WAstinkbug Loc: Silverdale, WA, U.S.A.

I agree ... it just takes longer. We live in a dampish climate (well... especially at the moment ... had a little thunderstorm and hail last evening!). I have it out in the open on the dining table with the screen opened up. Think another cleaning will help in the event there's some smoke residue lurking. Then fresh air, time ... maybe a little help with some soda or product to hasten the process? If the sun comes out, I'll take it out on the deck for a bit. Thanks!

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Good luck with the sweet smelling camera(after)!
Mark😃

WAstinkbug Loc: Silverdale, WA, U.S.A.

Thanks! I'm reading through the user's info right now as I get it cleaned up. It's a different system than ones I'm more accustomed to. I have too many cameras already... but have been so impressed with the colors of the Nikon images I've seen and wanted to try one out. I got an older one in 9+ condition from B&H ... a D5300. I thought about going up to the 5500 for the touchscreen but didn't think the image quality looked as good (and I was trying to keep the cost down). The camera smelled a lot better this morning after being cleaned the first time and sitting out overnight... so I'm optimistic. I just wiped it down again with Windex (and a damp wipe after), and will let it have more open air. I might put it into a bag with some soda or another treatment if it harbors enough smell after a week. I just want to bond with it and off-putting smells at close range can taint a person's attitude.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

My wife, whose sniffing sensibilities are similar to yours, loves your descriptions of “next stage to eliminate smells”. I just laugh but wish you well!
Mark

WAstinkbug Loc: Silverdale, WA, U.S.A.

Sounds like she gets it. ;-) My husband probably wouldn't notice much either. My dad, on the other hand... was the start of the "nose." A couple of our kids have the same thing going on.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Wow - good luck. My wife buys and sells on E-Bay and usually asks if whatever she is buying has been in the home of a smoker and rejects it if so. She forgot to ask last week and just sent something back - "It doesn't smell to me" the seller told her. "And it doesn't smell to my husband - and he doesn't smoke anymore because he has lung cancer" (!!!). They had burned out their olfactory nerves a long time ago.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Put them all in a box with the following item. I place this device in old camera bags for a couple of days and it takes the orders out. Works every time. Also good for gym bags.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/pureAir-Filterless-Portable-Odor-Reducing-Rechargeable-Air-Purifier-pureAir-SPORT/309900066

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Clean your bags well including washing them.
Let your gear air out in a clean room then put in a box with baking soda in such a way that the powder cannot get onto the gear like leave it in the baking soda box with the lid open. Close the large box and let it sit for a day or so. But it sounds like your bags are the source of the smell as glass and cameras generally do not absorb smells being hard surfaces.
So wash out those bags and sun dry outside on the clothes line and all smells should be gone.
Yes, I have done this.

twowindsbear

Maybe try activated charcoal from the pet store in addition to the baking soda mentioned in an earlier post. Good luck.

SonyBug

Tom47 Loc: Gettysburg, PA

I am going to give skink off a try, I bought a car that they smoked a vapor device and cannot get rid of the odor. I have a boat and every once and a while it picks up an odor when not used for an extended time which I have been able to get ride of those odors usually a good airing and cleaning the bilge. But nothing has been able to eliminate the odor in the car and it will be soon time to turn on the heater which makes it worst.

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

On used gear I’ve acquired, after thoroughly dusting the camera or outside of the lens, I go after it with a microfiber cloth dampened with Windex. You’d be surprised how much grime comes off the coverings, plastic and metal and ends up in the microfiber cloth. I’ve not had a camera that retained any funky odors originating from such grime retain the foul odor. If the odor is from some organic covering, leather, use leather cleaner and let it air out in an area with good air circulation.

Stan

lautenk2

It was Charlton Heston while he was President of the NRA from '98-'03.

lautenk2

Spray Lysol deodorant (the aerosol spray can type) into the air intakes of your car heater while running the heater fans full speed. Look for those air intakes at the base of the windshield, sometimes you'll need to open the hood (or bonnet, depending on location) to reach, sometimes not. That's good to do once or twice a year to prevent funky A/C & heater smells anyway, especially in an older car.

It may not eliminate all of your odor problem, but it would at least be nice if the heater didn't make it worse. BTW, many new car dealers are happy to perform this service (without mentioning how simple & cheap it is) for about a one hour service charge ($100).

WAstinkbug Loc: Silverdale, WA, U.S.A.

Thank you to everyone who has weighed in with solutions. I appreciate it! :-) Most of us become "nose blind" to smells we have around us all of the time... so I can understand the comment about the smokers who didn't realize their gear was imbued with smoke odor. I make soap at home on a small scale and sell it on the internet. When I walk into our house, I can pick up the funky must of our OLD basement (can drift up the stairs) ... but others who walk in smell soap. I mostly notice soap smells when I've made new batches that are curing.

This camera body is a mix of metal and plastic (I actually like the lighter weight for me) ... so the plastic parts will take longer to give up the odor. I put it outside for a little while yesterday and when the sun warmed it up, I could smell more old cigarette smell coming off it (2nd hand smoke type). There's probably more of that around the controls and in the grip as well (from the smoker's fingers?). It's much better and I hope with more time I'll rarely notice. I might do the soda thing as a follow-up once we buy more of it.

Thank you again! :-) It's interesting hearing other peoples' experiences.