Possible to Repair Broken Shutter on D5100?

j_a_rankin

New member
Greetings, Nikonites. I had a really bad experience on eBay and am looking for advice from someone who's done camera repair on how best to proceed

In summary, I now own a damaged D5100. It's been returned to me after being beaten mercilessly by the Postal Service, suffering a broken lens mount (on the lens), cracked front cover, and damaged shutter. The first two items are rather easily repaired. The latter is not. The damage to the shutter is obvious - mirror up, one of the blades of the curtain closest to the lens is out of its track; when the shutter attempts to open/close, it instead bends into the mirror box. I tried coaxing it back into the track to no avail.

First question, if a shutter is this physically damaged state, would the AF not work? AF is not working, regardless which lens I try. The rest of the camera electronics, displays, dials, switches, etc. seem to operate correctly. The mirror operates as it should and the rear curtain operates behind the damaged one.

If the AF on the camera body is also damaged, that answers my question: sell it as scrap.

If the AF issue is only due to the damaged shutter, then I have a choice of whether to have it repaired or repair it myself.

Second question then is how possible is it to replace the shutter myself? I've replaced the front cover on a D5100 before, so I know I can get to the front part of the camera. Removing the top cover to access the top mounting of the mirror box then seems pretty straight-forward. Other screws hold it in place at the bottom - but I can't find any online reference for shutter replacement, so I'm not sure if the shutter can be replaced from the front - looks like three solder connections and two ribbon cables.

Thanks all in advance. Shame such a nice camera has met this untimely end.
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
At some point, I think it's better just to give up and get yourself a working camera. But that's only my opinion. Some probably would say different, but there seems to be too many broken things in the camera you describe. It could very well be that the sensor could be out of alignment and even if you get it working, you might never get a sharp picture... After all that work, it would be a pity.

Good luck.
 

Chito

Senior Member
I would go with Marcel's suggestion. There's no assurance that if you have it fixed it will function the way it should. Also, the cost of getting it repaired or even getting the parts to repair it is probably going to be as much as buying a used 5100. I'd go after the postal service, that is if insurance was paid. Otherwise you might just have to chalk it up to experience.
 

Sandpatch

Senior Member
I'm wondering if a criminal Seller knowingly packed the damaged camera, hoping to take your cash and blame the USPS for it all. Assuming even minimal packaging was used, it would take ridiculous abuse in transit to ruin a camera this badly. Only if the box was crushed would I believe that the USPS would be to blame.

I agree with the other posts pursuing an insurance claim and that it's beyond economic repair. eBay now offers some sort of Buyer protection these days, so you might wish to follow on with that as well.
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
I'm wondering if a criminal Seller knowingly packed the damaged camera, hoping to take your cash and blame the USPS for it all. Assuming even minimal packaging was used, it would take ridiculous abuse in transit to ruin a camera this badly. Only if the box was crushed would I believe that the USPS would be to blame.

I agree with the other posts pursuing an insurance claim and that it's beyond economic repair. eBay now offers some sort of Buyer protection these days, so you might wish to follow on with that as well.

The thing we don't know since the original poster didn't say is was he the seller or the buyer. Is it when the camera was returned that it got damaged or, if he was the buyer, was the seller of bad faith... If this was the case, I'd file a complaint with Ebay.
 

j_a_rankin

New member
Thanks for the advice. I was the seller and had the buyer return the camera, he only knew it didn't work. Meanwhile I had sent him a replacement lens, thinking the original's broken plastic mount was the only problem, so he returned everything in a different, well-packed box. I have only his photos of the original box which he says arrived in good, undamaged condition (he is saving the box pending a claim decision by USPS). I did wonder if the buyer had done something, but he contacted me within 3 hours of arrival and the serial numbers all match what I had sent to him.

I filed an insurance claim with the postal service, but they don't even look at claims for three weeks and it's only been two (this according to my local post office). I have also been told (unsubstantiated at this point) that they may refuse a claim if the box was undamaged. If they do acknowledge the damage, they will also likely insist on repair, not full replacement value. I have ample photos of the undamaged camera but did not photograph it packaged in the box. Regardless of what happens, the camera remains mine, which is why I was asking my initial question.

No, Sandpatch, I did not knowingly package a damaged camera to file a claim. Like you, I am not sure how the damage could have happened given the multiple layers of protection - the lens was fully separated from the camera on arrival and I see that two (not just one) of the plastic mounting tabs are sheared off. I shipped another camera that arrived with the box pretty much crushed and the camera was still intact and fully operational.

Again, thanks for the advice. I won't throw any money at this problem.
 

Bill16

Senior Member
I would bet the buyer dropped the camera at some point onto a hard concrete like surface, and desperately sent it back to you to avoid the loss of his or her investment.
Undamaged packing box would seem to me to be a big clue pointing that way. Was the lens mounted when shipped? If not then I would say it was a sure thing that the buyer damaged the camera him/herself likely by accident.

This is just my opinion from a lot of experience of seeing properly packed items vs damages in stuff bought by my wife or I.

Thanks for the advice. I was the seller and had the buyer return the camera, he only knew it didn't work. Meanwhile I had sent him a replacement lens, thinking the original's broken plastic mount was the only problem, so he returned everything in a different, well-packed box. I have only his photos of the original box which he says arrived in good, undamaged condition (he is saving the box pending a claim decision by USPS). I did wonder if the buyer had done something, but he contacted me within 3 hours of arrival and the serial numbers all match what I had sent to him.

I filed an insurance claim with the postal service, but they don't even look at claims for three weeks and it's only been two (this according to my local post office). I have also been told (unsubstantiated at this point) that they may refuse a claim if the box was undamaged. If they do acknowledge the damage, they will also likely insist on repair, not full replacement value. I have ample photos of the undamaged camera but did not photograph it packaged in the box. Regardless of what happens, the camera remains mine, which is why I was asking my initial question.

No, Sandpatch, I did not knowingly package a damaged camera to file a claim. Like you, I am not sure how the damage could have happened given the multiple layers of protection - the lens was fully separated from the camera on arrival and I see that two (not just one) of the plastic mounting tabs are sheared off. I shipped another camera that arrived with the box pretty much crushed and the camera was still intact and fully operational.

Again, thanks for the advice. I won't throw any money at this problem.
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Did you take a note of the serial number,its an old con to say it arrived damaged then send a different camera back,thats why loads of ebay adds say serial number recorded
 

aroy

Senior Member
The D5100 is $400 or less (at least in India) new. The repairs in my opinion entail
. Replacement and adjustment of shutter mechanism
. Lense mount
. Check and adjust the FA

These may exceed the value of the camera. SO may not be worth while to repair. If you get insurance well and good, else bear your loss.

I would suggest that a series of images be taken before and after packing a camera when sending it by post/courier. Similarly take a series of shots as you unpack. That way you have some proof of the state of the packaging and the contents. I always take a series of photos when I receive some thing by post/courier.
 
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