Lens Filter Stuck

[BrandonKangFilms]

Hi guys,

Posting on here because DJI support did nothing to help.
I have been able to screw/unscrew my lens UV filter on and off fine before. However, this time while unscrewing it, it became stuck and tried applying force to try and get it off. No luck. It's stuck on there, won't budge.

I've already tried many methods people have suggested, rubber gloves, rubber band, etc.. It won't move. I have a feeling my threads are stripped or maybe it melted and fused together? I'm not sure. Any ideas on what I can do here? I don't think I want to take a dremel and cut it off..

I want to be able to remove it with the threads intact so I can put on my other filters with no problem.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Shep]

Hi guys,

Posting on here because DJI support did nothing to help.
I have been able to screw/unscrew my lens UV filter on and off fine before. However, this time while unscrewing it, it became stuck and tried applying force to try and get it off. No luck. It's stuck on there, won't budge.

I've already tried many methods people have suggested, rubber gloves, rubber band, etc.. It won't move. I have a feeling my threads are stripped or maybe it melted and fused together? I'm not sure. Any ideas on what I can do here? I don't think I want to take a dremel and cut it off..

I want to be able to remove it with the threads intact so I can put on my other filters with no problem.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Do the glove trick and screw it back on. Don't attempt to unscrew it at all! If you are fortunate enough to get it back on, it will most likely come off easier. If you get it off, use compressed air (can not compressor) and clean the threads by blowing them off. Sometimes we pick up grit in the field. Lastly, put a little sewing machine oil in a cloth and rotate the cloth around the threads only. Then, put the lense back on..


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[BrandonKangFilms]

Well like I said, it won't budge. I can't screw it back in or out.

 

[Waylander]

Well like I said, it won't budge. I can't screw it back in or out.

Hi There
Take a couple of close up pictures of the camera and filter post them on the forum, so that we can better understand the problem...
Waylander

 

[BrandonKangFilms]

Hi There
Take a couple of close up pictures of the camera and filter post them on the forum, so that we can better understand the problem...
Waylander

It's what you would expect it to look like. The filter is off about 10mm from the thread. It does not move, can't twist on or off.

 

[Dronason]

Please post a picture so we understand what you mean by "off about 10 mm"? Is it 10 mm on the circumference when you rotate it?
Maybe try at different positions. The filter can be deformed by previous trials and for sure try with cloves or rubber.

PH3P + PH3A

 

[Waylander]

It's what you would expect it to look like. The filter is off about 10mm from the thread. It does not move, can't twist on or off.

Hello
Forum members are trying to help you......! the forum has highly skilled engineers among its members, and visual inspection of a high resolution picture may indeed prompt someone to think of a solution, however if that is too difficult to do then it makes finding a solution more difficult..... over to you..
Waylander

 

[GMack]

Found this thread and others on the stuck filter topic. Saw the videos too.

Mine is new, not flown as yet. I see saw some spots behind the filter that I thought were on the front, but turns out they are on the back. Sounds like the same thing another has reported somewhere on the web. Filter turned maybe 1/2" and then no more. It's jammed tight and feels like the thread is knackered or something. It is free to turn maybe 1/8" back-and-forth now and that is all.

I've done most all the suggestions as above: rubber bands, tape, even a 1 1/4" Flexiclamp wrench which is designed for that stuff, but it's still stuck at the same spot. Tried heat too. No go.

Seems silly to send in into DJI for this matter. I don't know if I can return it with the explanation of "Defective merchandise" with Best Buy (5 days old) as it's only gotten the firmware update which went fine. No fly time yet other than simulator.

Ideas anyone? Take it back or mail it in?

Mack-

 

[Waylander]

Hi Gmack
I think that what has happened here is as follows, when similar metals are used to form two parts of a threaded body, especially if the material is alloy the threads when turned against a load will "Pick Up", ie the threads will tear and tiny pieces of debris will clog the thread track, I guess you have realised this by now.

I would suggest that this problem is terminal... at least on the part of the lens cap, you may be lucky and salvage the body of the camera, can't say for sure..!

I suggest this, although it is a bit extreme, accept that the lens cover is gone for good and try to salvage the remaining threads in the camera body, if as you say the cap has screwed off a little way then you should be able to push the clear lens back in towards the camera a little bit, try and tilt it at an angle.
Then put electrical tape around the body of the camera near to the threaded part to protect the camera body from damage, then using a junior hack saw cut into the lens cover at an angle close to the point that you tilted back the lens. Cut as close as you dare towards the camera body. When you have completed that you should be able to get hold of the rim of the lens cap either side of your cut with two pairs of small nose pliers, and slowly work the lens cap until it cracks along the cut line you made with the saw, once it does just break it apart and remove the cap.
Then with a very small needle file and a magnifying glass slowly file away all of the rough "Pick Up" spots on the threads in camera body.

