VERY successful removal of stickiness on some newer SLR bodies

[Poisson Du Jour]

There is a difference between a rubber-feel and stickiness.
So far I have not come across any item be it a camera or another consumer good that was sticky from the very beginning.

We'll call it sticky rubber -- the same stuff my tyres are made of on the car...

 

[AgX]

Well, than let me define what I understand under these terms:

Rubber Feel = a feeling of friction when trying to let glide ones finger over a true rubber surface, but nothing more

Sticky Surface = a feeling of getting stuck when lifting off ones finger from a surface


To my understanding this thread is about the latter.
Furtermore there is variation in these decaying compounds. One compound becomes a more smeary feel and look than sticky (with gradual variations).

 

[Theo Sulphate]

...
Rubber Feel = a feeling of friction when trying to let glide ones finger over a true rubber surface, but nothing more

Sticky Surface = a feeling of getting stuck when lifting off ones finger from a surface

To my understanding this thread is about the latter.
...

That's correct. In the case of my Maxxum 7, in the last year or so the surface has become sticky. Certainly it can be felt when removing a finger from the surface, but I notice stickiness even when gripping the camera - it is a feeling which is different from gripping a pure rubber surface. With my camera, I think the stickiness becomes evident as my hand moves or adjusts slightly while still gripping the camera.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Rubber Feel = a feeling of friction when trying to let glide ones finger over a true rubber surface, but nothing more

Yes, this is the correct definition of the surface on the palm door of the EOS 1N, just enough to differentiate it from the rest of the body finish (which is extremely smooth) yet provide a feeling of reassurance of gripping the palm of one's hand when the adjunct hand strap is also used. Contrary to commentary around the time many years ago, this rubberised finish was not present on either the Command Back E1 (intervalometer) nor any part of the power drive booster E1.

Of course of millions of users the actual personal definition of the palm door finish varies enormously. In whatever and any case, it is a major error of judgement to attempt to remove it, especially some of the bizarre and downright destructive methods used.

I seem to remember something about Nikon's F90X having a sticky (not rubbery) feel to it somewhere; perhaps this was another camera among many cameras, can't remember...

 

[sabredog]

Hi Sabredog, here are a few View attachment 207981 View attachment 207982 View attachment 207983 View attachment 207984 View attachment 207986

Many thanks.

Seems to be lots of opinions about restoring the plastic finish after the sticky surface is removed.

 

[tokam]

There appears to be some confusion between a grippy rubber finish as described by Poisson de Jour and the degraded coatings that affect other cameras.

In the case of the Minoltas the coating on the camera back is definitely degraded and if I rub hard with a dry finger I can produce a little ball of coating. The camera back is sticky and unpleasant to hold. This is the situation I am fixing by removing the coating completely. This leaves the bare plastic door moulding on the camera back.

From what I have read it appears that some Nikon models also suffer from degraded coverings on the camera back but these are a more substantial coating that is laid on in sheet form and was possibly replaceable. Removal of these coatings with solvent alone may be impracticable. Would probably have to remove the sheet coating in a similar fashion to removing leatherette before cleanup of residual adhesives. Good luck in getting the rubber sheet off in one piece.

 

[sissysphoto]

I can't believe these camera companies didn't know better than to make the crap they did after about 1980. Certainly they knew rubber didn't last.

 

[AgX]

Such stuff is still applied.

 

[neilt3]

My Maxxum 7 is becoming sticky, so I'll try this method - thank you. Any particular type of tissue? Kimwipes?

I use IPA with a piece of coarse stocking net cloth ( a dishcloth ) to clean both my Minolta Dynax 7's and a Nikon F80 .
Nice clean and smooth , cleaned up a treat and made them useable again .

 

[neilt3]

Acetone is very dangerous with plastic and can permanently mar it. Be careful. - David Lyga

Acetone makes a mess of the camera for sure . DO NOT USE ACETONE .
The ones I cleaned with IPA have remained unchanged for over two years since I cleaned them , with regular use .
A third one I have , which was the first I cleaned , I used Acetone .
The gunk was dissolved very quickly and easily but has discoloured / left a white deposit on the surface of the plastic .
While the camera is still in good working order , it's clear to see it has harmed the plastic body parts .
How this will effect the camera long term , I don't know .

 

[AgX]

I use for a variety of tasks a variety of solvents. One I use regularly is a commercial blend that contains acetone as one part. Thus one may blend acetone oneself.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

I can't believe these camera companies didn't know better than to make the crap they did after about 1980. Certainly they knew rubber didn't last.

