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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Please help! I might have killed my camera & lens
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05/09/2019 12:34:22 PM · #1
I was photographing a turtle release (cold stunned loggerheads rehabilitated and released in the ocean this morning.)

I made the incredibly smart decision to go out, kneel down and shoot the turtle head on as he goes into the water.

Getting buffeted by waves, I photographed the first turtle, but I held my own.

Between the first and second turtle the waves got stronger, and I didn't realize just how much. I was knocked over, and the camera went into the water (along with the rest of me).

When I tried zooming the lens, there's A LOT of sand in it. I turned the camera off and took out the card and battery and left the battery cover open. I pulled out the reticulating screen and got the mud from underneath that. I didn't remove the lens until I got home an hour and a half later. There didn't seem to be evidence of mud or water inside. and not much sand if any -- probably just the fine stuff.

Its a sony 6500. I'm going to go figure out where to send it, but what should I do first before sending it, since it will probably just sit there in transit for a couple of days.
HELP!! PLEASE!!
05/09/2019 01:39:46 PM · #2
yikes, bummer, etc... all I know is rinse it in fresh water and let it dry naturally... good luck
05/09/2019 01:49:30 PM · #3
I think the "classic" treatment for wet electronics is to bury in uncooked white rice (or other desiccant, I suppose) until dried out. Not sure I'd rinse again first, though the salt is definitely bad. I'd definitely avoid turning it on or moving anything until it's completely dry; maybe try using a blower or vacuum cleaner to remove and remaining obvious particles.

ETA: Some Costco stores carry a cheap white rice, 25# bag for about $9.

You can also fill a cotton sock with (uncooked!) rice and microwave for a minute or two to make a great hot compress for sore muscles, etc....

Message edited by author 2019-05-09 13:58:42.
05/09/2019 01:54:33 PM · #4
Not sure if this is of any help to you but I Googled the situation and came up with the following:

From a local ad, an A6000 was asked for $300. The seller was very candid to tell me that two months ago the camera was dropped in 1' ocean water and was taken out immediately, air-dried for a week and put in rice for three days. So far the camera has behaved normal. The electronics clearly survived intact, but there is a residual--though small--possibility of internal corrosion that may have an adverse impact in the future ... but unlikely.
05/09/2019 02:06:34 PM · #5
I ended up using a wet cloth and wiping it down. I didn't have the guts to rinse it, considering we've had way too many phones that died after a dip in fresh water.

I'm going to send it out to be checked. The lens is full of sand, it makes awful noise when you retract it.

*sigh*

I actually brought my backup (the Canon 7D) to use in the water, just for this type of problem. But I had the 100-400 lens on it -- I would have had to swim quite far out to get a shot of the turtle going into the water! If I would have had a shorter canon lens, it would have been better. :(
05/09/2019 02:55:12 PM · #6
OH NO!! I have heard about putting it in rice because it absorbs the water well, but that won't help the sand. Yikes!
05/09/2019 04:43:14 PM · #7
Let's hope the salt water did not get into the electronics. If it did, just drying it out won't do the trick, there will be salt deposits that will eventually cause corrosion. The sand in the lens may or may not be the death of it, depends on whether the outer bits can be removed and the sand successfully cleaned. If sand has penetrated deeper into the mechanism, well, the lens has probably seen its last light.
05/09/2019 05:38:37 PM · #8
dump it into FRESH water then dry 9f with a towel and in to the hot water cuboard if you still have one) to dry out.then down to the sony agent

are you covered bt insurance? my house hold policy covers me ...
05/09/2019 10:19:55 PM · #9
Originally posted by kiwinick:

dump it into FRESH water then dry 9f with a towel and in to the hot water cuboard if you still have one) to dry out.then down to the sony agent

are you covered bt insurance? my house hold policy covers me ...


I've asked my insurance agent a couple of times, and sometimes it sounded like yes and sometimes no. The biggest issue is that our deductible is $1000. Ouch.

Hopefully the card is ok. I had two days of important event photos on it, and I left it at work (1.5 hours away). I wouldn't think that salt would work on the contacts that quickly, but I'm seriously worried. Can't get there until tomorrow evening.
05/09/2019 10:36:35 PM · #10
Originally posted by vawendy:

Originally posted by kiwinick:

dump it into FRESH water then dry 9f with a towel and in to the hot water cuboard if you still have one) to dry out.then down to the sony agent

are you covered bt insurance? my house hold policy covers me ...


I've asked my insurance agent a couple of times, and sometimes it sounded like yes and sometimes no. The biggest issue is that our deductible is $1000. Ouch.

Hopefully the card is ok. I had two days of important event photos on it, and I left it at work (1.5 hours away). I wouldn't think that salt would work on the contacts that quickly, but I'm seriously worried. Can't get there until tomorrow evening.


