Front Camera Dust Problem

MikamiEamon

New member
Dec 31, 2012
21
0
0
Visit site
We are waiting for the Nokia Lumia 930...I think.

NOKIA, more and more Lumia 920 is shipping out!
Tell us if this hardware design flaw has got mitigated or not. At lease, we can go to service center to get a good replacement back rather than another new phone with same problem.
Or you can wait till millions of Lumia 920 users crying out for recalling the defective product.
 

Planet X

New member
Jan 15, 2013
34
0
0
Visit site
Same on my phone. Sometimes I take the dust cleaner and sometimes I blow in the speaker to make it work again. I still cannot believe that this could happen to a phone for about 650 Euro. This will probably be my last Nokia phone i bought.
 

uselessrobot

New member
Nov 14, 2012
552
0
0
Visit site
My first Lumia 920 didn't have a problem. Unfortunately, I dropped that one and had to get a replacement. The new phone does have dust under there. I'm not happy about it, but then I don't use that camera.

I'm fairly certain that the problem is related to how close the glass sits to the plastic bezel. On my other phone it was flush along the top. On this one it's not. So I see dust build up along the seam. In the seam, just above the camera I can see an indentation. So if I had to guess I'd say it's open right into the space in front of the lens, hence dust building up in there.

Honestly, I don't know if it's worth the trouble trying to get this fixed. You're likely to just end up with another phone with the same problem.

I do regret having dropped my first phone.
 

MikamiEamon

New member
Dec 31, 2012
21
0
0
Visit site
Let get the clue how dust gets in:
(All photo was a screen capture from an youtuber: LE55ONS (http://m.youtube.com/#/user/LE55ONS)

1. This photo shows the size of the front camera unit:
2013_01_21_23_33_50.jpg

2. This photo shows the frame of the front camera on the plastic bezel for the display unit. It is too close to the edge of the bezel. It remains no room to seal with the glass on top.
2013_01_21_23_34_40.jpg

3. You can also see on the display glass how close the area for camera and proximity sensor with the display edge.
2013_01_21_23_36_17.jpg
 
Last edited:

MikamiEamon

New member
Dec 31, 2012
21
0
0
Visit site
So, if you have seen all these photo...
You will know, Nokia will need a smaller camera unit, so that they can make the hole on the frame smaller and not to occupy whole space between the display and the edge...
They need to re-engineer on the whole display module to place each components at proper place to provide enough space for sealing it tightly.
 

HaibaneReki

New member
Nov 30, 2012
993
0
0
Visit site
when it's unbearable, I'll just open it, clean and then when assembled seal it with some invisible glue.. Most parts are available online and not that pricey. Like a whole digitizer for 70 bucks. Not so bad. Removes the scratches too..
 

JammyGitz

Banned
Nov 9, 2012
198
0
0
Visit site
Mine is now completely covered, you can barely see the lens. I will try blowing it with an airline

Front camera picture of some strip lights https://skydrive.live.com/pagenotfounderror

UPDATE: Blew the seal between the screen and case with an airline and it got about half or maybe 2/3 of the dust out. New pic: https://skydrive.live.com/pagenotfounderror

A clear difference

Blowing the headphone jack had no effect by the way, only the screen seal
 
Last edited:

unstoppablekem

New member
Sep 23, 2011
8,123
0
0
Visit site
Mine is now completely covered, you can barely see the lens. I will try blowing it with an airline

Front camera picture of some strip lights https://skydrive.live.com/pagenotfounderror

UPDATE: Blew the seal between the screen and case with an airline and it got about half or maybe 2/3 of the dust out. New pic: https://skydrive.live.com/pagenotfounderror

A clear difference

Blowing the headphone jack had no effect by the way, only the screen seal

I'll try it when I get home.
 

unstoppablekem

New member
Sep 23, 2011
8,123
0
0
Visit site
Mine is now completely covered, you can barely see the lens. I will try blowing it with an airline

Front camera picture of some strip lights https://skydrive.live.com/pagenotfounderror

UPDATE: Blew the seal between the screen and case with an airline and it got about half or maybe 2/3 of the dust out. New pic: https://skydrive.live.com/pagenotfounderror

A clear difference

Blowing the headphone jack had no effect by the way, only the screen seal

yep, it worked.
 

MikamiEamon

New member
Dec 31, 2012
21
0
0
Visit site
Dear users, dear readers..
I am considering sending my Lumia 920 back to Nokia Care Center for a replacement or fixing.

But I still doubt whether some newer batches of production have got this issue fixed?

Just my guess that some users who didn't discover the dust under the front camera is because they didn't check the front camera under the bright light or the seam that on top edge of front camera is smaller and dust doesn't easily get in.

According to the disassembly photos as posted earlier, the display top edge above front camera has not enough space to be sealed tightly with the black-color plastic bezel.

Today, I cut a small piece of foil, thinner than one millimeter, and insert into the tiny seam above the camera, it actually can get under the display glass above the camera. The rest of area on the top edge is sealed. Only the front camera area.

