Camera splashed w/ water....but G lenses work?!

11/10/2013 07:49:05 PM · #1

*sigh*

Can't believe it. Out shooting today and in the process got very well-splashed (unexpectedly) with water. I only had the 50mm, a D-series lens, up and it wasn't long before I began getting the Fee error message which, in Nikonese, usually means that the aperture ring isn't locked to the minimum aperture.

Uhmmm...but it was. The camera continued to work once I soaked off the worst of the water with a microfibre, but then began to miss shots and finally gave me the Fee message for good. Got home and promptly tried the other lenses.

Interestingly, the G-series lenses (10-20mm Sig and workhorse 18-200mm) both work fine, only the 50mm and 300mm D-series lenses give me the message.

Other possible causes for the message are low/weak batteries but even though one was shot out, they're new Nikkor batteries. The other one still had a full charge and worked fine.

So the camera is stripped down and overnighting in a bag o' rice. Hopefully this will take care of it, the timing SUCKS though as I wanted to shoot this evening.

At this point though I am scratching my head over how the G-lenses are working fine and the Ds aren't. Furthermore the D7100 is weather-sealed; my D90 wasn't and yet continued to work even in sudden torrential downpours where there was no shelter and I had to continue shooting. Weird.

Enlightened

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

11/10/2013 08:16:42 PM · #2

Oh no that sucks! Hopefully the rice works. Did you put the 50mm in rice too? I would just incase the connections were damp. That rain came down in buckets today. I am hoping it is nicer tomorrow.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

11/10/2013 08:24:51 PM · #3

Ditch it all and buy Canon...

Spork99

OM System OM-1

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

11/10/2013 08:24:51 PM · #4

Ditch it all and buy Canon...

pamb

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II

11/10/2013 08:29:42 PM · #5

And just to reinforce:

Ditch it all and buy Canon...

Enlightened

11/10/2013 08:33:14 PM · #6

Originally posted by pamb:

And just to reinforce:

Ditch it all and buy Canon...

If you do listen to these two then let me know what ditch you use so I can grab your gear!

11/10/2013 09:40:42 PM · #7

Will definitely let you know, Tracey...but naah I do like my Nikon gear. I did also change my AF sometime after the splash so maybe that's contributing? Either way the Nikon is baggin' it with body cap loosened off, though not all together, as the lens mount is the only weak area.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

11/11/2013 07:54:10 AM · #8

Well just dug the camera out of the bag o' rice, put in the battery and mounted up the 50mm...still got the Fee message...returned everything to bag of rice with caps loosened off...*sigh*

see

Canon PowerShot S95

11/11/2013 09:42:58 AM · #9

The water might have been dirty, and after dried left a film. I suggest a alcohol moistened lint free cleaning pad on your contact points on lens, and camera.

Neil

Fujifilm X-T30

11/11/2013 09:50:29 AM · #10

Was it salt water that you were splashed with?

I thought the D7100 was weather sealed and splash-resistant?

Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX Aspherical DG HSM for Nikon

11/11/2013 10:02:09 AM · #11

If it was salt water, you might want to try removing the battery and soaking it in distiller water, then retrying the drying process.

You also may not have left it to dry long enough. When I took a cell phone into the shower, it took a week to fully dry.

bohemka

Nikon D700

11/11/2013 10:22:08 AM · #12

Originally posted by Ann:

And let's not even mention the living room.

Tiny

Apple iPad mini 4

11/11/2013 12:41:17 PM · #13

Originally posted by Neil:

Was it salt water that you were splashed with?

I thought the D7100 was weather sealed and splash-resistant?

It is advertised as such.

11/11/2013 12:54:50 PM · #14

Originally posted by bohemka:

Originally posted by Ann:
If it was salt water, you might want to try removing the battery and soaking it in distiller water, then retrying the drying process.

You also may not have left it to dry long enough. When I took a cell phone into the shower, it took a week to fully dry.

And let's not even mention the living room.

Gah. The camera stayed dry on that one, but piles of sand kept showing up under the chair for the next six months.

