Nikon D7000 Mirror Box & Viewfinder Replacement

Introduction

Use this guide to replace the mirror box and viewfinder.

What you need

Step 1 Motherboard

Nikon D7000 Mirror Box & Viewfinder Replacement, Motherboard: step 1, image 1 of 1

Remove the following 5 screws securing the bottom cover to the camera body:
Four 6 mm J000 screws.
One 8 mm J000 screw (under lens mount).

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Step 2

Remove three 6 mm J000 screws from under the battery cover.

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Step 3

Gently pull the bottom cover off of the camera body.

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Step 4

Remove the following screws from the port area:
Two 3.5 mm J000 screws.
One 6 mm J000 screw (right above ports).

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Step 5

Peel the rear rubber piece off with tweezers.

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This is not needed : if you don't touch this rubber & screw the SD card cover will come off at the same time that the back case.

= Quicker and easier

Xavier - Aug 24, 2022 Reply

Step 6

Remove one 4.25 mm J000 screw from behind the rear rubber piece.

Edit

This is not needed : if you don't touch this rubber & screw the SD card cover will come off at the same time that the back case.

= Quicker and easier

Xavier - Aug 24, 2022 Reply

Step 7

Pull the eyepiece cover up to remove it.

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Step 8

Remove two 6 mm J000 screws from behind the eyepiece cover.
On D7100 models, there is an additional screw holding the back plate on. This screw is located in the diopter (dial with + - on it). This screw can be accessed by peeling up this sticker on the diopter.

Edit

Concerning the diopter, it's wrong : D7000 also have a screw in it.

See step 41.

Xavier - Aug 25, 2022 Reply

Step 9

Open the SD card cover by pushing slightly down with your thumb and sliding up.

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Step 10

Remove four 6 mm J000 screws that secure the SD card cover.

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Step 11

Gently pull the SD card cover off.

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Attention! High voltage. After removing the memory card cover, remove the yellow sticker and use a 220 volt 15 watt incandescent lamp to discharge the capacitor.

Rust Twentyone - Nov 2, 2019 Reply

Step 12

Remove the following screws that secure the back case:
One 6 mm J000 screw.
One 3 mm J000 screw.

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Step 14

Nikon D7000 Mirror Box & Viewfinder Replacement: step 14, image 3 of 3

Disconnect the following two ribbon cables from the motherboard.
See our Cable Connector Guide for help with ribbon cable connectors!

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Step 15

Remove the following screws securing the left motherboard shield:
One 2 mm J000 screw (on the bottom).
One 3.5 mm J000 screw (on the back).
Be careful of the grounding clips on the motherboard.

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Step 16

Gently pry and lift the left motherboard shield off.

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No need to remove shield. Risk of damaging clips holding shield.

Ziyang - Sep 25, 2017 Reply

Step 17

Remove one 3.5 mm J000 screw securing the right motherboard shield.

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No need to remove shield. Risk of damaging clips holding shield.

Ziyang - Sep 25, 2017 Reply

Step 18

Gently lift the right motherboard shield off with the tip of a spudger.

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Step 20

Disconnect remaining ribbon cables.

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One more ribbon behind press down tab

Ziyang - Sep 25, 2017 Reply

Step 21

Carefully disconnect the red connector with tweezers.

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Step 22

Remove four 3.5 mm J000 screws securing the motherboard.

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Step 23

Gently pull the port side cover away from the motherboard.

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Step 25 Tripod Plate

Nikon D7000 Mirror Box & Viewfinder Replacement, Tripod Plate: step 25, image 1 of 1

Remove four 6 mm J000 screws securing the tripod plate.

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Only left 2 screw need to be removed. The tripod plate do not need to be removed.

Ziyang - Sep 25, 2017 Reply

Actually, nothing needs to be removed !

Skip this step and gain time and energy :)

Xavier - Aug 24, 2022 Reply

Step 26

Carefully lift the tripod plate from the backside of the camera and slide out the grounding clip from under the lens mount.

Edit

Skip this step (see comment step 25)

Xavier - Aug 24, 2022 Reply

Step 27 Image Sensor

Nikon D7000 Mirror Box & Viewfinder Replacement, Image Sensor: step 27, image 1 of 2

Nikon D7000 Mirror Box & Viewfinder Replacement, Image Sensor: step 27, image 2 of 2

Disconnect black and white speaker cable.

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Step 28

Remove three 6 mm J000 screws securing the image sensor.