Actually, some type of soft sealant/glue which can be pushed into this tiny gap will fix this issue permanently.
Maybe I should find a proper material to fix it myself.

Basically, if cut a tiny piece of transparent scotch tape and push it into the seam by using the foil, it might work. I will try and find a procedure to do that.

Because I like this phone much and it doesn't have any other hardware issues, except this dust under FFC.
 
Last edited:

mr_808

New member
Oct 30, 2012
64
0
0
Visit site
Does this affect the picture quality at all? I have the same problem with mine and I see don't see it interfering with my pictures. Then again, this is a really low res camera and I don't use it for anything other than video chat. Personally, I don't think this even needs a fix. Is it frustrating? Absolutely. Welcome to owning a Lumia 920. It could just be the best love hate relationship you'll ever be in.
 

MikamiEamon

New member
Dec 31, 2012
21
0
0
Visit site
Actually, my mood is ok. Do not feel frustration.

As it seems to be a design flaw, I much more like Nokia to make a proper statement to acknowledge this.

Dedication to the details make all the good design.

Going back and forth to exchange the phone for no actual fixing is like fooling your customers.
 

eeewing

New member
Nov 18, 2012
60
0
0
Visit site
I've had this issue since the day I got the phone, and didn't think much of it...until the dust and debris started messing with the functionality of my proximity sensor. Still, I could quickly clean it all out using a can of air, and thought (like most of you) the problem was just an inherent design flaw.

On a whim, I stopped into an AT&T Device Support Center yesterday to inquire about the issue. The lady I worked with said the issue was *not* normal, and took the time with me to compare my phone against their floor models. As it turned out, mine has a (small but) visible gap on the right side of the earpiece, which is letting the dust in...the floor models did not (and did not have any dust at all in front of the FFC). The representative ordered a replacement phone for me, which I should have within the next few days.

Two of my co-workers also have the Lumia 920 (one since November, one for about a month) and neither have had a problem at all with dust getting under the screen. Thus, I have to believe the issue -- while it sure seems to be widespread -- is an individual phone defect as opposed to a design flaw. I sure hope so, anyway...!
 

congusano

New member
Nov 8, 2012
381
0
0
Visit site
I've had this issue since the day I got the phone, and didn't think much of it...until the dust and debris started messing with the functionality of my proximity sensor. Still, I could quickly clean it all out using a can of air, and thought (like most of you) the problem was just an inherent design flaw.

On a whim, I stopped into an AT&T Device Support Center yesterday to inquire about the issue. The lady I worked with said the issue was *not* normal, and took the time with me to compare my phone against their floor models. As it turned out, mine has a (small but) visible gap on the right side of the earpiece, which is letting the dust in...the floor models did not (and did not have any dust at all in front of the FFC). The representative ordered a replacement phone for me, which I should have within the next few days.

Two of my co-workers also have the Lumia 920 (one since November, one for about a month) and neither have had a problem at all with dust getting under the screen. Thus, I have to believe the issue -- while it sure seems to be widespread -- is an individual phone defect as opposed to a design flaw. I sure hope so, anyway...!

What gap do you speak of? my ffc is loaded with dust and I can't see, even under magnifying glasses any visible gap that lets the dust in. Is there a picture of where this gap is you can provide, even if it doesn't have the gap, just to show me the location?
 

unstoppablekem

New member
Sep 23, 2011
8,123
0
0
Visit site
What gap do you speak of? my ffc is loaded with dust and I can't see, even under magnifying glasses any visible gap that lets the dust in. Is there a picture of where this gap is you can provide, even if it doesn't have the gap, just to show me the location?

Between the glass and the polycarbonate (near the camera).
 

eeewing

New member
Nov 18, 2012
60
0
0
Visit site
What gap do you speak of? my ffc is loaded with dust and I can't see, even under magnifying glasses any visible gap that lets the dust in. Is there a picture of where this gap is you can provide, even if it doesn't have the gap, just to show me the location?

I probably won't be able to post a pic until I get home later, but the area in question is inside the cutout for the earhole, down where the glass meets the speaker grill/body. It's difficult to see without a pen light, but if I hold my phone angled away from me at approx. 75-80 degrees and look into that junction, there is a visible gap maybe 1/3 mm in size. It's very small -- enough to let dust in, but not lint -- and it's not present on the other side of the earpiece. It is also not present on two other phones that I checked (in addition to the two that AT&T had in-store as demo units). I have no gaps at all around the outer perimeter of the glass, as some folks have said they do. The gap being where it is, it makes perfect sense why aiming a can of compressed air down there will make short work of clearing the dust back out...or at least blowing it somewhere else where it can't be seen.
 

Planet X

New member
Jan 15, 2013
34
0
0
Visit site
I just got my phone back from repair as I could not stand it anymore. The repair bon says they have replaced the display unit. I really hope that it won't come back.The repair took 6 days.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
322,918
Messages
2,242,895
Members
428,005
Latest member
rogertewarte