topic Re: sea water in the lens and camera in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

sea water in the lens and camera

Eduardo21 — Mon, 02 May 2022 18:43:31 GMT

Hola, I am a scuba diver and I take underwater photography, I got sea water into the Canon Eos R as well into the macro lens, so far equipment is death, any suggestion to recover it???? do you have any idea if Can on can fix it????

Thanks.

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

Waddizzle — Mon, 02 May 2022 21:04:36 GMT

“He’s dead, Jim.”

There is hope, but it is slim to none. Time to look for new gear, I am afraid.

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

Eduardo21 — Mon, 02 May 2022 22:53:27 GMT

at the beginning I was hoping a good solution..... I will continue trying to recover it.

Thanks anyway.

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

shadowsports — Tue, 03 May 2022 00:42:56 GMT

Truthfully, Wadizzle has already given you the best answer. >> No recovery from salt water my friend <<

Hopefully you have insurance and are pursuing a claim? The next time you buy a camera, and that's what you are going to be doing here, buy insurance. Square Deal, Allstate, CPS... I don't know if damage by submerging under water is covered, but you can ask and if so, it's worth it.

Refurbished R's are on sale right now $1299. Really sorry to hear about the loss.

Refurbished EOS R Body|Canon Online Store

**CarePak covers liquid damage and the exclusions don't say anything about scuba-diving.

Canon CarePAK Plus Terms & Conditions | Canon Online Store

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

Eduardo21 — Tue, 03 May 2022 00:42:00 GMT

Thanks for your help, anyway I am going to separate piece by piece, clean it using Isopropanol and they try to assemble again..... another problem is that I can't change camera otherwise, I would need a new housing around $2K more.....

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

shadowsports — Tue, 03 May 2022 02:25:46 GMT

I know nothing about diving. Its cool, but is right up there with parachuting. OK for you, but not me. I'm an excellent swimmer and all that, but I like air. I admire those who do it though. Hats off to you. Hope it works out.

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

Eduardo21 — Tue, 03 May 2022 02:34:13 GMT

Thanks, Rick. I will let you know.

Regards, Eduardo.

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

Tronhard — Tue, 03 May 2022 06:12:08 GMT

Your issue is that salt water is extremely corrosive - as a diver, I'm sure you are very aware of this. Even if you can temporarily dry out the camera, the salt has already begun the corrosion of your circuitry. I have seen several cameras that have been damaged by just rain water, which is essentially pure, and even when dried out their circuits degrade too, and salt is far, far worse.

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

kvbarkley — Tue, 03 May 2022 13:38:08 GMT

I am not sure that salt dissolves in propanol. I am pretty sure that you need de-ionized water.

The problem is that even if you clean it and it seems to work, every time the humidity gets high enough, the leftover salt will start to eat away at things again, so you can never trust the camera to be reliable.

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

Eduardo21 — Tue, 03 May 2022 13:59:40 GMT

Thanks, Kvbarley, anyway if it is gone, I don't have anything to lose trying.

Salt will be disolved in clean water, then the propanol cleans all the circuits.

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

Eduardo21 — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:00:56 GMT

seems like I have to save money..... Thanks.

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

kvbarkley — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:37:14 GMT

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2020/08/the-fujifilm-gfx-100-vs-salt-water-teardown/

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

ebiggs1 — Tue, 03 May 2022 15:35:45 GMT

"Salt will be disolved in clean water, then the propanol cleans all the circuits."

I would really doubt that. You may be able to get all the salt contaminate out but not before it has damaged key points in the circuitry. It can take time for the corrosive damage to show up but it will. The corrosive damage happens very quickly and why some advice drowsing a camera in fresh water immediately after a salt water bath. If your photography means anything beyond just a passing interest, you will never be able to trust the camera again. Because it will fail sooner or later.

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

Eduardo21 — Tue, 03 May 2022 17:20:06 GMT

Thanks Ebiggs1, is it possible to change the circuits???? if yes, do you know who can do it????

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

Eduardo21 — Tue, 03 May 2022 17:27:28 GMT

wowwww, I am going to get a new one.......

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

ebiggs1 — Tue, 03 May 2022 17:47:36 GMT

I am sure anything is possible but not cost effective. More to fix than it is worth. Plus very difficult to guarantee all the salt and corrosion is removed.

Re: sea water in the lens and camera

kvbarkley — Tue, 03 May 2022 18:27:33 GMT

As soon as they find out it is salt water, they will refuse to repair it since it can't be guaranteed.