Now the 10D is even dirtier...

I made the mistake of letting someone else clean my 10D today. I had a

rather long hair/dust somewhere inside the mirror housing and cleaning

the focusing screen and mirror with a brush didn't help so I though I

could let the camera repair store clean it.

 

Big mistake.

 

After cleaning it the viewfinder was even dirtier than before. I

didn't want to complain directly because if they think that their

result was "clean", then no amount of complaining would help.

 

So now I'm asking you guys: I've got dust in the viewfinder. It's not

where you put your eye, it's not in the mirror and it's not on the

focusing screen about the mirror. I'm figuring it's in the pentaprism

thingy.

 

My question is: how do I get in there?

 

(And no, I didn't find anything searching either photo.net or www.)

After five yeras in the Middle East I just gave up and now the dust doesn't bother me. (Then again, you shoul see my sock drawer.)

This isn't to tell you how to take your camera apart, because I don't have that info.

 

However - if you don't complain to the store's manager, he/she will think everything is just fine. You have to make some noise to be heard and understood. A refund of your payment should be in order.

I agree with Skip. And if the store doesn't have the ability to properly clean the camera, either they should give you a refund, or they should send it to a shop that can do the work. You paid to have the viewfinder cleaned. It's resonable to expect that the job be completed properly.

If nothing else, I'd make sure the store knows that they are not providing an adequate service. Otherwise they could mess up some other poor sod's camera next time.

I'd still like to know how to remove the focusing screen to get to the prism. Anyone know? Pics would be great.

The view screen is removable, and your dirt is most likely either on top of it, or right above it. There are instructions on the web... with pictures even.

 

Basically you take off the camera lens, reach up with tweezers to the small metal bracket that holds the screen in. With the tweezers you grab the front of the bracket, right in the middle, and push it back (bending it slightly) and then pull it down. Your viewscreen will fall out with it. Above the screen is a shim so whatch where it falls as well. This whole job should be done with the camera upside down.

 

When installing, make sure the shim is pushed back as far as it will go before dropping the screen back on.

 

The usual disclaimers are in order: Don't do this! You can ruin the screen just by touching it. There, now that I've said it, go ahead and try if you must, but be very gentle with the screen. Canon sells new screens fairly inexpensively. Also there is at least one enterprising soul selling replacement screens with a split ring and pentaprism surround for easier manual focusing. Check out: http://www.keoptics.com/