5060 Camera Flooded

[MVillanueva]

Curious thing happened yesterday: My brand new camera flooded while in the rinse bin. Blasted dessicant was completely ruined. Anywho, took the camera out of the housing, removed the battery, took the cards up, wrapped the mess up in a towel and had some fantastic dives.

I get back to the hotel room, open all the little doors on the camera and propped it on top of lampshade, turned the light on, and left the light on overnight.

This morning, I put the battery back in the camera, the lens immediately retracted, I turned the power on, and the LCD monitor came on, menues came on... I took pictures and movies and downloaded them to my computer. The camera now works.

Anyone have experience with a camera coming back to life after being flooded? Is the resurection real? Or like a godhead, is it only for a little while until the permament accension occurs?

Not sure if I should file a claim or not, I have the opinion of a trsuted source, but also wanted to get feedback from folks who might have experience with eletrconics getting wet.

Thanks

Michael

 

[beir]

Well, it sounds like it just got wet with fresh water. If you snatched it right out after it went in, maybe it didn't penetrate too deeply.

Hard to say if it will last though; oxidation/rust will wreak havoc.

Glad to hear it's working for the moment though.

 

[Dee]

Did the camera itself have any water in it? Sounds like you did all the right stuff. As soon as you get home, I'd call DEPP and tell them what happened. They'll cover someone checking it out and repairing any gremlins that may have moved in.

so....where's your photos? hmmm?

 

[Curt Bowen]

Curious thing happened yesterday: My brand new camera flooded while in the rinse bin

I have had people argue with me till they are blue in the face about my opinnion about rinse buckets.

But over the last 15 years, I have seen many cameras, including one of my own flood because of placing them into a rinse bucket, BEFORE THE FIRST DIVE.

DO NOT, put your newly closed camera into a rinse bucket.

Why? you ask

Pressure assists with sealing o-rings into place within the camera. The rinse bucket is normally less than 2 feet deep and does not provide enough pressure to properly seal a slightly misplaced O-ring or a camera back with a non-captured o-ring.

What I have learned to do is, Right when you jump into the water with your camera, drop quickly to 10-15 feet holding your camera with the dome port downwards. This pressurizes the housing and if any water is leaking it you will see it in the port. If not, your set to go.

Once you return to the vessel, dip and clean your housing in the rinse bucket. Remove and place in a safe location. Multiple cameras in a rinse bucket get banged around during rough seas etc. Not really good for your glass ports or knobs.

 

[Dee]

Curt has given excellent advice! After you've rinsed it in the bucket, wrap you camera in a wet towel to keep it moist so there are no water spots drying and safe.

 

[MVillanueva]

Did the camera itself have any water in it? Sounds like you did all the right stuff. As soon as you get home, I'd call DEPP and tell them what happened. They'll cover someone checking it out and repairing any gremlins that may have moved in.

so....where's your photos? hmmm?

Yes, Dee, the camera had water in it.

Interesting advice Curt. I think I will follow it this next dive tomorrow. I have nothing to loose -- I already called DEPP and I got a letter from the dive shop backing up the flooding.

And Dee.... I have pictures and I am tempted to post some! Maybe after tomorrow's dive from Shark's Cove

Michae;ll

 

[justleesa]

AH! Did you get an ok for sharks cove? Cool!

I always put mine in my very own rinse bucket with nobody elses camera...check the bubbles and leave it there till I jump in....it's the safest spot on the boat when it speeds over the waves....

 

[fpoole]

I had my oly do that one time, water seeped out of the housing, I let it dry and it worked several days lator... not sure what happend, but now use the absorbent napkins as a safty measure. Did the dessicant absorbe some of it, or at least the material that holds the dessicant?? (not sure if dessicant actually absorbes water, just moisture?) which might have been the saving grace... this time... hehehe...
But you may still have the rust and oxidation to worry about as mentioned above.... and contacting DEPP just to let them know..... time will tell, mine is still working ok... now if the photographer could recover - that would be something..

 

[MVillanueva]

I dont know what to say.... I got decent pics and vids from the dive today. And lisa came by the site!!!!! She is SOOOOOOOOOO cooooooool!!! Angelita really likes you you know. Camera is working fine, although some of the vid functions seem a little off, still the vids and pics are good. I just dropped today and the seal held. But I am worried about rust and oxidation as fpoole and others have now mentioined to me. If I can just get through the next set of dives in Kona, including the night Manta dive.....

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

I would have it gone through because even rinse tanks are after few items in them have salt ect so as others have stated have it gone through completely to be on safe side.