Canon t6 submerged in small stream

[RosieBennetch]

Hey there, everyone. Today I was out taking some pictures along a small stream in our front yard when the unfortunate happened. My Canon Rebel T6 slipped out of my hand and was completely submerged in the water for several seconds. What are the best steps to drying it out? Is it salvageable? Or should I send for cleaning and repairs?

[Tronhard · Accepted solution]

Hi Rosie and welcome to the forum:

I'm sorry to learn of your unfortunate accident.

The bad news is that because the T6 is not weather sealed, it is almost certain that water has permeated throughout the body, and unless you have an L-series lens, the lens is compromised too.

If the camera was turned on at the time, it will have had current going through the system when it was drowned, so likely it has had some electrical short damage - even if it seems to come back, it will almost certainly develop oxidization in the electronics and eventually fail.  You could try removing the lens and battery, draining the body as best you can and then placing it by a warm, but not hot, heat source.  However, IMHO you are putting off the inevitable.

Honestly, I suspect that drying out the camera i not going to solve your issue.  It is extremely unlikely that a service is going to do anything for you either, and likely will be declined.   The lens is likely to develop fungus internally and that too is the end of the optic.

The good news is that , given the time of year, you can take advantage of post-Christmas deals and get a newer camera to replace the T6. Don't use the old lens on it, get a new camera and lens.

[RosieBennetch]

Hey Tronhard.

Thanks so much for you input. That gives me what I need to know.

[Tronhard]

You are most welcome Rosie.  The next question will be what you should replace your camera with if you go shopping.

If you want advice on that, I would suggest starting a new thread, providing the following information:

1. Budget - an actual dollar value
2. What things you like to photograph - which helps us give advice on the optics.  A general usage will suggest an all-around lens, while specialist interests like wildlife, macro, portraits can lean to other optics.  Do you do video as will as stills?
3. What you create - producing digital images requires much less investment than large, fine Art prints for example.

What is your current other gear - do you have a significant investment in lenses for example?
4. What are you prepared to carry?  Large, heavy cameras may not be convenient to carry.

[shadowsports]

Trevor,

it's great to see you back.  Happy holidays!!

[Tronhard]

Thanks so much Rick! 😊

I may not be as prolific as normal for a while, but I haven't given up the ghost yet...

[shadowsports]

Unfortunate, but avoidable.  Please consider when you replace.  I swear by mine.  

Black RapidsPeak Design

[wq9nsc]

Rosie,

If you haven't already tossed the camera, pull the battery and let it dry for several days.  Depending upon where you live, this time of year it is probably very dry but putting it near a mild to moderate heat source (like the output from a central heat register) will help to dry it.  Let it go for a couple of days and then put the battery back in.

If it works good, if not replace it.  Fresh water isn't good for electronics but unlike salt water it isn't necessarily a killer.  The conductivity of fresh water is very low and the voltage level in the camera is so low that little or no current will flow.  Modern circuit boards are wave soldered and in most countries, they get a water bath (instead of more environmentally harmful solvents) to remove the wave solder residue.  So water isn't necessarily a death sentence for electronic gear.

Rodger

[Tronhard]

Hi Rodger:
In the short term I would agree it is worth trying and may bring it back to life for a while, but the advice I give is directly from Canon Service. 

I had a Canon EOS M5 camera flooded during a torrential downpour that got into my 'weather-sealed' camera bag.  I poured the water out of it and dried it off, much as you suggest, but it was working intermittently.  I took it to Canon service who called me in to look at it.  There was definite corrosion on the board, (and the camera was not turned on when it was soaked) and that was from rain - which is likely less toxic than stream water that may have various pollutants in it.  They simply refused to fix it - which I completely understand.

One can try the same trick with the lens, but the likelihood of fungus growing in there is quite high.  Both of these are insidious effects. 

I might add that the T6 is an older body and the lowest end of the DSLR range, compared to the M5 so has the least sealing.  If the lens is a kit lens, likely it it has no environmental sealing either.   Given the time of year, if the OP wants a camera that will last, in her place I would put in an insurance claim and get a new unit in the boxing day sales.

So my response is - try it, but don't expect it to be a lasting solution.