tom_smith22 Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Just dropped 500 L and T-90 in salt water. Tripod tipped, and it was immersed inwater full of sand for 5-10 seconds. Two spots of water on inside of frontelement of lens. Camera is totally full of sand. *Nothing* works on it(including all latches, the side door, and the exposure peview switch), apartfrom the self-timer light, which remains glowing despite the camera being off. Should I hold the stuff over a heater, or stick them in a box full of silicagel, or just go and cry as there is no hope? Any help would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelging Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 We had a photographer dump all his cameras in a fresh water lake while covering spring break a couple of years ago.2 Cameras and 5 lenses were boxed and sent to Canon professional repairs overnight. All were unfixable and sold as parts. Salt water would be even worse,I suggest you have a unbrella drink and think about something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_hutcherson Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 The best thing to do is to not take them out of the water until you can get them to a repair person. Any corrosion will be minimal while under water, but as soon as they are removed, contact with oxygen in the air will cause almost immediate corrosion, especially accelerated by the high conductivity of salt water. Since you already removed them from the water, they may very well be toast. I'd suggest, at the very least, putting the camera body in tap water(with the batteries removed, if possible), and getting it to a repair person. It may be gone, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_smith22 Posted February 22, 2008 Author Share Posted February 22, 2008 Yeah, I think all hope is lost. I've got a backup T-90, at least. I keep on telling myself it's not that bad, it's only plastic, metal and glass. I cheer up somewhat, but then remember the horrible sight of my equipment lying on the sand, water gushing over it. One of the most things I've ever seen. I reckon I'm going to need a bit more than an umbrella drink, Michael! Vodka from the bottle sounds more like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awahlster Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 OK Tom the T-90 is most likely toast and I doubt any repair person would touch it. THE lens on the other hand can be saved. Do you have a local repair shop? As the sooner it gets to a cleaning the better. There aren't any electronics's in the lens and once the surfaces are cleaned properly you should be OK. The Salt water if removed from the glass within a day or so won't hurt the coatings. looks like your east coast there should be a repair shop in your local or larger metro phone book call them and if at all possible get hat lens to them tomorrow ASAP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_smith22 Posted February 22, 2008 Author Share Posted February 22, 2008 The lens cannot be opened for various reasons for anything less than about $600, not including repairs. Would giving it a very VERY good, careful wash in fresh water be any substitute? As I said, there's one small drop of water on the inside of the front element which I of course can't get to. I guess I should be thanking my lucky stars the thing isn't chock full of electronics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franklin_polk Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 The lens should be opened (by a repairperson) to remove corrosion and remove and replace all of the lubricants. Immersing it in fresh water could help, but it could also spread around foreign debris trapped inside the lens. Personally, I'd just take it directly to a repairperson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awahlster Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Tom where do you get that idea I broke my 500mm f4.5L in half and it only cost $75.00 to have my local repair guy fix it. You need to talk to a different shop. heck I've had these long lenses all apart myself I completely restored a 600mm f4.5 nFD that had been painted black. And had the focusing rack all messed up. Find a different shop. Call Essex in New Jersey or even KEH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tibz Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 TAKE THE BATTERIES OUT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_smith22 Posted February 23, 2008 Author Share Posted February 23, 2008 Well the hood is damaged, meaning it's going to take a helluva lot to get to the screws at the front, and everthing aperture-realted at the back was replaced, and they used resin or something over the screws, so they're also hard to get out. So about $5-600, I was told. Also, I don't know of too many shops around Melbourne, Australia, that carter for FD gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_kennedy3 Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Call your insurance agent. You are probably covered under Homeowners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_smith22 Posted February 23, 2008 Author Share Posted February 23, 2008 Even though I haven't actually got insurance on the lens/camera itself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_smith22 Posted February 23, 2008 Author Share Posted February 23, 2008 And I've got (still to be developed) pics of the lens in use, and digital pics of the broken camera and lens with sand and water in it. Suppose that's a plus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_smith22 Posted February 23, 2008 Author Share Posted February 23, 2008 Gear isn't covered outside the property, according to the person on the phone. Can't find that in the policy, but anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w_t1 Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Tom, my first ever slr, an AT-1 with the 50 1.4 lens got washed by a couple of shallow saltwater waves. I took it to a repair shop the next day, was history, but the repairman said "if it happens again best thing is to put in a bucket of fresh water" like Ben said. I can easily tell the last roll of film in that cam, the kodachrome has nuclear explosion-like shaped clouds on some of the frames. I never dreamed then as a 20yr old kid in 1980 that one day I would be able to work on a pc with software that could take the clouds out lol. Regards, Tom in Seattle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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