BTW, reading what I wrote above...soak the camera, not the battery.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

11/11/2013 01:46:08 PM · #15

Well seeing that the shots from the shoot where the camera got a shower aren't going to be used...I was at Pet Expo watching the Dock Dogs in action. Just what it sounds like. A handler gets their dog to jump off a dock some 20 ft long into a pool some 40 ft long. FWIW the farthest a dog jumped was 25 ft plus a few inches -might I add it's the world champion in the sport and apparently has set a world record of 31 ft.

I was at about the 20ft mark and most dogs were landing in the middle of the pool or at least in line with the dock. But this big Lab ended up splashing down really close to me and another photog. Water dripping off of us both.

Anyway I'm guessing the water was probably fresh though maybe one of those salt-treated pools as there was no reek of chlorine. And of course with doggies jumping in it here was lots of loose hair floating around in the water.

I guess I can email the organizers and ask them about the pool water.

Meantime, have noticed that I can't change the AF, I set it to A-C 3D and now can't change it to anything else...don't know if I should bother trying to reset it at the moment. Think I'd better just bag it up again. *sigh*

Message edited by author 2013-11-11 13:50:39.

Neil

Fujifilm X-T30

11/11/2013 03:08:10 PM · #16

I suggest not using it and keeping the battery out till it's thoroughly dry.

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

11/11/2013 03:22:10 PM · #17

It may be late, but I second Neil's advice. Once you camera gets wet the temptation to see if there is any damage is overwhelming, but the prudent action is to pull out the battery and bag it in rice or some other dessicant and leave it somewhere warm (under a desk lamp or on top of a laptop power brick, any low and slow warmth) for a few days. Checking to see if there is damage too soon can be what kills you camera.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

11/11/2013 05:02:50 PM · #18

Yep I am trying to take the advice of Neil and Brennan...at least I did get the AF working again (wrong buttons duhhh). Definitely NOT taking advice to immerse it in distilled water - Nikon is very clear that they will NOT cover the camera under warranty if it has been dropped or immersed in water.

It is currently sitting bagged on a table about 6 ft away from a woodstove with an Ecofan on top blowing hot air in its direction, which doesn't go 24/7 though. Wonder if I should put it atop the dehumidifier or hell, even in the dehydrator!? That operates at a top heat of 155. Mind, I may end up with camera jerky :-)

ETA: most of my lightbulbs now are those stupid twisty ones. They don't give off any heat so putting it under a lamp won't work, and I don't like leaving a desklamp with a bulb like that on for a long time anyway, simply cause they DO get hot.

Message edited by author 2013-11-11 17:48:29.

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

11/11/2013 06:15:39 PM · #19

The advice to bag it in distilled water only applies if the camera has been fully imersed in salt or brakish water. In that case you want to keep it wet and get the salts or other goo wet until you can have a professional have a shot at saving it.

11/11/2013 06:21:40 PM · #20

After watching what these guys did, I'm pretty sure you can get yours working again.

see

Canon PowerShot S95

11/11/2013 06:38:39 PM · #21

Originally posted by Ann:

After watching what these guys did, I'm pretty sure you can get yours working again.

whispers> that was a Canon..

11/11/2013 06:47:26 PM · #22

Originally posted by see:

Originally posted by Ann:
After watching what these guys did, I'm pretty sure you can get yours working again.

whispers> that was a Canon..

Of course. Nobody would intentionally try to kill a Nikon. Although these are the same guys who painted a D90 pink.

Regardless, it doesn't matter. I was actually making a serious statement. She has a brand new model, and they're all built pretty much like tanks now. If she hasn't fried the electronics by trying to run it while it's wet, it should be fine once it's fully dry.

In the video, they had the oven set to 41. How much is that in American?

11/11/2013 06:49:58 PM · #23

Yeah...thanks, but I think I'll stick with the bag o' rice + low heat. I don't read anything about Nikon not covering a repair cause it was immersed in rice!!!

So it's going to be real fun around Chateau Snaffles for the next week or so. I'm going to try to NOT stick in a battery and fire it again til I get home Friday from work.

Meantime, seeing that I am cameraless, I have no creative outlet. Good thing I love reading, me and the Kindle are gonna be spending a lot of time together.

11/11/2013 06:56:59 PM · #24

Originally posted by snaffles:

Meantime, seeing that I am cameraless, I have no creative outlet. Good thing I love reading, me and the Kindle are gonna be spending a lot of time together.

This?