If you need to wipe the viewfinder.... at DVinfo.net

Jerome Cloninger · May 18th, 2013, 09:00 PM

... make certain you have removed any dirt and dust with air! Yeah, I didn't and it's scratched very bad! My guess is it's made of plastic and not glass? I'll be ordering from the Sony parts site next week.

Sherman Bahr · May 18th, 2013, 09:25 PM

Yes you're right. Keep a can of air with you especially if you are going on a dusty shoot.

Marlon Martins · May 18th, 2013, 10:26 PM

i just used this (Matin Knit Lens Cleaning Cloth - Free Shipping - DealExtreme) to clean the lcd (full of fingerprints, we will never touch it again ;P ). its fully perfect with no scratches.

i use for a long time this cleaning cloth in my lenses, cause it don't scratch and remove oily residues without damaging coating. just rub gently for a while ;P

Jerome Cloninger · May 19th, 2013, 03:03 PM

So I took the whole thing apart and pulled the first glass/plastic part off that I scratched. Used headlight scratch/fog remover (Mothers & RainX both and the Mothers' drill/buffer pad) and its pretty much like new!

Noa Put · May 20th, 2013, 04:20 PM

Huh? Can you take the viewfinder apart yourself? You did not happen to take any pictures to show how you did it? :)

Jerome Cloninger · May 20th, 2013, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noa Put

Huh? Can you take the viewfinder apart yourself? You did not happen to take any pictures to show how you did it? :)

Dang it! Well, I was trying to get it done by dinner time. Didn't think to take pics! It's not for the faint of heart though. There were surprisingly more parts than I had imagined. If I get bored soon, I'll take it back apart and take some pictures.

Noa Put · May 20th, 2013, 04:34 PM

Document you must! :) Well it's good to know that it's so sensitive to scratches and that it's possible to fix again.

Jerome Cloninger · May 20th, 2013, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noa Put

Document you must! :) Well it's good to know that it's so sensitive to scratches and that it's possible to fix again.

I know, I suck... There were many a swirl marks in it after I tried to remove the fog from it. Wiped again thinking "oily" shirt, but used a microfiber cloth in the camera bag later and the swirls were still there. Once I removed that part of the glass/plastic to the viewfinder, There were indeed scratches--however some of the swirls appear to maybe be a coating being removed??? Not sure if that's the case, but its what it looked like.
When I applied the RainX headlight cleaner, it did improve, however I needed more rubbing to get it finished and manual rubbing with the fingers took a while already. My wife went to go get a buffer attachment for my drill and ended up getting the whole kit from Mothers. Using the drill pad really went quick. I ended up putting the RainX "protector" on it once finished so hopefully fogging will not happen anymore??? We'll see.

It won't be too bad to take back apart and take pics since I've done it already. I'll do it when I get caught up on some work.

Chris Harding · May 20th, 2013, 08:52 PM

Hi Jerome

Are you talking here about the LCD itself or the viewing tube and all it's bits and pieces?? On my LCD when using a kit lens I often use touch focus so I get fingerprints on the surface but I have been using an ordinary LCD screen cleaner and it works fine...if you are using your finger to touch to focus the natural oils from your finger are transferred to the LCD and wiping just doesn't remove them so a water based alcohol LCD cleaner is needed.

I have found in the heat of the moment at wedding receptions, my top lens on the viewing screen sometimes fogs up but I'm not sure if you are taking the LCD apart or the viewing tube loupe???

Chris

Steven Digges · May 21st, 2013, 02:07 AM

Mothers, Rain-X, and a Power drill......I found that in my manual....it said kiss your warranty goodbye...

Steve

Noa Put · May 21st, 2013, 02:36 AM

But if you scratch your viewfinder because it had dirt on it that is not covered by the warranty anyway, you could send the camera in but they most likely would replace the viewfinder which would be a costly repair, if it's an easy fix I would try it myself as well.

Jerome Cloninger · May 21st, 2013, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Hi Jerome

Are you talking here about the LCD itself or the viewing tube and all it's bits and pieces?? ... my top lens on the viewing screen sometimes fogs up but I'm not sure if you are taking the LCD apart or the viewing tube loupe???

Chris

The loupe. NOT the LCD. I wouldn't dare take that apart.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Digges

Mothers, Rain-X, and a Power drill......I found that in my manual....it said kiss your warranty goodbye...

Steve

I doubt scratching the eyepiece due to dirt would be covered anyways. Could be wrong, however, I fixed it in a day vs having to wait to send it out, get it repaired, etc... Also this was on the eyepiece on the loupe, NOT the camera itself. If I had to send in the camera for something, I wouldn't send the loupe anyways.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noa Put

But if you scratch your viewfinder because it had dirt on it that is not covered by the warranty anyway, you could send the camera in but they most likely would replace the viewfinder which would be a costly repair, if it's an easy fix I would try it myself as well.

The FS100 loupe appears to be $160 USD the best I could tell from the parts store. Didn't see one for the EA50 listed. This is also why I decided to go ahead and take a look at it and fix it myself.

