bobfitz Loc: Kendall-Miami, Florida

Hello all,
I am wondering if anyone else has had this problem and if so how did you solve it.

I have had a Nikon D70 in a camera bag on a closet shelf in an air conditioned house for probably about 8 years. I just took it out, charged the battery and formatted the card. Everything is fine and it works perfectly but the grip is very sticky. It wasn't sticky when I put it away and I cannot figure out what caused it or how to solve the problem.

So far I have tried Goo Gone and Simple Green...Nothing...didn't help at all. Any ideas?

Any help will be appreciated.

Bob

asymptotic_maybe Loc: Southern California

I've recently discovered the a thin paste made of baking soda and water, rubbed vigorously over sticky plastic stuff works wonders. Just take care to to let the liquid get inside the camera somehow.

Hope it helps

bobfitz Loc: Kendall-Miami, Florida

Thank you...I'll try it.

chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

Not too sure just why you would want the liquid inside the camera.
Proof read because without it you can lead others to make serious mistakes.

CO

The IFIXIT website has a solution for that.

https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/53276/The+body+of+the+camera+is+getting+sticky

for the body of the camera you can use Edwal film cleaning solution or 91% Edwal film cleaning solution or my personal favorite, a 90+percent isopropyl solution (your local pharmacist would be of great help if you can't find it). Take a cloth and dip it in the solution and wring it out so that it is almost dry and wipe the body off. You can also use an old, soft toothbrush or small model brush dipped in the solution. Isopropyl alcohol works great to clean off cameras; any excess moisture that gets in the camera will evaporate quickly, and the alcohol works well to remove grime, grease, oil, etc. Hope this helps, good luck and may your camera soon sparkle again.

Natural soft rubber will deagrade and return to its "Non-Vulcanised state". It is actually slowly "un vulcanising". Molecule cross links breaking back apart that were joined in the rubber vulcanising process, and becoming liquid in state. Handling or sitting, you can not stop natural soft rubber from "going back home".

The top surface is effected 1st which then deepens and deepens until you could wipe the entire rubber off with cloth after 25 years. More rigid high vulcaising rubber will powderise back to dust. (like 50 year old tyres)

Using alchohol will merely disolve and strip the top liquid rubber layer off, back to the "still rigid" rubber underlayer. You'll need to do it again in a few years.

fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

Hey thanks for the tip! My ancient Canon Rebel and my old Nikon birding binoculars have exactly the same problem. I was contemplating a new pair of binoculars but now I can keep my trusty old Nikon in service. Luckily, the sticky grip was a good excuse to upgrade from the Canon, heh, heh, heh.

rond-photography Loc: Connecticut

tomcat

I used Goo Gone but it took many hours of rubbing. Eventually the sticky layer was removed

Mercer Loc: Houston, TX, USA

I think this is a topic wherein every answer is the correct one.
...but I have a rather vague memory (from my 35mm days) of ads selling full body covers to replace the worn-out leather originals. I could easily be wrong about this, but it might be a good idea for you to run an internet search (Google or similiar) for a replacement body cover. Good luck... Mercer

PS: If you find one, please let us know.

MWojton Loc: Yardley, PA

Bob, the same thing happened to me. I don't know what could cause the grip to become sticky. I tried a few things but none of them worked.

BebuLamar

I used alcohol and it took a long time. All the goo was gone but it became so smooth not like original.

agillot

had same issue with a D70 , stored in a plastic bag .buy a spray can of brake cleaner for car , [ wall mart or ?? [ DO NOT SPRAY ON CAMERA ] . Spray and soak a lint free cloth , then wipe body , a few time if necessary .the goop will come off , rubber undamaged , will not come back .do it out door due to chemical smell .and no , you wont die .i use this on car dash plastic part that have same issue .

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

Happens to a lot of vintage equipment. Your solution sounds right. Thanks.

bobfitz Loc: Kendall-Miami, Florida

Who said or wrote that I wanted liquid inside the camera?

BebuLamar

I don't know how old you would consider vintage but I only have problem with the relatively newer ones. Camera like the Nikon F2, F3, FM, FE don't have the sticky problem.