Sony a7 Shutter Replacement / Complete Disassembly

Written By: Marco

Comments: 7

Sony a7 Shutter Replacement / Complete Disassembly

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

1 - 2 hours

Introduction

Tools

Step 1

Flip the camera upside down, and observe where the battery door and switch are located on the camera.
This replacement guide is using a cardboard and tape placeholder to simulate the battery, battery door, and switch.

Step 2

Slide the switch over to the right side to open the battery door.
This replacement guide is using a cardboard and tape placeholder to simulate the battery, battery door, and switch.

Step 3

Depress the blue lever to allow the battery to pop out slightly.
This replacement guide is using a cardboard and tape placeholder to simulate the battery, battery door, and switch.

Step 4

Remove the battery from the camera.
Make sure to hold onto the battery firmly when removing it from the camera, as it could slide out and fall.
This replacement guide is using a cardboard and tape placeholder to simulate the battery, battery door, and switch.

Step 5

Remove the eyepiece cover by removing the four M1.5x4mm screws with a PH00 Phillips screwdriver.
Remove the M1.5x4mm screw that retains the adjustment wheel with a PH00 Phillips screwdriver.

Step 6

Remove the six M1.5x4mm screws with a PH00 Phillips screwdriver.

Step 7

Remove one M1.5x4mm screw with a PH00 Phillips screwdriver.

Step 9

Once the screws have been removed, unsnap and lift the rear plastic cover off of the camera.

Step 10

Using the blunt tweezers, remove the blue ribbon cable.
For additional guidance and tips on how to properly attach and detach connector cables, please reference iFixit's guide to connector cables here.

Step 11

Place the tweezers on the side of the circuit board and lift it from underneath so as to free it from the three retaining tabs.

Step 12

Remove four M1.5x4mm screws using a PH00 Phillips screwdriver.

On my A7 the screw shown first top right was a different thread to the other three, take care to put back in the correct place

David Zhecheva-Hamilton - 23/04/21

Step 13

Lift the metal plate and LCD screen away from the camera body.

Step 14

Detach the amber ribbon cable from the motherboard.
For additional guidance and tips on how to properly attach and detach connector cables, please reference iFixit's guide to connector cables here.

Step 15

Peel off the small adhesive tape located on the top right side of the motherboard.

Step 16

Remove the exposed ribbon cable by using the iFixit opening tools
For additional guidance and tips on how to properly attach and detach connector cables, please reference iFixit's guide to connector cables here.

Step 17

Peel off the large black protective adhesive from the motherboard.

Step 18

Remove the four visible ribbon cables by using the spudger.
Removing the ribbon cables will require lifting a lever located on the connecter in order to pull out the cable.
For additional guidance and tips on how to properly attach and detach connector cables, please reference iFixit's guide to connector cables here.

For SD card slot replacement: Remove the bottom right flex cable. There will be a hole under the cable to access a screw in the battery compartment, which holds on the grip. Remove the screw. Remove the one remaining screw in the corner of the battery compartment. The grip should now come loose. Remove the grip. Remove the two screws holding the SD card board on. Disconnect the small two wire cable from the top of the board. The board should now slide out. Disconnect the flex cable from the old board and connect to the new board for reinstall.

I did this for a Sony A7S and all is working well.

Sam Hudson -

Step 19

Remove the one U.FL plug by using the spudger.
Using the spudger, remove the four remaining ribbon cables.
These ribbon cables do not have the requirement to lift a lever on the connector as specified in previous steps.
For additional guidance and tips on how to properly attach and detach connector cables, please reference iFixit's guide to connector cables here.

Step 20

Remove one M1.5x2mm screw with a PH00 Phillips screwdriver.
Remove one coarse threaded 5mm screw with a PH00 Phillips screwdriver.

on my A7 there was three 5mm course thread screws marked orange, two were in the holes at the bottom of the main board

David Zhecheva-Hamilton - 23/04/21

Step 21

Lift the motherboard from the camera body.
It helps to pick up the right side of the board first, and then work sequentially down the board. Be sure to gently ease the motherboard from its clips down the remainder of the side.
Exercise extreme caution when removing the motherboard as it can be fragile, and damage to it could mean the camera will become unrecoverable.

Step 22

Remove the two visible ribbon cables by using the forceps.
Removing the ribbon cables will require lifting a lever located on the connecter in order to pull out the cable.
For additional guidance and tips on how to properly attach and detach connector cables, please reference iFixit's guide to connector cables here.

The manual identifies the motherboard as sy-1022. It has several surface mount fuses. Did you repair your board by replacing these fuses or swap out the board. A repair tech in the US said that when a board is swapped out and data cannot be recovered from the original board, special software is needed to get the camera operational. Did you run into that issue? Also- did you replace the board's lithium battery?

Robert The -

Step 23

Gently pull the viewfinder out ouf the housing

Step 24

Remove the two M 1.5x2mm screws.
Remove the M1.5x4mm screw.

Step 25

Remove the two M1.5x4mm screws.
Pull of the grip to the front

Step 26

Remove the M1.5x4mm screw.
Pull the grip of to the front

Step 27

Grab the top part on the sides and gently remove it to the top direction.

Step 28

Remove the two M1.5x4mm self tapping and the M1.5x4mm screw.
Pull of the small metal plate.

Step 29

Remove the cable from the ribbon connection.
Remove the adapter cable.

Step 30

Remove the three M1.5x4mm self tapping screws.
Remove the M1.5x4mm screw.

Step 31

Gently pull of the back cover. Pay attetion to the ribbon cables.
Remove the tripod thread.

Step 32

Remove the M1.5x2mm screw.
Remove the connector on the side of the camera.
Pull out the battery housing to the back.

Step 33

Remove the two M1.5x5mm screws
Remove the copper plate from by lifting it from the right side.

Step 34

Remove the M1.5x5mm screw.
Gently remove the sensor board.

Step 35

Remove the M1.5x5mm self tapping screw.
Remove the four small support plates.
Remove the front cover of the camera.

Step 36

Remove the three M1.5x4mm screws.
Lift of the shutter assembly.

Step 37

Remove the special screw on the backside of the shutter.

Step 38

Remove the shutter curtain from the shutter drive.
Done :)

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Author

Marco

Member since: 25/02/23

283 Reputation

3 comments

Incomplete /slightly incorrect guide, missed some connectors on the board as in the photos they were already unplugged so it almost caused me to rip a ribbon cable.

Jaked -

Could you please let me know the exact step where the instructions are missing so that the missing information can be added? I hope this guide was still from value for you and that you could repair your gear!

Marco -

Very nice guide, it helped me repair my A7 locked shutter (which mechanism was blocked by a small piece of metal). On step 19 there was a small ribbon that was missing in your guide, you can see it is already removed on the top left. There were a couple more small details, but overall such fantastic help, thank you!!

Yann Coppier -