"weather-proof lens" tragedy

[helvetica]

I have always taken a bit of smug pride that "pro" DSLR systems are designed to shoot in the environmental situations that would make most cringe. What good is having a fancy camera if you have to put it away as soon as there is a little rain? Shooting in the rain on a bouncing, splashing boat is just all better. Water dripping on the lens and camera? No worry, this is a "fully weather sealed" camera and 2.8 zoom. I almost took a picture to capture my smugness at how well the equipment was handling how much water had splashed on it.

But that's not the story.

Safely tucked away, deep in the bow of the boat I had another weather sealed lens complete with rubber bayonet gasket. In a bag. In a place where no one would bother it and it would be totally safe. Turns out that the fresh water system made a puddle that this bag was sitting in that then filled the lens cap and the bottom elements and circuit boards.

Lens caps, it would seem, take water as well as The Man Upstairs takes hubris!

 

[Ljós]

Dang! I feel for you. Too bad the rubber gasket of the lens is not a tight fit with the lens cap...

You can use this as a "reason" of course to buy another sealed pro-camerabody 🙂 Makes for a waterproof lenscap!

 

[Jockos]

I think most Canon lenses are only properly sealed if they have a filter screwed on, and if I remember correctly, it says so in the manual as well..

 

[helvetica]

I think most Canon lenses are only properly sealed if they have a filter screwed on, and if I remember correctly, it says so in the manual as well..

This is true, but the bottom of the lens was where the water was. It was effectively standing in a small puddle. Likewise there's a big difference between "splash proof" and "stationary for period of time in water"!

 

[j.scooter]

Ohh so sorry to hear that.
Hope you had insurance.

Lucky it was fresh water, there would be no hope if it was saltwater. Have you taken out the battery put everything in an air tight container with rice?

People I know have had some luck with this after their cell phone went through the washing machine. Not the same but perhaps worth a try?

 

[oftheherd]

Wow, that's a real bummer. I have never had a weather proof camera, but was never afraid to use them in the rain if I could keep them under an umbrella, raincoat, or hat brim, and dried them often. But to get stuck in water, never luckily.

So sorry. Have you done anything like j.scooter suggested, or contacted a repair shop? Time is usually important in cases like these from all I have read.

 

[robert blu]

Sorry to hear this!
robert

 

[helvetica]

The saving graces at this point is that it was tap/drinking water, not lake or salt water, and the lens was not attached to a body, and therefore was not powered on. I'll do everything that I can to dry out any remaining condensations and vapors, and then give it a try.

All in all, it's aggravating that's the unpleasant side of the risk equation. The price you pay for having gear with you when you want to shoot in the elements is that it could be "excessively subjected" - no matter how hard you try to mitigate the risk.

 

[farlymac]

I was told once a long time ago to put every separate item in a plastic baggie when taking camera gear on a boat. Saved a friend of mine lots of grief when his canoe capsized.

Hope you get your lens back to working order.

PF

 

[helvetica]

I was told once a long time ago to put every separate item in a plastic baggie when taking camera gear on a boat. Saved a friend of mine lots of grief when his canoe capsized.

Hope you get your lens back to working order.

PF

That's not a bad idea!