If you are careful you should be able to salvage the clear lens, then look on line and buy some ND filters.
here is a link for example, but there are many sites.

Neewer 3 Piece Filter SET FOR DJI Phantom 3 Professional AND Advanced ND 17 | eBay

Good luck Waylander

 

[GMack]

Thanks Waylander.

I suspect you are right on the threads and maybe something in them that has locked it up and keeping it from turning. I don't know about the saw part yet and breaking the filter off the front since it is only 5 days old. I might box it all up an take it back to Best Buy and just tell them it was defective and exchange it for another, providing they are agreeable to it. Don't know why the spots are on the back of the filter (Looks like dried oil spots) but it can't come off to clean as it is and had to be a factory oversight.

Ugh! All the time with the updates to the software installations and finding the DGI Go didn't my Samsung 10.1" tablet in size to fit int he cradle, nor does that tablet give me a good image as it breaks up at times. However the Samsung S6 Edge phone works well, just too tiny for my fat fingers to work the DGI Go well. Plus, the firmware updates and learning the simulator stuff and now this silly stuck filter mess.

Back in the box it goes I guess for an exchange. I could drive it to the Carson, CA repair facility, but don't know if it would be worth it or just fighting with Best Buy on an exchange for an unstuck filter model. I have the push-on ND's up to ND8 but I'm thinking it might be better to find something like a ND16 in my camera ground school operation.

Thanks for the ideas though.

Mack-

Added extra:

Best Buy replaced the entire unit with a new one in a box as it was only 5 days old. No questions asked other than "Why?" I just said "It has a manufacturing defect and the filter should come off for their extra ND filters, but it doesn't. Plus it's got some crud on the back of the filter glass too that I can't clean off because it is frozen up."

The new one's filter unscrews right off without any effort at all. Not jammed! First one must have had metal shavings in the thread or something from the factory that kept it from unscrewing even with a Flexiclamp wrench (i.e. Looks like a wrench made out of 1/4" thick Masonite with a 1-1/4" hole that one can squeeze to exert an even pressure around the outside of the filter to remove stuck ones.).

At least the new P4 is easier to unbox than the first one too. Onto the charger it now goes, and likely a firmware update too.

Mack-

 

[Waylander]

Thanks Waylander.

I suspect you are right on the threads and maybe something in them that has locked it up and keeping it from turning. I don't know about the saw part yet and breaking the filter off the front since it is only 5 days old. I might box it all up an take it back to Best Buy and just tell them it was defective and exchange it for another, providing they are agreeable to it. Don't know why the spots are on the back of the filter (Looks like dried oil spots) but it can't come off to clean as it is and had to be a factory oversight.

Ugh! All the time with the updates to the software installations and finding the DGI Go didn't my Samsung 10.1" tablet in size to fit int he cradle, nor does that tablet give me a good image as it breaks up at times. However the Samsung S6 Edge phone works well, just too tiny for my fat fingers to work the DGI Go well. Plus, the firmware updates and learning the simulator stuff and now this silly stuck filter mess.

Back in the box it goes I guess for an exchange. I could drive it to the Carson, CA repair facility, but don't know if it would be worth it or just fighting with Best Buy on an exchange for an unstuck filter model. I have the push-on ND's up to ND8 but I'm thinking it might be better to find something like a ND16 in my camera ground school operation.

Thanks for the ideas though.

Mack-

Added extra:

Best Buy replaced the entire unit with a new one in a box as it was only 5 days old. No questions asked other than "Why?" I just said "It has a manufacturing defect and the filter should come off for their extra ND filters, but it doesn't. Plus it's got some crud on the back of the filter glass too that I can't clean off because it is frozen up."

The new one's filter unscrews right off without any effort at all. Not jammed! First one must have had metal shavings in the thread or something from the factory that kept it from unscrewing even with a Flexiclamp wrench (i.e. Looks like a wrench made out of 1/4" thick Masonite with a 1-1/4" hole that one can squeeze to exert an even pressure around the outside of the filter to remove stuck ones.).

At least the new P4 is easier to unbox than the first one too. Onto the charger it now goes, and likely a firmware update too.

Mack-

Hey Mack
Successful outcome in the end, great after service from Best Buy...
Waylander