People, who go in for underwater photography, should be extremely careful and follow the technique of preparing the underwater photographic equipment to diving precisely.
It is necessary to be alert during the first moments of diving with a camera as well as during the whole diving period.
The photographer should exercise vigilance even after the diving period is finished, after coming aboard (ashore), soaking the camera in fresh water and opening.
But sometimes the situations occur, when water leaks into the box for any reason; in such situation you watch in horror as the bubbles come from the box and the box begins to fill with water (sometimes it happens even without bubbles).
Now the important moment comes, when you should act quickly and accurately in hope to save expensive equipment.
Diver Sh.
, while preparing to dive with NIKON D-70 camera in box, did not notice that the tightening ring was a bit popped out of the groove.
NB: widely spread error, in my opinion, is to apply excessive silicon lubricant to main end tightening ring of the box connector.
The less amount of lubricant you apply, the better it is for reliable air-tightness.
Ring with lubrication can retain various small dirt and fur particles; besides, it has a tendency to slip out of tightening groove.
Privately I avoid lubricating tightening end ring; I just keep the groove and the ring clean.
Lubrication is necessary only for flexible joints, to assembly works, where the tightening is of radial type.
While diving in shallow waters, our photographer noticed leakage of water into the box and aborted the submersion immediately; holding the box strictly with the bottom downwards, he came aboard and opened the box quickly and carefully.
At that moment the photographer noticed incorrect position of the tightening end ring.
The camera was covered with sea water for 10-15 mm as for the bottom.
Power element (powerful lithium-ion battery) and flash card were removed immediately.
After that the camera was just dried directly in warm place.
After a couple of days the battery was placed into the camera and the camera seemed to come alive again.
But after a very short time it apparently accumulated moisture and failed.
It was apparent that the accident did not turn out well.
After coming back to Moscow the camera was given to the author of this article with the request to repair and to restore it somehow.
Though the photographer nearly reconciled himself to the thought that the camera was dead! The call to the service photo center was approximately the following: Drown in sea water for 10-15mm oh, guys Yes! Two payments 200 dollars each, plus work, probably there is corrosion in mechanics, no! It's a waste of time! It's easier to buy a new camera! And that's that! I decided to help my long-time friend and suggested the following variant: I'd try to save and repair the camera using my own methods, though there were no guaranties at all.
But my friend agreed& So, the following measures were taken.
The screws along the perimeter of the bottom cover were unscrewed and the bottom cover was taken off.
Cheerless view of corrosion and salting was unveiled see photos.
The camera was put in the distilled water to the depth of 12mm and kept there for 5 hours; the operation was repeated 3 times with water changing.
The camera was taken out of water, shaken off, heated in a drying box up to + 50 degrees, and put into a vacuum chamber for 2 hours.
The operation was repeated twice.
Electronic cards were cleaned in queer places with brush and spirit (medicinal rectification), the camera was put into vacuum chamber again for 2 hours.
The surfaces of electronic cards were treated with special aerosol for cleaning and protecting electronic devices in automobiles.
The camera was heated up to + 50 degrees and put into a vacuum chamber for 2 hours see final photo.
The battery and flash card were installed in the camera; then the camera was tested during 3 days we took photos indoors and outdoors, including wet conditions.
The camera operates smoothly.
So, sometimes it is possible to save photo cameras with sophisticated electronic devices, which were exposed to sea water for a while, if to act quickly and correctly.
It is necessary to be alert during the first moments of diving with a camera as well as during the whole diving period.
The photographer should exercise vigilance even after the diving period is finished, after coming aboard (ashore), soaking the camera in fresh water and opening.
But sometimes the situations occur, when water leaks into the box for any reason; in such situation you watch in horror as the bubbles come from the box and the box begins to fill with water (sometimes it happens even without bubbles).
Now the important moment comes, when you should act quickly and accurately in hope to save expensive equipment.
Diver Sh.
, while preparing to dive with NIKON D-70 camera in box, did not notice that the tightening ring was a bit popped out of the groove.
NB: widely spread error, in my opinion, is to apply excessive silicon lubricant to main end tightening ring of the box connector.
The less amount of lubricant you apply, the better it is for reliable air-tightness.
Ring with lubrication can retain various small dirt and fur particles; besides, it has a tendency to slip out of tightening groove.
Privately I avoid lubricating tightening end ring; I just keep the groove and the ring clean.
Lubrication is necessary only for flexible joints, to assembly works, where the tightening is of radial type.
While diving in shallow waters, our photographer noticed leakage of water into the box and aborted the submersion immediately; holding the box strictly with the bottom downwards, he came aboard and opened the box quickly and carefully.
At that moment the photographer noticed incorrect position of the tightening end ring.
The camera was covered with sea water for 10-15 mm as for the bottom.
Power element (powerful lithium-ion battery) and flash card were removed immediately.
After that the camera was just dried directly in warm place.
After a couple of days the battery was placed into the camera and the camera seemed to come alive again.
But after a very short time it apparently accumulated moisture and failed.
It was apparent that the accident did not turn out well.
After coming back to Moscow the camera was given to the author of this article with the request to repair and to restore it somehow.
Though the photographer nearly reconciled himself to the thought that the camera was dead! The call to the service photo center was approximately the following: Drown in sea water for 10-15mm oh, guys Yes! Two payments 200 dollars each, plus work, probably there is corrosion in mechanics, no! It's a waste of time! It's easier to buy a new camera! And that's that! I decided to help my long-time friend and suggested the following variant: I'd try to save and repair the camera using my own methods, though there were no guaranties at all.
But my friend agreed& So, the following measures were taken.
The screws along the perimeter of the bottom cover were unscrewed and the bottom cover was taken off.
Cheerless view of corrosion and salting was unveiled see photos.
The camera was put in the distilled water to the depth of 12mm and kept there for 5 hours; the operation was repeated 3 times with water changing.
The camera was taken out of water, shaken off, heated in a drying box up to + 50 degrees, and put into a vacuum chamber for 2 hours.
The operation was repeated twice.
Electronic cards were cleaned in queer places with brush and spirit (medicinal rectification), the camera was put into vacuum chamber again for 2 hours.
The surfaces of electronic cards were treated with special aerosol for cleaning and protecting electronic devices in automobiles.
The camera was heated up to + 50 degrees and put into a vacuum chamber for 2 hours see final photo.
The battery and flash card were installed in the camera; then the camera was tested during 3 days we took photos indoors and outdoors, including wet conditions.
The camera operates smoothly.
So, sometimes it is possible to save photo cameras with sophisticated electronic devices, which were exposed to sea water for a while, if to act quickly and correctly.
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