davecaz Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 Hi all, I'm new here. Been admiring your work for a couple weeks, but don't have anything to upload. Yet. What I do have is a Voigtlander Vito match that appears to be in excellent condition, with one exception. It has a distinct smell of mildew. I don't see any signs of mold, but that doesn't mean it's not lurking in there, somewhere. And I know that mildew is not the same thing, scientifically, but, for all I know, mildew could be worse. Anyone familiar with this issue? I live in the desert, so I'm thinking of putting it out in the backyard, and giving it a blast of solar radiation, which ought to kill most infestations. But, I thought I might as well see if anyone has any advice before I do. Thanks! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Bowes Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 Hello everyone. Dave living here in Hawaii for 6 months a year, the rest in the Puget Sound, Wa. area, the "smell" of mold & the site of "fuzzy white stuff" is common. For my various cameras, I use common 90% alcohol & a cotton ball to wipe the surfaces several times. The cotton ball should be "almost dry". . . you will hardly see any liquid on the wiped surface. After ALL surfaces have been worked on, put the camera in a Zip-Lok freezer bag, toss the used cotton ball in the bag, zip it up & let it sit several days. I would not advise your "solar nuking". . Non metal parts might shape-shift on you. So far all the leatherette surfaces of my CMC's have stayed "clean" & no smell from any of them. I do this once a year to each camera. Oh, if the camera was previously owned by a smoker, mold/mildew will start on just that thin layer. Aloha, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m42dave Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 Dave, I have also used a UV lamp to help reduce mildew odor on leatherette and camera cases. As Bill mentioned, setting the camera in the desert sun isn't the best idea, as you don't want lubricants melting and potentially getting onto the shutter, lens elements, etc. Dave E. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_foreman1 Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 All the advice is good. I did want to reinforce what m42D_ said, ...you don't want strong heat.... I had a really smelly everyready case, once the camera was away from the source of the smell it was ok . I'm sure you'll overcome this too... please post gear and results... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Bowes Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 (edited) Hello again. If you have a "smelly" case, or for that matter, any type of cloth/fabric case (luggage, gym bag, etc) get a small, travel size bottle with a fine misting sprayer on it. Fill the bottle up with the 90% alcohol & give the item a "fine" coat with the sprayer. Put the item into a trash can bag & allow to sit over night. Remove & allow to air for an hour or two. My "smelly stuff" usually comes out OK. Cig smoke might require a repeat or two. Aloha, Bill Edited May 17, 2017 by Bill Bowes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecaz Posted May 18, 2017 Author Share Posted May 18, 2017 Thanks, everyone. Just to be clear, there is no case on this camera. It is the camera, itself, that has the odor problem. And, being a Voigtlander, it has that thin, hard, plasticy "leather". I guess mildew could find a way to live under that, but it seems unlikely. @chuck_foreman - I haven't been here long enough to be sure what you mean about posting gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m42dave Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 (edited) If it is just on the camera body you might try Bill's method first, then follow up with UV if needed. If it has gotten into the inner workings of the camera, though, the smell can be hard to eliminate completely. A while back I had a musty-smelling Fujica and used a battery-powered UV sanitizing wand over the surface of the camera for 15-30 minutes. It helped to reduce much of the odor. Edited May 18, 2017 by m42dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_foreman1 Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 @dave... I mean Camera Porn... JDM among others feel this is an important part of a post. That is the pictures of the cameras themselves.. sexy or not... I personally find many models ravishing! Of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_foreman1 Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 Ummm I was just t wondering if a product like "Odor Eaters" ( a an insole for shoes) might be a simple but effective solution. A pack of these plus the camera in a plastic bag, or wrapping the camera in the product with rubber bands... just thinking out loud here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m42dave Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 Actually that's not a bad idea, Chuck..."Photo-Eaters"? :) You can also get products like odor-absorbing charcoal and moisture-absorbing canisters for closet storage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subbarayan_prasanna Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 Hi Davecaz! For cleaning the camera, mildew fungus etc., mix 50-50 of peroxide and household ammonia and apply the same to the camera to wipe. it will remove all infections. Then you can [optional] use petrol [gas] to dry clean the camera and place it under the window Sun light. Your camera will become very clean. Best. sp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecaz Posted May 21, 2017 Author Share Posted May 21, 2017 Right now, I'm trying a modification of Bill's idea. Wiping down the surfaces I could get at with the alcohol, even using Q-tips, didn't do much, so I've soaked a cotton ball in it and locked it inside the camera body. I'm hoping the fumes will reach wherever the mildew is hiding and kill it. I don't think absorbing the smell would help if the infestation is still alive. It would just produce more. Ok, so I'm supposed to post pix of the "patient" in question? I'm not much of a product photographer, but I can give it a try. I'm more of an outdoor photographer - landscapes, architecture, and such. And I've seen some "camera porn" on here that looks like it belongs in a Sotheby's catalog, so my attempts will look even worse by comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecaz Posted June 2, 2017 Author Share Posted June 2, 2017 (edited) Hi, It's not very porn-ish, but here's a shot of "the patient". http://s1380.photobucket.com/user/Dcaz12/media/20170529_140127_zpsaa2nsmi5.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0 Ok, so simply using the button doesn't work as expected. I guess I'll have to research it. FWIW, the alcohol seems to finally be winning the battle. Edited June 2, 2017 by davecaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Bowes Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Camera Porn is fun (and legal !). This is where I can "cheat" & use my 7 yo digi to show off my 50+ yo CMC's ! Aloha, Bill 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecaz Posted June 2, 2017 Author Share Posted June 2, 2017 Hi, It's not very porn-ish, but here's a shot of "the patient". http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah187/Dcaz12/20170529_140127_zpsaa2nsmi5.jpg Ok, so simply using the button doesn't work as expected. I guess I'll have to research it. FWIW, the alcohol seems to finally be winning the battle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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