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04/25/2004 09:01:45 PM · #1 |
Me and my wife hiked a couple miles to Heather Lake in the Washington cascades. We hiked around the lake in abot 2 feet of snow and found a nice rock to rest on for a bit. I had my Olympus c-730UZ in hand snaping pictures left and right.
I set it down to take my pack off and must have bumped it, as I saw it tumble down the rock and splash into about four feet of water.
Stunned as I was I stood in disbelief for a moment, as my wife said jump in ! and get so I did. Brrrrrrrr waste deep, I grabed it got out and pulled the smart card out. I was hoping I might have saved the pictures, but no luck. Don't think the cameras going to make it, but I'll give it a day to dry. I had some really good pictures lost them all
:( but I'll be back! |
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04/25/2004 09:03:34 PM · #2 |
At least you now have an excuse to get a Digital Rebel now.
:D
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04/25/2004 09:05:03 PM · #3 |
oh nooo!
doesn't sound good.
I don't think electronics, including data cards can "dry out" - they are basically fried after coming in contact with water, never mind plunging into a pond.
What awful luck. I am sorry this happened to you. My daughter and I are gasping as we read your story. :( |
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04/25/2004 09:06:31 PM · #4 |
I did once, but it was an el cheapo film point and shoot (it dried out ok, though)! Thank goodness! I hope yours dries out ok, I would hate to have my good one ruined! I did drop my pocket pc in a toilet once (don't ask!), and I let it dry out for a day, and it is as good as new! Sorry about the photos, though. I accidently deleted a set of mine, thinking that I had already backed them up, boy was I mad at myself about that! I will NEVER let that happen again. Boy, I am starting to sound like I am accident prone! :)
-Danielle |
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04/25/2004 09:07:59 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by nitro102:
....Don't think the cameras going to make it, but I'll give it a day to dry. I had some really good pictures lost them all
:( but I'll be back! |
Ack, that's a bummer. When my camera is out of the bag, I always have the camera strap around my neck just so stuff like this doesn't happen.
My brother in law fell into our pool with his cell phone. Phone was in the water for probably about 5 seconds or so. At first we thought it was history but after letting it sit for about 3 hours, partially disassembled, the thing actually worked again! Didn't even drain the battery. Amazing.
You never know, take the camera apart as much as possible and let it sit for a few days. It may still work.
Message edited by author 2004-04-25 21:09:15. |
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04/25/2004 09:15:20 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by ChrisW123:
Originally posted by nitro102:
..snip..
You never know, take the camera apart as much as possible and let it sit for a few days. It may still work. |
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I agree with this advice completely. It's important to let it dry thoroughly before trying to turn it on. Follow Chris's advice. Wait a week even. Then try it. Make sure you keep the battery out.
For others, it's important to take the battery out as soon as possible after dunking.
I wouldn't be surprised if your media came out ok too after drying thoroughly. |
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04/25/2004 09:18:46 PM · #7 |
while there's a chance the above might work, I wouldn't count on it.
when water comes in contact with electronic items, things tend to short out as the electricity makes electrical connectivity with things that should not be connected, frying things in the process. I'm guessing if it was off when it fell in, it will have a better chance than if it was on.
Even still, if it ever does work again, it would be a good idea to clean it with some sort of solvent, as the water will likely corrode the metal components inside over time. |
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04/25/2004 09:29:41 PM · #8 |
I was at the 2002 Pespi 400 in Daytona and dropped my old Olympus D-360 in a cooler of beer!!
The camera didn't survive but the smartmedia card did--
I had camera repaired for free, extended warranty, umm I didnt tell them about the beer cooler! lol
This is a shot of me about 10 minutes before the camera plunged!
Gotta love that noise free image. :( |
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04/25/2004 09:36:35 PM · #9 |
I would think it would depend on whether the camera were turned on or not. If on, it's almost assuredly gone. If turned off, then drying it out might just work.
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04/25/2004 09:40:08 PM · #10 |
| I was in a camera repair shop recently (dropped my Olympus 5050) and they had a hand out sheet about what to do if you drop your camera in water. Wish I had picked one up for you. Basically it said dry everything out best you can and maybe it will be alright. However, if you drop it in the ocean you are to immediately immerse it in fresh water and then dry it out, The salt is worse than the water. |
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04/25/2004 09:40:30 PM · #11 |
Link to camera disasters
This is what happened to my cameras a couple weeks ago, they both survived! |
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04/25/2004 09:45:39 PM · #12 |
It's likely that the electronics would survive, but the mechanical parts are a different story. If the dunking is not too long, and the battery is removed immediately, there is usually no damage to the electronics.
I lost a cell phone (Nokia 6100 series) in my back yard, found it a year later. Took it apart, cleaned it with deionized water, dried the parts, put it together and away it went.
