I'm trying to describe here, both in text and with the help of images, the replacement process of a broken or cracken LCD display of a Canon Digital IXUS 700 (SD500 in the USA) camera. The following procedure is the same I went through to change my own IXUS 700 display; even if this thing worked without a single problem for me, please consider that this repair voids your warranty and may damage your camera. If you consider following the step by step procedure you find here, you also agree doing it at you own risk.

Credit goes to Andy Ozment, the author of Replace the LCD screen on your Canon digital camera. Without his page my camera would probably still be in assistance somewhere, the following procedure is based on Ozment's one, differing in a few small things. The images are thought as a visual help guide to an operation that, while quite easy to perform, still has to do with a precision device as a digital camera is. While images and description are about the Digital IXUS 700, as pointed out by Ozment, this process has proven to be working on the following Canon models as well: Powershot SD-400, Powershot SD-300, Powershot SD-200, Powershot S400, Powershot S410, Ixus 400, Ixus 430, Ixus 50, Ixus 40, Ixus 30, IXY 55. Please consider Canon markets its camera models using different names depending on the market.

My advice is to have read the full post before starting to mess with your camera, to see if things are clear enough for you to proceed and not be stuck in the middle of a non-return situation. Again, remember you are doing this at your own risk.

By clicking on images you'll be re-directed to the complete image set on Flickr.

Before to start

As for all thing electronic, you should take care of the static discharge, that is provide not to shock the camera components with static electricity. A simple search on Google on this topic may help you understand what this means when dealing with electronics component. As a general introduction, the following article on PC World is a good starting point: Avoid Static Damage to Your PC. Also, as a base rule, I would suggest to remove both the battery and the memory card from your camera and the camera leash, if you have one attached to it.

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You won't need many tools to handle out the repairing process, a small (size #00) Phillips head screwdriver (see what a Phillips screwdriver is here or find out Who is the Phillips screwdriver named after?) and a small flathead one are just enough to get the things done.

Buy a replacement screen

You need to replace your broken display, with a brand new one. That's why you should buy one. Have a look at Andy Ozmert page above for some useful address, I've bought my replacement display at The Foto Geeks (http://thefotogeeks.com), here the link to the Canon Digital Camera Parts By Model on The Foto Geeks shop.

First Step: Open the camera

To open your camera you'll have to unscrew a total of six (6) screws, two (2) on the right side, two (2) on the left side and two (2) on the bottom. Unscrewing an additional one from the bottom will allow you to remove the front shield too (the frontal part where the lens is). The following images highlight those screws.

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Note as in the above image 4 you have to open the rubber cover of the Digital AV entry to remove the second screw on your camera right side. If you look at image 5, remember you only need to unscreew the top two (2) screws to separate the back of the camera to the body. Unscreewing the bottom screw will let you open the front of the camera. To remove the back part of the case, gently lift followin the opening line. See following images.

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The following two images (image 8 and image 9) show you the final result, that is the body of the camera separated from the back and front plastic shelves. Once again, you don't really need to remove the front of the camera to change the display.

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As you can see in image 9, also the shutter button piece has been removed, this is not really necessary for the goal we are looking for, that is replacing the display. Still, you may find it useful should you need any other kind of action on your camera. In the following image you'll have a quite clear look at the screw keeping the shutter button in place.

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Second Step: remove the screen (LCD display AND the backlight)

I suggest removing the screen all together, I mean the LCD display and its backlight screen. This because I think it's more easy to separate the two parts when totally removed fron the camera, rather than working on thsi with the whole thing still attached to the camera boyd. This will reduce chances you'll scratch the backlight screen (which is not a good thing).

In the following image you have a look at the three screw you find on the back of your naked camera you have to remove. After removing those you'll need to remove another screw hidden under the orange ribbon cable that goes from the top right of the screen to the top part of the camera. Image 12 shows you what cable we are talking baout here; to remove the ribbon cable, gently disconnect the ribbon by pulling it, as you can see I'm using a small flathead screwdriver, you may use a softer tool if you don't feel as to use a metal screwdriver.

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Now you can remove the screen, but as you may see in the following image still there's a cable ribbon holding the screen attached to the camera body.

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This is the main cable ribble connecting the screen to the camera. To remove this cable ribbon you have to remove on more screw; this screw is at the top right corner of tha camera. You can see it in above image 12, it's situated on the very top right corner just above the orange electronic board. The orange board you have to partially remove, to do this you'll have to shift it off from its two anchor point you'll see in detail in the following image.

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Now the following image is a close look at the screen cable ribbon, to remove it you just pull it softly out its own entry thing. There's a small plastic bridge on the entry point that holds the cable down. You may both pull the ribbon out or lift that small bridge with the help of your fingernails. To reconnect the cable, once you replaced the screen, consider you could have to put back in its place that small bridge even if you didn't lift it as it may have open as a result of the cable pulling off.

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Third Step: separate the LCD screen from the backlight panel

Now that we have the screen separated from the camera (image 16), we need to actually split the LCD display from the backlight panel.

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To separate the LCD fron the backlight panel is a bit tricky, as you have to act on small plastic matching parts (male/female inserts), I used again the small flathead screwdriver, but a smoother object is recommended as you may scratch the backlight (not a big issue, depending on the scratch amount, but it will be visible on your LCD display at certain viewing angles).

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Remember you'll have to put back in place both the ribbon coming out from the backlight panel (the smaller one that goes on top) and the LCD screen cable. Now you may get rid of you used LCD display (please take care and follow your local envinronmental policy for electronics waste), and make tha backward process, starting from match together the LCD and the backlight.

Fourth Step: back to start

Have a look at image 16 to see how the bottom ribbon cable should be plied on itself before putting it back into place. Everything now should be quite quick to put back in its original place, remember where the screws where originally (darker grey ones are the external lateral ones, flat small ones are for the screen) and enjoy your brand new LCD screen (image 19).

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Should you need more help, please post a comment (this you can do also if you find this post useful) or have a look at Andy Ozment post, where you can find a FAQ section as well as useful links.