Nikon D7000 Tripod Plate Replacement

Written By: Jed Chen

Comments: 23

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

30 - 35 minutes

Introduction

Use this guide to replace the tripod plate.

Note: You'll need JIS screwdrivers for this repair. Regular Phillips screwdrivers have a cross pattern with rounded inner edges and won't fully fit the slots in the JIS screws. JIS screwdrivers instead have a straight cross pattern which makes much better contact with the screw head and is made for the high torque you will need to loosen the screws.

Tools

Step 1

When loosening the screws, start pressing the screwdriver firmly for the first 1-2 turns (highest torque) until the screw is 'unlocked'. Failing to do so can damage the screw head and make it impossible to disengage that screw.
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).

Note for D7100: the rightmost screw marked red is 5.4mm long (to the right of the identification sticker with serial number), the 3 other screws marked red are 6.0mm long. The orange screw is 8.75mm long.

Olivier Biot -

Step 2

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

Note for D7100: the screw marked red closest to the yellow battery guarding clip is 5.3mm long, the 2 other screws marked red are 6.0mm long.

Olivier Biot -

Step 3

Gently pull the bottom cover off of the camera body.

Note for D7100: place your thumb in the battery compartment and your index outside the battery box. Gently pinch the bottom cover between thumb and index finger, and gently lift it from the camera body. It separates very easily.

Olivier Biot -

Step 4

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

Note for D7100: the 2 screws marked red under the rubber covers are hidden below the middle cover. These screws are 3.8mm long. The orange screw is 6.35mm long.

Olivier Biot -

Step 5

Peel the rear rubber piece off with tweezers.

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 - 24/08/22

Step 6

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

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 -

⚠️ Note for D7100: this step IS needed when disassembling the D7100 body as the rubber conceals 2 JIS #000 screws (5.5 mm at top and 3 mm at bottom). Without removing those 2 screws the back case won't separate from the body. When detaching the rubber cover, make sure to keep the small plastic cover embedded at the bottom of the rubber.

The SD card cover will fall out from the camera body when separating the back case.

Olivier Biot -

Step 7

Pull the eyepiece cover up to remove it.

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.

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

See step 41.

Xavier -

Note for D7100: the 2 screws to the side of the eyepiece are 5.3mm long.

Olivier Biot -

Note for D7100: the screw holding the diopter dial is 11.4mm long.

Olivier Biot -

Step 9

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

Step 10

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

Note for D7100: these 4 screws are 6.30-6.35mm long

Olivier Biot -

Step 11

Gently pull the SD card cover off.

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 - 02/11/19

Step 12

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

On D7100 both screws are the same length at 6mm

Simon Tullett -

Step 13

Carefully lift the back case off.

Step 14

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

Note for D7100: the 2 ribbon cables that connect the back cover to the motherboard have ZIF sockets with the black lever at the bottom. Leave the other 2 (leftmost) ribbon cables at the bottom of the motherboard untouched.

Olivier Biot -

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.

Step 16

Gently pry and lift the left motherboard shield off.

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

Ziyang - 25/09/17

No Motherboard shield on D7100

Simon Tullett -

Step 17

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

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

Ziyang - 25/09/17

Step 18

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

Step 19

Disconnect remaining ribbon cables.

Note for D7100: at the top of the motherboard, there are 2 wide ZIF sockets (far left: white lever at top; far right: brown lever at bottom) and a narrow "no-fuss ribbon cable connector" (cable connector makes a 90° turn from 12 o' clock to 3 o'clock).

Olivier Biot -

Step 20

Disconnect remaining ribbon cables.

One more ribbon behind press down tab

Ziyang - 25/09/17

Note for D7100: at the bottom of the motherboard, there are 3 ZIF sockets (far left, top: black lever at bottom; far left, bottom (underneath the previous): black lever at top; adjacent to the right: black lever at top).

Olivier Biot -