How to change lens on your H

[Mickeyboo]

Lens removal on H is pretty straight forward except for heavy amount of glue / paste they use for original, note second picture. Just remove the 8 screws on the camera cover, no need to disconnect antenna as there is enough cable to put it to the side. There are two small sensors attached to red wires which need to be slide out from the holes they are in. Once you've done that plastic cover will separate from area you have lens mounted. To make the heavy glue easier to remove I used isopropyl alcohol to make it brittle then chipped it off with a dentists pick. To actually remove lens I used the smallest needle nosed Vise Grip with shrink tube attached to the gripping portion just gently adjust wrench until it's firm and twist to break seal, Then unscrew with hand. I tried using a 5.4 millimeter lens which is what I put on all my GoPros but it would not focus properly because of wrong shaft length. These lenses are called M12 Board lenses when shopping for one make sure it has 16 megapixel resolution so your 4K video quality doesn't suffer...I've reinstalled my stock lens for now and communicated with lens manufacturers about a 5.4 lens which will fit. Instead of the stock 98 degree field of view the 5.4 will give you an undistorted flat field view of 64 degrees. Other shorter focal lengths like 3.9 mm are available now but I'm hoping to use a 5.4. By the way the mm equivalent in 35mm camera lens terms simply multiply the mm size by 4...for example the 5.4 mm would be about a 21mm 35mm lens equivalent. I've added a shot of the tools I used for lens change.

 

[Mortalis]

How do you keep the inside of the camera clean? If there is glue of some sort holding the lens secure, when you break that bond isnt there a concern of some of the flaked glue to fall into the camera and land on the chip?

 

[Mickeyboo]

I use an air compressor with adjustable pressure to blow out sensor and tidy things up. It should be noted that my stock lens was not very clean around the edges and cleaning that up before reinstalling it made a noticeable difference. A cheaper solution would be a can of air...but I prefer my $79 air compressor with adjustable air pressure for cleaning all sorts of things. It is important to make sure of course that sensor is clean prior to reassembly.

 

[Ricky]

The cover over the lense just pops off,
There's 3 small plastic tags on the cover around the camera lense, I think there's also a relocating tag at the other end of the lense cover.

 

[Basicbill]

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It should be noted that my stock lens was not very clean around the edges and cleaning that up before reinstalling it made a noticeable difference.

snip

That sounds like a possible, relatively simple fix for folks experiencing some lack of sharpness near the edges. Is there any re-focusing required upon reinstallation? Or does the lens simply screw back to the point from where it was removed?

 

[Mickeyboo]

That sounds like a possible, relatively simple fix for folks experiencing some lack of sharpness near the edges. Is there any re-focusing required upon reinstallation? Or does the lens simply screw back to the point from where it was removed?

Precisely that's why I mentioned it, there was somewhat serious "fog" all round the edge of the lens.

 

[yufasa]

@Mickeyboo Thanks mate this motivates me to open mine up.

 

[Mickeyboo]

@Mickeyboo Thanks mate this motivates me to open mine up.

You're most welcome...just go slowly and wait a few minutes for the alcohol to make the paste brittle, third parties are already doing this for customers but I prefer to learn about these things myself so if I need to fix something in the field i can do it. I will be producing a full how to video soon on lens changing...but I wanted to post this because of the disinformation I'd seen beginning to surface.

 

[Mickeyboo]

DroneClone informs me that he had no glue on his lens at all...perhaps some of you will be lucky to have the same experience...in speaking with other people doing this mod no one else has found that their's had no glue.

 

[BobW55]

Do not confuse the outer removable lens cover with the lens.
The lens cover has a couple of tabs that you can grab with your fingers to remove and install a ND filter. The lens is behind this. Will check mine for cleanliness soon as I get a chance, maybe that is why my focus is off.

 

[Mickeyboo]

Do not confuse the outer removable lens cover with the lens.
The lens cover has a couple of tabs that you can grab with your fingers to remove and install a ND filter. The lens is behind this. Will check mine for cleanliness soon as I get a chance, maybe that is why my focus is off.

I guess it's possible people could confuse the clear protective filter with the lens but I doubt it and if they HAVE trouble with distinguishing the difference between the two I would recommend they not try changing their lens!

 

[BobW55]

Thought about trying to just adjust the focus on mine. But that is a bit of an effort to take apart to get to. Let alone void my warrenty. Still waiting to see what Yuneec does for the guys that have sent their cameras in for focus problems.
A smaller field of view would also help with catching the motor arms in flight.

