Scented camera!

[xayraa33]

Hmm, it's got to smell sweeter than 1950s FSU cameras with their moldy leather neverready camera cases that used urine to tan the leather.

 

[Wesley Snaps]

An ozonator, or as Don already mentioned above, an ozone closet should do the job. I'm planning on getting one to make my antique collections more pleasant for resale.

Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

 

[oftheherd]

Thanks for the ideas everyone!

I will first have to eliminate the dryer sheet and Fabreeze option. Those are both just as bad as the original stench. I didn't mention in the OP, but I have a potentially fatal "allergy" to many synthetic fragrances. The fragrance used in dryer sheets will kill me in short order. I have been sent to the hospital from walking by a laundromat! Its not a fun thing. Makes me an odd person, but actually there are millions of people with this affliction worldwide.

I have pulled scents to a moderate degree with alcohol before, but never enough. These synthetic fragrances are engineered to be persistent *and* volatile. To me, that's pure evil. Vinegar has been the same -- helps, but never enough. I have had to throw away good items made of plastic that were "contaminated" and will never be de-scented ever. My fear is the camera plastic has absorbed enough scent to deem this camera un-keepable. This is really unfortunate to the extreme. I looked long for this camera and paid plenty.

Now, pumice bags? This is a brand new thing to me. I am absolutely going to seek these out. I'll try nearly anything.

Right now, the camera is out in the back yard, in the breeze, in the sun. That is the only thing that's worked for a few things in the past.

Also, since this scent doesn't appear to be one that contains the chemical that I am sensitive to, I won't die from using the camera, but it will be so unpleasant I won't use the camera. It's that stenchy. I think the guy applied cologne directly to the camera. He must have. Why?

I don't have any idea about pumice other than it would seem to me like a fine sand. Much care needed to keep particles from getting into the camera mechanisms or lenses. But with care, if it takes care of the odor without introducing pumice into the camera, why not?

As to why the strong scent? My first thought when I read your first post was that perhaps there was a strong odor of tobacco or mildew. But who could be sure.

 

[rfaspen]

I remember starting this thread. My nikon d700 was so scented by it's previous owner it was un- usable. As mentioned in the OP, I have a very serious sensitivity to one or more chemicals used in modern synthetic fragrances. Potentially fatal.
The previous owner of my nikon must have used several bottles of cologne each week. Yuk! This thread details several of the things I tried to make my camera less scented. Most failed. A couple things barely helped. Mostly, I held my breath when using the camera. It's been a few years now and the camera is still unacceptably scented. At least I don't use it anymore....the shutter failed and now it's a scented brick.
Note that modern perfumes will permanently contaminate plastic. It will transfer from the fingers and hands of a perfume user, though most won't think that its happening. My nikon was the first used camera I've bought that was this bad, I guess I have been lucky.

 

[peterm1]

Febreez works brilliantly to remove funky smells from almost anything. Never tried it on a camera but what I would do is either wipe it onto the exterior (sparingly) concentrating on absorbent areas like the leather. To get rid of smells inside, put Febreez on a cloth or something of the sort, open the camera and put both inside a closed plastic box for a few hours. Dry thoroughly preferably by putting some silica gel in the box with the camera after removing the febreez impregnated cloth.

 

[Archlich]

I don't have any idea about pumice other than it would seem to me like a fine sand. Much care needed to keep particles from getting into the camera mechanisms or lenses. But with care, if it takes care of the odor without introducing pumice into the camera, why not?

As to why the strong scent? My first thought when I read your first post was that perhaps there was a strong odor of tobacco or mildew. But who could be sure.

Looks like it's not pumice in the deodorizers, but zeolite. Similar but different.

Anyway it works like activated carbon by trapping the molecules. Together in a sealed container...wait and pray. May or may not work.

 

[Luddite Frank]

How about the "dropped my cell-phone in the dishpan" rice trick ?

Remove lens from camera, place camera body inside two clean white socks (turned inside-out to minimize lint shed), place camera into a sealable plastic container filled with white rice.

Let sit for a week or so.

The rice may absorb more of the odor...

(discard rice afterwards....)

 

[Dralowid]

Note that modern perfumes will permanently contaminate plastic.

Not only that but sun tan cream takes the lettering off cameras and melts the paint in the engraved letters of, for example, an M6.

Wonder what it does to your face...?

 

[George Mann]

These "personal" smells are permanently absorbed by the camera leather, which must be replaced to get rid of it sufficiently. But if the offending odor has built up inside the camera, a thorough CLA will be necessary.