JVC LS-300 wobbly screen

[Duncan Craig]

The screen on my LS300 has begun to work loose over the course of a few months.
I've found a few cases of wobbly screen on JVC cameras.

I'm in touch with the dealer I bought it from, although returning it to them for a lengthy repair would be a problem... We'll see.

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[Noa Put]

I don't have that issue (yet) but I noticed when I just got the camera how flimsy the hinge construction of that lcd screen was, if you ever have used a sony fx1000 that lcd screen and the hinges was build like a tank, like night and day difference in build quality compared to the ls300. Are you going to return the camera?
I have a 5 year warranty on mine so if the lcd screen would malfunction or come off I can have it repaired for free, I don't plan on keeping it for 5 years though. Probably 3 year max.

[Steve Ritchie]

Were you ever able to resolve the wobbly screen issue?
I just developed the same problem on my LS300, I have only used it for 3 months.

[Duncan Craig]

No. I had an opportunity to send it back for repair but there was no indication how long it would take and I had work to do with the camera.

I recently tried taking the screen apart but it got very fiddly very fast and it almost didn't go back together again. Oops.

There's a bolt holding on the screen hinge, and it's inside the voice behind the sensor area. I found that I can spin the bolt head, pushing the head around by it's edge. That helps to tighten the screen slightly, but it really needs a full disassembly and then some thread lock on that particular bolt.

[Jay P. Kaley]

That is one big drawback of this camera, it's almost like no matter how careful you are, that flimsy door is gonna have issues eventually.

I had a JVC 750 and the door was the same way, the day I got it I thought "why didn't they fortify a hinge you are going to use the most, that's going to be trouble." And it was.

[Steve Ritchie]

I found a hidden screw under the top panel that sits between the internal microphones, with this and several other screws removed I was able to carefully take off the whole side panel with the screen assembly. Aside from a very delicate tethered ribbon cable, it is possible to move the whole side panel enough to access the two loose hinge screws from the back, with screwdriver access.

I still need to get back in there and add threadlock, I have work tonight so I was getting antsy to close it back up quick, I just grabbed a couple quick phone pics. If you have any interest in more/better photos, let me know, I'll try to get step by step side panel access photos at some point when I go back to add thread lock.

[Duncan Craig]

Steve. Welcome to the forums and thanks!
Wow, that's a great find.

A more detailed howto guide would be amazing, then no doubt a couple of use will get straight on with fixes.

Cheers.

[Duncan Craig]

I see you've done something with your expanded focus button too?
Looks interesting...

[Noa Put]

Certainly looks interesting but no way I would ever open my camera while it is in warranty :) If I still have it after that then maybe if the repaircost for a piece that got loose would be too high.

[Steve Ritchie]

Thanks Duncan!

I purchased my LS300 used, and unfortunately without a warranty. I do not know if it's possible for an existing warranty to be transferred. The prev owner had modified the expanded focus button by gluing a small riser on top, looks like he made it out of fimo clay. It certainly helps a lot for finding the button by touch.

I will work on a detailed how-to guide in the not too distant future, next time I have a peaceful state of mind to get back inside the camera. It's definitely a bit nerve wracking. A few things I can confirm, the camera has no weather sealing - I found no gaskets or rubber at all. The shell is fairly thin plastic, but the base core appears to be very robust, solid aluminum frame. It was nice to see that inside.

[John Nantz]

Steve - Great piece of work! If you take one of the LCD screws out please look to see of there is any sign if a thread locker was applied. If nothing was, then a thread locker should help for a much longer time. If there was, then it would have to be applied at regular intervals or a stronger thread locker used.

For those who are unfamiliar with it, Loctite (there are other brands) makes a number of thread lockers for different purposes. Their “blue” is for low strength, the “red” is for high strength, and one that I found when checking for spelling was one called “243 Medium Strength Surface Insensitive Threadlocker” which, get this!, can be used on, among other things, on “rocker studs and rocker adjustment bolts. “ For the later, all I can say is YEA! that is exactly what I need for my boat engine (Yanmar diesel). It has a couple rocker adjustment nuts that are a tad loose and have been a bit of a battle for several years to get adjusted exactly and keep the setting so I’m hopeful this’ll fix it. Bottom line, thanks to your video cam post I hope to fix a long standing boat problem!

Also, in the bottom picture, the horizontal ribbon that appears to come from the LCD screen (horizontal ribbon) appears to be very accessible so may be easily replaceable. If that is what it is then this is also good. I went to replace the LCD ribbon on my wife’s Sony handicam and it was a really complicated process due to it’s length and contorted twists and bends. It failed right where the LCD hinged apparently from frequent opening and closing of the LCD.

Great post!

[Duncan Craig]

I've just repaired my camera LCD door.

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Here's a list of the steps I suggest.
If you have any more to add please paste a new list below this.

1 Remove the XLR handle
2 Undo the four newly exposed screws
3 Undo the screw below the USB port
4 Undo the screw near the eyepiece (behind the Mode button)
5 Undo the two relevant screws on the camera base
6 Prize off the long top plate - perhaps start near the USB port
7 Remove the cold shoe metal spring plate
8 Undo the screw from the metal support bar to free up the side panel
9 Add Loctite to the two screws supporting the side screen
10 Put the camera back together

[John Vincent]

Sweet post - awesome (and brave) fix!

[Duncan Craig]

I should also mention that this will obviously void your warranty, and it's possible that your camera will never work again.

It's your call!

[Noa Put]

I"m glad I have a 5 year warranty :)