 

[Mickeyboo]

Thought about trying to just adjust the focus on mine. But that is a bit of an effort to take apart to get to. Let alone void my warrenty. Still waiting to see what Yuneec does for the guys that have sent their cameras in for focus problems.
A smaller field of view would also help with catching the motor arms in flight.

Yes the smaller field of view was something I originally got interested in because when flying GoPros on Phantoms I was always seeing my props (rotors) in the shot, once I changed to a different lens (5.4 mm with 64 degree field of view) I never saw them again...it also helps with lens flare issues since the field of view is smaller.

 

[CAPTAINDRONE]

Thanks for sharing! I just wish drone manufactures would make the cameras for these hobby drones that come with removable lenses, like a DSLR camera & allow 3rd party companies to make a wide variety of lenses. Today, these tiny sensors at the base of the lens are all the same, in drones, selfie cams (i.e., Gopro/Drift, etc), cellphones, point and shoot pocket cameras, etc. The Typhoon has a basic one with mediocre bitrate like most other drones. But it is the lens that makes a big difference in still photography and video. Software can fix exposure issues & make up for noise in photos, but it is the lens that provides the best picture for the software to work with in the first place. A mediocre sensor can produce outstanding photos/video with a great lens!

It looks like, in your photo, that the lens outer material (not the lens itself) is plastic (not metal), is that correct?

 

[Mortalis]

Here is a video of how to change the lens on a gopro. Basically the same lens
Video here
Describes the removal of the outer ring, traking a measurement so the other lens can be replaced at approx the correct position and then unscrewing the lens

 

[JCFlippen]

I use an air compressor with adjustable pressure to blow out sensor and tidy things up. It should be noted that my stock lens was not very clean around the edges and cleaning that up before reinstalling it made a noticeable difference. A cheaper solution would be a can of air...but I prefer my $79 air compressor with adjustable air pressure for cleaning all sorts of things. It is important to make sure of course that sensor is clean prior to reassembly.

Beware it is likely that canned air has a propellant that could mark the sensor.

 

[Forrestt]

F2.8 3.87mm 16M 90° FOV replacement lens for Git2/Hero4 - GitUp Action Camera

 

[ComradD]

I have other type of lens holder in my Typhoon H.

I have been very surprised to see it.
Glue cannot be removed. It is possible to tear off a lens only.

There is no thread in lens holder!!!!!! Diameter of lens holder is bigger than diameter of a lens and the thread of a lens hanging in the air!!!!!!

We have put other lens holder, now everything is OK.
My trust to engineers of Yuneec has promptly decreased.

 

[JCFlippen]

Yes the smaller field of view was something I originally got interested in because when flying GoPros on Phantoms I was always seeing my props (rotors) in the shot, once I changed to a different lens (5.4 mm with 64 degree field of view) I never saw them again...it also helps with lens flare issues since the field of view is smaller.

Thanks for work Mickeyboo. Have you been able to sorce a 5.4 lens that will work in the original mount? Fitting a new mount would seem to be not easy considering Yuneec are making a mess of it in some cases. How do you maintain a flat plain?
Not sure how above posting has done it?

 

[Mickeyboo]

Thanks for work Mickeyboo. Have you been able to sorce a 5.4 lens that will work in the original mount? Fitting a new mount would seem to be not easy considering Yuneec are making a mess of it in some cases. How do you maintain a flat plain?
Not sure how above posting has done it?

I've been in contact with Chinese lens manufacturers and I'll be sending them some measurements to see if they have existing lens or see if they can modify their existing 5.4 in some way.

 

[Mickeyboo]

I have other type of lens holder in my Typhoon H.

I have been very surprised to see it.
Glue cannot be removed. It is possible to tear off a lens only.

There is no thread in lens holder!!!!!! Diameter of lens holder is bigger than diameter of a lens and the thread of a lens hanging in the air!!!!!!

We have put other lens holder, now everything is OK.
My trust to engineers of Yuneec has promptly decreased.

That is very odd indeed...the first time I've heard of this...I'm glad you took the time to take photos too. It is very different
than my lens and all the others I've seen.

 

[Marnix Verschraegen]

F2.8 3.87mm 16M 90° FOV replacement lens for Git2/Hero4 - GitUp Action Camera

What is the quality of this lens ?
Did you tried it already ?

kind regards
Marnix