I was with a workshop student recently in Bangkok when we got stuck in the rain. The temptation to shoot in the rain was too great and she pulled out the camera now and then to snap a shot (the photos did come out quite nice!) Unfortunately her camera began to malfunction and stopped working completely after a couple of minutes. Needless to say she was quite upset, but I assured her that I had a solution that would most likely solve the problem. When I told her what we would do she looked at me as if I was completely mentally ill...until the next day when her camera was snapping away as if nothing had happened to it.
Here is a bit of information on what you can do if you camera gets wet (this is probably where i should say that I am no expert on this subject and I am sure it would always be best to have a professional look at your camera if it gets wet.) However, if you are in a remote spot and and you accept the risks of trying this, it just might get you out of a bind.
This can be applied to mobile phones and many other electronic items, not just cameras.
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The first thing to do is to pop the battery out as quickly as possible (if it will take you a while to get to the battery, for instance with a phone, then make sure the power is off...even if the camera is still working for moment, shut it off immediately.
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If you are in the US or Europe, or you want to pack this in your luggage, a desiccant (a substance that soaks up moisture and humidity around it) is the ideal substance for you. Here is one from B&H Photo that is something like what you can use/have around.
Now, if you don't have the luxury of having a nice photo shop nearby, which I rarely do, here is what has worked for me and my students:
1.) Buy a large bag of rice. In Bangkok we picked up a ten pound bag at Seven Eleven for a few dollars.
2.) Get a couple of extra bags from the shop when you buy it, or swipe a few garbage bags from your hotel when you get back.
3.) Stuff some toilette paper or plastic where the battery was so that rice does not get lodged in the camera.
4.) Take about a quarter of the rice out of the bag then stick your camera in the bag.
5.) Pour back the rice you took out on top of your camera and try to have it cover the entire camera.
6.) Close the bag up tightly so no outside air can get in. Wrap the other bags around it as well, just to be sure air wont get in.
7.) Wait at least 24 hours, take our your camera, de-rice it, pop in the battery and say a prayer.
Whatever water was in your camera should now be in the rice and assuming no circuits got fried, your camera should now work. And you can now give the bag of rice to a family in need and they will get some good meals out of it!
Warning: I am not an expert, so you assume all the risk if you try this. It is something that works for me but your results may vary. I claim no liability for the advice contained in post.
You never know when you're going to need golden advice like that. Thanks for the tip!
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I've saved my iPhone the same way. Works great. It's important to shut down the device though. This trick can't solve any short circuit problems. But you made that quite clear already ;)
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Uncle Bens boil in a bag Nikon!
Posted by: Paul Hodgson | November 04, 2011 at 16:52
"And you can now give the bag of rice to a family in need and they will get some good meals out of it!"
That's why you rock! You genuinely love the people you photograph!
I once saw photojournalists excited as hell and so happy, to be fortunate enough to shoot the messed up bodies of bus accident victims and exclaiming how fantastic their photographs have come out! All with big smiles!
And I know a photographer doing a story on railway children doing drugs. And when he didn't get access easily, he'd just buy them lots of glue so that he can do the story.
Do you think there should be a thin line between what-is-good and what-is-good-on-paper?
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Posted by: Sandra Davis | November 12, 2011 at 04:56
When I told her what we would do she looked at me as if I was completely mentally ill...until the next day when her camera was snapping away as if nothing had happened to it.
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