DIY Disassembling Ricoh GR for sensor cleaning!

While i'm on the subject of Ricoh, while searching for Ricoh GR dust problem, i've come across the kinda "solution" to the problem, or creates more problems afterwards. Its a DIY sensor cleaning of the Ricoh GR. Surely the service center did something similar to this, otherwise how will they get into the sensor.

Found this on http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/161-ricoh-gr/261769-disassembling-gr-sensor-cleaning.html by forum member i83N. Hats off to him, all credit goes to him, i'm merely spreading the love.

This is for those of you who wants to do it yourself rather than sending it to service centres.

Here's a screenshot of the forum's thread:-

Just like what a lifeguard would say, "Swim at your own risk", or better yet,  "Do it at your own risk, Warranty surely voided"

Here are the steps, good luck my young jedi....

By default, remove batteries and SD card.

1) First you must unscrew 5 screws. Begin with first hidden under grip skin screw.

..........then the other 4.

 

2) This will release the back panel. There are small ribbon connecting buttons, it pops out easily.

3) After removing back panel, unscrew 2 screws holding the LCD screen

4) Carefully unclip black and red wires around LCD. I think it's power for the left mic.

5) Unscrew 3 screws which are holding the sensor.

6) Clean sensor with microfiber cloth and Giottos Rocket Air Blower.

7) Assemble in backwards order!

Good luck guys, i've never done this, all credits to i83N. 

FYI, he did this 3 times and he lost the left mic.

Sample photos of Ricoh GR with dust problem

Here's a collection of images i got from googling "Ricoh GR dust problem". I dont own a GR but i wanted to but after seeing this problem, hmmm, maybe yes, maybe not! lol, some GR owners are fortunately dust free, which makes me think its either a bunch of GRs are badly sealed from factory or dust will still be able to get into the sensor via the "space" on the retractable lens. i dunno. but surely GR is a great camera to own haha. Now that is GAS talking.

Some got dust on their sensor after 2 or 3 days of owning the GR, some got it after 3 months, some after 5000+ shots, some took a year, oh well.... looks like a jeans's pocket is the worst place to put the camera into, which defeats the purpose of my supposedly pocketable camera!

I know dust on sensor is all brand cameras problem but Ricoh being a single fix lens, being a non interchangeable lens, being $700, should have better seal to avoid dust getting into the sensor, the sensor is not even exposed.

Anyway lets see some pictures,

This guy got the worse case scenario of a dust sensor problem, pictures below. I mean look at that dust, it sure look like a worm! taken from http://everydayaperture.com/2014/03/24/the-ricoh-gr-and-the-dust-bunny/

Poor guy, i hope he got it sorted out!

This is the worst dust problem, it looked like a worm or germ. haha

The others have normal dust spots, more below

Here's one from pentax forum,

a much more easy-able post processing fix but still nevertheless annoying

Here's another from Ricoh Forum

spot the dust..... dust spot.... no pun intended

picture taken from http://spode.zenfolio.com/blog/2013/5/first-impressions-ricoh-gr

check out this blog, as you can see, he has dust on his GR too.

I'm not here to bash Ricoh, just sharing some information you need to know about the Ricoh GR. 

But lets not forget the wonderful photos this camera is capable of..... here's one:-

taken from http://www.theinspiredeye.net/ricoh-gr-a-pocket-journal-by-chris-leskovsek/

check out the link above, really nice write up on Ricoh GR.

I know camera is just a tool but looking at the picture above, makes me want the GR badly. 

Another Day, Another GAS.

As much as i love my Fujis, i'm still looking for a compact pocketable camera. My day to day clothing does not involve jackets so i cant bring the X100S in my jacket pocket, i'm wearing Teeshirt and quite slim jeans, not skinny jeans as my legs aren't skinny, well, not anymore. I wish i had a camera that has a APSC sensor that i can fit to my jeans. At the moment my best camera is my iphone. Because its just everywhere with me. but too bad, the IQ isnt all that great being an iphone4, hopefully iphone6 will be much better!

I'm looking for compact cameras with great IQ, that i can fit into my jeans's pocket. Because i'm just lazy to bring a bag with me. I want to take out the camera out of my pocket and shoot. That easy. Cant do that with my Fujis. but i can do that with my iphone but i want a real camera. I'm not a serious photographer who lugs around their DSLRs or Fujis or Olympus where ever they've gone to, i'm just the casual photographer, snapshots rather than perfectly compose shots. I want a small camera that i can bring anywhere without the hassle, ya know, bring a bag, take it out of the bag, snap snap snap, put it in the bag, even bringing a bag is a hassle to me. i like to travel light. Just my Tshirts and jeans and boots. Thats all. i hate carrying a bag. As much as light the Fuji is, i still find it heavy. I'm looking for the ultimate travel camera, something small, compact and light. but with great IQ.

At the moment, i like the Ricoh GR and the Sony RX100 iii. Both similarly priced. Both seems pocketable. or at least smaller than the Fuji X100S. I love retractable lens. its compact! Sony will be much versatile, zoom, wifi, selfies, but with a 1inch sensor. Ricoh has my fav length, 28mm and it also can do 35mm cropped, bigger sensor APSC, great low light but only at f/2.8. So less bokeh. Both are great point and shoot camera. Snapshots camera.

I have a trip to London + Italy coming, so i'm bringing my X100S and see if i can live with it or without it.

But lets not forget, that rangefinder looks of the X100S makes me want to pick it up and take photographs, or at least just press the shutter for nothing.