Wet camera

[USA Duane Hall]

Just sent my camera in for a estimate to see if it can be fixed/dried out. Both it and myself took a dunk in the Kern River in Sequoia NP here in CA. It powers up, lense extends, but the video light stays on, even when the batteries are just installed. Bummer. A Canon SX10 Hope?

[Hikin’ Jim]

Hi, Duane,

My camera fell out of my pocket as I bent over to show my daughter a stream. "Plonk," it went, right into a pool, fully submerged. I took the battery out immediately.

Once home, I opened everything up and let it dry. It started working again after about a week, although it was acting funny for a few weeks thereafter (I had to set the time stamp every time I turned it on for example). After a few weeks, it was back to normal.

YMMV, but best of luck.

HJ

[Bob Gross]

The conventional wisdom for treating a wet camera is this. Open up the camera as much as is easy and remove the battery (and also any internal memory battery), remove any memory cards, and set it out to dry. When it is 100% dry, try replacing the batteries to see if it works again. If it continues to fail, you have only two choices. Either send it to Canon Repair, or else toss it on eBay as-is.

Canon Repair will tell you one of a few things, once they look at it. Either they tell you that they can fix it for XXX dollars, or they tell you that they will replace it with another refurbished unit for YYY dollars, or they will tell you to toss it. Then it is your call.

As a general rule, if it is a fairly new camera, you will pay them money. If it is an older camera, then you will toss it.

OBTW, for future reference, there are lots and lots of little camera pockets and holsters that you can use to keep your camera in, and they float. Even my big cameras will float in a big Lowepro shoulder case. Just a couple of weeks ago I had about $3000 worth of camera in the case halfway down in a stream crossing.

–B.G.–

[USA Duane Hall]

HJ, I'm hoping everything works with minimal cost.

The batteries were taken out later in the day when I gave it some thought, it powers up more every few days, but I sent it off anyway as the video light for recording stays lit, but I can see more settings in the view finder each day. I've had it a couple years now, I bought it for a once in a lifetime trip to Alaska, but I want to go back when I retire. I've heard it will be best to toss it, but for $25 to get an estimate, I thought that best. Hoping for the best.

I only looked a little, but could never find a rainproof case for the camera, a plastic grocery bag would only work for light rain.

Duane

[Bob Gross]

Duane, Lowepro has more camera cases than you can imagine. They may not be lightweight. The AW series means all-weather.

–B.G.–

[USA Duane Hall]

Bob, thank you for the info. Useful if the camera comes back, working.

Duane

[Franco Darioli]

Hot off the press..
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q311waterproofcompactgrouptest/
Franco

[Hikin’ Jim]

If you can't find a good case, which I hope you can, I wonder if a small dry bag would work.

HJ

[Bob Gross]

Most of the time, the user control buttons on one of those shirt-pocket-size cameras are very small, and by the time you put it into a plastic bag like this, you will have lost a lot more control of the buttons.

–B.G.–

[USA Duane Hall]

If I used something, hopefully that would enable me to let the camera hang around my neck, I would be fine taking it out of a bag to use. Those waterproof cameras would be more than what I want to spend again if I have to replace my Canon. I would go back to disposables. Can't come up with $400 again, that would be money for a newer pickup fund.

Duane

[Hikin’ Jim]

What about something like this?

HJ

[USA Duane Hall]

HJ, that would work for a small camera and it might fit into my backpack belt storage area.

Duane

[Hikin’ Jim]

There were other Dry Pak options on Amazon that I saw too. The one I pointed out had a neck strap, but there were others.

HJ

[USA Duane Hall]

It will take 10 days or so to hear back about my camera.

[USA Duane Hall]

Got a message, over $200 to fix, back to disposable cameras.

[USA Duane Hall]

Before I tossed my returned camera, I put the batteries in and it will take pics and the flash works, but the blue video or whatever light stays on still. At least it will work, a minor annoyance at night.
Duane

[Frank Deland]

These cases are not for waterproofing your camera while taking pictures, but for keeping your camera dry in transport.

Put your camera in the size case you select and then carry it with you on your kayak, or in your pack, etc.

http://www.pelicancasestore.com/index.cfm

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