Disassembling Olympus Pen E-PL7
A step-by-step guide to taking apart the Olympus Pen E-PL7 digital camera.
Introduction
This guide provides a detailed look at the major components of the Olympus Pen E-PL7 and offers complete disassembly instructions. It is highly recommended to use a magnetic project mat or organization tray to keep track of the many different types of screws used in this camera for proper reassembly.
Tools Required
- Magnetic Project Mat (1)
- Phillips #00 Screwdriver (1)
- iFixit Opening Tools (1)
- Spudger (1)
- Tweezers (1)
Disassembly Steps
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Step 1: Battery Removal
Turn the camera upside down. Push the grey tab to the right to open the battery compartment. Pull out the battery. (The battery is not shown in the original photos.)
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Step 2: Back Case Screws (Bottom)
Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the six 2 mm screws on the bottom of the camera.
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Step 3: Reverse Threaded Screws
Remove the two 4 mm reverse threaded Phillips screws from the bottom of the camera. Note: Reverse threaded screws tighten counter-clockwise and loosen clockwise.
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Step 4: Screws Under HDMI Port Cover
Remove the two 4 mm Phillips screws located under the HDMI port cover.
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Step 5: Screw Near Left Hand Grip
Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the 5 mm screw near the left hand grip.
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Step 6: Screw Near Right Hand Grip
Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the 5 mm screw near the right hand grip.
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Step 7: Screw Under LCD Assembly
Flip open the LCD. Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the 2 mm screw beneath the LCD assembly.
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Step 8: Lens Mount Screws
Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the four 6.3 mm screws from the lens mount.
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Step 9: Remove Lens Mount
Remove the lens mount using tweezers.
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Step 10: Remove Inner Metal Ring
Use tweezers to remove the inner metal ring.
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Step 11: Remove Springs
Use tweezers to remove the two springs located beneath the inner metal ring.
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Step 12: Internal Screws
Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the three 5 mm screws.
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Step 13: More Internal Screws
Remove the two 4 mm Phillips screws.
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Step 14: Lens Hook and Spring
Press and hold the lens release button while using tweezers to remove the lens hook. Use tweezers to remove the spring underneath the lens hook.
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Step 15: External Flash Mount Clip
Use tweezers to remove the metal clip from the external flash mount.
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Step 16: External Flash Port Screws
Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the four 4 mm screws from the external flash port.
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Step 17: Second External Flash Clip
Remove the second external flash clip using tweezers.
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Step 18: Expose More Screws
Remove the external flash port casing to expose five more screws.
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Step 19: Flash Port Screws (Continued)
Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the two 6.4 mm screws. Remove the 2 mm Phillips screw.
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Step 20: Flash Connector Screws
Remove the two 3.8 mm Phillips screws from the sides of the external flash connector.
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Step 21: Detach Back Case (Caution)
Gently pull the back case away from the camera. Do not attempt to remove the back case, as it is attached to the camera by a ribbon cable.
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Step 22: Release Back Case Ribbon Cable
To remove the ribbon holding the back case to the camera, use the pointed end of a spudger to flip back the top bar on the ZIF connector.
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Step 23: Remove Back Case
Use tweezers to pull the ribbon out of the connector. Remove the back case.
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Step 24: Screws Near Left Hand Grip (Internal)
Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the two 1.6 mm screws near the left hand grip.
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Step 25: Remove Metal Clip
Once the screws are removed, use two fingers to remove the metal clip.
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Step 26: Second Metal Plate Screws
Remove the 2.2 mm Phillips screw near the left hand grip, holding a second metal plate in place. Remove the 1.8 mm Phillips screw.
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Step 27: Remove Second Metal Plate
Once the screws are removed, use two fingers to remove the metal plate.
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Step 28: Screws Near Right Hand Grip (Internal)
Remove the two 4.1 mm Phillips screws near the right hand grip.
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Step 29: Disconnect Ribbon Cables (Motherboard)
Use a spudger to remove the three indicated ribbon cables from their ZIF connectors on the motherboard.
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Step 30: Disconnect More Ribbon Cables
Use tweezers to remove the plastic cover from the two ZIF connectors in the upper left corner of the motherboard. Disconnect both ribbon cables.
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Step 31: Desolder Large Ribbon Cable
Desolder the large ribbon cable from the motherboard at the solder points on either side of its ZIF connector. (Refer to iFixit's Soldering Technique Guide for more information.)
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Step 32: Remove Top Plate Screw and Plate
Remove the 5.2 mm Phillips screw from the top of the right hand grip. Remove the top plate.
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Step 33: Remove Sensor Assembly
Remove the sensor assembly from the front case.
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Step 34: Sensor Assembly Screws (Front)
Remove the two 4.3 mm screws from the front of the sensor assembly. Remove the 6.8 mm screw.
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Step 35: Sensor Assembly Screws (Back)
Remove the four 1.9 mm Phillips screws from the back of the sensor assembly. Remove the 14.5 mm Phillips screw. Remove the 3.3 mm Phillips screw.
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Step 36: Tripod Mount Screw and Ring
Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the 1.7 mm screw securing the tripod mount to the ribbon cable. Use tweezers to remove the small copper ring underneath the screw.
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Step 37: Desolder Wires
Desolder the red and black wires from the back upper right corner of the sensor assembly.
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Step 38: Remove Sensor Frame
Pull the sensor frame away from the sensor assembly.
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Step 39: Motherboard Screws (Battery Compartment)
Remove the 4.4 mm Phillips screw securing the motherboard to the battery compartment. Remove the 3.8 mm Phillips screw. Remove the 3.7 mm Phillips screw.
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Step 40: Motherboard Screws (Top)
Remove the three 3.3 mm Phillips screws at the top of the motherboard.
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Step 41: Motherboard Screw (Side)
Remove the 3.4 mm Phillips screw from the left side of the motherboard.
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Step 42: Remove Motherboard
Remove the motherboard.
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Step 43: Remove Battery Compartment
Remove the battery compartment by hand.
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Step 44: LCD Screen Screws (Base)
Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the three 2.3 mm screws from the base of the LCD screen.
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Step 45: Extend LCD
Fully extend the LCD.
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Step 46: LCD Screen Screws and Bracket
Remove the two 2.2 mm Phillips screws located on the back of the LCD screen. Use tweezers to remove the top bracket.
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Step 47: LCD Screen Screws (Back) and Ribbon Cable
Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the four 1.4 mm screws from the back of the LCD screen. Remove the LCD ribbon cable with a pair of tweezers. (The cover may simply fall off after the screws are removed.)
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Step 48: Lift LCD Screen
Carefully lift the LCD screen up and away from the assembly. Do not attempt to fully remove the screen, as it is attached to the assembly by a ribbon cable.
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Step 49: Remove LCD Ribbon Cable Cover
Use tweezers to remove the plastic covering the LCD ribbon cable.
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Step 50: Release LCD Ribbon Cable ZIF Connector
Use the flat end of a spudger to flip back the black bar on the ZIF connector.
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Step 51: Remove LCD Ribbon Cable
Gently pull the ribbon cable out with tweezers.
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Step 52: Remove LCD Screen
Remove the LCD Screen.
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Step 53: Pull Ribbon Cable Through
Pull the ribbon cable through the hole in the LCD assembly.
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Step 54: Back Case Screws (Internal)
Remove the four 2.4 mm Phillips screws from the inside of the back case.
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Step 55: Pull LCD Assembly Away
Pull the LCD assembly away from the back case.
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Step 56: Disassembly Complete
You have successfully disassembled the Olympus Pen E-PL7! To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
