[photoaki]

Yes, my K100DS was dunked in the Chattahoochee, twice.
Being a moron, I decided that I could not miss the opportunity for great shots while tubing down the river and was very sure of my ability to stay above the water. Well, the river won 2-0.

The current status of the equipment is this. DA 18-55 seems to be dead; moisture and sand internally and crunchy feel on zoom and focus rings.
K100DS powers on, but LCD and SD reader are not working. Camera will focus and snap a photo, but nothing shows up on screen or gets written to SD.

Now, I am looking for some advice from someone who may have had a similar misfortune.
Is it even worth the trouble of sending it to a repair center?

[flyer]

Let the thing dry completely for some days. Some other people have had the same misfortune, and some cameras recovered. Not all of them, but some...


Good luck!

[ytterbium]

And dont try to turn it on anymore unless it is completely dry!!!
Maybe give it a gentle, cold/warm (not hot) blow with a hair-dryer for few minutes to get some dry air in there so the moisture dosn't just "rot" in there (better indirect, like bounced off your palm or something).
Remove the batteries, open up everything you can (card slots, romeve lens, VF cap, open connector door, remove card etc).

And remember that you should never power up any electrical equipment unless it has fully dried. The moisture may make contacts (short out something) and allow for current to flow in undesirable paths damaging electronics.

[xhanatos]

seriously, you should have removed the battery ASAP and not tried turning it on at least for a 5-10 days - make sure the innards are dry.

if i were you, i'd disassemble the camera and leave it in semi-direct sunlight. at night, put the camera in box with tons of silica gel. and repeat for the next 7 days. put the camera together and hope the lcd etc works.

if your lens have sand in it, i reckon your camera may have it as well

do you have home and home contents insurance? your camera may be covered for accidental damage?

[acrbill]

once you tried turning it on it probably is dead. If you or anyone ever finds themselves with wet electronics like a camera or cell phone the best bet is to open every available compartment and put it in a bag of uncooked rice for a few days. The rice will absorb all of the moisture. It may or may not work but it offers the best chance of it drying it out.

[Daveinozbikes]

Alan Jackson sang a great song about the that River.......best of luck

[Cosmo]

Open sd slot, tip up to allow water to run out, wait till all the water is out the camera.

RIVER - CAMERA - TUBE - <<<<<<<DUDE>>>>>>>>

After tubing all of my life... I can count on one hand the amount of times I went down a river without at least one dunk... well one hand with all of my fingers cut off...

Especially with the up and down in the tube required for photographing...


sorry to hear about your camera...

But everyone here is right... if you dunk your 'electronic' anything... the first urge is to turn it on to see if it works... >>>DONT<<< Immediately remove the Batts and start a drying process as soon as possible.

[photoaki]

Well, it's been nearly two and half years and thought it may be interesting to post an update.
I am glad to report that the K100DS came back to life and is still kicking, body and the kit lens. Fully functional in all aspects.
Not sure how many shots I've taken since, but it has to be > 1000.

I just got me a brand new K-5, so did a quick experiment to compare image quality using (a) the old and twice dunked in the river 100DS + DA 18-55 3.5-5.6, and (b) brand new K-5 + DA 55-300 F4-5.8. Shot same subject at 55mm 1/20s F13 ISO 800 6MB resolution.
See if you can match the pics to the camera/lens.

Full Image 1
Full Image 2
Detail Image 1
Detail Image 2

Difference should be obvious and expected, but still amazes me that this hw is still working.
Would be interesting to try the same experiment with a Canon 7D and Nikon D600. (in the interest of science of course)
I don't own either, so maybe one of you guys that jumped ship (no pun intended).

[Lowell Goudge]

There is no surprise at all in a camera being dunked and coming back to life, at let not for me.

My kayak got swamped in 2004 including my *istD and FA-28-105 power zoom

I pulled the batteries out because it was locked in a continuous shoot mode regardless of being turned off. Put it in the sun for abut 4 hours. All covers open, batteries out, memory card out, lens off. Lens also in sun with no caps.

After 4 hours, put it all together and it worked. That was 8+ years and 13000 shots ago. It still gets use even though I have upgraded 3 times since, K10D, K7D and K5D. Last time I used it was last week in fact.

The whole issue is to dry it out, that's all

[stormtech]

An update after 2.5 years - awesome!

These cameras are tough - no doubt.

I am sure you are going to really enjoy your new K-5, but after what the K100DS has been through with you, I hope you are going to keep it.

[Giklab]

It's great your camera started working again.

Cpt. Obvious moment: Pic 1 is from the K-5.

[photoaki]

Cpt. Obvious moment: Pic 1 is from the K-5.

Indeed.
But, isn't the K100DS' durability and pic quality remarkable?

[Giklab]

It cartainly holds up well for its age. And at ISO 800 to boot!

[skoon]

i remeber back in 83 or so seeing a guy drop a Canon A1 into a lake outside a fishing camp, he panicked extensively till the guide fished it out, he rewound the film took it out and gave the camera to the guide.