jorgef2002
Established
Hello I have a camera that is showing some pitting, any help in how to remove it ?
Jorgef2002 :bang:
Jorgef2002 :bang:
james.liam
Well-known
Tell us first What camera are you speaking about?
Beemermark
Veteran
You can't remove pitting. Pitting has already removed surface material. You need to fill the the pits in.
peterm1
Veteran
The details of the camera and preferably a photo of the pitting are important.
For example many years ago I had an early postwar Canon rangefinder camera which had pitting. It was due (apparently - so I was told) to there being a shortage of nickel in Japan after the war. When a camera is chrome plated it is first nickel plated over the brass body then the chrome is applied over the nickel. The lack of nickel meant it pitted easily. What I am saying is that pitting may be endemic to some cameras. In those circumstances it is not necessarily something to be overly concerned about as the pitting has already happened in the past.
It also signals potential storage issues. Pitting suggests corrosion. Corrosion suggests moisture. That is not a good thing with any camera although older mechanical cameras tend to cope better due to the lack of sensitive electronics. If the camera was bought from Japan where there are very humid hot summers in many parts of that nation, this also can be a contributing factor. It is a reason, for example, that lenses bought from Japan on the second hand market quite frequently have internal fog and fungus growth. Much more so than from other parts of the world.
In any event as others have already indicated it cannot be fixed as such as pitting removes metal. It might be hidden, if the camera is disassembled and professionally prepared and painted. But this is quite expensive - more than most cameras are really worth.
For example many years ago I had an early postwar Canon rangefinder camera which had pitting. It was due (apparently - so I was told) to there being a shortage of nickel in Japan after the war. When a camera is chrome plated it is first nickel plated over the brass body then the chrome is applied over the nickel. The lack of nickel meant it pitted easily. What I am saying is that pitting may be endemic to some cameras. In those circumstances it is not necessarily something to be overly concerned about as the pitting has already happened in the past.
It also signals potential storage issues. Pitting suggests corrosion. Corrosion suggests moisture. That is not a good thing with any camera although older mechanical cameras tend to cope better due to the lack of sensitive electronics. If the camera was bought from Japan where there are very humid hot summers in many parts of that nation, this also can be a contributing factor. It is a reason, for example, that lenses bought from Japan on the second hand market quite frequently have internal fog and fungus growth. Much more so than from other parts of the world.
In any event as others have already indicated it cannot be fixed as such as pitting removes metal. It might be hidden, if the camera is disassembled and professionally prepared and painted. But this is quite expensive - more than most cameras are really worth.
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
Last summer I got a beautiful Konica Auto-Reflex T3 in black paint. The less common older version without the built in hot shoe. $4 from Goodwill. Anyway, the leatherette was a little bumpy and the camera smelled a bit musty so I began a cleanup. Once I took the bottom plate off, a piece of the chassis came off with it. Then I tapped it and close to half a teaspoon of aluminum and magnesium oxide came out along with some other chunky bits.
That is corrosion and how it hides. The brass top and bottom plates were the only good parts so I saved them and converted another T3 to black. Camera chassis went in the garbage.
Phil Forrest
That is corrosion and how it hides. The brass top and bottom plates were the only good parts so I saved them and converted another T3 to black. Camera chassis went in the garbage.
Phil Forrest
peterm1
Veteran
The old pre war Contax rangefinders were famous for "Contax bumps" - corrosion under the leatherette which cause little bumps to appear where the chemicals in the leather interacted with the metal in the camera presumably in the presence of humidity.
https://www.b2wphoto.com/post/2018-01-23-what-the-heck-is-a-zeiss-bump
David Hughes
David Hughes
The old pre war Contax rangefinders were famous for "Contax bumps" - corrosion under the leatherette which cause little bumps to appear where the chemicals in the leather interacted with the metal in the camera presumably in the presence of humidity.
https://www.b2wphoto.com/post/2018-01-23-what-the-heck-is-a-zeiss-bump
My Leica R5 had them and I've seen a lot for sale with them. So not only pre-war cameras...
Regards, David
jorgef2002
Established
Thank you for all your answers, the camera is a Leica Ic, I just got it from Ebay and came from Germany, the top border the bottom back and front border too, very very small holes like ......... maybe smaller, sorry I do not know how to place the pix in the internet.
I am going to send it back it cost me $430.00.Thank you again.
jorgef2002
I am going to send it back it cost me $430.00.Thank you again.
jorgef2002