# Ever replace a broken camera LCD? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 1, 2016, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-replace-a-broken-camera-lcd/758847 "2016-07-01T02:59:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-replace-a-broken-camera-lcd/758847/1 "2016-07-01T02:59:15Z")
I dropped my wife’s Canon ELPH 350 last week and broke the LCD. The rest of the camera works fine but since it doesn’t have an optical viewfinder it’s pretty useless right now. I can buy a replacement LCD on EBay and there are instructions to replace it online. Anyone with experience doing this type of operation? If it doesn’t work I’ll end up buying a replacement camera so I’m willing to wager some small money and see if I can pull of this repair. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-replace-a-broken-camera-lcd/758847/2 "2016-07-01T15:06:56Z")
Not that particular camera, but I have replaced tablet LCDs. Assuming the [ifixit guide for the ELPH 300HS](https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Canon+PowerShot+ELPH+300HS+LCD+Screen+Replacement/23367) and [this guide for the EPH 310](https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Canon+PowerShot+ELPH+310+HS+LCD+Screen+Replacement/52425) are applicable to the 350, it makes it look less difficult than the tablets were. Do you have the appropriate tools? Looks like you’ll need a very fine Phillips (#000) screwdriver and maybe some kind of plastic prying/spudging tool. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-replace-a-broken-camera-lcd/758847/3 "2016-07-01T15:21:44Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Not that particular camera, but I have replaced tablet LCDs. Assuming the [ifixit guide for the ELPH 300HS](https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Canon+PowerShot+ELPH+300HS+LCD+Screen+Replacement/23367) and [this guide for the EPH 310](https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Canon+PowerShot+ELPH+310+HS+LCD+Screen+Replacement/52425) are applicable to the 350, it makes it look less difficult than the tablets were. > > Do you have the appropriate tools? Looks like you’ll need a very fine Phillips (#000) screwdriver and maybe some kind of plastic prying/spudging tool. That’s exactly the instructions I was looking at. I’m hoping that I can modify the instructions for the 350. I have the screwdriver and can pick up a spudging tool at the local Microcenter or eBay when I buy the screen. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-replace-a-broken-camera-lcd/758847/4 "2016-09-07T17:51:40Z")
Bumping this for an update. I found another outfit on eBay that sells the LCD and does the replacement for an additional $20 so I gave them a shot. Total cost (screen, labor, shipping) should be just over $50 and one less camera in the landfill. Waiting for the camera to return now. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2016, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-replace-a-broken-camera-lcd/758847/5 "2016-09-07T18:31:58Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Not that particular camera, but I have replaced tablet LCDs. Assuming the [ifixit guide for the ELPH 300HS](https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Canon+PowerShot+ELPH+300HS+LCD+Screen+Replacement/23367) and [this guide for the EPH 310](https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Canon+PowerShot+ELPH+310+HS+LCD+Screen+Replacement/52425) are applicable to the 350, it makes it look less difficult than the tablets were. > > Do you have the appropriate tools? Looks like you’ll need a very fine Phillips (#000) screwdriver and maybe some kind of plastic prying/spudging tool. A bit off topic, perhaps, but I wish electronics companies would make stuff so that it could be taken apart without breaking it. I dropped the remote for my cable box a while ago, and the bit of translucent plastic over the emitter was knocked out of place a little bit. Still works, but I’d like to push that piece back where it belongs. I tried opening it up. Removed a couple screws but it still stayed together. I’m sure it has those plastic tabs that snap into place when you press it closed. Why do they do that? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-replace-a-broken-camera-lcd/758847/6 "2016-09-12T20:34:11Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > A bit off topic, perhaps, but I wish electronics companies would make stuff so that it could be taken apart without breaking it. I dropped the remote for my cable box a while ago, and the bit of translucent plastic over the emitter was knocked out of place a little bit. Still works, but I’d like to push that piece back where it belongs. I tried opening it up. Removed a couple screws but it still stayed together. I’m sure it has those plastic tabs that snap into place when you press it closed. > > Why do they do that? They don’t want you getting in there. Why they don’t want you getting into something as innocuous as a remote, couldn’t say. You should be able to take it in to your cable provider and get it replaced. At least with Comcast it’s certainly no problem other than if you go when they’re busy and you have to wait forever. We’ve had to replace tons of Comcast remotes over the years, most recent one was just last week. Wish they’d build the things better in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-replace-a-broken-camera-lcd/758847/7 "2016-09-12T21:26:11Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > They don’t want you getting in there. Why they don’t want you getting into something as innocuous as a remote, couldn’t say. I don’t know about that. Most companies won’t do minorly dickish things just to be minor dicks. They’ll do minorly dickish things to save three cents per unit, though. I just kinda wish so many things weren’t considered disposable these days. The buttons on the remote are sticking? The electrical contacts aren’t making good connection? I get the feeling the whole rest of the world would just throw it out and replace it. I’d want to take it apart and try to clean it. Now, maybe I’ll fuck it up and not get it back together right, but I haven’t lost anything in the attempt. > [@](#): > > You should be able to take it in to your cable provider and get it replaced. At least with Comcast it’s certainly no problem other than if you go when they’re busy and you have to wait forever. We’ve had to replace tons of Comcast remotes over the years, most recent one was just last week. Wish they’d build the things better in the first place. I’m sure I could get a third-party, universal remote that would replace the cable and TV remotes. And my phone has been pestering me to use an app that turns it into a remote. Once I start investing the energy to replace this slightly damaged (but still serviceable) remote I’d feel like I should investigate the alternatives to do it right. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-replace-a-broken-camera-lcd/758847/8 "2016-09-12T21:38:14Z")
For electronics like cameras the answer is usually size and ease of use. That’s why people buy things, with repairability pretty low down on the list. They expect things to last a year or two and then they move on, which you can do when the cheapest cameras are in the $100 range.