Skateboard Shot into Camera

[rreichenfeld]

Hello all. I film skateboarding with my DVX100a and I also have a Century Optics Ultra Fisheye. A skateboard shot into the lens, which in turn actually a flew off my camera, but the catch is that it took some of the camera with it, the focus ring fell off along with some other rings that keeps everything together. I actually gorillia rigged it by unscrewing the rings and re assembiling them, what happened basically is that there are some screws that hold everything in place with their heads, the force from the skateboard caused the ring that was held in by the screws to break off but leaving the screws screwed in, and the ring (not the focus or bayomount but some other ring that just holds the cam together) actually cracked.

I reassembled the camera, but manual focus doesn't work, and I have to keep a close eye on it becuase the bottom part of the rings tend to want to fall off, so I need to constantly keep pushing them back into place with my hand. I know I should take it in, but I don't have time to wait to get it fixed, I feel comfortable putting it together, I think if I got all brand new "rings" I could do it easily, the only thing that I'm not completley sure how to fix is the manual focus, but I would assume that if I put all the rings on correctly it would work again.

Any ideas/comments/advice? I live in LA so I could take it in to get fixed easily, but I dont want it to take weeks, becuse summer is primetime for skateboarding. THANK YOU in advance for all feedback!

[HorseFilms]

You may want to send Barry S (http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/member.php?u=913) a PM. He's the resident expert on fixing lens assembly issues.

[saturnin]

that sux bro... making action sport movies is a dangerous gig :D

[rreichenfeld]

Thanks Horse, I actually PMed him last night but he hasn't gotten back to me yet. And saturnin, your right about that. It was a killer angle though... no pun intended. haha.

I think I need to just buy a lens assembly kit from Panasonic for $55. I heard a rumor that they werent selling parts anymore though... is that true?

[HorseFilms]

I heard a rumor that they werent selling parts anymore though... is that true?
Nope, that got blown out of proportion. It's only a circuit board for the DVX100 and the DVX100A that is no longer being manufactured. You'll still be able to get other parts for it.

[rreichenfeld]

I just ordered the focus ring assembly from panasonic. With shipping and everything it cost about $70, which is far less than the $400 estimate at the camera store near my house. I guess I will just try to go "gorilla", which has always worked out in the past. Any advice on installing this thing?

[beebs]

its so easy, you'll figure it out right away. it's basically taking out screws, putting in the 3 new parts, then putting the screws back in. this also happened with me, exept i dropped my cam straight onto my death lens (luckily the cap was on).

[rreichenfeld]

Does anyone know how to take the zoom ring off????

[vincekeala]

That's kind of funny...the same thing happened to me with the lens assembly. But in my case it was my 3 year old, very trusty DVX falling 12' off a jib onto a studio floor. Ouch! The director asked to turn the camera 90degrees on the jib head. We did it and unfortunately the screw got loosened. A couple of test moves during concert rehearsal and...CRASH! Luckily the auto focus and lens was not affected and we got through the shoot.

I found the parts list here:

http://www.pasc.panasonic.com/epartr/PartsList.asp

but it lists two lens assemblies:

VGU9211 FOCUS BUTTON 5.75 VGQ6896 FOCUS KNOB HOLDER 6.89 VMB3681 FOCUS KNOB SPRING 2.91 VXP2360 FOCUS RING ASSEMBLY 55.08 VXP2212 FOCUS RING ASSEMBLY 55.08 VGU9213 FOCUS SLIDE KNOB 13.09 VMT1633 FPC CUSHION 1.96 VMZ3357 FPC GUARD SHEET 0.90 VMZ3356 FPC PROTECT SHEET 0.90 VXL2455 FR IDLER ARM 7.07 VMD3345 FRAME 11.57 VKW3081 FRONT LIGHT COVER BRACKET 6.39 VGQ6877 FRONT PUNCHING PANEL 4.49 VGQ6876 FRONT PUNCHING PANEL 1 12.08 VGQ6921 FRONT PUNCHING PANEL 2 4.49 VKW3079 FRONT TALLY COVER 6.39
Like yours, my broken piece looks only to be the one that holds the "leica dicomar, 10xoptical zoom, f=4.5-45mm 1:1.6" box. It also has the screw in threads for filters. I'm fairly sure this is the only piece I need to screw it back together, but which one is it?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Good luck.

Aloha,

Vince

[rreichenfeld]

I didn't know there were two different lens assemblies, I thought there was only one... Seeing as they are both the exact same price could they be identical. Maybe one for the 100, 100a, or 100b??? This makes me not feel so good becuase I already bought one of the lens assemblies which i'm pretty sure what the vxp2360. I just got it so I'll let you know how it goes when I try to assemble it........ ANYONE WITH HELP!!?!?!? i'm going crazy here

[rreichenfeld]

UPDATE:
Yes the focus assembly from panasonic did the trick everything works great now as far as the focus is concerned. BUT, now I noticed my zoom is messed up... maybe you could help???

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?p=1000671#post1000671

[vincekeala]

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=51394&highlight=parts+repair+lens&page=2

[j]

No pics or screen grabs?!? Where's the carnage?

[Capt Quirk]

Yeah! After all that, we want to see it!