hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

On a recent hiking trip, I lent my Canon S95 to my friend who got it wet while crossing a stream (freshwater luckily). I pulled the SD card out, opened all the doors and extended the lens took out the battery and put it out in sunlight to dry it out. Initially, the camera would start and the lens would come out but the pictures were all black. After a few days, the camera started taking photos. I've looked at them and they seem fine.

Should I send the camera into Canon or some other place for cleaning and a check over? Any suggestions?

mooseeyes Loc: Sonora, California

Fill a Tupperware container about 1/3 rd full with "Kitty Litter". Lay the camera on top of the Kitty Litter, seal and "burp" the Tupperware container, and place it up on a closet shelf for about a week. That should draw all of the moisture out of your camera.

Leicaflex Loc: Cymru

If it is now working fine, I would just carrying on using it.
Not broken, don't fix it.
Looks like you had a lucky escape. Do not lend it again.

Gill747

I used tupperware and rice. You really want to make sure you get all the moisture out of the camera and lens even if it is working to avoid any corrosion problems down to the road. If that happens, new camera time

Swamp Gator Loc: Coastal South Carolina

Going through the CLP you can send it in to Canon for a discount on a nice refurb. You can end up with something like one of the Rebel models which are pretty good cameras with a lens for probably less then $400.

Edmund Dworakowski

I'd go to church and start buying lottery tickets !
and stop lending out your gear.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Mooseeyes, is right; using a desiccant is very effective to draw out moisture. Add a couple of caveats: Dust from the litter could get into the camera,so if you can find CalciumCloride used for drying air in closets, use that, it comes in a container is a more effective dryer (kitty litter is good tho). Any desiccant is more effective if heated in an oven at 300-400F (certainly not the camera!) for at least a half hour (depending on thickness of layer) to drive off any moisture collected during storage. Cool in sealed container before use. If kitty litter is used put a coffee filter or paper towel over the top of the layer of litter. The camera can be wrapped cotton fabric to keep it dust free.

Hummm, should we rinse the camera in distilled water to remove any salts that could short components? Should we open the case to blow out any polled water? (if you do keep track of your screw positions!) I have taken a canon G2 apart several times while (successfully) converting it to IR. If you do any camera dissection, then take lots of photos to insure you have a memory of parts positioning that is not encased in your scull.

Any time a camera is dunked, take the batteries out immediately and do not be tempted to test it out,,, assume the worse and go thru a drying procedure and you may avoid the worse.

Now that I have given my openion, check out what the experts have to say... dems guys knows dar stuff....
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57330736-263/using-desiccants-to-soak-up-wet-electronics/

FOTOSTAN Loc: Ca..NYC..Fla.

Simple answer... Have the camera checked out at a pro shop..

Barb Loc: ALASKA

Man, I don't know how to do any of that! I say .. remove the sd & batteries THEN send it to a PROFESSIONAL! GOOD LUCK!

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

My thoughts on this is #1 you did the right things to start with. #2 as this rice system works so well for phones with digital camers as has been highly documented - I would surelly go with it - the sooner the better.
You were luck it was fresh water - very lucky -
Harvey

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

I have a feeling that most "Camera Repair Pros" have not been trained in dunked cameras. As far as the glass works, if the "fresh" water has entered there will be dissolved mineral deposits on the glass if not rinsed. Fresh water is border line if in a toilet, but in a pond it will be a bio-brothel of activity, protozoa, diatom beasts, algae etc. Distilled water rinse is important.

Rice is at equilibrium with the moisture content of the room surroundings when you use it, by faith in urban myth, to dry electronics (in this case camera). Read the article cited above and it discusses that. I see that Wikipedia has left rice out of the list, which one of you will step forward to correct the list and put rice at the top?!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_desiccants
also again I refer all to:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57330736-263/using-desiccants-to-soak-up-wet-electro...


But these are not common and rice is will be the chant of those who have faith in "common wisdom"! Well not true. Your local drugstore will have... Calcium chloride (various names usually counting the word DRY), Magnesium sulfate (Epson salts), Sodium chloride (table salt), Sodium hydroxide (lye) (not one I recommended), and Sucrose (sugar). Again all of these should be prepared by driving off the water of hydration usually much higher than boiling point of water 212F, put the desiccant in the oven at an elevated temperature to improve the drying characteristics again, do not oven heat or even use a hair drier on the camera (unless heat is turned off).

Like many things in our modern life "highly technical" is the watch word. Read and do not act in haste and do not trust the 18 year old at the camera store who claims to be a technician... you may be at the mercy of sending the camera off and by that time the minerals in the water will have hardened on the electronics. The fist thing the technician will do is put in the battery and turn on the camera and poof.. you need a circuit board. Where as if you had rinsed the circuit board with distilled water and left alone for several days or placed in a desiccant (plastic)chamber (closed container with drying agent) you stand a much better chance of having a live camera. Excellent screw driver set (#93916) is available for less than $10 at Harbor Freight. Good luck and hang the camera on the door hook when going to the toilet,,, and do not forget it!

wlgoode Loc: Globe, AZ

I always save all packages of silica gel that I get in packaging. I have dozens. That Tupperware trick with silica gel packs & kitty litter woud work even better. After a couple of days, a day longer if you are in a humid environment, run it through all it's functions. If anything seems amiss, get it to a service shop (preferably Cannon) ASAP before corrosion sets in. If it is salt or brackish water, skip the DIY stuff & send it double pronto!!!

From retired Photo Tech.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

WLgoode, "The main ingredient that makes cat litter absorb so well is bentonite clay." and is on the desiccant list.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_desiccants

Again drying in an oven to drive off accumulated moisture is advisable.... doing this to used kitty litter will work but not advised!!! PU..:lol:

Corrosion sets in quickly. Any way you cut it, survival of a water dipped camera is very iffy.

wlgoode Loc: Globe, AZ

I agree! Silica gel absorbs faster.

Nikon_DonB Loc: Chicago

The rice and Tupperware system has worked well on many occasions for me. Save a few cell phones. Good Luck.