My S5ii took a bath... is it likely that it will come back to life?

[CH_CH]

Hi,
This Saturday my S5ii, with the 28-200 on, fell into the water and I only could recover it about 10 minutes later.
The lens got completely inundated.
I let it drain, went back home, took the lens off and left both parts to dry.
Anyone has experience about if I should have some hope that the camera will return to life? Or if the lens will be usable again?
BTW, it was clean, river water. Submerged just about 10cm.
ch

 

[Travis Butler]

The only suggestion I can make is that if you have access to a desiccant - silica gel packets would be best, though that’s hard to find in quantity so rice may work better - put the camera and lens in sealed containers with lots of desiccant for at least a couple of days, to get as much humidity out of them as possible.

 

[The Rigger]

I was about to suggest the rice treatment, too. The longer you leave the gear in a sealed bag of rice, the better.

 

[brucefulton]

Hi,
This Saturday my S5ii, with the 28-200 on, fell into the water and I only could recover it about 10 minutes later.
The lens got completely inundated.
I let it drain, went back home, took the lens off and left both parts to dry.
Anyone has experience about if I should have some hope that the camera will return to life? Or if the lens will be usable again?
BTW, it was clean, river water. Submerged just about 10cm.
ch

I hope you've removed the battery...

 

[Babylonia]

Hope you have a good insurance.
Check if you get fancy / arty results, by strange digital artifacts.
In past several photographers had a "water accident" of their camera.
But the results where so unpredictable and "arty", that they sold many prints as "Art Work", and have a good business by it.
-

 

[Jonathan-Mac]

Ten minutes underwater - it's very, very unlikely that either item will ever work again. By all means try the dessicant in case but I wouldn't be very hopeful.

 

[CH_CH]

Hello!
Good news from the lakeside. The camera, after 4 days in the intense heat of last week in Munich, decided to turn on, and it works, I cannot see any artifacts in sample images I took.
I guess I must praise the pure waters of the Große Laine.
Only the EVF is still clouded, but I will give it a few more days.
The lens is also functional but it now has "stuff inside", not sure how well it will perform over time. But at least I have a functional camera! Pana lost the turnover of a new S1iiE by making their S5ii sturdy enough.

 

[xaviergut]

Wow!! That is impressive!!

 

[Mmichaelhh1234]

Hope you have a good insurance.
Check if you get fancy / arty results, by strange digital artifacts.
In past several photographers had a "water accident" of their camera.
But the results where so unpredictable and "arty", that they sold many prints as "Art Work", and have a good business by it.
-

 

[Mmichaelhh1234]

Hello!
Good news from the lakeside. The camera, after 4 days in the intense heat of last week in Munich, decided to turn on, and it works, I cannot see any artifacts in sample images I took.
I guess I must praise the pure waters of the Große Laine.
Only the EVF is still clouded, but I will give it a few more days.
The lens is also functional but it now has "stuff inside", not sure how well it will perform over time. But at least I have a functional camera! Pana lost the turnover of a new S1iiE by making their S5ii sturdy enough.

I think it will take a while to clear the moisture from that lens.
Under what circumstances were you not able to retrieve it for 10 minutes?

 

[CH_CH]

I think it will take a while to clear the moisture from that lens.
Under what circumstances were you not able to retrieve it for 10 minutes?

I left it on a tripod while climbing up further waterfalls. There was a strong gust of wind. It took a while to swim back and climb down, and there it was, soaking in the shallows. At least it did not slip into the 3m deep pool! The 10 mins is a guess, based on when we felt the strong wind that we suspect must have tripped it.
Fact is, both camera and lens where *fully* inundated inside when I got them out, so it was enough time. I am honestly (pleasently) surprised that the camera came back. Was gonna pouce on a S1iiE + Sigma 20-200, the recovery just saved me 3k.
BTW, I just tried and the EVF is fine now too.
The lens itself has several spots with humidity or lime residue on the inside of the 2nd outer (front) element, fotos look ok but I suspect some issues will appear long time.