It had evidently been run over with the lawn tractor (maybe several times, who knows?). The display was flakey. I found another "dead" Nokia phone, swapped displays & it's been fine ever since. It's the phone I use daily for personal use.
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04/25/2004 10:05:48 PM · #13 |
Here's an amazing story of one man's experience with a Nikon 990 that fell into a pond . . .
Mr. Eaves and His Magic Camera
Click on the picture at the bottom for more shots.
Message edited by author 2004-04-25 22:07:36.
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04/25/2004 10:15:54 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by kaycee:
Here's an amazing story of one man's experience with a Nikon 990 that fell into a pond . . .
Mr. Eaves and His Magic Camera
Click on the picture at the bottom for more shots. |
LOL, I think he came out better than he started! It rocks!
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04/25/2004 10:22:50 PM · #15 |
Once my camera was in my pocket when I fell into water..we're talking, complete and total submersion. I climbed out, turned it on and the pictures were all multi colored static, I was thinking, I'm screwed, but it dried out and was just like new. Olympus makes a decent product.
Saved pictures of multi-colored static, but can't figure out how to post.
Have faith, Steve!
Message edited by author 2004-04-25 22:26:02. |
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04/25/2004 10:23:00 PM · #16 |
i didn't drop mine in a lake, but i did drop down about a 60ft cliff into a pile of jagged rocks - with the lens open and lcd open. crazy thing still works like a charm though. :D
broke the memory card door and jarred the camera body a little and lost the shutter button (now have a thumb tack for a shutter botton until i can get it fixed :) other than that thing is in perfect shape!! |
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04/25/2004 11:00:48 PM · #17 |
 Before the drop. The weekend of the Strength challenge we stayed in Niagara Falls with our grandchildren at a hotel. While in the hot tub I dropped my camera. It was under water about 3 sec. When I checked it the lens opened and I couldn't close it.... nothing was working. I took out the memory card.. removed the batteries. I left it overnight and the next morning it was working fine. I didn't lose any pictures, I was really lucky, thank goodness. Taken the next morning. |
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04/25/2004 11:05:14 PM · #18 |
Give it a couple of days to dry in a warm dry place - smart card as well.
MaximumPC did a similar kind of test using USB keys and a lot of them survived when left to dry for a few days. The don't advise using the dunked product again, but at least it may be possible to retrieve your data.
Good luck!
Darcy
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04/25/2004 11:13:37 PM · #19 |
Lake water should not be too bad but still I think I would do a good rinsing in distilled water. I would not rewet the camera if it is already partway dry however. A lot of time the damage is done during the drying out not the being in water. I would agree with others that the battery should be removed at once. I would hesitate to use a solvent on the camera unless the manufacturer instructs you too. Water really should not do too much damage to electronics but it will need to be really dry before it is likely to work again.
Good luck and lets us know if it works again.
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04/26/2004 12:42:44 AM · #20 |
Originally posted by didnthaveacamera:
... it dried out and was just like new. Olympus makes a decent product. |
The new Stylus series (e.g. 400) come with a water-resistant (not waterproof) housing, allowing them to be used in rain, spray, etc. They'd probably survive a quick dip if turned-off and everything closed up. |
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04/26/2004 12:44:06 AM · #21 |
Originally posted by brett2004:
... jarred the camera body a little and lost the shutter button (now have a thumb tack for a shutter button ...) |
LOL -- Please post a picture of your camera! :) |
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04/26/2004 02:20:09 AM · #22 |
| hmmmm, I got wiped out from a large wave in Cali. Along with me my camera. Both were taken about 10 feet under the water. I managed to save the film and now always have this alwsome wave shot. However, the camera was a gonner. Of course, it was a disposeable one...However, if i dropped my Rebel in water...hmmmm, I would die. that would be it. I would just fall over dead. |
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04/26/2004 02:27:10 AM · #23 |
Originally posted by dustin03:
... now always have this alwsome wave shot. However, the camera was a gonner. Of course, it was a disposeable one... |
You can buy a disposable underwater camera at the supermarket for about $15. |
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04/26/2004 03:18:45 AM · #24 |
My £900 camcorder just became an underwater model actually - under-Pacific to be precise. Left it on the beach while I shot my latest Silhouettes shot - and the tide was rushing in!! Only realised it was missing the next day and never found it.
It contained all the footage I'd taken of my recent trip to Yosemite, so not too clever really, but at least it should make everyone else feel better about their losses! :( |
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04/26/2004 10:25:24 AM · #25 |
Last year while working as a surveyor in Voisey's Bay, Labrador, I dropped my HP 32SII RPN calculator in water. At first I thought it was fried but after drying it out and replacing the batteries it was fine and still works great today. These HP calculators are really robust and are great in the field. I wonder if their cameras are so reliable?
Message edited by author 2004-04-26 10:25:47.
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