[brofkand]

Folks,

Does anyone have a recommendation for dealing with the issue where the rubber covers on the MZ-S for the cable release socket and grip contacts degrade into goo? The cover for my cable release socket in particular has basically turned into play-dough - it does not hold its shape at all. I think this is because the rubber used just degrades and oxidizes over time - same reason why a lot of F100's and A2's have a sticky rubber grip nowadays.

Any tips are appreciated.

Thanks!

[Eric Auer]

When rubber gets that bad you just have to replace it.

I would guess that the covers are next to impossible to find these days.

I would take off the covers and either use the camera without them or use a piece of black electricians tape. Not Ideal but such is life with old cameras.

Or you could measure the caps and try Amazon and ebay for something similar that could be either used as is or be modified.

Eric

[BigMackCam]

That sounds like it's too far gone for any kind of cleaning solution, unfortunately.

When it's just a layer of goo on top, you can remove that by repeated cleaning with isopropyl alcohol. I have a couple of Konica Minolta lenses that were suffering from this and cheap to buy as a result. Half an hour with a cloth, some isopropyl alcohol and firm but careful rubbing got them back to serviceable condition. But once the rubber has gone soft or crumbly, all bets are off, I'm afraid...

[brofkand]

It's sad to hear that I could have prevented this by maintaining the rubber. I will likely leave the grip contact covers off, since I typically use the grip anyway. For the cable release socket, I will likely cover it with gaff tape - I don't want to leave the socket open for fear of something shorting it out. Thank you both for your advice.

[BigMackCam]

It's sad to hear that I could have prevented this by maintaining the rubber. I will likely leave the grip contact covers off, since I typically use the grip anyway. For the cable release socket, I will likely cover it with gaff tape - I don't want to leave the socket open for fear of something shorting it out. Thank you both for your advice.

Honestly, I don't think cleaning it would have stopped the whole thing from going soft... The alcohol works when it's just a top layer of goo, but if the whole lot is going soft, there's really nothing you can do - or could have done. Gaffer tape would be my choice for the cable release cover... if it's good enough for NASA, it's good enough for me

[brofkand]

I've got gaffer tape on the cable release socket now and it looks great. Hardly noticeable and I feel better about this now. Thanks again!

[ChrisPlatt]

It seems cameras from several manufacturers produced around the year 2000 have suffered this problem.
The rubbery black plastic finish on the film door of my Cosina Voigtlander Bessa R rangefinder camera body is beginning to soften.
I have read several suggestions to help slow the deterioration but since it does not affect function I'm not too concerned.

Chris

[BigMackCam]

It seems cameras from several manufacturers produced around the year 2000 have suffered this problem.

I think it may even pre-date that, Chris - I have a 1990s Minolta 35mm compact with a sticky grip, and a Grundig shortwave radio where the rubberised coating suffered the same fate. Many owners of the latter have ended up trying to remove the whole coating with isopropyl alcohol, and it can be done, but takes time and effort to get even a mediocre result...

As an A-mount fan, I've often wanted to pick up an old Minolta Dynax 7 film SLR, but they are renowned for rubber surfaces to degrade in this way - so I've avoided it.

[brofkand]

I think it may even pre-date that, Chris - I have a 1990s Minolta 35mm compact with a sticky grip, and a Grundig shortwave radio where the rubberised coating suffered the same fate. Many owners of the latter have ended up trying to remove the whole coating with isopropyl alcohol, and it can be done, but takes time and effort to get even a mediocre result...

As an A-mount fan, I've often wanted to pick up an old Minolta Dynax 7 film SLR, but they are renowned for rubber surfaces to degrade in this way - so I've avoided it.

In some ways it's a shame that digital came on so fast and heavy - cameras like the MZ-S and Dynax 7 were really the top of the mark for 35mm SLR technology, and I would love to have seen what else they were working on before they had to rip up the blueprints and double down on digital.

[sunny16]

If you didn't run across this thread yet, it might be worth a read:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/8-pentax-film-slr-discussion/177375-mz-s-...surements.html

Maybe LaurenOE might be able to give you some help on where to look for replacements, though the thread is a few years old now so hard to say. Good luck!

[brofkand]

If you didn't run across this thread yet, it might be worth a read:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/8-pentax-film-slr-discussion/177375-mz-s-...surements.html

Maybe LaurenOE might be able to give you some help on where to look for replacements, though the thread is a few years old now so hard to say. Good luck!

I PM'ed! The gaff tape looks fine but a replacement cap would be a better solution - thanks for sending me that thread!

[ChrisPlatt]

Good luck finding a Pentax M-series era eveready case in good condition.
Made of a particularly cheap grade of vinyl, most have now disintegrated.

Chris

[Eyewanders]

Gaffers tape is lord of all tapes.

I feel for you. My MZ-S suffered the same fate, but unfortunately it arrived to me in that state. I got such a deal on it however that I chose not bother with it. I don't have the grip so for now I've just let it be. At some point though I'll need to clean the caps off - on mine both feel more like silly putty than rubber.