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Tuesday 25 September 2012

Canon 7D not working!!!

My camera STILL hasn't dried out this morning and I am absolutely gutted. The lens has de-fogged though. I have worked so hard in the rain to find birds the last couple of days and the first sunny morning appears when I should be out birding. This is the day when something mega WILL appear. I was going back to Gun Hill first thing this morning to take a look at an interesting warbler I saw glimpses of in the deluge, but I will be driving to Norwich instead to buy another camera. I know the camera will possibly dry out, but reading forums and stuff late last night tells me that sometimes some of the functions on the camera stop working. A friend of mine said this morning (who doesn't do photography) 'you can still go birding without your camera' - yes I could, BUT NO I CAN'T. Bins and camera are now one package as far as I am concerned. I left the lens on the camera for the last hour and a half and the camera then turned on but the lens was fogged up again! So maybe the dampness has migrated to the lens, so in turn allowing the camera to turn on? I have now taken the lens off and positioned by the radiator, as I need this clear again before I leave my house this morning. Its no good going to Norwich to buy a new camera if my lens is fogged!

I have a 40D and recently was offered £215.00 part exchange at Wex Photographic in Norwich (formely Warehouse Express) and with the £80 cashback offer brings the price down to £784.00. I was thinking of getting another 7D anyway for back up. I love this camera and don't ever use the 40D anymore. Don't really want to spend the money though. I charged the 40D up last night, but when I had a look at the camera to remind myself how it worked, I can't obtain aperture priority for some reason!!!!! I give up, I really do!!!!! Sorted this now after speaking to a Canon advice centre - the camera needed re-setting to get the aperture to work. So I have the 40D but the lens is still fogged up!

Any advice on the drying out of my Canon 7D will be very much appreciated please?

UPDATE - Also just found out from my insurers that I am NOT covered for accidental damage - crap day indeed. Wish I had been dishonest now and said I had dropped it, doesn't pay to be honest!

Spoke to a Canon repair centre re checking the camera out – far too costly, but they couldn't understand why I couldn't claim for the camera as they saw it as accidental damage.


Thanks to all who have posted on here, sent me messages on Birdforum and emailed me with kind words and advice, it is much appreciated and also reminds me that people are reading my blog! On that note I don't understand why I have progressed in a couple of days from having an average of between 600-800 views a day to 1,500 odd each day!!! Stats must be wrong......!!!

10 comments:

  1. Try putting it in a bag of rice Penny. I've never dried a camera out that way, but have other electronic equipment such as an MP3 I was using to tape lure Swallows for ringing that I dropped in the water! It did try it out and it works fine. I know a camera is a lot more complicated, but it is worth a try, it certainly won't do it any harm.

    Cheers,

    Seumus

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    1. Hi Seumus, thank you for your advice. I had read about the rice trick on the net. I now have things in hand, see my latest post. Camera is ok now I think, but lens is being professionally dried out!

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  2. Hi Penny, there's a 'little man' in Dereham or somewhere, who fixes all sorts of things on cameras, I guess he could dry out your camera for you or whatever. Steve uses him fairly regularly, I can find out the details if you're interested. Best wishes

    Sue G

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    Replies
    1. Hi Sue, thanks for your advice. I now have things in hand, see my latest post. Took camera and lens to a place in Watton. Camera is ok now I think, but lens is being professionally dried out!

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  3. People seem to dry out cameras with hair dryers. I've got the 7D too so persevere: it's too good to lose. I carry dry bags around with me everywhere, especially in Norfolk.They fold down to nothing so you can put them in your pocket. (I also have a dry bag rucksack. Thirty quid and weighs next to nothing. really brilliant for sand crawling after shoreline waders.) They cost very little and I've saved my 7D quite a few times with them. You can get them at good outdoors shops or on line.
    Hope it gets sorted , Penny. Your shots on the back, front and inside the NOA report which landed on my doormat today are great!

    Good luck!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Rosie, thank you for your advice. Much too good to lose indeed! Believe it or not I had the cameras in dry bags, but the bags and camera should have been in the rucksack, not hanging on my shoulder, so my own fault really. I now have things in hand, see my latest post. Camera is ok now I think, but lens is being professionally dried out! Glad you like the NOA Report - my first front and back cover - feel quite chuffed. Thanks!

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  4. Never had to dry a camera out, mine are very weather resistant pro bodies, but lenses scopes, bins etc have got very wet in the past. Put them in the airing cupboard by the hot water tank with all caps etc off and they eventually dried out. Sometimes took days though.
    Big problem with electrical equipment such as cameras is that moisture can cause short circuits or in some cases damage components (I service electronic communications equipment and have seen what can happen with corrosion and so on due to water ingress). Bit late to say it, but if the camera gets wet, do not switch it on until you are absolutely sure it is dry.
    Hopefully when it has completely dried out it will still be fully functional, if not you may be able to find someone able to repair it at a reasonable cost. Maybe someone on Bird Forum can advise you.

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    1. Hi Phil, I thought my camera was weather resistant too, but the rain was torrential. I suppose electronic equipment can only take so much. I now have things in hand, see my latest post. Camera is ok now I think, but lens is being professionally dried out! Thanks for your advice.

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  5. Hi Penny

    Very nearly had a similar experience on Sunday with my 5D Mark II. In my case it was wet sand rather than water that buggered the camera up. Got it going again after several hours but it was looking pretty grim at one stage. By the way I am a Cork, Ireland based birder but am moving to Norwich in a few months, I'm sure our paths will cross at some point in 2013.
    All the best.......Graham Clarke

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  6. My goodness that would have been expensive to put right!!! My experience will teach me to look after my camera and lens much more carefully in future!

    Welcome to Norfolk!!! Nice to meet another Clarke with an 'e'!!!

    Best Wishes
    Penny

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