My 70D with 24-105L took a quick dive in the Pacific

[USinCA]

5 days ago I took a clumsy trip over a rock at the beach and my 70D along with the 24-105L landed in the surf. My heart stood still. I took the battery and card out right away and wiped everything dry. Back at the hotel I tried to wipe everything clean with a wet washcloth but sand is in all the crevaces and some of the buttons and switches on my camera don't move or only move with difficulty. The focusing and zoom rings on the lens sound horrible. 

Do you think I there's a chance the camera and lens can be salvaged?

[kvbarkley · Accepted solution]

Nope. 

Submerging in distilled water is bad.

Submerging in salt water is really bad.

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

[wq9nsc · Accepted solution]

The only way you stand even a slim chance of salvaging electronics that has been salt water immersed is to IMMEDIATELY remove any batteries and within minutes, not hours, flush completely with fresh followed by distilled water (deionized water if the gear uses high voltage).  HOWEVER, with the amount of mechanical components in a camera, the above process MAY save the electronics but mechanical parts don't like water or this type of cleaning either and a lot of camera stuff is lubricated for life with no real way to replace the lubricant after this sort of treatment.

Cut your losses and prepare to replace the gear.  Don't put it near/with any of your other camera gear because it has the perfect setup now to grow fungus in the lens.

Rodger

[USinCA]

Oh boy! That's what I was afraid to hear. I baby my gear so this is really painful 😞

[wq9nsc]

I am sorry it happened to you BUT gear was meant to be used and that means sometimes it will also get broken.  I am sure you got a lot of enjoyment out of the camera and lens and you will do the same with the replacement so don't let this detract from your enjoying what you do in the future. 

I take good care of my camera gear also but I also use it and I have shot a lot of sports in the rain.  I also drive my Corvette Z06 in the rain while many owners refuse to let their Corvette get wet.  Some of those owners would keel over on the spot if they saw the "monsoon room" at Bowling Green assembly plant where each new Corvette gets tested for leaks after it comes off of the powertrain test rollers 🙂

On a serious note, the memory card should never be used again but you can probably retrieve images from it if there was anything you want to save.  Give the card several baths in fresh water with a final quick rinse in distilled (or if you are in an area where you use dehumidifiers the water from it will be fine for the final bath).  Dry the card in the sun for a day or two and then try to retrieve the images.  But don't try to use your card with your next camera because even if it works now its reliability has been severely compromised.

Rodger

[ebiggs1]

"I am sorry it happened to you BUT gear was meant to be used and that means sometimes it will also get broken."

This is a point I always make and right at the first to my classes.  Its not much use if it is a bag queen but it will always look good.  So, if look good gear is your goal a bag queen it is but if you want great shots you need to USE your gear. It's just a camera and there are many more.  Time to check out a nice new 90D.  You might call Canon and see if the loyalty program is still on.

[John_SD]

Sorry to read of your mishap, but it is highly unlikely your gear can be salvaged. Accidents do happen, I'm afraid. Living in San Diego, I spend my share of time shooting near water, in the mountains and in the desert. All are far from clean studio, lab, or museum-like settings. So I have learned how to deal with the elements. Now that doesn't take into account an accidental fall into the surf of dropping your camera into the Pacific, hopefully a rare event. But if you are planning to spend much time on the sand, water, or dirt, I would suggest you get a protective filter on the front of your lens. I use an ND filter. Sure, you can get by for a time with a hood, but that's not going to protect your front element when the desert winds have been kicking up all day, or you're at the tide pools or oceanside taking spray and sand all morning long. Some people will poo-poo the use of filters. These are people who are in clean environments and don't need them. YMMV. 

[kvbarkley]

It is the GAS* god's way of telling you that you need a new camera.

*Gear Acquisition Syndrome

[shadowsports]

Adding...

Complete loss.  Don't bother with any types or repair.  

We are sorry.  

[USinCA]

Ugh, even the memory card? I got the images off, so that's good. I guess i'll mark it and keep it as an emergency back-up card (in other words I'll probably never use it again)