G1W focus fault? Seems to have become macro!

[adimw]

Didn't use to be, owned it for about a year and recently noticed its decided to focus on the windscreen filth not the road!
Any ideas for a DIY fix or should I just replace it?

Sample here:

 

[adimw]

No insight from anyone! Help!

 

[DT MI]

If it were me I'd try cleaning the windscreen filth. Also the camera lens with a decent microfiber cloth suitable for camera lenses.

 

[adimw]

Absolutely not the cause of the issue. Lense is clean and windscreen "filth" is irrelevant. These are fixed focus cameras, I've purchased 10+ G1W units and this is the first to have been fine for months and have the focal depth change on me.

 

[DT MI]

I guess I was being a bit flippant with my response, sorry.

From the pictures and videos I've seen of the G1W disassembled I would suspect the lens attachment to the sensor has loosened. If I was going to replace it anyhow I'd first tear into it and see if that was the case and how it may be rectified. Final solution would, obviously, depend on whether the lens is attached with adhesive or some mechanical means.

 

[adimw]

ta, I've just purchased another G1W-H and also a B40/A118 to try. Once received I'll pull the faulty G1W apart without worry of not being able to reassemble.

Currently moved the faulty (out of focus) G1W to the rear and brought the other working G1W (that likes to forget the date) to the front.

 

[Dashmellow]

Didn't use to be, owned it for about a year and recently noticed its decided to focus on the windscreen filth not the road!
Any ideas for a DIY fix or should I just replace it?

If you carefully open the housing of the camera you will be able to manually refocus the lens. The lens will have a small dab of glue on the threads holding it in place but that can easily be broken when you twist the threads. It is possible that it doesn't have the focus secured with a dab of glue which could explain how it went out of focus in the first place. See THIS link for instructions on how to open the camera housing.

 

[adimw]

you rock, thanks! will tear it down once the new ones arrive.

 

[Dashmellow]

You're welcome! BTW, the G1W series is so affordable partly because of the manufacturing techniques; so where some cameras use screws, the G1W uses glue in certain places. If your camera has a lens that is glued onto the circuit board rather than screwed, be careful when twisting the lens so that you don't break the lens and sensor housing off the board. Also, after you are satisfied that the lens is back in focus be careful when gluing the threads again. Superglue can fog the lens, for example. You don't necessarily need to use glue as long as you can secure the lens after it is in focus. My GT300W which the G1WH is based on arrived with an out-of-focus lens. After I refocused it I used a small piece of 3M VHB mounting tape to secure the threads which made it easy to swap the lens for a much better one months later.