 

[Jonathan-Mac]

I'm frankly amazed that your camera survived that experience.

There's no way I would leave a camera on a tripod like that, even if it wasn't in or near water - the impact from tipping on to dry land might well be enough to damage it.

 

[Mmichaelhh1234]

I left it on a tripod while climbing up further waterfalls. There was a strong gust of wind. It took a while to swim back and climb down, and there it was, soaking in the shallows. At least it did not slip into the 3m deep pool! The 10 mins is a guess, based on when we felt the strong wind that we suspect must have tripped it.
Fact is, both camera and lens where *fully* inundated inside when I got them out, so it was enough time. I am honestly (pleasently) surprised that the camera came back. Was gonna pouce on a S1iiE + Sigma 20-200, the recovery just saved me 3k.
BTW, I just tried and the EVF is fine now too.
The lens itself has several spots with humidity or lime residue on the inside of the 2nd outer (front) element, fotos look ok but I suspect some issues will appear long time.

That is truly impressive that the camera recovered, I was always under the impression those electronics were very sensitive.
I heard another story of a guy who slipped on a rock into a stream and soaked his camera. It too came back.
Good for you! These things are very costly.

 

[Jonathan-Mac]

For anyone else thinking about leaving a camera unattended on a tripod, you may want to look into a tripod rock bag to add stability. Often a rucksack or similar hung below can do the same thing - I added a hook to the lower end of the central column of my tripod to do just that, it's very easy.

 

[Travis Butler]

That is truly impressive that the camera recovered, I was always under the impression those electronics were very sensitive.
I heard another story of a guy who slipped on a rock into a stream and soaked his camera. It too came back.
Good for you! These things are very costly.

The worst thing that ever happened to me along those lines was with my Lumix GX1. I was sitting in the bleachers at a concert, and using a mini-pod to stabilize it against my chest. I set it down for a minute on the bleachers next to me, as it was recording video, and then foot-stomping from the audience sent it over the edge. About 4 meters onto a concrete surface. Amazingly enough, it survived and so did the Lumix 20/1.8 mounted on it; I suppose it helped that the 20/1.8 is a relatively simple lens. I think I still have the video someplace.

And to tie in the DSLR thread, I really doubt a mirror box would have survived a fall like that. o.o

 

[Mmichaelhh1234]

The worst thing that ever happened to me along those lines was with my Lumix GX1. I was sitting in the bleachers at a concert, and using a mini-pod to stabilize it against my chest. I set it down for a minute on the bleachers next to me, as it was recording video, and then foot-stomping from the audience sent it over the edge. About 4 meters onto a concrete surface. Amazingly enough, it survived and so did the Lumix 20/1.8 mounted on it; I suppose it helped that the 20/1.8 is a relatively simple lens. I think I still have the video someplace.

And to tie in the DSLR thread, I really doubt a mirror box would have survived a fall like that. o.o

Hard to say, but the sensor with stabilization seems to be a very sensitive setup also. I was told it can be damaged if not properly locked down before cleaning much less a nasty fall like that.
Pretty impressive indeed that it survived. There must have been some damage?!?!

P.S. I was shooting yesterday with my S1iie as well as my D850 (the D850 was on so I could catch a fast moving bird because I don’t leave my mirrorless on standby because they eat battery) and the auto focus seems to beat both the S1R and the S1iie.
I don’t know what settings he’ll I need to enter to get these fu%#ers to stop hunting, but…

 

[xaviergut]

I remember now that two years ago in a summer swimming-pool I was playing around with an Olympus Tough TG-6, that can be submerged up to 15 meters (50 feet) underwater without a housing for up to 60 minutes at a time, and I forgot to lock the dual latches where you don't see the red warning indicator. I put the camera underwater and felt a brief cramp, and it never worked again... so you never know what can happen with cameras...