Ouch!! they know how to rub it in, I once had aglass pannelled door 3 panels broke and they said 3 claims!!
I had the glazier cut the panels and did a DYS.
05/10/2019 12:33:33 AM · #11
hairdryer right away, but the camera will die after 6 months. it's like the components will deteriorate slowly once they come in contact with water.
05/10/2019 01:21:34 AM · #12
just read what had happened Wendy ..
YIKES .. !! .. i have no advice .. but just wanted to say that i hope you get if fixed ..
i reckon that could be quite traumatic .. :(

oh .. just read Georges comment .. hope you win the lottery then .. ;)
05/10/2019 04:09:05 AM · #13
Sorry to tell you but it's time for a new camera. they never recover from a soaking.
05/10/2019 07:44:54 AM · #14
Originally posted by vawendy:

...Hopefully the card is ok. I had two days of important event photos on it, and I left it at work (1.5 hours away). I wouldn't think that salt would work on the contacts that quickly, but I'm seriously worried. Can't get there until tomorrow evening.


Should not be an issue. Once you get back to it, remove the card, rinse in clean water, dry and you will be fine. The contacts on the card will not corrode (yet). They are protected by a thin layer of gold, over a layer of nickel. I've heard of cameras lost overboard on ships, later coming to light and cards still readable.
05/10/2019 07:05:08 PM · #15
I know it's no comfort but I just read this on FStoppers: https://fstoppers.com/originals/i-destroyed-my-camera-attempting-review-filter-kit-366962

Message edited by author 2019-05-10 19:05:58.
05/10/2019 09:48:31 PM · #16
Ouch. Everyone else has already covered the advice I would offer. This is why I use relatively cheap gear. If I kill my $300 Olympus, I'll just go buy another one.
05/11/2019 08:18:01 AM · #17
Ok, the card is fine! Whoot!

Thanks Kirbic! You helped me breathe easier while I had to wait before getting the card!

Thanks for the response, everyone! It's going to be a hard wait -- I'm not considered a pro at Sony. Which is ironic, since I'm more of a pro now than I was with Canon, and I had CPS for about 8 years! So I'm in the queue with everyone else, and can't get the 3 day turn around. Considering the issue is salt, this is really making me cringe...

The question is, what kind of things are Exposed on the Sony that would cause problems? The article that was posted about the Nikon, said they have pulled off the vertical grip so the contacts were exposed. It doesn't look like water got into the battery case or into the main body.

Message edited by author 2019-05-11 08:22:11.
05/11/2019 11:54:49 AM · #18
That's great news, Wendy!

I'm hoping your camera gives the same results. Please let us know when you know.
05/11/2019 12:37:54 PM · #19
I don't know what astrological sign you are Wendy - could be a 13th one having to do with taking shots behind a car in reverse, or in a hurricane saving turtles....IDK ...the Adventurer perhaps? The daredevil?
05/11/2019 05:45:22 PM · #20
Originally posted by mariuca:

I don't know what astrological sign you are Wendy - could be a 13th one having to do with taking shots behind a car in reverse, or in a hurricane saving turtles....IDK ...the Adventurer perhaps? The daredevil?


naw -- the car was going forward, not reverse. :P
05/16/2019 10:35:34 PM · #21
I'm not impressed with Sony service.

1. It's not Sony service, they just have you ship it to precision camera.
2. They sent back my camera, and didn't even call me to tell me what happened. I called them. They tell me it doesn't make economic sense to fix it because of corrosion.
3. I asked which part? Lens or camera. They said they just lumped them both together.
4. She had no information as to where the problems were. No information about where the corrosion occurred.
5. If they would have bothered to call, I would have told them to clean the lens anyway, and I'd just use it until it died. But I didn't even get the option.

I get the feeling that they didn't bother looking at anything. That they saw "salt water" and decided they didn't want to take the chance with it, since they have to guarantee their work, and they won't know until down the road if there's a problem.

When I started searching for Sony repair, the first thing that came up in the search it Sony Repair Sucks.

I can't currently disagree with that statement. I full expected that I killed it. But I would have liked them to at least look at it and give me the courtesy of talking to me about it.
05/17/2019 10:02:14 AM · #22
I just saw this Wendy...what a total bummer. I hope it is insured.

05/17/2019 11:15:19 AM · #23
What lens was it? I can't see any Sony lenses on your list.

PS If it was my camera/lens (so lucky there is no salt water in Switzerland! ;) I would look for a good local technician to evaluate the damage and maybe salvage the lens. The camera might be the more difficult one.

Message edited by author 2019-05-17 11:24:31.
05/17/2019 12:55:59 PM · #24
You're right that they don't want to touch it after saltwater bathing. Even back in the day, my professional repair shop in SoCal wouldn't do it on analog gear. They said it made too many customers bitter when the fix didn't last very long...
05/17/2019 03:30:18 PM · #25
Originally posted by marnet:

What lens was it? I can't see any Sony lenses on your list.

PS If it was my camera/lens (so lucky there is no salt water in Switzerland! ;) I would look for a good local technician to evaluate the damage and maybe salvage the lens. The camera might be the more difficult one.


It was a 16-70mm lens. basically $900-$1000. :(

there's A LOT of sand in it. Now that I have them both back, I think there's more of a chance that the camera is salvageable than the lens. I'm going to look around and see if anyplace near Virginia Beach cleans lenses. It's worth giving a shot. But I'm not holding out much hope.

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