[PentaxBirdLady]

My Pentax ist was stolen and has now been found after 2 years...In trying to open the
battery compartment door to clean the cam up, I find it horribly stuck...When the cam
was stolen, I was actively using it and I bet the batteries have corroded inside the compartment..


I am now trying WD40 , a few drops, but no budge yet...


Anyone have a tut on how to open up the whole bottom of the ist just to see whats hanging
up the door...???


Any help would be appreciated...It is an excellent cam and would like to continue using it


Thank you


Bird Lady

[thazooo]

Looking at the bottom of mine, I see 7 screws to undo and then the plate is loose. Problem I see is that the lens release button is attached to that plate. I have no idea of how it's mounted so it could prove to be a problem. I would suggest you try moving it with a small blade. When you retract the door spring loaded lock, there appears to be room for a blade to get a grip and you might try prying lightly there.
Good Luck.

[Alex645]

Was it a rechargeable battery or AA's?

DB Blaster is more potent than WD-40. Protect other parts of the camera from over spray.

If you want to try something less potent, Mix a lot of baking soda to a bit of water and then apply liberally with a cotton swab.

Depending on if they were Lithium-ion or NimH or just Alkaline, wear some eye (and finger) protection just to be safe as you work on this.

[tvdtvdtvd]

Have you tried gentle tapping with a small block of wood? If it is corrosion that has fused the door shut, mechanical vibration may help loosen
the build-up encrustation.

[PentaxBirdLady]

Looking at the bottom of mine, I see 7 screws to undo and then the plate is loose. Problem I see is that the lens release button is attached to that plate. I have no idea of how it's mounted so it could prove to be a problem. I would suggest you try moving it with a small blade. When you retract the door spring loaded lock, there appears to be room for a blade to get a grip and you might try prying lightly there.
Good Luck.

I too am worried about the lens release button....Thank you so much for the tip about the small blade...I was even thinking of a old fashion razor blade to just
insert between the plate and the door release...Will try that also.

---------- Post added 01-30-2018 at 08:04 AM ----------

Was it a rechargeable battery or AA's?

DB Blaster is more potent than WD-40. Protect other parts of the camera from over spray.

If you want to try something less potent, Mix a lot of baking soda to a bit of water and then apply liberally with a cotton swab.

Depending on if they were Lithium-ion or NimH or just Alkaline, wear some eye (and finger) protection just to be safe as you work on this.

The batteries were just normal AA type ...I will try the DB blaster also on the door...


Thank you so much...

---------- Post added 01-30-2018 at 08:06 AM ----------

Have you tried gentle tapping with a small block of wood? If it is corrosion that has fused the door shut, mechanical vibration may help loosen
the build-up encrustation.

That is also an excellent idea....


Thank you so much

[PentaxBirdLady]

After reading all the replies to my thread, I contacted 5 repair places in the US and they all told me
that it might cost 500.00 plus to open and clean my ist...and that was no guarantee that the cam
would ever work again.


I went to an Online Store and bought an item that came with a free package of small camera and PC tools
and just got the tools today...


I bit my lip, and dug in with the tools and have included photos of what I found..


First I took out all the tiny screws on the bottom plate, still stuck like molassas,
and then took a small flashlight and could see and smell the corrosion inside the
battery pack area.


I wiggled it like a loose tooth full of plaque and off the plate popped....


Am going to try some natural acid cleaners before I go to the hard stuff to clean
the corrosion, and will keep you updated..


The positive note with taking only the bottom plate off, is that I did not have to open up
the shutter contacts at all....Fingers crossed, wish me luck in the clean up and in
being able to use this great little Pentax again....


M

[Ex Finn.]

That does not look all that bad, should clean up just fine.

[aslyfox]

I have cleaned up such " white stuff " with a tooth brush and gentle " elbow grease " alone

perhaps that method might work

[PentaxBirdLady]

That does not look all that bad, should clean up just fine.

I do hope so...hate to use harsh chemicals if I don't have to...will try the gentlest method first...
thank you so much

---------- Post added 02-06-2018 at 05:15 PM ----------

I have cleaned up such " white stuff " with a tooth brush and gentle " elbow grease " alone

perhaps that method might work

Thanks so much, never thought of using a toothbrush on it....all the gunk looks like it is in the top of the cover,
may just luck out and will let you know...Appreciate your reply

[csa]

First, congratulations on getting your camera back! They are like old friends to us. Second, I'd like to applaud you for taking the time & effort to get your camera cleaned up and working again. Many would just toss it as a lost cause. So please, continue posting, to let us know how your efforts are going!

[leekil]

I've recently dissolved battery chemicals & corrosion with white vinegar. But make sure to rinse it thoroughly afterward.

[YeOldePentaxian]

Thanks for the vinegar suggestion. I've been fiddling around trying to get a Winder II battery compartment open - worked like a charm.

[PentaxBirdLady]

First, congratulations on getting your camera back! They are like old friends to us. Second, I'd like to applaud you for taking the time & effort to get your camera cleaned up and working again. Many would just toss it as a lost cause. So please, continue posting, to let us know how your efforts are going!

I first cleaned the posts and bottom part of the camera with plain baking soda and water and a baby soft toothbrush,
they look like new now, but I did read
that a 3rd step might help and to finalize the cleaning with white vinegar....If there was no sizzle while using the vinegar
then the battery acid was all cleaned up... There was no sizzle that I heard so I then washed the door posts and lower chamber
with cotton tips and water.


I am letting the whole camera dry tonight and will put it back together tomorrow with fresh batteries and the lens and try
a short shoot to see how the cam responds.


Regarding your reply that some might just ditch the cam and call it a lost cause, that may be true, but for me this Pentax ist saved
my life when I had a skiing accident and the doctors told me that my life as I knew it was over, that I would be bed bound and
crippled and there was nothing to be done about it.


Long story short, I bought this Pentax, it was my first Digital and I started
taking photos, walking in the woods, searching out birds, climbing cliffs to get a view of an eagle or hawk, and nearly 10 years
later, I am still up on my own 2 feet...A little slower, the cliffs are smaller hills now, but yesterday I took 1000 photos of migrating
Eagles and it was minus 20 below zero with the wind chill....To me, as emo as it sounds, giving up on my Pentax would have
been like giving up on myself....and that is not going to happen...


Fingers crossed, I will post a "Hooray" Photo from my ist as soon as I have it all back together...


Thank you so much for your reply...


M

[aslyfox]

I first cleaned the posts and bottom part of the camera with plain baking soda and water and a baby soft toothbrush,
they look like new now, but I did read that a 3rd step might help and to finalize the cleaning with white vinegar....If there was no sizzle while using the vinegar
then the battery acid was all cleaned up... There was no sizzle that I heard so I then washed the door posts and lower chamber
with cotton tips and water.

I am letting the whole camera dry tonight and will put it back together tomorrow with fresh batteries and the lens and try
a short shoot to see how the cam responds.

. . . M

very glad to hear of your success and that my suggestion of a tooth brush as a tool worked for you

in my case I used the tooth brush to help clean out the battery compartment of an old Vivitar 200mm lens which had the autofocus in the lens. It had been stored with 3 AAA batteries inside of it for a number of years

[PentaxBirdLady]

Update today February 10, 2018


Got up early, was so excited to see if the battery acid cleanup was successful, they say a photo is worth a bazillion words,
and here is the proof that it is true....Thank you all for your replies and support...M