Mirror sticking to foam

[winjeel]

Grr... I wondered why it seemed like I left the lens cap on, but it was in my hand. I took the lens off, and the mirror screws were stuck to the foam. The camera is a rare Seagull 35mm SLR, bought new in about 1993, and has been with me ever since. The glue looks gooey, and not so solid or gluey, so it's easy to pry the foam free if you wanted. For someone who hasn't maintained a camera before (never needed to), what's the best way forward?

 

[Dave Pritchard]

Replacing foam light seals is a normal maintenance task. There are many write-ups on this which an Internet search will find. The do-it-yourself approach is well-documented. The alternative is to find a camera technician.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Send an email to Jon Goodman, who sells under the name 'interslice' on eBay, describing the problem and the camera. He sets the standard for foam replacement kits and advice. His email is: jgood21967@aol.com
To give an idea, his writings over the years-
http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/sealreplacement.html

 

[winjeel]

Thanks. So this is a symptom? Would my other seals need replacing?

 

[Rol_Lei Nut]

All such foam on the camera is probably in the same condition, so replacing it all would be a good idea.

IIRC, the most common Seagull was a Minolta built under license. If you could identify the exact Minolta model, it could make finding the exact size seals easier.