Water in my camera? - WHAT?!?!?

D

DDirector

Veteran
So, I got NO possible idea how this happened. I wasn't even outside with the camera. I turned on my camera and it wouldnt start. Tried again. Nothing. Removed the battery and tried again. Nothing. Looked inside and found water inside. HOW?!?!

The inside of where the battery had some water in it, and the memory card has a label on it numbering the card, that is also wet and wrinkly. So, there was water inside.
Anyways, now it doesn't want to turn on. What do I do?!
 
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Hey DDirector,
Sorry to hear about that, it's probably most frustrating that you don't know how it even happened. My old rebel had a similar issue with water damage (wasn't a mystery though) and I ended up leaving it in the driest place in my house, my cabinet. I removed the battery door, opened the compact flash door, and pretty much every other port I could find, including the lens port. The hardest part is not turning the camera on to check. Technically you want to avoid trying to turn on the camera with water damage to avoid a short, or so I've been told. Since you've already done that though, I'd still suggest opening it up and letting it dry out over night.

Hope you wake up to a camera that turns on!
 
Alright. Will do.
How long should I keep it off for though? And what happens if its still not working?

This is the strangest thing I have ever seen my camera do.
 
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I'd probably leave it off for as long as possible, if you don't need it tomorrow, ideally 24 hours. Make sure that you dry as much of it as you can as well using a towel (I've even heard of people using blow dryers, but keep them at a safe distance), that includes the inside of the battery compartment. Also the battery should definitely be out of the unit.

If it still doesn't work, you're in a tough situation. Just like cell phones, the cameras most likely have a water detection sticker inside of them. I'd get in contact with your local Canon Repair center, or the reseller you bought it from.
 
This is probably a case of condensation. A cold object brought into a warm-moist environment will form droplets of water on its surfaces, just like a cold beer or soda can.

The recommendation above is correct. In addition to opening it up, a soft breeze and/or mild heat will accelerate the drying. Of course, you don't want to blow contaminants into the camera. You may already have done the damage by turning it on. But there is still hope. Let it dry for as long as you can stand. Since your in Ontario, you probably have some sort of dry heat such a forced-air furnace. This is good. You have dry air (unless you have a humidifier. Turn it off). If there is still water that you can observe ,wait for it to dry and wait at least another 24 hours; preferably longer.

Good luck.
 
if you're putting it on a closet or something like that, throw in there also some of those dryer packets full of tiny spheres that come with electronics equipment

if there has been no short yet, chances are the camera will come back to life when it is appropriately dry; I've seen a mobile phone survive a horrible experience after it was forgotten in the pocket of some trousers that went into the washing machine for a full cycle in warm water...
 
^Yes, rice or silicon packets, and even breeze from a fan will help with evaporation.

Leave it as long as possible and do not apply power. You may have shorted it already in trying to apply power when it was wet, but cross your fingers!

As a general rule, if water comes in contact w/ electronics, turn them off immediately and allow to dry before applying power again.

Good luck!
 
nicksnow said:
Stop trying to shoot underwater shots when you're blackout drunk.
Click to expand...
Ohh. :shocked:

lol But, seriously. I honestly dont know how this happened. The camera was in my bag. In the room. I always leave it like that. And all of a sudden water that appeared from nowhere found its way into the camera. To top it all off, the camera died on my birthday :cry: lol
 
Oh god...
I waited over 24hrs. Just tried turning it on.
It turned on. Then, it shut off, then it turned back on, and off, and on. Its like its taking continuous pictures but shutting on and off.

Well, I guess I wont be shooting my videos next week.

/slkdfjgsp@#$!d0fgiuj#$%!awren&#@lwmenrps@#$%kdfjmz@xn$%*@@#$% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
DDirector said:
Oh god...
I waited over 24hrs. Just tried turning it on.
It turned on. Then, it shut off, then it turned back on, and off, and on. Its like its taking continuous pictures but shutting on and off.

Well, I guess I wont be shooting my videos next week.

/slkdfjgsp@#$!d0fgiuj#$%!awren&#@lwmenrps@#$%kdfjmz@xn$%*@@#$% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

I'de suggest trying another battery in it. If it's turning off and on and off and on, sounds like it could be an issue with the contacts. Whether or not the issue is with the contacts on the battery or on the camera, is unknown without isolating each factor.
 
to my ears, the fact that it does turn on at all means it is alive

now, the thing is, why does it then go off?

my guess is: there's still some water in there; not all shorts will kill your equipment, this one may just cause it to malfunction (or maybe the camera is smart enough to detect something is wrong and turn itself off)

i'd give it some more time to rest
 
Yea, the fact that it does anything is promising. It could be shoring out some other functions of the camera. I'd let it sit a bit longer, with a fan on it, to dry out any further water. Try changing its positions too, as the water will get trapped in different nooks and crannies...

If it were truly dead, I would think you wouldn't get any reaction from turning it on.
 
Those are excellent signs of a possible full recovery. The suggestions given are good. It takes a very very long time to get moisture out of an interior surface without heat or air flow. Without heat or airflow, there is no reason for the water to evaporate away. Don't use a blow dryer, it's too strong a breeze and too hot. A warm room and a gentle fan are more appropriate.
 
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