Old sticky camera bodies

what cleaner would i use for removing stickiness from old camera body without causing damage

what cleaner would i use for removing stickiness from old camera body without causing damage

I've succesfully used methelated spirits on an old Canon FTb camera body. But just use common sense and begin with the least aggressive method first, i.e. a slightly dampened cloth.

I've succesfully used methelated spirits on an old Canon FTb camera body.
But just use common sense and begin with the least aggressive method first, i.e. a slightly dampened cloth.

Various old cameras have different forms of covering that deteriorate in various ways. Some are impossible to treat at all. For example, some Sigma film camera just melt into a sticky mess, some of their early lenses have a black paint that gets sticky. I once was told to rub ordinary flour into the surface! all I got was a glutinous grey mess. Same with talcum powder, but at least your pride and joy will smell nice. Some Nikon AF bodies go the same way. (F80) I have had several of the early Minolta autofocus cameras that are just so bad and so cheap to buy that they go straight into recycling. I have a nice clean Minolta Dynax 600 si Classic that I was intending to use but the grip has suddenly started to weep a thin film of an oily substance, I wondered if the recent hot weather accelerated the process. As for treatment, if the camera has a thick rubberised surface and it is very sticky, I don't think anything will cure it, never use a paper towel to clean or apply a liquid, it will just cling on & mash in with the surface. I have seen Clearcoat spray recommended.Never tried it. The ugly way is to cover everything with an adhesive tape, which has the advantage that nobody will want to steal the camera!

Various old cameras have different forms of covering that deteriorate in various ways. Some are impossible to treat at all. For example, some Sigma film camera just melt into a sticky mess, some of their early lenses have a black paint that gets sticky. I once was told to rub ordinary flour into the surface! all I got was a glutinous grey mess. Same with talcum powder, but at least your pride and joy will smell nice.
Some Nikon AF bodies go the same way. (F80)

I have had several of the early Minolta autofocus cameras that are just so bad and so cheap to buy that they go straight into recycling.
I have a nice clean Minolta Dynax 600 si Classic that I was intending to use but the grip has suddenly started to weep a thin film of an oily substance, I wondered if the recent hot weather accelerated the process.
As for treatment, if the camera has a thick rubberised surface and it is very sticky, I don't think anything will cure it, never use a paper towel to clean or apply a liquid, it will just cling on & mash in with the surface.
I have seen Clearcoat spray recommended.Never tried it.
The ugly way is to cover everything with an adhesive tape, which has the advantage that nobody will want to steal the camera!

If it's a sticky Nikon (plenty of them about) then try alcohol on a cotton bud to see if it will remove the stickiness. General idea is to use IPA (iso propyl alcohol / propanol) , but it's not always that easy to find and can be quite expensive as you won't need a lot and you'll probably never use the rest. Maplins used to sell it before they went bust, and it was about £13 if I remember correctly. I bought the cheapskate spray for 1 third of that, but it is only about 40% IPA and didn't do a good job. The camera (Nikon F80) is less sticky and is certainly usable, as seen by this shot of dolphin watchers last weekend. I've a D70 with the same issue, so it isn't confined to film Nikons. [epzimg]29817_1535188360.jpg[/epzimg]

If it's a sticky Nikon (plenty of them about) then try alcohol on a cotton bud to see if it will remove the stickiness. General idea is to use IPA (iso propyl alcohol / propanol) , but it's not always that easy to find and can be quite expensive as you won't need a lot and you'll probably never use the rest. Maplins used to sell it before they went bust, and it was about £13 if I remember correctly. I bought the cheapskate spray for 1 third of that, but it is only about 40% IPA and didn't do a good job. The camera (Nikon F80) is less sticky and is certainly usable, as seen by this shot of dolphin watchers last weekend. I've a D70 with the same issue, so it isn't confined to film Nikons.

I recently used some dubbin wax to remove stickyness from the grip of and old Canon camera, It took a couple of applications but work perfectly. I used a microfibre cloth to remove the residue and polish the grip. Ken

I recently used some dubbin wax to remove stickyness from the grip of and old Canon camera, It took a couple of applications but work perfectly. I used a microfibre cloth to remove the residue and polish the grip.


