GH4 EVF scratches

[Clayton Moore]

Has anyone had to have their GH4/GH3 EVF lens replaced for scratches and how much Panasonic charged for that?

Clayton

[Ishak Sahertian]

I don't know how much Panasonic charges for a EVF replacement, but i've used a little bit of liquid car polish&wax to rid of my scratches.

[darrellcraig]

I just had the same problem with scratches/abrasions on my GH4 EVF and found a much cheaper solution that worked.

I got a quote of $300-something from both Panasonic and local repair facility as it is all one integrated unit apparently.

I was motivated to research a bit and found that the GH3/4 cover glass is plastic - which is common to some other cameras both EVF and OVF - and that a number of people had luck removing defects with Novus #2 polish. If you do a search, you'll find step by step instructions using the polish and some cotton ear swabs on a Pentax forum somewhere. I followed those instructions and ended up with a like-new GH4 EVF. For the $10 bucks or whatever it cost me for the Novus #2 plastic polish.

 

Edit: Here's the relevant forum discussion I followed... and I used to throw my GH4 in a bag with no protection over the EVF, but I'm more cautious now that I know it is a fairly soft and scratch/abrasion prone plastic cover glass.

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/6-pentax-dslr-discussion/39249-scratched-viewfinder-k100d.html

 

If you have a scratched up viewfinder, buy Novus Plastic Polish #2. It is an amazing product. 

Here is how I polished my viewfinder:
1) I took out five or six cotton swabs (the kind you might use to clean your ears) and set them down on a clean surface. 
2) I took my air blower bulb and blasted out any dirt that might have still been on the viewfinder.
3) I placed a small amount on polish (about the size of half a green pea) upon the cotton swab's head.
4) I very gently rubbed the polish left and right, then up and down on the viewfinder screen.
5) I wiped away the polish from the viewfinder with the clean side of the cotton swab.
6) I took a new swab and put some polish on that one too.
7) I rubbed to polish in small circles all around the viewfinder, again, very gently.
8) I wiped off the excess left on the viewfinder with a clean cotton swab.

And thus my viewfinder was fixed.

I'm still baffled over how well it worked.

Read more at: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/6-pentax-dslr-discussion/39249-scratched-viewfinder-k100d.html#ixzz3dSMUT4F8

[Clayton Moore]

Fantastic - I'll give it a try and let you all know how it worked and thanks again.

 

[zetty]

Actually mine was scratched and it cost very little to replace -- obviously they didn't need to replace the whole of it, just the plastic "glass". Can't recall exactly as I was paying for other repairs and it was nothing on top of that. Labour here in the UK was £50+VAT though, so you always pay that regardless of the cost of parts. Also £20 to ship it back n forth..

[julianbruyns]

Thanks a million for this post saved my camera. I can 100% vouch for this Novus #2 method. its like new!!

[Vesku]

I fixed my foggy GH4 EVF too with Novus2 polish. The EVF coating has peeled away itself after skiing trip in humid days. The result is excellent, like new.