when the black paint from the black camaras bodies

Hi guys!

Do you know if there are some professional products or one effective way in order to cover / paint the scratches or the nake metal points in the old black bodies of the cameras.
My "new" Nikon F3 body has many scratches and many parts without paint...:(
how can I cover these cosmetic imperfections!!!...I don't like it at all.
If i use a normal black pen (like the pen to write on the plastic of the cd)...it's very ugle because the two blacks aren't similar...and with the time the balck of the pen disappears...lefting the scratches and metal of the body visible.please help me!

Any paint that would be durable enough for constant use would probably have to be baked on. Really not practical. Professional photographers look upon such wear as a badge of honor. Cameras are for taking pictures not to look pretty.

My wife has an old black Nikkormat Ftn that looks like it was dragged behind a truck down a gravel road. It's all dented and about 30% of the black is missing. She won't let me or anyone else touch it. She says it shows its history and has character. She also thinks it makes her look more professional, not that she is, because the camera looks very used. So you could go that route.
Or, you could try to find some Kodak black brushing lacquer, although I'm not sure they make it anymore. Or, get a can of satin or flat black spray paint, and spray a little in the cap. Then using a small brush do your touch up. Have some mineral spirits on hand for quick clean up, as the stuff dries fast. Follow up the paint with a little car wax to even out the lack of gloss if needed. I gave up on my F3s looks a long time ago, as the touch up wears off fairly quick. Good luck, and just have fun with the camera and your photography.

I remember in the late 1960s when there was a recession in the aerospace industry in Southern California and camera stores were loaded with rangefinder Leicas the laid-off engineers sold off. They were always in perfect conditiion. Certain types of folks who do not use cameras for everyday down-and-dirty work carry around splendid looking expensive cameras and a lot (not all) in-the-trenches professional photogs look down their nose a little bit at something too gorgeous. I have an old beat up Nikon F that I used to photograph the Beatles, a Muhammed Ali title fight and Elvis. I treasure every scuff and dent.

You know, it's funny because a camera was announced this week that has a brass top plate specifically to develop brassing! This is very much a feature of this camera.

Henry, you used some brand names, people in other parts of the world don't know.

I have seen someone do a complete repaint of a black Spotmatic before now. He wanted a black one but all the examples he found were really rough and overpriced for their condition, so he picked up a scuffed but undented chrome one as a donor.

The other important thing (aside from getting the old finish off - he had the panels blasted with very fine grit after removing them from the camera) is to use an etch primer on brass. If you don't then the paint will probably fall off later on. Use normal automotive spray paints for the black and the lacquer - you can usually buy satin or matte finish lacquer. If it can handle being outside in all weathers for decades then it'll cope with being on a camera.

I find normal model acrylic paints and a fine brush are the best bet for redoing the markings afterwards. Try giving the panels a thin coat of lacquer first to seal the black paint, that way you can wash the acrylic off if it goes completely pear shaped (and use a fingernail to scrape any small excess off). Add another coat of lacquer after to seal it all in and then reassemble the camera.

I don't worry too much about brassing but I will touch up the markings. Just because I don't like it when they're half worn off. Same goes for the Pentax M series lens caps with the raised lettering - the silver paint wears off and I generally redo it in the same way. Needs a steady hand but as I'm using acrylics I can just give it a scrub in warm soapy water if it goes wrong.

My Rollei 3.5F has patina. True.. cosmedically it's not perfect, but once I get back Fleenor it will operate to near perfection. I think Patina on cameras look pretty cool.

ToddB