator bulb that I happen to have - just be certain that it is dry inside!

I have some pix of this repair; if you want them, let me know how to upload them.

Thanks folks - this is a terrific resource.

Jens - Mar 7, 2014

Reply

I did a dust remove on a similar camera for a friend. It is a DMC-TZ-20.

From outside it looks very similar to the TZ-10 pictured here. I encountered the same problem with the narrow PCB connector as Paul Fishman. It was quite hard to stick it back into the connector. The golden side is also facing the other way.

Also the side plates need to be removed for this camera.

Sam Uel - Jul 24, 2014

Reply

Thx, I did it with a TZ8 and it works with the same mechanical design.

My big dust in blue sky is no more there and I’ll enjoy my camera for a couple of month more ;-)

Volker Arndt - Jul 13, 2018

Reply

I did a dust removement three times without any need to remove the front panel oder battery lid. Just backside will do.

Be carefull when cleaning the IR filter - you will blow it away easily.