GH1 Strap rivet broken

This thread convinced me to buy a black rapid. Trust me not only is it a great protection from this but it is also very handy. I used it for my month long trip in Hong Kong and it was just perfect. I take it with me everywhere even when I know I will be using my fluid head tripod most of the time.
 
Vitaliy Kiselev said:
I mean that you can remove outer shell and place all back.
It is not that hard.
Click to expand...
I finally decided to fix and repair the Panasonic DMC GH1 strap rivet thing, when I found that the loose bolt is lost and stuck somewhere in the front half of the body. :-/
You can have a nice repair manual for the backside, like this one: http://matix.zenfolio.com/p956457197/h1d92f8e4#h14529f69
but then if your bolt is hidden inside, what do you do? Shake it loose? I have not succeeded in that and don't even see where it went.

Anyone have a complete disassemble (and re-assemble) guide for the front as well? A service manual of some sort?
gh1_open.jpg
 
Last edited:
Nitsuj said:
This thread convinced me to buy a black rapid. Trust me not only is it a great protection from this but it is also very handy. I used it for my month long trip in Hong Kong and it was just perfect. I take it with me everywhere even when I know I will be using my fluid head tripod most of the time.
Click to expand...
I have it and it is a great tool.

When I was in the Philippines I did not have it yet and I alway sweat a lot in the humidity.
And it always dropped onto the camera hanging in front of me.
Not the camera is safe at the side and dies not interfere with whatever one is doing.
Great stuff.
 
If the strap falls off. Remove the battery and don't turn on the camera! I did the repair without a service manual. Found this tutorial on a DIY fix:

http://www.hwaet.net/fridaysushi/2010/5/2/repairing-a-lumix-gh1-strap-lug.html

Contrary to what the posting says, you do not need to remove the front four screws to remove the back and top of the camera.

I couldn't find the nut, but after a bit of shaking it fell out. Then used some epoxy to hold it in place.
 
GH-1 problems- from eyelets to service

GH-1 problems- from eyelets to service

Sent my GH_1 to Pana last year after the eyelets popped and the camera went bouncing on concrete. 2 months later it returned but not without NEW Problems! I sent the camera back in to Pana this fall and they still have it 2 months later.

I use cameras as a pro, and the service at Pana is soooo aweful I know I cannot invest in their nifty but expensive toys.

The achillies heal of Panasonic is service and support, it's beyond horrid. For the 13 months I owned the GH-1 I have had it in my hands for 8 and during that time it was mostly broken.

I don't usually go on forums to complain but this one has been a nightmare and the word should get around.
 
stonebat said:
I don't plan to use the straps, but I heard Panasonic fixed the issue starting July or Aug 2010 batches.
Click to expand...

Whoa that is late, so that means there is no chance of getting a hackable GH1 with the fixed rivets?

Hmm would pay to just open it up if you had an older one and locktite and hotglue the nut as a preventive measure.
 
Dazza said:
Whoa that is late, so that means there is no chance of getting a hackable GH1 with the fixed rivets?
Click to expand...



Actually, the strap lug problem was fixed in September 2009, so there are plenty of hackable models available after that date.

The fix involved adding a small internal plastic plate that prevents the assembly from turning through 360 degrees, and thus un-threading the nut.

To check, see if the strap lug can turn a few degrees in either direction and then feel solid.

If it does move slightly you've got a modified one.
 
mojo43 said:
I don't think I understand. How can I tell if I have a modified one?
Click to expand...


The modified lugs are designed to have a very small amount of rotational movement in both directions - hard to be precise, but 'small', say 5 degrees

When turning them slightly you will (if you have the modded lugs) come up against solid resistance - impossible to continue turning without a gorilla-like wrench at it ;)

The mod consists of a square plastic plate that fits like a cap over the internal nut that's screwed onto the threaded shank of the lug. When the lug & nut rotates, so does the plate - until it hits the chassis and can't go any further in either direction.

It's designed to stop continual un-threading of the nut - which, of course, will then drop off inside the camera (despite some sort of tread lock compound supposedly being used during production) , releasing the strap lug.

Not a very hi-tech solution, but it seems to have worked.

I should add that, even though I have modified lugs (must see a doctor :cheesy:) personally, I still don't trust it - and have never used the camera strap.

I mainly use a bracket that also carries the mic and recorder, and have just ordered a 'Black Rapid' rip-off that will attach to the tripod thread for when I use it just for stills.

After years of spending money on more cameras and video cameras than I care to think about, this is the first time that I have ever been afraid to a camera's strap lugs!
 
Last edited:
My lug nut fell off a month ago so I opened it up and reglued it. It was pretty easy if you are careful. The other side was just about to fall out as well. I was pretty lucky. I doubt that they fixed it...
 
I guess all I am saying is that even if they fixed it, there are reports of people sending their units into Panasonic to be fixed and they break again a month later. So even if they fixed it, I don't know... I guess I would just hate to see a 1K lens drop and crack due to lug failure.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top