Tacky Camera Body
Dec 5, 2016 11:29:08 #
I have a Nikon N80 that I intend to give to a granddaughter who is taking a film photo course in high school. The body has not been used in 7-8 years and has been stored at room temperature. I noticed that the leatherette of the body is tacky/sticky. The problem is uniform over the entire leatherette-covered part of the body and not just in areas where I would have been holding it. The camera was never "baked", like on the dashboard of a car for hours in the summer. Has anyone heard of this happening? Any ideas of what to do about it?
Dec 5, 2016 11:36:09 #
You should check the search part of the hog. I know that this subject has been gone over before. It does happen quite a bit.
Dec 5, 2016 11:36:35 #
I have something with the same symptoms.
Quick Google search brought THIS up:
"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."
Follow up posts says it works.
I may try it on a dead dslr I have first to make sure the alcohol doesn't do anything worse to it, like start to remove the covering.
Quick Google search brought THIS up:
"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."
Follow up posts says it works.
I may try it on a dead dslr I have first to make sure the alcohol doesn't do anything worse to it, like start to remove the covering.
Dec 5, 2016 12:03:26 #
Momma_dont_take_my_chodachrome
Loc: South Central Kentucky, USA
Common occurrence on various rubber and soft plastics. Can't say I have a real clue as to why, but I know from experience oils from persons hands and even normal environments can create this situation. Have seen it on steering wheels and similar products with this type of texture. As rubbers of all type are made from petroleum, I suppose certain chemicals in persons hands or the environment can react to the base rubber.
As suggested, you might try the suggestion mentioned on a small area first. Feel free to repost any findings. Could be very helpful to everyone.
Good luck and thanks.
As suggested, you might try the suggestion mentioned on a small area first. Feel free to repost any findings. Could be very helpful to everyone.
Good luck and thanks.
Dec 5, 2016 13:43:24 #
jrh1354
Loc: Dayton, Ohio
This is a common problem with the Nikons (N80, N90, F100). Isopropyl alcohol applied with a clean cloth seems to be the preferred method to remove it. Nikon was providing replacement backs until their inventory was depleted. The support person at Nikon indicated it was a problem with the coating they used. They didn't offer any way to remove the tacky coating. Third parties recommended the use of isopropyl. It works.
Dec 5, 2016 18:54:48 #
Dec 6, 2016 06:56:12 #
I recently dug out my old D70S, that had been stored (at normal room temps) for a couple years, and the grips on it were sticky. I used isopropyl alcohol on a cloth and with some rubbing was able to remove the sticky surface.
Dec 6, 2016 09:20:58 #
DaveyDitzer
Loc: Western PA
Momma_dont_take_my_chodachrome wrote:
Common occurrence on various rubber and soft plast... (show quote)
At least two issues can cause tacky surfaces on plastic materials. First, many vinyl plastics use plasticizers to keep them flexible and these can gradually come out of the polymer to the surface. Remember when the older cars would fog on the inside of the windshield in the summer. That was plasticizer coming out of the vinyl upholstery. The second reason could be the aging on the polymer. Depending upon the stabilizers used in the polymer itself, age can cause degradation. The polymer gradually breaks down, the polymer chains break up forming lower molecular weight fragments and these can exhibit lower melting points, which feel tacky to the touch. Essentially they become "softer" plastics. Isopropanol is the treatment I CAREFULLY try first, preferably in a small corner of the covering to see what condition it leaves the plastic in (sorry about ending the sentence with a preposition).
Dec 6, 2016 09:53:50 #
DaveyDitzer wrote:
...Isopropanol is the treatment I CAREFULLY try first, preferably in a small corner of the covering to see what condition it leaves the plastic in (sorry about ending the sentence with a preposition).
Members have been expelled for lesser indiscretions.
You better behave!!!!
Dec 6, 2016 09:55:29 #
Ending a sentence with a preposition is far less a problem than a tacky camera body!!!
Dec 6, 2016 10:11:20 #
had same issue really sticky .i used spry can of auto carburetor cleaner ON A RAG and wipe off body . its been over a year , and this sticky stuff did not come back . now , i know from some of you guys , it is too easy .
Dec 6, 2016 12:45:09 #
Yep, had a D80 and a N 80 do the same thing. The material is breaking down. Leather conditioner helps some but unfortunately, what's gone is gone.
Dec 6, 2016 15:15:48 #
DaveyDitzer wrote:
to see what condition it leaves the plastic in (sorry about ending the sentence with a preposition).
Ha ha! Another English major? I have seen so much butchery to our poor language that this small infraction seems like nothing.
Whatever you do, never work in a corporate environment where you receive many emails. It would make you cry.
Dec 6, 2016 15:40:24 #
Dec 6, 2016 18:49:16 #
My original Canon Digital Rebel got sticky on the non slip black parts. Cleaning took off the sticky and all the non slip coating leaving a hard black plastic. I guess we are not expected to keep a camera for ten years.
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