I got a new backside!
If you follow me on Instagram or read this blog you may know that I got a Konica Big Mini for cheap off eBay. The seller said it was broken and sold it for 25 Euro, but when it arrived I figured out that only the backside LCD was broken – a common issue with the Big Mini 201.
I ordered the replacement part from Alibaba and a few weeks later attempted to repair the camera. I had previously opened and closed it successfully but this time I somehow fucked up and broke the battery door. 🥲
As if this wasn’t bad enough, I also mixed up two screws and destroyed the replacement cable by pushing one screw right through it. 🤦🏻
SO ANYWAY, I was lucky again and found someone on eBay that sold me a backdoor and flex cable together for a reasonable price. When it arrived I could use my ✨ expertise ✨ in opening Big Mini cameras and replaced the part rather quickly – as you can see above, the Big Mini is now working again!
The backdoor has a different color than my Big Mini, so I now have a dual-tone Big Mini, with the front being a light brown-ish / champagne color and the back being grey. I kinda like it as it brings some character to it.
For the foreseeable future the Big Mini will be my travel buddy and “always with me” camera. I’m glad I could get it back to life, and I’ll make sure to handle it with care from now on.