40D Cleaning

OK, guys (persons?), I need some help.

I did something really stupid: I tried to clean parts of my camera myself. I certainly learned my lesson, and will let professionals do it next time, but now I'm stuck with a lame viewfinder.

I purchased a Canon 40D + 17-85IS kit about two months ago from a local camera store. While camping, I noticed that there was a hair visible through the viewfinder--at least, I'm fairly sure it's on the viewfinder.. it appears crisp and appears even without a lens on the body.

So, being a moron, after blowing into the camera and not having any luck, I decided to see if I could do something about it.

Inside a 40D lens mount are two screws that obviously hold down some kind of metallic plate that sits above what I believe is the user-replaceable focusing screen. I removed those screws and attempted to "clean" inside the viewfinder.

Well, I got most of the way there, but I didn't think to note down how things went back together. There is the user-replaceable focusing screen that sits in the mirror-padded screen tray, and then there are two parts that go at the base of the viewfinder inside the lens mount-- a brass shim and a another piece of plastic similar to the focusing screen, but with "squares" in it that correspond to the focusing points.

I've managed to deduce which side of the plastic piece goes down, but I don't recall which side the brass shim goes on, and the way I have it back together now, the AF-highlight squares inside the viewfinder don't work correctly.

Can someone educate me as to the proper ordering/positioning of those parts? Am I missing something obvious that may be causing the AF-squares to not work properly?

I'd send it back to Canon, but unless I have the pieces in the right order I'm afraid of a huge repair bill, when instead it could probably be handled by a cleaning..

Any hints/tips?

Welcome to POTN, Moran.

Your done - Stick a fork into it !

Send it back to Canon and stop messing with it ...

Enough said.

Maybe best to cut your losses and pay for the repair instead of keeping at it and creating a bigger problem.

Did you check the focusing screen first to make sure thats not where the hair was? And the mirror, or pentaprism? This is almost always where dust/hair is located when you see it in the viewfinder. Did you blow into it with your mouth or with a rocket blower? Blowing into it with your mouth just creates more trouble (moisture, spit particles etc etc).

The focusing screen (if thats where the hair was) does not require any "screws" removed to get it out and the kits for the screens come with a special tool to remove the screen properly. Also the focusing screen comes with strict warnings not to touch it with your fingers as it is hard to clean the oils from your skin off of it.

Sounds like what you have there is the focusing screen and you've ended up getting it out but only by removing a bunch of stuff that didn't need to be touched. I think you've come to the point where its time to admit you need some help from a professional

I hate to break your heart, but the 40D's screen is user replaceable and cleanable and requires no removal of any screws. But now I would say that your screwed unless you can remember how things went back together. Pack up the mess and let Canon repair it and chalk it up to a lesson learned. Before removing any screw, read up on it first.