Ok, here's worklog/progress for day one.
Service manual for D3, 20MB PDFUnscrew four screws holding back cover with LCD and controls.
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/mains.jpg)
Everything clean and nice inside, no blown parts on main board. Looks like there were no attempts to repair it by previous owner, which is always nice.
Since nothing works at all, and camera unable to power on, first suspect - power supply/converter.
According to service manual - it's on two board assembly right next to CF slots assembly.
Lucky enough, we don't need to take apart camera to gazillion pieces to get access to DC-DC board.
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/dcdc_dead.jpg)
Aha.. That's where magic smoke escaped...
It's A2023 marked TO225 packaged transistor. Based on marking on PCB - it have emitter, collector and base, so we know it's a BJT.
Remembering similar style marking inside of my HP 4263B LCR, it's 2SA2023 PNP, rated 5A 80V.
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/dcdc_back.jpg)
Went local electronics flea market and was lucky enough to get exact same P/N PNP's.
Now there are two things could happen on such step. First - PNP just died from some power surge or battery short for example.
It could be just a dead PNP, so replacing it will get life back to camera.
Or things could be much worse, and actually some other part got shorted and caused power supply to die. In such gear like consumer cameras, which are
almost completely build around custom ASICs, custom controllers and absolutely no schematics or service information available such scenario means that's
best use from it would be a really expensive pencil holder.
I cut old one first to make job easier.
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/dcdc_repair.jpg)
Let's cross our fingers and try to replace PNP.
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/2sa2023.jpg)
Original part on left side, new transistor on right side.
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/new_pnp.jpg)
5 seconds with my trusty ERSA iCON, and DC-DC assembly is like new again...
Connect back cover with controls & LCD , check to make sure no shorts or any dangerous parts around, connect DC +13V to DCin jack, and...
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/poweron2.jpg)
Ta-daaa.... Great, no smoke, no noise, it's a lucky day
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/poweron1.jpg)
Auxilary LCDs aren't working at this moment, probably some FPC cable got bad connection or no contact (remembering that camera was dropped).
Liveview works, tells us that CMOS sensor, aquisition, digital processing works properly.
Now tried to make couple shots, and got files without problems.
There is ERR message happening after every shot, which can be "reset" by turning off, turn on, and releasing shutter once. Seem like some mechanical issue with mirror assembly, as it's
not returning back to normal state after most of shots. Will take a look on that later, let's check LCDs first..
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/front_hl.jpg)
Remove top cover, as microcontroller board which handles LCDs is on top side...
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/headless.jpg)
There it is, small board on right top which have lots of FPC's going to it.
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/fpc.jpg)
I mean, really lots...
![Smiley :)](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/smiley.gif)
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/prism_fpc.jpg)
Nikon guys are not joking around with flat ribbon cables, have parts and connectors all over them.
Now let's check microcontroller board:
Back:
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/mcu_board_back.jpg)
Top:
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/mcu_board_top.jpg)
No visible damages. I hope it's connectors...
Reconnected everything back again...
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/top_lcd.jpg)
Great, now all LCDs working proplerly.
So far so good...
Now hard part - need to disassemble most of camera to get ahold of that mirror locking up issue, as it's barely usable in such condition...
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/front_mech.jpg)
Board with sensor is located under aquisition/processing board.
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/main_boards.jpg)
DG board face:
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/dg_board_top.jpg)
DG board back:
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/dg_board_back.jpg)
D3 using six ADI
AD9974 signal processors, each of them able to capture 2 channels of 14-bit CCD data at 65 MSPS.
Probably they are capturing data from 12MP CMOS sensor via 12 channels to allow that crazy 9 frames per second camera speed.
![Smiley :)](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/smiley.gif)
And back of sensor board:
![](http://dev.xdevs.com/projects/rnd/repository/entry/Nikon/D3/Repair/small/sensor_board_back.jpg)
That's it for today, time for sleep, it's 2.08am already.
Not a bad start.
Youtube: