retouching paint for Nikon D300

<p>I recently dropped this D300 camera on a cement sidewalk. :-( Now it is scratched in two areas where the case is metal. The paint was scraped away and those areas are now white. I know that I can't remove the bumps, but I would like to retouch those areas. The rest of the camera is pristine.</p>

<p>Recommendations for retouching this paint?</p>

<p>You could say this camera has been christened and has gone on a maiden voyage. :-)</p>

<p><a href="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17429205-md.jpg">http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17429205-md.jpg</a><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17429205-md.jpg" alt="" width="680" height="550" /></p>

<p>Note: this picture was taken with a Nikon F3 using PK/1,2,4 extension tubes.</p>

<p>I have not touched up the camera body itself, but, the battery grip. I used some Rustoleum, and one of those sponge paint applicators that you can get at Michaels. I used two thin coats. Came out gorgeous.</p>

<p>You were lucky it was a solid metal body camera.<br>

Similar drops of D7000 or D7100 could deform the camera beyond use, as previously pictured by some unhappy users.</p>

 

<p>My cameras going back to my first F2 circa 1976 have various dings and scrapes and brassing. I consider them proof that my cameras are professional working tools that have been used to do a job and make a living, not coddled like some kind of collectors item. I would leave it alone.<br />Having said that, if you really want to touch it up, try a black Sharpie marker.</p>

<p>My D300 and MB-D10 are missing paint in a variety of areas--no wonder, the poor thing's been through, at last count, 477,377 actuations. It's had all the rubber replaced twice now--I usually hold it on with gaffer tape until I can get 'round to getting it subbed out.</p>

<p>So, yeah, personally, I wouldn't sweat it. But I can understand wanting to have a pretty camera, too. The Rustoleum thing sounds like a winner, and I would think your local Nikon authorized repair service would probably have factory-matched paint, probably wouldn't cost too much to have them give it a spritz or two.</p>

<p>I am with Craig. Wear these battle scars with pride, be glad it's only cosmetic, and enjoy your camera.</p>

<p>There are fine-pointed paint pens (one is "<a href="http://www.sharpie.com/enus/pages/oil-based-paint-marker.aspx">Sharpie PAINT</a>" for oil-based paint).</p>

<p>I'm not so sure about the "battle scars" argument working all that well with modern cameras without real "brass" on them.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Here's my 2 bits' worth, as a museum conservationist/fabricator. We come up against these types of touch ups a lot... If your finger feels raised (snaggy) areas on the marred surface, they can be flattened out a bit with a *light* touch using a fine modeler's or jeweler's file. Even a nail file in a pinch. This will help the paint adhere as well, but don't file down to the surface as you do not want to remove any more Nikon black.<br>

I would avoid a Sharpie. That will impart a bluish/purplish tinge and will not match the matte black of the Nikon case. Black Rustoleum (or any oil/alkyd base paint) in a matte or eggshell base will work. The key is to first dab a little primer (also oil base) on first and let that dry before top coating with the black. That should be enough to make the marred area disappear.</p>

<p>JDM, just saw your post, as I was posting, about the Sharpie paint pen.. now that sounds good, I need to add that to my arsenal!<br>

Agree with your point as well about scars.. especially if one wants to sell the camera, touch ups should be disclosed but people go more by the images they see with sell postings.<br>

Thanks.</p>

<p>I've only used the white (for engraved letters) and black myself - have no idea whether the "silver" would be useful or not.</p>

<p>The good, perhaps even 'best', news about the purplish regular Sharpie black is that it rubs off very easily in my experience.</p>

<p><em>Paint pens.</em><br>

Paint pens.<br>

<strong>Paint pens.</strong></p>

<p><strong><a href="http://www.mcmaster.com/#paint-pens/=n8zqq8">http://www.mcmaster.com/#paint-pens/=n8zqq8</a></strong></p>

<p>I've used these a lot 'refreshing' old 35mm cheapie rangefinders, lenses and slr bodies.<br>

The color matching is simple. The matching of texture (matte, eggshell, gloss, etc.) is a bit trial and error.</p>

<p>Jim</p>

<p>I had a scratch on my camera and I just retouched it with a black marker. You can't notice the scratch unless you really look for it.</p>

<p>I was thinking of touch-up paint, like the paint used to touch-up scratches on automobiles. What about paint used by hobbyists on models? What about paint used for touching up negatives?</p>

<p>Its nice to know there are so many choices.</p>

<p>BTW, how important is it to have the camera checked after this damage? The camera seems fine to me, except cosmetically.</p>

