FUJI S602Z : PART_3

The CCD / IR Filter and Splitting the LENS ...... 10 April 2006

Links to Main Disassembly : Home Page

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GETTING CLOSER :
After several repairs, it's actually getting quite easy now. I can do a complete strip-down and re-assemble in approx 30 mins. It may not function, but at least all the parts are stuffed back in :-) .... Just kidding.
Getting to the CCD is quite easy, with only 1 delicate operation to worry about. After THAT, it's a whole different story. In fact I'll have to increase the difficulty Lvl scale to 20 !! :-) Fortunately I had 3 total write-off lenses to experiment with. The Lens and CCD can only be bought as a unit, a small mercy.
I often wonder if the engineers who design this shit can sleep well at night? Anyway, on we go ..

1/ REMOVING THE CCD : Difficulty Lvl_2.0

First, unclip the CCD InterFace PCB (no tools required) R4C3, R4C5 and pry off the main CCD ribbon connector on the rear (a little bit fiddly). There are just 2 screws to remove, that hold the entire LENS / CCD assembly to the Main Frame. Here it's more fiddly. The Lens / CCD just slides out but 2 "FEET" catch on protrusions in the cavity, so they need to be pried away. The plastic will deform a bit, but it's fine. It's not hard to find the offending object. Remove 2 screws that hold a steel CCD cover plate R1C5 and pop out the CCD assembly. At this point, all is easy, and you can remove the IR filter to clean the CCD R8C3, R8C4. An interesting Note - with the IR Filter in place, there should be NO way dust can land on the CCD, so make SURE you're certain that the dust IS on the CCD !!

2/ SPLITTING the LENS : Main body - Difficulty Lvl_5 , Front Assembly - Difficulty Lvl_20

SOME GOOD NEWS before we start ! The Front glass can be removed VERY easily R5C3, R5C4, R5C5.
Using a thin flat-wide screwdriver or similar, gently pry UP the Front Lens cover. It is only held on with double sided tape. Once removed, there are 3 screws that come out easily. The Front glass now literally falls out. Note the orientation of the glass as it can ONLY go back one way (saves having to pull it out again). MORE IMPORTANTLY, note the number of "O" rings and where they come from. NOT all screws will have an "O" ring. My belief is that these are used to adjust the "skew" of the lens to give a perpendicular focal plane. There is NO service adjustment or servo for "skew" alignment so I assume the front glass is simply dropped in and spacers are manually added to get the best result. It can't be too critical as there is so much "slop" in the "middle" Focus lens. One user has already "calibrated" his Focal plane by tensioning these screws.
You can then clean the Inside surface and the Front focussing glass. Use an antistatic spray like VDU99 by CRC (I swear by it). As some have found - OFTEN after normal cleaning, once the glass is put back in, it just picks up more SHIT from inside (due to static), so it's worth the effort. Either way, you should end up with MUCH less dust. Some users have gone to the trouble to "swab" the inside of the Lens cavity with a QTIP (dipped in alcohol) to pick up the loose particles. They found so much grime etc, they gave up. There are too many "hideouts" for it to collect, so I'd advise NOT to push your luck :-) It won't be worth it.
Removing the Front glass will be necessary in order to split the 2 Lens sections apart. Refer R5C3, One of the Guide rods has an END CAP and there is NO other way to get access to it. BUT you shouldn't be attempting this, unless the lens "is" a total write-off anyway.

Now back to the Main Lens body R1C1.
Cover the Gap left by the CCD with a piece of paper and tape it on (Protection from dropping stuff INTO the LENS !!). Use solder braid to unsolder 3 ribbon Junctions as marked. The ribbon is VERY tough so don't panic about heat - 300-310oC is fine. Remove 4 screws as marked. Twist the TOP COVER PLATE CW to Unlock it and Pull it away slowly. 3 of the ribbons will REMAIN with the Front section R2C3.

Now it gets VERY messy and fiddly. After 3 tries, I stilll haven't succeeded in putting one back together correctly. In my defence, your honour, they did arrive damaged !! Somwhere out there ONE lone soul has achieved it, so there's hope :-) Next patient, I'll definitely work it out !!

SPLITTING the LENS : Without dismantling the camera !!!!
- Our first KEYHOLE SURGERY !!

One Note before we start : IF you screw anything up, we CAN NOT get lens components as spares from Fuji !! It's the complete CCD+LENS at ~US$350 !! So READ these damn notes BEFORE you start !!

