Difficulty
Difficult
Steps
13
Time Required
30 minutes
Sections
2
- Rear Panel
- 7 steps
- Motherboard
- 6 steps
Flags
0
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Introduction
What you need
Step 1
Rear Panel
- Remove the five screws around the camera using a Phillips #00 screwdriver.
- Remember that we’re removing the rear panel, so for this step, only remove screws on the appropriate side of the seam separating the rear and front panels.
- The D5100 is held together by a large number of screws, which come in several sizes. Make sure to keep your screws organized so that you don’t lose or misplace them!
Remove the five screws around the camera using a Phillips #00 screwdriver.
Remember that we’re removing the rear panel, so for this step, only remove screws on the appropriate side of the seam separating the rear and front panels.
The D5100 is held together by a large number of screws, which come in several sizes. Make sure to keep your screws organized so that you don’t lose or misplace them!
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Step 2
- Use your fingernail to gently peel back the black rubber thumb grip, attached to the chassis with a strong adhesive.
- Use the Phillips #00 to remove the screw underneath the black rubber grip.
Use your fingernail to gently peel back the black rubber thumb grip, attached to the chassis with a strong adhesive.
Use the Phillips #00 to remove the screw underneath the black rubber grip.
Step 3
- Carefully peel back the black rubber hand grip, which is attached to the chassis with a strong adhesive.
- Use the Phillips #00 to remove two screws beneath the handgrip.
Carefully peel back the black rubber hand grip, which is attached to the chassis with a strong adhesive.
Use the Phillips #00 to remove two screws beneath the handgrip.
Step 4
- Using a spudger, pry off the diopter adjustment dial cover and remove the screw underneath.
- Be sure to remove the very thin cover from the dial, and not the dial itself.
- The dial cover is not shown in this picture.
- Next, using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the three Phillips screws around the viewfinder.
Using a spudger, pry off the diopter adjustment dial cover and remove the screw underneath.
Be sure to remove the very thin cover from the dial, and not the dial itself.
The dial cover is not shown in this picture.
Next, using a Phillips #00 screwdriver, remove the three Phillips screws around the viewfinder.
Step 5
- Carefully separate the rear panel from the camera body.
- You will notice some resistance because the two pieces of the camera fit together tightly.
- Be careful not to damage the chassis or ribbon cables. Use a firm grip to pull the two halves apart.
Carefully separate the rear panel from the camera body.
You will notice some resistance because the two pieces of the camera fit together tightly.
Be careful not to damage the chassis or ribbon cables. Use a firm grip to pull the two halves apart.
Step 6
- Remove the dark orange ribbon cable attaching the rear panel to the motherboard by flipping the black plastic clasp up, away from the motherboard, and pull the cable out of its white casing in the direction of the cable.
- Using the flat edge of a spudger can help with this delicate task.
Remove the dark orange ribbon cable attaching the rear panel to the motherboard by flipping the black plastic clasp up, away from the motherboard, and pull the cable out of its white casing in the direction of the cable.
Using the flat edge of a spudger can help with this delicate task.
Step 7
- Remove the silver 16-pin cable by pulling gently upwards, away from the inside of the camera, until it separates from its port.
- At this point, the rear panel is fully separated from the main body of the camera.
Remove the silver 16-pin cable by pulling gently upwards, away from the inside of the camera, until it separates from its port.
At this point, the rear panel is fully separated from the main body of the camera.
Step 8
Motherboard
- Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the five screws holding the motherboard cover plate. Starting with the right side, lift the plate and remove it from the camera body. Set the plate aside.
Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the five screws holding the motherboard cover plate. Starting with the right side, lift the plate and remove it from the camera body. Set the plate aside.
Step 9
- Located on top of the motherboard, there are six dark orange ribbon cables. Flip the black plastic lock at each cable up to unlock the cable. Pull the cables straight back away from the white connector to release it.
- At this point, the motherboard is able to emerge partially from the main body of the camera, but is still tethered by a few wires.
Located on top of the motherboard, there are six dark orange ribbon cables. Flip the black plastic lock at each cable up to unlock the cable. Pull the cables straight back away from the white connector to release it.
At this point, the motherboard is able to emerge partially from the main body of the camera, but is still tethered by a few wires.
Step 10
- Using a spudger, slide underneath the twisted red and blue cables and gently pull away from the camera body. This will disconnect them from the motherboard.
Using a spudger, slide underneath the twisted red and blue cables and gently pull away from the camera body. This will disconnect them from the motherboard.
Step 11
- Desolder the black, white, blue, and red wires that are fixed to the upper left-hand portion of the motherboard.
- Soldering is a dangerous activity that uses intense heat and can produce harmful gases. Take all necessary precautions.
Desolder the black, white, blue, and red wires that are fixed to the upper left-hand portion of the motherboard.
Soldering is a dangerous activity that uses intense heat and can produce harmful gases. Take all necessary precautions.
Step 12
- Flip the motherboard out of the camera’s body, toward the bottom of the device, to expose its underside.
- Using a spudger, peel back the adhesive, that is protecting the large ribbon cable on the underside of the motherboard.
- Disconnect the ribbon cable by flipping its clasp up and removing it from the plastic casing in the direction of the cable.
Flip the motherboard out of the camera’s body, toward the bottom of the device, to expose its underside.
Using a spudger, peel back the adhesive, that is protecting the large ribbon cable on the underside of the motherboard.
Disconnect the ribbon cable by flipping its clasp up and removing it from the plastic casing in the direction of the cable.
Step 13
- The motherboard is now free of all connections to the camera. Remove it from the camera body.
The motherboard is now free of all connections to the camera. Remove it from the camera body.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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Liz
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Cal Poly, Team 10-54, Amido Spring 2014
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David Green - Nov 11, 2014
Reply
Thanks for the guide. I would not have attempted this without your help.
After replacing the main board, the only issue I am having is that the top focus point is not lighting up when I select it. It still works as a focus point, but is not light in the view finder as red. I probably did not perfectly seat one of the ribbon cables. It would be nice if someone new which cable controlled lighting in red the focus dots in the viewfinder.
Thanks so much!
pbmbuss - Mar 2, 2016
Hey David, where did you get the new mainboard from? Know of any website that sells them? I need one for D5000. Thanks!
Happy Fixer - Jan 23, 2017
Reply
ebay seller from chicago area has tons of nikon parts
rongyuanxie |
Feedback Score Of
128606 | 99.2%
(i’m not that seller)
NGUYEN - May 20, 2019
Reply
Thanks a lot for this beautiful guide. My D5100 is fix now.
