Help - Broken Nikon D850: I had my D850+300PF out shooting in an on-again off-again rain yesterday and when it really started to pour I tucked it inside my raincoat for about 15...

iSequoia

I had my D850+300PF out shooting in an on-again off-again rain yesterday and when it really started to pour I tucked it inside my raincoat for about 15 minutes as I walked back to the car. Once home I found that the top side LCD was wet inside and not displaying and the final series of shot were all dark grey. Probably from the high humidity inside my coat??.

I opened all the flaps, removed the lens and dried it in a vented cardboard box at a carefully controlled 100 degrees farenheight. Now everything except the top LCD is working just fine so I can use it but it’s less convenient and I like to get it fixed.

Has anyone had a similar failure and had it successfully repaired? If so by whom and at what cost?

Thanks in advance,
iSequoia

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Wow, a D850 too. All may not be lost. I've heard stories packing your cameras in rice. Using a hair dryer, etc. I witnessed, some time ago, a man accidentally drop his D810 in a deep swimming pool. It did not turn on. I don't know if it did later on. I never saw him again. It sounds like condensation got inside your camera. A Canon SX50 owner dropped his camera in a creek. It didn't turn on either. He put in on an open shelf for one week to air dry. It turned on. He removed the battery first. Good luck.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

iSequoia wrote:

I had my D850+300PF out shooting in an on-again of... (show quote)

Bummer. The D850 is supposed to be a weather sealed camera, that being said, like the above, seems like condensation in your camera from being under your coat. Take out the battery and lens, leave all the flaps and doors open for a few days in a climate controlled room where there is no air blowing directly and see what happens.

If that doesn't work, send it to Nikon in New Jersey for a look. If it is a defect, should be under warranty.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

Bummer. The D850 is supposed to be a weather sealed camera, that being said, like the above, seems like condensation in your camera from being under your coat. Take out the battery and lens, leave all the flaps and doors open for a few days in a climate controlled room where there is no air blowing directly and see what happens.

If that doesn't work, send it to Nikon in New Jersey for a look. If it is a defect, should be under warranty.

I agree - there may still be hope. I have seen multiple cases where an LCD display that went either completely blank or black after being exposed to moisture “recover” slowly as it dried out until complete functionality was restored a week or so after the exposure.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

All camera bodies have to be vented in order to take in and release air as lens elements move. I have observed while zooming the 200-500 that both the D810 and D850 are vented in the area of the viewfinder eyepiece...you can easily feel the air coming out when collapsing a zoom of that size. If you were holding the camera with the lens pointed down, I'd say there is a good chance that rain may have entered the camera through the vent. Note that I have not found the actual opening yet, but it's clear that it's there somewhere.

It may be too late at this point, but you might lay the camera on its back in the hopes that at least some of the water might drain back out through the vent.

This is not be a design flaw, but rather a required design element. Without it, you would not be able to zoom or focus easily, and extending zooms like the 200-500 would not hold their zoom positions against the pressure or vacuum created when the barrel retracts or extends. You may expect some pushback from Nikon on having warranty cover cost if repair is necessary.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

I would wait a little while before sending it in. Pack it in a bag of dry rice. Be careful of dust. If that doesn't work send it in.

TMurphy71

Rice creates too much dust. Grab a few large desiccant packs (available at most shipping stores). These are in a packet but much bigger than the ones you find in pockets of new clothes. Worth a try.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

I thought Nikon repair facility is in New York.

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

Bummer. The D850 is supposed to be a weather sealed camera, that being said, like the above, seems like condensation in your camera from being under your coat. Take out the battery and lens, leave all the flaps and doors open for a few days in a climate controlled room where there is no air blowing directly and see what happens.

If that doesn't work, send it to Nikon in New Jersey for a look. If it is a defect, should be under warranty.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Brucej67 wrote:

I thought Nikon repair facility is in New York.

Longuyland.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Brucej67 wrote:

I thought Nikon repair facility is in New York.

Yes, in Melville. The poster may be thinking of Canon which is in NJ.

VTMatwood Loc: Displaced Vermonta in Central New Hampsha

I second the “do not use rice” statement. Go to the UPS store or somewhere similar and get some dessicant packs. Using rice will trade one problem for another. Finges crossed for you iSequoia.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

iSequoia wrote:

I had my D850+300PF out shooting in an on-again of... (show quote)

Just because a camera and lens are sealed it does not mean you can take it out in a bad rain storm and shoot. I have heard many many stories about folks taking their sealed camera's to the beach on windy days thinking nothing will happen to their SEALED equipment when in actuality salt water gets in and starts to work it's magic.
I am sorry this happened to you. This is why I always carry a trash bag in my back pocket. When it starts to rain I put my SEALED equipment into a bag and do not allow it to even get a drop of water on it.
It is unfortunately a hard lesson learned.

NJFrank Loc: New Jersey

Brucej67 wrote:

I thought Nikon repair facility is in New York.

They have an authorized repair shop in Springfield NJ, Mack Photo. They have been around forever.

twillsol Loc: St. Louis, MO

iSequoia wrote:

I had my D850+300PF out shooting in an on-again of... (show quote)

I could be wrong, but I believe that Nikon will tell you that the D850 is water resistant, not water proof. My friend has a D5 that he thought was water proof only to find out that the D5 is water resistant. Cost $485.00 to fix fried electronics; thank goodness he has insurance to cove it.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

If you ever travel to Washington State, I encourage you to take rain protection for your camera. I have visited Seattle twice. Once in the Spring, and once in the Fall. Each time it rained profusely. Beautiful city for photography though.