How do I fix the scratches on my camera?

August 4, 2006 3:47 PM

I've scratched the silver paint on my digital camera pretty badly...how can I fix it?

I've had my camera for a few years now, and it's pretty scratched up and now looks kind of ugly! There's nothing wrong with it otherwise, so is there a way to paint/polish/whatever it back to its former glory? Paying for help is ok as long as it's not too expensive. It's a Canon Powershot SD110 from a few years ago, if that makes a difference. Thanks!

posted by orangskye to shopping (11 comments total)

This sounds really dorky, but what about clear fingernail polish? I use it on all sorts of things as a protective agent, not a cosmetic one, and it usually seems to do the trick.
posted by DenOfSizer at 3:49 PM on August 4, 2006

Or you could use colored fingernail polish. Maybe there's a shade that matches that Canon silver. It's supposed to be very durable, too.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:17 PM on August 4, 2006

If you do use fingernail polish, apply it with something thinner than the bottle's standard brush applicator. The thick coating that lays down will noticeably stand out, even if the color is a match.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 4:48 PM on August 4, 2006

I'm not sure what will work, but I can tell you what not to do. Don't use silver model paint (like for model cars). I did it once and it made the camera look even worse.
posted by jdl at 5:05 PM on August 4, 2006

Isn't a battered-looking-but-fully-armed-and-operational camera the badge of a serious photographer?

I'd suggest putting a prominent nametag/return-to sticker on it, and any other things that are highly functional at the expense of pretty (spare mem card holder maybe), and the result will be a camera that looks great in a different way, an "I'm a serious tool - the Real Deal, not a fad gadget" way.
posted by -harlequin- at 5:26 PM on August 4, 2006

From my experience with car detailing: silver is the most difficult color to touch up successfully and the vast majority of touchup jobs look worse than the original damage.

For something as small as a camera and to get a finish that has the best chance of not looking patchwork, I'd tempted to mask off all moveable bits and spray the entire thing but the risks of it all going horribly wrong are incredibly high...misplaced grains of paint on camera innards = not good.

I'm with harlequin, just let your cam wear the badge of use proudly but if you just can't stand the damage, how about making a formfitting body suit for the cam, something in leather perhaps? I had a (film) Elph that came with such a case, very nifty: had little cutouts for the shutter and retractable lens, designed to be left on the camera until it was time to insert a new roll of film.
posted by jamaro at 6:07 PM on August 4, 2006

Perhaps you could visit and appliance parts store, where they have scratch paint for marks on stoves and washers and such, and see if you can find something that fits.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 6:13 PM on August 4, 2006

Really strongly seconding what -harlequin- said. As long as you don't lose it, you will probably have that camera for a few more years, and just have to touch it up again.

(Mine - same model - has no black paint on the outside anymore and plenty of rubs in the silver, has a dent on the top back edge, and a broken battery case. And it's still working. (This is the result of years of pocket-traveling, 2 drops on a highway, and one fall from the 2nd story of a museum to the ground floor.))
posted by whatzit at 6:50 PM on August 4, 2006

Just leave it. The "Distressed" worn out look is in.
posted by delmoi at 9:50 PM on August 4, 2006

Silver Sharpie.
posted by fogster at 10:20 PM on August 4, 2006

There's nothing cheesier than a silver camera. Keep wearing the paint off until it's black. Alternatively, cover it with black gaffers tape. Now that's a hard-core photog look.
posted by TheGoldenOne at 5:47 PM on August 5, 2006 [1 favorite]