Camera Smell

[chuck909]

Am I the only one - every time Marc posts some dealer ads and I see one for a Minolta SRT101, I can almost smell that camera.

[Mike Gammill]

Never tracked a camera by smell, but some leather everready cases had a distinct odor.

[JDMvW]

The usual mention of smell comes in relation to Soviet cameras and gear.

 

For one thing, it seems that almost everyone over there still smokes, so the distinctive (and it IS distinctive) smell of Mahorka tobacco is in the wrappings.

 

The cameras themselves also seem to have absorbed the smell, although one also suspects that real, Soviet-tanned, leather and honest-to-god animal glues have added to the waft.

 

I once bought a British camera of which the vendor said "comes from smoking house", but he didn't mean that the people were smokers. The camera had actually been in a house fire. Ha ha. indeed

[Bill Bowes]

I am with JD on the FSU cameras. Everyone I have purchased in the last 4 years needed to be cleaned with alcohol & Q-tips, inside & out, followed by a gentle wipe with WD-40 & then a wipe with a plain cloth (no paper towels). Seems to work quickly on what ever smoke residue is on the camera. I guess it is the fish oil base of the WD-40, but I will take the 40 any time! Bill

[JDMvW]

I would only urge caution in that some spray oil products have powerful "rust inhibitor" and other chemicals in them that may not work well with delicate parts.

 

I use naphtha on a clean, dry cloth and Q-tips.

 

Am I not Lord Naphtha , emperor of the petroleum wastes?

[m42dave]

I've also noticed a smoke-like odor from some old vinyl lens pouches and camera bags, which doesn't always seem to clean off. I think it can be caused by the vinyl degrading.

 

I actually like the smell of the old East German lenses...like a cross between a machine shop and a medicine cabinet.

[Sandy Vongries]

In the old days when you bought a new Judo Gi for martial arts it had an unusual but strangely pleasant odor. My instructor, who had been in the Merchant Marine, said it was like cruising to Japan - at a certain distance he could smell something similar and knew they were close to landfall. In this sterile age, it is a bit of nostalgia that old former East Block gear has a distinctive smell. I might have to get a Fed or Zorki - thought about it previously but the pull of other equipment was stronger.

[JDMvW]

The FED has a subtle and light piquancy with an aftertaste of sulphur.

 

On the other hand, the Kiev has a robust and bold aroma that reminds one of open fields.

[m42dave]

And I thought the earthy bouquet of my Kiev was just mold. :)

[Bill Bowes]

JD. Did someone drop the Fed or Kiev in a bucket of yesterdays vino ?? Mine (Feds & Zorkis} just reek of smoke !

[Moving On]

Strange Lot Here ‘bouts.

 

Camera Sniffers.

 

 

 

 

;)

[Bill Bowes]

We Inhale.

[andrew_spence1]

the smelliest item ive ever bought was the leather case that came with an early model ikoflex ii with focusing lever

it was awfull covered in mould and stuff you could smell it from 10 feet away but once i wiped it down with a damp cloth and applied several coats of gliptone liquid leather conditioner literaly with a paintbrush over a period of several days the bad smell disapeared and it now has that lovely leather smell,

it was a light brown colour at the start of the process but went an awful darkish durty brown so i dyed it black then i stitched it back together

it looks and smells great

[andyfalsetta]

The 500C I recently purchased (see thread on mirror failing to rise) has an odd smell to it. Its not quite smoke but not quite leather either. It was stored in one of those foam cases and I think the smell came from the foam. Anyway, I can always tell which room in the house I left the camera in. :)