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Best to set markings on the three screws before removing sensor. To preserve alignment of sensor and body frame

Ziyang - Sep 25, 2017 Reply

This step is NOT necessary if you don't plan on doing anything with the sensor itself

-> just let it all attached together and save yourself time and energy

Xavier - Aug 24, 2022 Reply

Step 29

Carefully lift the image sensor plate out of the camera.

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Step 30 Shutter Assembly

Nikon D7000 Mirror Box & Viewfinder Replacement, Shutter Assembly: step 30, image 1 of 1

Manually pop up flash by inserting a screw driver to the left of the viewfinder and pressing on the metal lever.
It won't take much pressure. Press carefully and the flash will pop up when you find the right spot.

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Step 31

Remove two 5 mm J000 screws from under the flash.

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Step 32

Remove two 3 mm J000 screws securing the front cover.

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These screws should be the other way around. I took the 5mm screws out of the front cover. 3mm screws from under the flash.

Jamie MacLeod - Nov 2, 2021 Reply

Step 36

Remove one 4 mm J000 screw from the front.

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Step 37

Remove one 8.5 mm J000 screw from the battery compartment.

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Step 39

Remove one 4 mm J000 screw securing the top case (under right strap hook).

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Step 40

Remove one 4 mm J000 screw securing the top case (under left strap hook).

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Step 41

Remove the sticker covering the diopter adjust screw.

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Step 42

Remove one 8.0 mm J000 screw.
Remove the Diopeter Adjust.

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Step 43

Remove the top case.

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No mention of discharging the flash capacitor first?

digimaan - Oct 16, 2016 Reply

Make sure you don’t get a shock off it .

Dean Wilkinson - Oct 21, 2017 Reply

Step 44

Remove the Black, Yellow, Green cable from the top case board.

Edit

If intend to remove top panel entirely, will need to de-solder the black and red power cable

Ziyang - Sep 25, 2017 Reply

Step 45

Nikon D7000 Mirror Box & Viewfinder Replacement: step 45, image 3 of 3

Remove two 6.5 mm J000 screws securing the viewfinder.
Remove the viewfinder cover.

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Not necessary to remove the viewfinder cover for mirror box

Ziyang - Sep 25, 2017 Reply

Step 46

Remove one 3 mm J000 screw from the bottom left side of the camera.

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Don't do this : you don't need to, it's useless

Xavier - Aug 24, 2022 Reply

Step 47

Remove two 6 mm J000 screws from the left of the shutter.

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Not necessary

Xavier - Aug 24, 2022 Reply

Step 48

Remove two 6.5 mm J000 screws from beneath the lens mount.

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Step 49

Remove two screws from just below and to the sides of the viewfinder.

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Step 50

Remove one 5 mm J000 screw from the top right of the camera.

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Step 51

Carefully peel back ribbon cable on the bottom left of camera.

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Step 52

Remove the left front ribbon cable from top right of circuit board.

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The illustration indicates this connector to be tilted upwards. I did - and broke the female connector. As shown on the right hand picture, the same thing has happened during the dismantling forming the basis for this “ifixit” instruction.

This ribbon should be pulled straight out - not lifted upwards

Bored Nomore - Nov 1, 2017 Reply

Step 53

Remove all three wire connectors.

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Step 54

Separate the shutter assembly from the camera body.

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This part left me in the lurch a bit, undid the top 2 screws holding the shutter in but there seemed more to undo to actually release the shutter.

digimaan - Oct 16, 2016 Reply

If you intend to replace the shutter assembly only, you need to loosen it from the “shutter house” (don’ know correct term); (It is possible to purchase new blades only, but it seems complicated, and a shutter assembly costs around 35USD from Asia.)

There are 3 screws; 2 visible on the “top” of the shutter assembly and one hidden underneath some ribbons on the “underside”. Study the new shutter to identify the screws being part of of the assembly and the ones holding it to the shutter house. (3 screws as mentioned)

The power leads for the electric motor must be loosened by soldering (red and black cables).

A ribbon with 4 tiny soldering points has to be loosened with a sharp tipped soldering iron; If you don’ t feel competent; bring it to someone who can do the very delicate soldering - especially for connecting the new shutter assembly.

Bored Nomore - Nov 1, 2017 Reply

I have followed this guide. But 2 small bits of rubber have appeared. Not a clue from where. Any ideas?

Paul Scott - May 8, 2021 Reply