View Full Version : My camera is dead...I think.
johnnybgood
05-20-2009, 20:29
:datzAfter being in a steady rain /drizzle for 3 days , my camera which was not where it should have been in my backpack , got wet.
After taking out the battery & sinn card I put them and the camera in a dry ziplock bag(where they should have been).
Camera is still not powering up when on/off is pressed.
Question; What else can I do? Is there dehumidifier tablets or packs which I could try ?
Short answer: if you powered it up when it was still damp inside, you are probably screwed.
Long answer - rice absorbs a tremendous mount of moisture, as do silica gel packets, those little dehydration packets in electronics and shoes that say Do Not Eat. I'd open the camera up, no battery of course, slip it into a baggie, then drop the baggie into a larger zip lock bag full of (not instant) rice, then try to fire it up with a fresh battery in a few days, preferably in town. Do not allow any rice to get into the camera, but the rice will draw moisture out of the air surrounding the camera parts, at least that's the theory. Works in salt shakers on the coast.
YMMV, HYOH, and B*B!
Ranc0r
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JokerJersey
05-20-2009, 20:53
One of the only things you can do is take it to someone who knows what they are doing and have them completely disassemble it for you. After it is completely taken apart and all the components are allowed to dry, there is the chance that it might work again.
One of the biggest problems with what you are describing is that even if your camera were still under warranty, you would be unable to submit it as a warranty repair since almost every company I have ever dealt with in close to a decade of electronics repair considers water damage customer neglect. That's the bad news.
Good news is I have repaired a ton of cameras that have gotten water damaged by taking them apart, washing the boards with fresh water, cleaning them with a cleaning solvent, allowing them to dry completely, and then putting them back together.
Funny thing about water is that the water itself isn't what causes the problems 99% of the time. It's the fact that since water conducts electricity if power is applied while water is shorting together two points on a circuit board, the current will often arc across the water as it follows the path of least resistance leaving a "trace" of conductive materials across the arc where the power will continue to flow even after the water itself has dried. Washing the boards in fresh water, wiping it clean with a electronics cleaning compound, then allowing it to dry will remove those trace elements and restore your piece of electronics back to working order.
Good luck and PM me if you have any further questions!
Phoenixdadeadhead
05-20-2009, 21:21
Is it a polaroid?
Shutterbug
05-20-2009, 21:40
:datzAfter being in a steady rain /drizzle for 3 days , my camera which was not where it should have been in my backpack , got wet.
After taking out the battery & sinn card I put them and the camera in a dry ziplock bag(where they should have been).
Camera is still not powering up when on/off is pressed.
Question; What else can I do? Is there dehumidifier tablets or packs which I could try ?
Before you give up on it, try it with fresh batteries. It is possible that the problem is with the battery rather than the camera.
Very good advice from JockerYersey. One quick way you may try is to use a fan or a hair dryer (on cool not hot..) and see if you can dry it that way. If you don't have salt (sea water/sprays) or oily stuff in it it might work.
The worst part was trying to switch that on when wet.
And yes regardless how much a customer jumps up and down and screams, it is pretty easy for a repair shot to figure out that the camera got wet. That is not covered by any guarantee, only by insurance (very different...)
Franco
BTW water damage has nothing to do with brands...
Snowleopard
05-20-2009, 22:51
Sometimes electronic devices that get wet start working again after they are thoroughly dry. This can take quite a while and it might be too humid on the trail to work.
Franco's suggestion of a fan or hair dryer (on cool not hot) is good.
coldspring
05-20-2009, 23:23
I've dropped a few camera's in creeks and rivers. One didn't work for a week, so I went and bought a new one. I later tried it, and it worked. In fact, I just dropped my newer one in the creek a few days ago. This is the third time it has went underwater. I took out the batteries, mem card, and opened everything I could and let it sit in the sun for a day, and it fired right up. Although your was exposed longer than mine were, at least try drying it for a while until you get another one, you never know. There will likely be moisture left inside the lense and your pictures will never be as good. My cameras always seem to degrade from the humidity anyway, so it's a good thing I buy cheapos.