<p>You might try Bondo or a similar auto body filler if you want to fill the chipped areas and then paint over it.</p>

<p>Buy a roll of Kodak film with a clear plastic canister, some 5 minute epoxy, graphite powder, and flat toothpicks. Take out the film, and set it aside.</p>

<p>Squirt about a thimble full of 5 minute epoxy into the film canister, stir until well mixed. Add some graphite powder to thicken the epoxy and to turn the epoxy jet black. You now have a few minutes of working time left. Using the flat toothpicks, artfully place the epoxy in the divots, building some areas up to replicate the textured finish. The thickened epoxy should be thick enough to resist running.</p>

<p>Walk into the back room and pick a favorite old film camera. Go out and shoot the Kodak film for a day while your D300 repair cures.</p>

<p>" <em>at last count, 477,377</em>"<br>

I love it^^</p>

<p>Get some Testor's Flat Black paint and a small paint brush.. Wipe off the extra let dry a few days and reapply till holes are filled..</p>

<p><a href="http://www.testors.com/products/136840">http://www.testors.com/products/136840</a></p>

<p>"<em>You were lucky it was a solid metal body camera.</em><br /><em> Similar drops of D7000 or D7100 could deform the camera beyond use, as previously pictured by some unhappy users</em>."</p>

<p>The top and back panel of the D7000/D7100 are metal. Show us the pix?</p>

<p>Do not be naive. Watch the popular D7000 disassembly video on YouTube.</p>

<p>"<em>The top and back panel of the D7000/D7100 are metal." -</em> these are metal shielding plates mostly helping with radio interference prevention, and not adding much of mechanical strength, as the plates do not hold as firm as full metal body.</p>

<p>What is disturbing is that the metal mount ring in the camera body is molded into plastic camera frame.</p>

<p>Scroll down on this first link below to see plastic mold that would holds the metal camera mounting ring:</p>

<p><a href="/nikon-camera-forum/00ZWYI?start=10">http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00ZWYI?start=10</a></p>

<p>Other camera dropping experiences, as below:</p>

<p><a href="/nikon-camera-forum/00b0Eg">http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00b0Eg</a></p>

<p><a href="/nikon-camera-forum/00Zhps">http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00Zhps</a></p>

<p> </p>

<p>When D7000 arrived, and then D7100 arrived, there were statements heralding how well the camera was built.</p>

<p>Some poeple even stated that it is "as strong as" or "nearly as well built as" and statement of similar nature. Those were proven to be wrong when people started dropping the cameras.</p>

<p>Heralded by poeple who in some way profit from such claims to boost sale, boost ego image, or for whatever reason, etc. or get amotionally attached to cameras they own.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Some poeple even stated that it is "as strong as" or "nearly as well built as" and statement of similar nature. Those were proven to be wrong when people started dropping the cameras.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Frank, you should stop propelling this nonsense. A few months ago, I carelessly forgot to zip up my photo backpack all the way when I took it out from my car. It happens that my D300 and D7000 both fell out. They fell from my back level onto asphalt, inside a parking lot (or they say "inside a car park" in the UK and Australia), about a 4-foot drop (a bit over one meter).</p>

<p>The D300 wouldn't switch on, so I took the EN-EL3e battery out and then put in back in. The D300 started working again. There isn't even a scratch on the camera.</p>

<p>The EN-EL15 battery popped out from the D7000. On the D7000, there is a little latch that holds the battery in; that latch broke. Otherwise, there is also not even a scratch on the D7000 and it continues to work fine.</p>

<p>Also fell out from the backpack was the new 70-200mm/f4 AF-S VR I was testing at that time. There is some dent on the lens hood and some scratches on the front barrel. Otherwise, that lens continues to work fine. In particular, I checked its VR hand holding at 200mm and down to like 1/15 sec, and it was still amazingly sharp, perhaps not as sharp as from a tripod with mirror lock up, but still very good for hand holding. That lens belongs to Nikon USA, and they didn't charge me for repair.</p>

<p>I know one incident doesn't prove anything; I might have been a bit lucky, but you keep on insisting that the D7000 and D7100 as fragile cameras is just silly.</p>

<p>I use something called EM-NU. It is what we used in the Army to touch up our metal rank or qualification badges. It is lacquer not enamel based and it matches the finish quite well on Nikon cameras. It is also a lot more durable than enamel based paints and dries very quickly.</p>

<p>In the older days, for touching up black paint on metal cameras, black satin nail polish. It's a very tough finish. Might have too much shine for a D300.</p>