How to Rescue a Wet Camera
It has happened to me a couple of times covering bad weather in Scotland, to friends and colleagues, even a couple of days ago to one of my Venetian colleague.
Your precious camera meets the water...either in the form of a big splash or heavy torrential rain.
I have managed to recovered my cameras at least 2 times and I have strictly used the following method
- As soon as it happen switch off the camera, remove the battery, remove memory card, I would say this is the most important action.
- Do NOT turn the camera on ever....you may risk to short circuit important parts
- As soon as you can, make sure there are no traces of moisture visible on the camera.
- Find a container big enough to hold the camera and a couple of bags or more of rice (Yes RICE)
- can be a Tupperware container, half fill it with rice and then place the dead camera body on top of the rice with the mirror facing down.
- pour more rice on top of the camera until it is completely covered with about 1 inch of rice above the top of the camera body
- placed a tightly fitted lid on the container and place it a dry cupboard for at least one week.
After about a week of drying out in the hermetically sealed rice box you should be able to switch on the camera and scroll through all the menus..,.. if this is the case I would place the camera again in the rice for 4 or 5 days or leave it near but not too close to a radiator.