1/ Remove the cover-plate by gently prying it off R6C2. Use a 5mm (say) THIN Flat screwdriver and work slowly around the circumference. It is only held on by double-sided tape so you can feel it give.
2/ Unscrew the 3 screws holding the front glass R6C3. DO NOT drop them into the inner lens OR turn the LENS assembly over. The front glass can now be removed easily. NOTICE how many "O" rings are used and their position, you will need to put these back exactly as found them. They "set" the focal plane alignment !! If you F*ck it up, it just means trying all the combinations until you get "perfect" alignment.
3/ Remove the end cap of the guide rod shown in R6C4 and R6C5. This is DELICATE !! IF you simply try to pull it off, you will pull the rod out of it's base. Yes, it can be tapped back in, but try to avoid having to do it. Use a SHARP pair of side-cutters at the JOIN, to slowly wedge the cap off. You can use a pair of long-nosed pliers or similar to HOLD the base of the rod as security R7C1.
4/ VERY GENTLY and SLOWLY, peel off the dust guard fabric WITH it's double-sided adhesive R7C2 and R7C3. Peel them away as a PAIR and do it SLOWLY otherwise you'll STRETCH it !! which means it won't seal 100% when you assemble it (NOT that the bloody lens is sealed anyway BUT it gives me something to yell at you about :-)).
You can see the "culprit" that caused this users problem R7C2. One of the Inner guide "sleeves" had fallen OFF it's "guide pin" and fallen out. It's the second most common fault of a dropped cam !
5/ Grab the Front lens section from inside (where the Front glass was mounted) and, while holding the base section in your other hand, twist it SLOWLY anti-clockwise R7C4. You will hear the gears WHIRR as the front section extends outwards. DO IT SLOWLY as you can STRIP the gears or cause them jump OUT of mesh. The "Zoom-OUT" movement is achieved by twisting anti-clockwise at first, then as you feel the gears WHIRR, apply gentle outward force AS WELL. Internal moulded SPIRAL grooves will control the action. STOP AS SOON as you "feel" that FOWARD movement has ceased R7C5. This is the "Parked" position when you first start up the camera. You can see that you are at the end of travel because the guide pins have just about come OFF the Inner sleeve. The cap we removed STOPS the Focus assembly falling OUT !!
6/ NOW as you continue to twist the Front lens section anti-clockwise, you'll notice the ZOOM / FOCUS assembly moves foward !! Keep rotating until it stops. At this point you should see that ALL 6 brass guide sleeves are CLEARLY visible and unobstructed (from the "outside").
7/ Mark all 6 slots (#1-to #6), on both the Outer and Inner lens sections. Mark #1 as the middle one of the ONLY cluster of 3, then proceed clockwise. That way we are ALL sync'd. The next bit is delicate. You will have to "POP" guide sleeves #2, #4 and #6 past a small Internal LIP R8C2 and R8C3. Keep the lens VERTICAL at ALL times. You will need to "flex" the outer barrel for each sleeve. POP them one at a time and have them STAY / REST in the groove as you proceed to the next one. I use a long thin scribe tool to "pry" the sleeves out.
8/ The Front lens can now be removed. Take it off slowly, so as not to drop the guide sleeves. NOTE the orientation of the guide sleeves -- the thicker section FITS over guide PIN while the rounded section RUNS along the SPIRAL GROOVE.
9/ Next the Inner ZOOM / FOCUS section is removed, in a similar manner. There are only 2 guide sleeves to POP thsi time.

4/ SPLITTING the Front GLASS : Difficulty Lvl_1 : * added 9 April 2006

The Front glass is actually made up of 2 parts, one convex and one concave. They are simply held together by a plastic moulding. There have been a few cases of stains occuring at this junction, usually from water vapour (heat + humidity) or from being dunked in a river. This is an easy fix. Remove the Front Glass (as detailed elsewhere), cut a small notch as shown in R8C4, and gently pry the 2 halves apart. Be CAREFUL in cleaning the surfaces, as they are coated ie from physical damage. Once clean, simply SNAP the Lens back in. You can blacken / fill-in the gap if you want, but I haven't seen any ill effects if you don't. That EASY.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to high Traffic, Exploded Views have been moved to my gallery at www.pbase.com/digsys/s602z

Lens without CCD	CCD with IR Filter	CCD Pre-process PCB	Lens assembly2	CCD+LENS complete
CCD+ IR again .. zzzz	Outer Zoom barrel	Outer Zoom - rear view	Inner Focus assembly	Aperture - Wide open
Aperture servos + bits	Focus or Zoom Motor?	CCD Holding plate	Zoom Guide slots	Nekkid Frame - rear
Nekkid Frame - Front	Main PCB assembly	CCD InterFace-PCB	View of CCD connector	Another damn view
Ribbon layouts	Nothing here	Front glass w/guide rod	Front glass cover	Front glass assembly

FULL Lens Assembled	Front cover Removed	Front Glass removed	Guide pin with CAP	Another view
END CAP removed	Dust seal w / tape	Another view	Front lens extended	Guide pins showing
Ready to POP the front	Front lens POPPED	Components	Splitting the Front Glass	Blank

PICS FROM other Brave USERS ... or just plain crazy :-)

Lens Cover-plate removed:	Complete CCD+Lens:	CCD w/IR Filter removed:	CCD dis-assembled:	S602 graveyard