Chris Harding · May 21st, 2013, 06:50 PM

Hi Jerome

Whew!! I was getting worried about you ripping the LCD apart. Shucks, the plastic lens on the end of the loupe is only a glorified magnifyer so surely one could find a replacement quite easily. I don't think it's anything too fancy ... I have an extra closeup lens on the top of the loupe so I have slightly more range and don't have to wear glasses and that's a glass CU 52mm and cost me $2.55

Now the point here is that the extra 52mm CU lens screws on TOP of the tube so it protects the Sony lens from damage so go out and buy a 52mm +1 Closeup lens and screw it on OR buy a 52mm UV filter and hey presto, your loupe lens is protected with a glass lens (also cheap to replace)

Chris

Jerome Cloninger · May 21st, 2013, 06:55 PM

Actually, the loupe is a series of lenses. I didn't take apart the ones in the tube that has the eye piece, but the eye piece has 2 concave pieces sandwiched together liking like a flat ball.

Maybe Thursday or Friday I can take it back apart and take photos.

Chris Harding · May 21st, 2013, 07:43 PM

Hi Jerome

So what was scartched?? the lens that sits closest to the rubber eyecup?? ... if it was then putting a cheap UV filter screwed onto the top of the tube would protect it perfectly so there wouldn't be a next time

Chris

May 18th, 2013, 09:00 PM	#1
Jerome Cloninger Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: East TN Posts: 415	If you need to wipe the viewfinder.... ... make certain you have removed any dirt and dust with air! Yeah, I didn't and it's scratched very bad! My guess is it's made of plastic and not glass? I'll be ordering from the Sony parts site next week. __________________ Jerome www.jeromecloninger.com

May 18th, 2013, 09:25 PM	#2
Sherman Bahr Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Newbury Park CA Posts: 53	Re: If you need to wipe the viewfinder.... Yes you're right. Keep a can of air with you especially if you are going on a dusty shoot.

May 18th, 2013, 10:26 PM	#3
Marlon Martins Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Torres, Brazil Posts: 115	Re: If you need to wipe the viewfinder.... i just used this (Matin Knit Lens Cleaning Cloth - Free Shipping - DealExtreme) to clean the lcd (full of fingerprints, we will never touch it again ;P ). its fully perfect with no scratches. i use for a long time this cleaning cloth in my lenses, cause it don't scratch and remove oily residues without damaging coating. just rub gently for a while ;P

May 19th, 2013, 03:03 PM	#4
Jerome Cloninger Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: East TN Posts: 415	Re: If you need to wipe the viewfinder.... So I took the whole thing apart and pulled the first glass/plastic part off that I scratched. Used headlight scratch/fog remover (Mothers & RainX both and the Mothers' drill/buffer pad) and its pretty much like new! __________________ Jerome www.jeromecloninger.com

May 20th, 2013, 04:20 PM	#5
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	Re: If you need to wipe the viewfinder.... Huh? Can you take the viewfinder apart yourself? You did not happen to take any pictures to show how you did it? :)

May 20th, 2013, 04:34 PM	#7
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	Re: If you need to wipe the viewfinder.... Document you must! :) Well it's good to know that it's so sensitive to scratches and that it's possible to fix again.

May 20th, 2013, 08:52 PM	#9
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: If you need to wipe the viewfinder.... Hi Jerome Are you talking here about the LCD itself or the viewing tube and all it's bits and pieces?? On my LCD when using a kit lens I often use touch focus so I get fingerprints on the surface but I have been using an ordinary LCD screen cleaner and it works fine...if you are using your finger to touch to focus the natural oils from your finger are transferred to the LCD and wiping just doesn't remove them so a water based alcohol LCD cleaner is needed. I have found in the heat of the moment at wedding receptions, my top lens on the viewing screen sometimes fogs up but I'm not sure if you are taking the LCD apart or the viewing tube loupe??? Chris

May 21st, 2013, 02:07 AM	#10
Steven Digges Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,828	Re: If you need to wipe the viewfinder.... Mothers, Rain-X, and a Power drill......I found that in my manual....it said kiss your warranty goodbye... Steve __________________ www.CorporateShow.com Been at this so long I'm rounding my years of experience down...not up!

May 21st, 2013, 02:36 AM	#11
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	Re: If you need to wipe the viewfinder.... But if you scratch your viewfinder because it had dirt on it that is not covered by the warranty anyway, you could send the camera in but they most likely would replace the viewfinder which would be a costly repair, if it's an easy fix I would try it myself as well.

May 21st, 2013, 06:50 PM	#13
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: If you need to wipe the viewfinder.... Hi Jerome Whew!! I was getting worried about you ripping the LCD apart. Shucks, the plastic lens on the end of the loupe is only a glorified magnifyer so surely one could find a replacement quite easily. I don't think it's anything too fancy ... I have an extra closeup lens on the top of the loupe so I have slightly more range and don't have to wear glasses and that's a glass CU 52mm and cost me $2.55 Now the point here is that the extra 52mm CU lens screws on TOP of the tube so it protects the Sony lens from damage so go out and buy a 52mm +1 Closeup lens and screw it on OR buy a 52mm UV filter and hey presto, your loupe lens is protected with a glass lens (also cheap to replace) Chris

May 21st, 2013, 06:55 PM	#14
Jerome Cloninger Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: East TN Posts: 415	Re: If you need to wipe the viewfinder.... Actually, the loupe is a series of lenses. I didn't take apart the ones in the tube that has the eye piece, but the eye piece has 2 concave pieces sandwiched together liking like a flat ball. Maybe Thursday or Friday I can take it back apart and take photos. __________________ Jerome www.jeromecloninger.com

May 21st, 2013, 07:43 PM	#15
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: If you need to wipe the viewfinder.... Hi Jerome So what was scartched?? the lens that sits closest to the rubber eyecup?? ... if it was then putting a cheap UV filter screwed onto the top of the tube would protect it perfectly so there wouldn't be a next time Chris