my mode selector button on my rebel eos ti is sticking

[kozzy1963]

the selector dial on my eos rebel ti is sticking if i let the camera set for more than a day it sticks and i have to force it loose sometimes it will bust my thumbnails and still not budge . after i get it to move the first time it gets looser as you move it back and forth leading me to believe there has been something spilled on it and it has got up under the selector dial. my question is  - what can i use to spray ( safely ) of course under this nob to try to loosen it  - clean it  up . or can the dial be removed and if so how ? thanks mike c.

[TCampbell]

I would not recommend spraying lubricants into the body.  If you've got something sticky then it needs to be cleaned out.

Lubricants are usually designed not to dry out or evaporate.  That means they can spread and get on other components and cause more problems then you have today.  Keep in mind that the actual imaging sensor is in the back of the camera and you definitely wouldn't want lubricants (which tend to not evaporate and dry themselves out) to work their way into something where it could cause some much more serious issue.  It does sound like a spill... most drinks are sweetened with corn syrup rather than real sugar (real sugar would dry and crystalize - corn syrup doesn't crystalize at room temperature... it just gets gummy and sticky and then it just attracks any dust to stick to it.)

The mode dial is actually a replaceable / serviceable componenet at the Canon service center.  I would contact them to discuss your issue and see what they would charge to open it and service and clean it properly.  

[kozzy1963]

thanks for your comments . this camera is a ti its an older 35mm film dslr ...no sensor.. and i was thinking if i could not get the dial - knob off easily i would try some contact cleaner as it evaporates completely  !! i really would like to remove the dial but i cant find a breakdown on this older model dslr so i dont want to pry the dial off only to ruin the camera 

[TCampbell]

You can also check to see if there's a photographic repair in your area.  In my city there seems to be exactly one place (and all the pros go to the same guy).  

The way I found him initially was by calling a "real" camera store (not a big-box store that also happens to sell cameras) and asking for information on repairs (in my case it was lens repair and cleaning).  They're the ones that told me that they don't do repairs, but they send everyone to the same guy... and it turned out all the other camera stores sent everyone to the same guy... so it didn't take long to figure out this must be THE guy I should call next.