PowerShot ELPH 520 HS won't turn on after going for a swim

[Erik_LT]

 

 

About a week ago I had accidentally dove into the River with my Canon PowerShot ELPH 520 HS (although I could only find the ELPH 500 on the Canon website) and it stopped working. I’m sure it’s water damage but since it’s freshwater I thought it would be find after some time drying off in a bag with a silica packet (I took out the battery after realizing it was in my pocket). It has yet to turn on. Canon no longer offers repair services for this product and I’ve seen that they only allow canon technicians to repair their products. So, what is my best route?

[Tronhard · Accepted solution]

Hi Erik and welcome to the forum:
This kind of thing can happen to the best of us, so you have my sympathies. 

I would take out the battery, and the card, open up all the ports you can and put it in a fairly warm (but not hot) place for several days.    If that does not work then I frankly doubt that it will be viable to get fixed.  Once a tech knows it's been immersed many will not touch it.   

I had a much-loved camera flooded when an apparently weather-sealed bag I bought specially was flooded in a massive storm on a hike - so very fresh water.  I went through that process but it was never the same. Examination showed that there was oxidization on the circuit board.  So, I would suggest to you that if you get it to work, enjoy it while you can, but don't be surprised if it deteriorates and dies.   

If you get a replacement, there are several tough cameras out there on the market - particularly the Olympus TG-series.  I have one and they are excellent: you can go diving with them and they have a great macro feature to boot. 

[Tronhard · Accepted solution]

Hi Erik and welcome to the forum:
This kind of thing can happen to the best of us, so you have my sympathies. 

I would take out the battery, and the card, open up all the ports you can and put it in a fairly warm (but not hot) place for several days.    If that does not work then I frankly doubt that it will be viable to get fixed.  Once a tech knows it's been immersed many will not touch it.   

I had a much-loved camera flooded when an apparently weather-sealed bag I bought specially was flooded in a massive storm on a hike - so very fresh water.  I went through that process but it was never the same. Examination showed that there was oxidization on the circuit board.  So, I would suggest to you that if you get it to work, enjoy it while you can, but don't be surprised if it deteriorates and dies.   

If you get a replacement, there are several tough cameras out there on the market - particularly the Olympus TG-series.  I have one and they are excellent: you can go diving with them and they have a great macro feature to boot. 

[Erik_LT]

Thank you, Trevor, I appreciate the sentiments, unfortunately that camera, as much as I had hoped that it would work again, is all dead and gone. Thank you for the reply once again.

[Tronhard]

I am honestly not surprised.  Once electronics gets wet, it's very likely to be game over.   All you can do is look for a good replacement.  If you tend to go hiking or other outdoors activities, then a touch camera is definitely a worthy consideration.  Good luck.

[shadowsports · Accepted solution]

Erik_LT,

I share Trevor's sentiments.  Sadly fresh water isn't as fresh as we'd all like to believe and contaminants exist even with UV, micron filtration, reverse osmosis......  Lakes, rivers, pools are all no good.  You can speed things up using a heating pad on low and adding a wash cloth with the camera on top of that.  Probability of revival is low.  Sometimes we see partial recovery.  Camera turns on but won't take pictures, a button doesn't work, etc.  I hope it works out for you.  🙏  Best path forward.  Likely a new camera.