BitBucket
05-20-2009, 23:47
I had an HP that got hosed on day one on a hike from Springer to Neel(s) gap. That little sucker was in my waterproof jacket pocket and it sure held water fine
I took the batteries out and let it dry completely
I had just about given up on the camera when several days later it started shooting pictures again..
Jayboflavin04
05-21-2009, 00:23
Well, I cant offer a solution. I have heard of alot of cell phones working after they have been dropped in water, and dried out. I do have a question though. What if I drop my camera into the drink. Personally this would be upsetting, what would be more upsetting are the memories I lost. What about SD and other flash memory cards and water.
Slo-go'en
05-21-2009, 01:05
The problem with rain water getting into modern electronic devices is the fact rain water is slightly acidic and contains trace contaminates. This causes corrosion of the exposed metal connections and leakage paths between the various part leads (which are very, very close together), which causes the device not to work properly or erratically. It can also damage the connections under the little switch buttons, causing them not to work.
Drying the device as soon as possible will often get the device to work again, but still lead to long term problems. The longer the insides stay wet, the getter the chance some of the componet leads of actually being completely eaten away.
Taking something apart like a camara is not advisable. Chances are good you will never get it back together again.
Coldspring
On behalf of the Photo Retailer Association ( an almost charitable but self serving Institute) I need to inform you that your maximum allowed "drop in the water and hope for the best" chances are well and truly used up.
Have a look at the Pentax W60, Panasonic TS1 or if you intend to cross stony bed creeks, the Olympus ST6000 (use Micro SD)
Franco
Flash memory cards are not usually damaged by water. I had some through the washing machine. Smart Media was an exception (not so smart)
Snowleopard
05-21-2009, 14:25
... I need to inform you that your maximum allowed "drop in the water and hope for the best" chances are well and truly used up.
...
I'm going to have to remember this sentence. Very good Franco :)
coldspring
05-21-2009, 15:04
Good one Franco. Last night, I just happened to read the blog of Arkansas' foremost wilderness photographer, and apparently he also has a "drop photo gear in the water" problem. Except he drops $1800 lenses in the drink!
johnny quest
05-21-2009, 15:16
heat lamp and time?
WalkingStick75
05-21-2009, 20:25
Well, I cant offer a solution. I have heard of alot of cell phones working after they have been dropped in water, and dried out. I do have a question though. What if I drop my camera into the drink. Personally this would be upsetting, what would be more upsetting are the memories I lost. What about SD and other flash memory cards and water.
Water will not effect the memory card so long as you allow it to dry before attempting to use. I have forgotten flash drives and SD cards go through the wash before without any damage.
One of my customers , a photographer for one of Melbourne's papers, was taking some pictures of a speedboat race on the Yarra (a mud flow that we call river) , he had a Canon Eos 1 with a 600mm F4 on a heavy Manfrotto tripod set up in front of him and was shooting hand held with a 300mm F2.8. Panning with his hand held camera he banged the 300 mm into the tripod held set-up sending it into the drink...
At the shop we thought that it was very funny...
Franco
I washed my camera (as in put it through the washing machine) by accident and after about a week of drying with the battery out it worked fine. I left it under an regular light bulb for a minimal amount of heat. I also turned the phone on several times while it was still drying, but don't do that as for most people that ruins everything. Just be very patient, that's key.
by camera I meant cell phone
johnnybgood
05-22-2009, 18:29
Thx for the great advice everyone ,I'm letting it dry out now that I am home again , although I sense a fantastic weekend to do a day hike ,maybe an overnighter.
I thinking of buying a new battery pack for it anyway although I've noticed the on/off button seems to be stuck in the depressed position.
I don't know...??
RadioFreq
05-25-2009, 20:34
:datzAfter being in a steady rain /drizzle for 3 days , my camera which was not where it should have been in my backpack , got wet.
After taking out the battery & sinn card I put them and the camera in a dry ziplock bag(where they should have been).
Camera is still not powering up when on/off is pressed.
Question; What else can I do? Is there dehumidifier tablets or packs which I could try ?
My Kodak got soaked and stopped working in the Smokies a few months ago. Sent it home and bought a new camera in Gatlinburg. Wife reported that the camera has worked fine ever since it got home...it just needed to dry out. Had the same thing happen on the trail (twice) to my little Sony radio. Just let it dry out and it still works fine.