Inside the Olympus PEN E-PL7
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The Olympus PEN E-PL7, like its Micro Four Thirds peers, is a pretty impressive little piece of engineering. It houses a 16MP Four Thirds sensor and a 3″ LCD that flips up 180-degrees. It accepts Micro Four Thirds lenses and ships with a pocket-sized external flash. Being curious types of people, we wanted to know how Olympus squeezes everything into a camera of the E-PL7’s size. Thankfully, there’s iFixit. Their disassembly guide gives an up-close look at what’s inside the camera – and you don’t have to void your warranty in the process.
iFixit Olympus PEN E-PL7 Repair Guide
iFixit Olympus PEN E-PL7 Disassembly Guide
Inside the Olympus PEN E-PL7
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This disassembly starts the way so many projects do: with a screwdriver. Screws are removed from the bottom plate and sides of the camera.
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Inside the Olympus PEN E-PL7
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With some screws removed from the lens mount, this inner ring is revealed and carefully removed.
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Inside the Olympus PEN E-PL7
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With even more screws gone a pair of tiny springs can be taken out of the mount.
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Inside the Olympus PEN E-PL7
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Removing even more screws makes it possible to gently pull the chassis apart, but not quite all the way with a ribbon cable connecting the two pieces.
Image via iFixit
Inside the Olympus PEN E-PL7
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A camera divided. Highlighted in red is the ZIF connector keeping the ribbon cable attached to the motherboard.
Image via iFixit
Inside the Olympus PEN E-PL7
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With the cable disconnected, the camera can be handled one half at a time.
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Inside the Olympus PEN E-PL7
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Here’s another look at the motherboard, with even more ribbon cables attached.
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Inside the Olympus PEN E-PL7
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Up top, the plate that holds the mode dial and shutter release can be removed once one more screw is out of the way.
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Inside the Olympus PEN E-PL7
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…And with some ribbon cables disconnected, the sensor comes free of the camera body too.
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Inside the Olympus PEN E-PL7
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E-PL7’s 16MP sensor lies |
Here’s a front view of the E-PL7’s 16MP sensor.
Image via iFixit
Inside the Olympus PEN E-PL7
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The camera is looking quite empty at this point. Here’s a sense of how small that motherboard is.
Image via iFixit
Inside the Olympus PEN E-PL7
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…And with a few last cables disconnected and screws removed, the E-PL7 disassembly is complete.
Image via iFixit
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)