12
Unpopular opinion: I think modern camera ribbon cables are designed to fail
Had a Sony A7III on the bench last week where the main flex cable for the shutter button just tore during a normal disassembly. On one hand, it's a cheap part, maybe $12. On the other, it feels like they're made thinner now so you HAVE to replace them. Anyone else getting this vibe, or am I just having bad luck?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
henrybaker1mo agoMost Upvoted
Yeah, the part about them being made thinner hits home. I read a teardown article a while back that pointed out how the ribbon cable material itself has changed over the years. It's less about being cheap and more about fitting everything into a smaller body, which sacrifices durability. Like @allen.ruby said, keeping a spare is basically required now. It's not bad luck, it's just how these things are built. They expect you to send it in or become a part of the repair cycle yourself.
4
smith.anna1mo ago
Oh man, that reminds me, I had this old Canon point and shoot from like 2012 that had a similar issue with the ribbon cable for the zoom lens. I tried to fix it myself once and ended up just making it worse, the whole camera was basically a paperweight after that. It's like they design these things to be disposable on purpose. And @allen.ruby is spot on about keeping a spare, I've got a little drawer full of random parts now for my Sony. It's not ideal but it beats waiting two weeks for a repair shop.
9
Ugh, I had that exact cable go on my A7III too! I just keep a spare on hand now, it's the only fix that's worked for me.
1