Main camera for the Cubot Power and its replacement

This story began quite a while ago, around mid-August, when I was writing a review of the Cubot Power phone. After publishing the review, I put the phone aside for a while, and a few days later I needed it to test how well it recognized barcodes. But then I suddenly discovered that the camera’s autofocus had completely stopped working. That’s what can happen sometimes when you take a phone apart. Anyway, more on that later.


As I mentioned, I eventually found out that the camera’s autofocus had disappeared completely. The camera was always focused “at infinity.” In outdoor conditions this was barely noticeable, but indoors—and especially for macro shots—it became glaringly obvious. Unfortunately, I can’t show you what it looked like for a number of reasons, which I’ll get to shortly. For now, let’s move on to the review.

What do you need to replace the camera? Well, first of all, the camera itself, which is usually inside the phone or tablet :)


I deliberately didn’t pry the camera out before placing the order; I still had photos I’d taken for the review. But if you don’t have photos like these and aren’t sure exactly which camera model you have, it’s best to remove it and check the markings carefully.


Since the phone was new, spare parts naturally weren’t available for sale at first, so I just kept searching AliExpress for a camera by phone model.
A few months went by, and AliExpress finally showed me a couple of spare-parts sellers who had this camera in stock. I initially wanted to buy from another seller, but their low rating outweighed even the lower price, although the difference was only a couple of bucks.

Before ordering, carefully compare what’s written on the camera with what’s shown in the seller’s photos. If you look at the photo above and this screenshot, you’ll see that the cameras are identical. The phone model is also listed in the item title. If in doubt, you can ask the seller; they’re usually happy to help.

The price has gone up a little since then. At the time I ordered, it came to $18.19.


Anyway, I placed the order. It was paid for on December 25, and on January 16 I got a notification that the package was ready for pickup. Considering the holidays, that was pretty quick. My only complaint is about Meest Express, which delivered the package. I don’t know what their logistics people are smoking, but not only did they fail to deliver it to my home, they sent it to some place in the middle of nowhere—even though there’s a pickup point near my house.

Five stars for the packaging. You could fit a couple of smartphones in a box like this, let alone a camera. The seller’s page says they ship phones in sturdy boxes, but I didn’t expect them to pack a camera this way too.


There was plenty of bubble wrap inside, and the camera itself was in a separate bag.


It looks fine.


Now, a few words about why there are no “before” photos. At first I wanted to take some, but the camera app kept saying the camera was busy. I deleted all the unnecessary apps, and eventually reset the phone completely. After rebooting, the camera had disappeared altogether. It wasn’t even in the app list, and trying to install third-party software ended with the same message: you don’t have a camera, forget about it.


Oh well, let’s forget about it.

Before I show you how to replace it, I should mention that I don’t repair phones, tablets, or anything like that, so I may be doing something wrong. Also, the repair process varies a lot from one device to another.

Anyway, as for the Cubot Power: first, remove the back cover, much like you would on a regular phone with a removable cover, except there’s no gap here and the clips are noticeably tighter. I ended up using a worn-out discount card. Also, this model’s cover is stuck to the battery with double-sided tape, so I recommend sending women and children out of the room where you’re doing the repair—or at least giving them headphones so they don’t have to listen to you.
I first unclipped most of the cover, then slid the card inside to separate the tape.

After removing the back cover, I recommend not only setting it aside but also placing it face down, so dust doesn’t get onto the inside of the protective glass.


Next, remove a whole bunch of tiny screws. On the Cubot Power, they’re all the same length and diameter, but if you’re taking a device apart for the first time, I always recommend laying the screws out in the same positions they came from. That’ll help you avoid mishaps during reassembly, like denting the screen or the front-panel plastic.
Next, slide the same card into the gap between the screen and the chrome trim. Once the screws are out, a small gap will appear there.
At this point, pay close attention to the position of the volume and power buttons. If you reinstall them “upside down,” they won’t work. And don't forget to remove the SIM card tray!!!


We've reached the circuit board, which is a good start.


Next, start disconnecting the connectors. Begin with the battery connector at the top; the others can be disconnected in any order. For the keyboard connector (bottom left), first lift the latch on the side opposite the ribbon cable, then simply pull out the cable.
You don't really need to disconnect the front camera, but I removed it so it wouldn't get in the way.
Then remove the two screws marked with blue arrows in the photo.


Carefully lift out the board so you don't damage the speaker cable. You can remove it right away; the cable ends in a plastic piece held in place by a couple of small clips.


Here are the cameras: the one in the middle is the one I bought on AliExpress, the one on the right is the one that needs replacing, and the one on the left is the front camera. The markings match.


There's soft double-sided tape on the back, covered with a protective paper backing.


This really took me by surprise: the original camera's ribbon cable looks as if it had been cut with a knife. I can't even imagine how that could have happened, not even in theory—especially since the camera was working the last time I took it apart, or at least the time before last, though without autofocus. I think I took it apart once more after that and tried to focus it “manually,” but I've forgotten what happened next.
In any case, the camera is ready for the bin.


Oddly enough, the hardest part is putting the board back in place. You have to do it carefully so you don't bend anything else, and also so you don't damage the new camera, since it will stick to the speaker cover right away (the camera itself also has a magnet inside, by the way). Carefully move the ribbon cables aside, gently set the board back in place, screw it down, and reconnect the cables. At this stage, a photo of how everything looked before disassembly comes in handy.
Reconnect the battery especially carefully, and leave it until last.

When reassembling, I recommend installing the buttons first (they'll have fallen out anyway), then insert the electronics assembly from the side with the buttons. Once it's in, briefly press the buttons and check that they work. If the assembly isn't seated correctly, you won't hear a click. Then put in a couple of screws and check that the phone works. You could do this earlier, but it's better not to, since the antennas are in the back cover.


I turn it on and check: autofocus works :)


That's pretty much it. Put in the remaining screws and close the back cover.

Now, a look at the specs of the old and new cameras. Strangely, the same test app shows different information for the new camera. More precisely, it shows more information for the new camera, but I suspect that's down to the software version, since I'm not sure it was the same in both cases. Besides, it also shows more information about the front camera, which I didn't replace.


And here are a couple of photos. I can't be bothered to go outside, and there's nothing interesting to see from the window anyway. But since autofocus was the problem, I'll test that. Below is a crop from a photo taken at maximum zoom; the camera can't focus any closer than this.



Of course, the camera was a weak point of this phone from the start—there's no arguing with that. But without autofocus, it's completely useless; using a phone like this day to day is extremely inconvenient. Anyway, it's now at least back to how it was originally.

And so, the verdict:
1. Packaging: excellent
2. Dispatch and delivery: excellent
3. The camera is the one I ordered
4. I can't say whether the camera is new or not, but it works fine.

All in all, I think the seller deserves five stars. That's all from me, and as usual, I'll be happy to answer questions and read your comments :)