Ken

Re this problem - I have read the above posts, and agree with what has been said. I have a Minolta Dynax 7 which has developed the sticky back and also seen references to Nikons also being affected. The problem is covered in depth at various Minolta forums (Minoltas appear to be the worst offenders) One recommended way is to use Isopropyl Alcohol. I bought some from ebay(UK) but have not attempted to remove the stickiness as yet. [too damned lazy] Other suggestions were french chalk - problem there being that the chalk could get into the camera. The remainder I forget about, but all were fraught with potentially creating other problems with the camera. Might be worthwhile searching the 'net for answers, but I believe the Isopropyl Alcohol use has had the desired effect. One other remedy was to remove all the sticky material and then buy a custom made cover for various models, leather or whatever, [again found on the 'net]and fix the new covering onto the camera.

Re this problem - I have read the above posts, and agree with what has been said. I have a Minolta Dynax 7 which has developed the sticky back and also seen references to Nikons also being affected.
The problem is covered in depth at various Minolta forums (Minoltas appear to be the worst offenders) One recommended way is to use Isopropyl Alcohol. I bought some from ebay(UK) but have not attempted to remove the stickiness as yet. [too damned lazy]
Other suggestions were french chalk - problem there being that the chalk could get into the camera. The remainder I forget about, but all were fraught with potentially creating other problems with the camera.
Might be worthwhile searching the 'net for answers, but I believe the Isopropyl Alcohol use has had the desired effect.
One other remedy was to remove all the sticky material and then buy a custom made cover for various models, leather or whatever, [again found on the 'net]and fix the new covering onto the camera.

thanks for replies had a wee go yesterday with daps of acetone did not seem to work

thanks for replies had a wee go yesterday with daps of acetone did not seem to work

WD40

WD40

LIghter fuel is probably the best (its all I use) no residual and evaporates quickly.

LIghter fuel is probably the best (its all I use) no residual and evaporates quickly.

[quote]LIghter fuel is probably the best (its all I use) no residual and evaporates quickly.[/quote] Yes, that works well. Switch cleaner in aerosol form is IPA and easy to use if you spray it onto a microfibre cloth. It's a bit stronger in effect than lighter fuel and actually perfect for its intended use, cleaning lens contacts etc.

Quote:LIghter fuel is probably the best (its all I use) no residual and evaporates quickly.


Yes, that works well. Switch cleaner in aerosol form is IPA and easy to use if you spray it onto a microfibre cloth. It's a bit stronger in effect than lighter fuel and actually perfect for its intended use, cleaning lens contacts etc.

Yes, I like the lighter fuel for external metal parts were I might not want to risk damage old plastics, glue binding leatherette and so on, its good at getting dirt and gunk off metal parts pretty safely. Old sticky light seals often require something a little stronger but is usually in a bit of a safer place, acetone on a cotton bud is good for starters, then a de-grease with the lighter fuel to finish off (if its the plain old nail polish remover) The poster does not say what part or material of the camera is sticky, if its old rubberised material nothing might help it, its just the material braking down.

Yes, I like the lighter fuel for external metal parts were I might not want to risk damage old plastics, glue binding leatherette and so on, its good at getting dirt and gunk off metal parts pretty safely.

Old sticky light seals often require something a little stronger but is usually in a bit of a safer place, acetone on a cotton bud is good for starters, then a de-grease with the lighter fuel to finish off (if its the plain old nail polish remover)

The poster does not say what part or material of the camera is sticky, if its old rubberised material nothing might help it, its just the material braking down.

I have a Sticky Sigma lens on my 'Gift' Minolta Dynax 7000i-- the 70-210mm has now seized up and the push and pull Zoom action will not work.

I have a Sticky Sigma lens on my 'Gift' Minolta Dynax 7000i-- the 70-210mm has now seized up and the push and pull Zoom action will not work.

My venerable 105mm Micro Nikkor squeaks on autofocus but still delivers stunning results.

My venerable 105mm Micro Nikkor squeaks on autofocus but still delivers stunning results.

91% isopropyl alcohol worked well on my sticky Nikon N80.

91% isopropyl alcohol worked well on my sticky Nikon N80.

As an owner of a lot of Maxxum bodies, I have become fairly good at scrubbing grip goo off using 91% isopropyl alcohol and a piece of cotton cloth. Sometimes it takes a lot of work. I just cleaned the grip on a Nikon N50 last week.

As an owner of a lot of Maxxum bodies, I have become fairly good at scrubbing grip goo off using 91% isopropyl alcohol and a piece of cotton cloth. Sometimes it takes a lot of work. I just cleaned the grip on a Nikon N50 last week.