D90 dropped in the ocean

<p>Hi all<br>

I am about to aquire for free a damaged D90 with 18-105 lens. the setup was dropped into the pacific. Do you think in might be worth to try reparing it?. I know the salt water is one of the worst things possible but I am leaning towards trying to make it work and keep it.<br>

What say you?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>In the time it took you type that post, the problem got even <em>more</em> impossible to fix.</p>

<p>lol well Matt thank you replying the camera is in Washington and it should be here withing a week. So should I not waste my time with it?</p>

<p>It all depends on how it was handled at the time. Rinsed immediately with distilled water? Immediately placed in a warm, ventilated environment with dessicant, etc? There are things you can do, but half the battle is in doing them <em>immediately </em>after the incident. Good luck!</p>

<p>Most likely you have a pretty nice paperweight. When it comes to cameras, all oceans are the Dead Sea.</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

<p>Well, at least you did not drop a D3X into the Pacific. There is an old saying, don't throw good money after bad money. It is time to look for another camera. The labor cost to take everything apart to clean just doesn't make sense.</p>

<p>Shun<br>

I didnt dump it. It was my buddy that did it and now wants to get rid of it. But as far as I know all he did was wrap it in the towel and thats it.<br>

I will just forget it and will not ask him to send it here. you are right it's best to save the money and buy another lens for my D300 instead waste money for repair.</p>

<p>Thanks guys.</p>

<p>I've heard several stories of cameras getting "dunked" in salt water and surviving. If I dunked one of mine, I'd do what I could to mitigate the damage - remove the battery and memory card, rinse it thoroughly and repeatedly with fresh water, dry it out and send it for a CLA. I would never <em>buy</em> a camera that has been in salt water. If the D90 is working now and it's free, what've you got to lose? If it's currently dead as a result of the dunking, my advice is let it RIP - God only knows what sort of damage it has incurred, and how much it'll take to repair, if indeed it <em>is</em> repairable. Either way, the repair will almost certainly be costly, and if significant salt water got into the guts, all the rinsing in the world won't save it in the long term. Years ago a diving watch of mine leaked and flooded. I got it to a jeweler within hours for a rinsing, and then to the dealer for a thorough strip down and service. However, it never really recovered - every couple of years, some metal component or another had to be replaced as it was rusting out - I eventually junked it as it was simply too expensive to maintain.</p>

<p>I know someone who's D2x and 70-200 VR were submerged in salt water for more than 24 hours (it was stored on a boat that sunk at the dock). Needless to say it was no longer operational after the incident, and, I gather, completely unfixable as well.</p>

<p>Put it back in the ocean and you are WAY ahead!</p>

<p>Best kept in "Davy Jones' " locker now.<br>

Fresh water is quick enough to allow circuit boards to corrode. Salt water just makes it happen even faster.</p>

<p>When the camera arrives throw it away and keep the wrapping it came it in. It's worth more!</p>

<p>nope, salt water will kill a digital camera. use it for target practice.</p>

<p>i'd take it just for the opportunity to dismantle and see what's inside.</p>

<p>hey kurt, speaking from personal experince after dropping my d50 in the ocean 2 years ago....I would forget about it and use it as a paperweight as mentioned...mine was basically DOA when i brought it into the local camera shop...the zoom action on the lens was so seized up it woiuldn't move...LOL lickily my travel insurance covered most of the cost of the camera...</p>

<p>I like to tinker! If you don't want it you can tell your buddy to send it to me! Cheers!</p>

<p>Did your buddy wear a camera strap when the camera fell into the ocean. I know you should always wear a camera strap to pervent the camera from falling into the water.</p>

<p>Sounds like a miserable experience for the owner of the camera. I have found keeping the strap about my neck or wrapped about my wrist a good retention tool. The camera certainly will be ruined and most likely should be dropped into the e-waste recycling bin so that it can head back to Asia for recycling. </p>

<p>If he is sending it to you for free, and he doesn't mind paying the shipping, take it. You could take it apart and learn what the guts do. And who knows maybe you will be able to get a couple shots out of it. If you decide not to take it, I would love to take it off his hands and see what the inside of the camera looks like.</p>

<p>I dropped a film camera into the Suwanee River just momentarily (fresh water) and a film camera is 10 times more resilient than a digital - took it to an authorized repair shop - absolutely a paper weight - cost more to repair than replace.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I recall that when the D300 was new, once Thom Hogan was looking for a damaged one. At the time he was interested in taking it apart and study the versious components Nikon uses in the D300, such as the IC chips, etc. etc.</p>

<p>I have no such interest personally, but the owner might want to put it on eBay for say $50. And the lens elements may be usable as spare parts.</p>

<p>@ mark felber. yes his buddy was ussing a camera strapp when the camera fell into the ocean,unfortunately the part of the neck where the strapp was resting at the time of the incident also fell into the ocean.<br>

And we all know its easier to reattach a neck than to make that camera come back to life.</p>

<p>camera owner was backing up towards the water, tripped and fell in with the camera I feel for the guy but on the other hand I always check where I am going when holding my gear. thanks for so many replies and good ideas.</p>

<p>Well if you're getting it for free, what do you have to lose?</p>

<p>I remember one advice about camera in salt water...<br>

"put it in a bucket of fresh water, slosh around, change water.. and bring the bucket to a camera repair man.."<br>

if it worth the cost get it repaired if not put it back to the ocean...<br>

for your case since the cameras was in a towel... put it wherever you think shortest, ocean or trash can...</p>