Mavic Pro - Camera and gimbal replaced, focus not working

iowahill · Nov 2, 2018

Had a gimbal cable break and ultimately replaced the camera and gimbal assembly with a new set (less than $100 and ready to go). Problem I've got is that the camera focus is about 3+ inches in front of the lens and I can't get it to adjust. Did the gimbal calibration, IMU calibration, tried manual , and have tapped the screen in the green screen box, and tried pressing switch C1 (or C2). Nothing worked. The gimbal operation seems perfect and no other anomalies come up. I have a new camera module that I'm tempted to try replacing but am not sure just where the focus mechanism is. Anybody familiar with this who has been able to resolve it short of sending it off for someone else to fix?

Charles Keen · Nov 3, 2018

The focus seems to be a software action rather than the lens moving so did you just change the gimbal and camera or did the change include the circuit board as well. I haven’t seen inside my drone but I’ve pictures of the gimbal unit with a circuit board behind. If so, you could just try the old board in its place. Being into electronics, even at my age, doing a one for one swap of a known working part is an easy way of testing without knowing exactly how the unit works, especially if it contains a microprocessor with software.

iowahill · Nov 3, 2018

Just changed the gimbal and camera assembly while using the original camera board. I'm thinking that maybe one of the 5 plugin cables might not be completely plugged in (likely the video cable since all of the gimbal controls seem to be fine and it passed calibration with no errors). I DO have a spare camera and gimbal control board that I can try swapping out if reseating the cable plugs doesn't work. Thanks for your input!

Charles Keen · Nov 4, 2018

One thing that could have happened is that some of the wires of the ribbon cable could have shorted out when I assume you had a ding, which then destroyed part of the circuit board. Good luck.

iowahill · Nov 9, 2018

Well, I finally got it fixed. I eliminated the possibilities of a bad cable or bad connection to the control board by removing the top cover, installing a battery and connecting to view the video on my iPad Mini, then pressing on each of the four cable connectors (two for the gimbal closest to the battery and two for the camera toward the front). Nothing changed and I still had full gimbal control, but no focus.

So having a spare control board and a spare camera module I replaced both. I didn't have to dismantle the gimbal to get the camera module off and replaced; just removed the plastic guide cover on the camera mount and the two screws that hold the cam module in. When I put everything back together except for the body cover and fired up the bird I now had focus.

So my guess favors the problem with having been the camera module (or not having made a solid connection with the video cable connector on it the first time I repaired it), or (less likely) a bad controller board. I'll figure out if either the controller board or the camera module is bad next time I take either this or my other Mavic Pro down for repair... which I hope won't be too soon!

Tesadorn · Nov 9, 2018

Ok, please POST the username from ebay

I purchased a sub 100 gimbal only to find out the camera module was FAKE... I sent it back... I only purchase from individuals that sell them broke and rebuild after that nonsense.... Springnow15 was the guy that got me..

iowahill · Nov 9, 2018

Tesadorn said:
Ok, please POST the username from ebay I purchased a sub 100 gimbal only to find out the camera module was FAKE... I sent it back... I only purchase from individuals that sell them broke and rebuild after that nonsense.... Springnow15 was the guy that got me..

Besides a few extra camera and gimbal cables that cost around 8 - $15, I bought a new complete gimbal and camera assembly on eBay from (as you did) Springnow15, and I believe I bought the extra new camera module from a dealer on the East Coast for around $25 - $30. That was the camera that I swapped out on the new C & G assembly which I believe was around $90.

Can't say yet that the camera is bad (wouldn't focus) until I try it out on my other MP but it seems that Springy may be selling junk. But since the gimbal assembly works and had all cables including video, I can't complain too much. If I DO find that the cam module is bad I'll post a negative on Springy's eBay account.

Tesadorn · Nov 9, 2018

iowahill said:
Besides a few extra camera and gimbal cables that cost around 8 - $15, I bought a new complete gimbal and camera assembly on eBay from (as you did) Springnow15, and I believe I bought the extra new camera module from a dealer on the East Coast for around $25 - $30. That was the camera that I swapped out on the new C & G assembly which I believe was around $90.

Can't say yet that the camera is bad (wouldn't focus) until I try it out on my other MP but it seems that Springy may be selling junk. But since the gimbal assembly works and had all cables including video, I can't complain too much. If I DO find that the cam module is bad I'll post a negative on Springy's eBay account.

The focus is controlled thru the cam module.. "springy" IS selling FAKE/defective cam modules... His "other" scam is they are in the US.. He then emails you and says he is out and needs to ship from China. Beside you and 1 other on this board I know 2 others that bought his junk...

Patmaherjfm · Nov 28, 2018

iowahill said:
Well, I finally got it fixed. I eliminated the possibilities of a bad cable or bad connection to the control board by removing the top cover, installing a battery and connecting to view the video on my iPad Mini, then pressing on each of the four cable connectors (two for the gimbal closest to the battery and two for the camera toward the front). Nothing changed and I still had full gimbal control, but no focus.

So having a spare control board and a spare camera module I replaced both. I didn't have to dismantle the gimbal to get the camera module off and replaced; just removed the plastic guide cover on the camera mount and the two screws that hold the cam module in. When I put everything back together except for the body cover and fired up the bird I now had focus.

So my guess favors the problem with having been the camera module (or not having made a solid connection with the video cable connector on it the first time I repaired it), or (less likely) a bad controller board. I'll figure out if either the controller board or the camera module is bad next time I take either this or my other Mavic Pro down for repair... which I hope won't be too soon!

Lol, why didn't you do them one at a time ?