But they did know that most uzers would have a new camera long before the coating turned into goo

 

[David Lyga]

To re-iterate: Use isopropyl alcohol, use much tissue, and rub like you mean it. Done. Fun. Task won. - David Lyga

 

[David Lyga]

I can't believe these camera companies didn't know better than to make the crap they did after about 1980. Certainly they knew rubber didn't last.

I never fail to gasp at how utterly brilliant Japan is capable of being and, at the same time (but, thankfully to a far lesser extent) how downright stupid they are capable of being. The disparate combination leaves me speechless.

To be fair and transparent here, however, one must remember that 'after 1980' the powerful yen became a defacto reason for an extreme obsession with cost cutting. We tend to look only at what our dollars can buy in the here and now, but, remember, those Japanese manufacturers had to be paid in the yen which was (at least in the 80s) ever increasing in value. - David Lyga

 

[Sirius Glass]

Perhaps many of you already know, but the BEST way to remove that damn stickiness on some newer SLR bodies, usually the AF type, is Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. I have tried lighter fluid and it does not work as well as simple rubbing alcohol.

Impregnate a clean, soft tissue with the alcohol and start gently rubbing. The tissue will become filthy, proof that it is working. Be patient, change tissue areas and keep at it. Eventually, there will be no more filth on the tissue, proof that the job is nearing completion. I did this with a NIkon N50 and it worked perfectly. (don't know what brings about this stickiness in the first place, but I have experienced it on many of the hard plastic bodies, even some of the Yashica leather ones as well.)

This problem need not plague us any longer: patience and time (five minutes!) are all that is needed. Heed. - David Lyga

+1 Thank you David!

Worked on my Nikon F100. Tissues cause lint, instead use a paper towel. Remember pour the isopropyl alcohol on the paper towel, do not put the paper towel on the mouth of the bottle and tip the bottle because that pollutes the alcohol.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I can't believe these camera companies didn't know better than to make the crap they did after about 1980. Certainly they knew rubber didn't last.

Duh, they always wanted you to buy the latest and greatest. That is why many cars and appliances do not last.

 

[David Brown]

Now, if I could just find some isopropyl alcohol in a store.

 

[David Lyga]

Now, if I could just find some isopropyl alcohol in a store.

When I started this there was no COVID 19.

Maybe this thread should be a sticky, since it is ABOUT sticky. - David Lyga

 

[John Bragg]

Top tip. Use an old towelling sports sock inside out. Worked a charm on my F100.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Now, if I could just find some isopropyl alcohol in a store.

Try Vodka.

 

[GarageBoy]

Revisited this thread after cleaning the melted grip of my rebel t2 and the remote ir window fell out... Now have to get some crazy glue to re secure it - wrongfully assumed canon used a mechanical method of holding it in place

I used goo gone, then went over everything with a damp paper towel so the residue didn't attack anything else

My rebel t2, my f100 and my maxxum 7 were all sticky - better than the maxxum 7000 that crumbled

Are the eos 1/3, f5,6 better at not melting? Makes me want to sell all my af stuff (maybe I'm a bit over dramatic)

 

[wiltw]

I took out an old inexpensive pair of variable power Bushnell binoculars to see the International Space Station passing overhead last weekend. Its rubberized coating had turned sticky gummy.
Reading this thread reminded me of that, so I took to the goo with Goo Gone and a paper towel. The gooey stuff was removed with only moderate effort, leaving the hard plastic body instead of the coating originally applied to improve grip. It seems a lot of manufacturers were sold a bill of goods about coatings for 'improved grip'. More than a 20 years ago, I had to replace the 12" woofers on a set of high end stereo speakers because the foam surrounds had literally 'melted'...good thing the original manufacter was still in business and 'only' a two hour drive away, as I could buy a new set of drivers from them.

 

[Steve906]

Hi,
Had to do this (with IPA) to a canon HI 8 camcorder a while back. Took me ages to find info on what to use but it worked a treat on a camera that appeared to be literally melting. Good info this
Steve.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I'll try this on an older cameras at school. Thanks!

 

[David Brown]

Follow up on a related issue. (I did search; this is the best I could find.)

All of my Minolta AF lenses have this to one extent or another. Unlike the bodies discussed in this thread, they are not sticky, just, um, unsightly. I made some progress on one of the lenses with wooden toothpicks. After revisiting this thread, I did try a little isopropyl with a cue tip and that seems to work.

Any thoughts? Anyone know what it is? Oxidation? Fungus? Option C?

Cheers. Thanks!