PLEASE HELP! GFX 100S 2 days in rain.

[gurtch]

Before you all scold me and kick my butt….my wife and I went out for Happy Hour Friday afternoon. I had numerous vinos, my wife of 64 years drove home. Now the bad news : when we got home it was beautiful from our deck, a sunset on the bay. I got out my GFX 100S AND 32~ 64mm lens (with UV filter and proper lens hood). I left it on the deck in a chair. That night we had rain. The camera sat there until this evening (Sunday), after a light rain all day. We realized it was still outside when I was going to photograph the sky as we had a great sky. I removed the filter and lens hood and there were two medium size water drops on the INSIDE front element. Have no idea how it got inside the lens with the filter on. The battery compartment seemed OK. I had a quick release grip and hand strap on the base of the camera which may have helped. The memory card slot seems dry. The swing open view screen seems OK. I removed the rubber eye cup and it looks like condensation on the inside of the viewfinder. Where do I go from here? I figured I would not attempt to try the camera for about 12 or more hours. I am an amateur and 86 years old, and I deserve a kick in the butt.
thanks folks..I am posting on several sites
Dave G. In NJ
www.modernpictorials.com

 

[Mexecutioner]

Well since you already took a kick in the butt, this is what I would do: Get a Tupperware large enough to fit the body and another one to fit the lens. Fill them with either rice (uncooked, of course) or even better, silica gel, if you have it. Seal the Tupperware shut and leave them overnight t see how much moisture they can remove from the camera and lens

I wouldn't have a ton lot of hope since two days in the rain is no joke, but doesn't hurt to try before either calling your insurance or taking a trip to the camera shop.

 

[Greg Haag]

Dave, I am so sorry! Hopefully there will be someone here that has had a similar experience that can make a good recommendation for you.

 

[Ed Hurst]

I would certainly give it more than overnight, if you can put it in the conditions that Mexecutioner described. In addition, if you have an air conditioning unit that can be set to "dry" mode, I'd be tempted to turn that on, set it to a reasonably high temp, then leave the camera + rice / silica gel in that room too. Or a dehumidifier. It can't hurt for the air around it to be as dry as possible. And no turning the camera on for quite some time!

That said, I wouldn't get your hopes up too high.

So sorry to hear that, Dave. We all feel for you! Hope it all works out well.

 

[Mexecutioner]

Ed has a good point. I would replace the rice / silica the day after and repeat the cycle for a few days. Then the moment of truth will come when you try to turn it on by the end of next week.

 

[gurtch]

Two Tupperware and raw rice it is tonight.
Thanks guys….no insurance.
Dave

 

[buildbot]

Two Tupperware and raw rice it is tonight.
Thanks guys….no insurance.
Dave

I’d suggest silica dry packs vs rice! Rice apparently can make things worse: https://www.ifixit.com/Wiki/Don't_Put_Your_Device_in_Rice._Here's_Why...

 

[BigBoy]

Sorry to hear I hope things work out.

 

[Ed Hurst]

If you can get silica, it's definitely the way to go

 

[paulraphael]

It bothers me that Fuji and most other camera companies love to tout their weather sealing, even pushing marketing videos of the gear being used in outrageous conditions. But they don't stand behind these claims, either with an IP rating or a guarantee.

 

[stngoldberg]

Don’t be too hard on yourself; I’m a similar age and could visualize myself making a similar mistake…it comes with the territory we find ourselves in…BTW if you have a basic homeowner’s policy, discuss this event with your agent…the fine print on these insurance policies sometimes work both ways.
I recently received a four page amendment to my Florida homeowners policy and gave up understanding the changes after a full hour on the phone with my agent…the one thing that I did understand is that none of the new language afforded me additional protection…and they raised my rate by 20%…and I’ve never had a claim
An additional BTW, all of my camera gear with serial numbers is LISTED on my policy….and each time I travel with my gear I ask my agent for an email guaranteeing that I am insured for that event.

 

[Ed Hurst]

Please keep us all informed how this works out for you, my friend. And please know that everyone here will be sending you karmic beams from around the globe. There but for the grace of God, and all that...!

 

[algrove]

Dave
After Hurricane Andrew in 1992 we had many electronic devices that suffered through a 12 foot tidal wave inside our house. We let them sit UNUSED for a few months. Most still worked after a thorough drying out. So my advice is buy another body and DO NOT USE this body for at least 90 days MINIMUM.
Let us know in the late Fall how things worked out. Hope the wine was least good.

 

[gurtch]

Thanks all. I put the lens and camera body in Tupperware with tight lids along with all the dry rice my wife had. She went on line and ordered silica gel from Amazon which should arrive tomorrow. When it comes I will dump out the rice and put in the silica gel and close the lids tightly and hope…… I will leave them in the sealed Tupperware for several days. The silica gel I ordered is in sealed bags that change color when saturated. They turn from orange to green. Hopefully, If the bags turn green while sealed with the camera/lens, it will indicate they are drying out. Again thank you.

Dave

 

[algrove]

Thanks all. I put the lens and camera body in Tupperware with tight lids along with all the dry rice my wife had. She went on line and ordered silica gel from Amazon which should arrive tomorrow. When it comes I will dump out the rice and put in the silica gel and close the lids tightly and hope…… I will leave them in the sealed Tupperware for several days. The silica gel I ordered is in sealed bags that change color when saturated. They turn from orange to green. Hopefully, If the bags turn green while sealed with the camera/lens, it will indicate they are drying out. Again thank you.

Dave

Dave
Please DO NOT try to turn it on after just a few days as that is not long enough to completely dry the electronic innards out.

 

[gurtch]

Dave
Please DO NOT try to turn it on after just a few days as that is not long enough to completely dry the electronic innards out.

I for sure will not. Thanks
Dave

 

[Ed Hurst]

Yes, a really long time is needed. Perhaps many weeks… Continuously in dry silica gel.

 

[ThdeDude]

My recommendation/suggestion would be to send it ASAP to the nearest Fuji repair center. Or at least ask them for their recommendation/suggestion.

Maybe still covered under warranty or repaired under goodwill since advertised (?) as water resistant or water sealed.

 

[B L]

Before you all scold me and kick my butt….my wife and I went out for Happy Hour Friday afternoon. I had numerous vinos, my wife of 64 years drove home. Now the bad news : when we got home it was beautiful from our deck, a sunset on the bay. I got out my GFX 100S AND 32~ 64mm lens (with UV filter and proper lens hood). I left it on the deck in a chair. That night we had rain. The camera sat there until this evening (Sunday), after a light rain all day. We realized it was still outside when I was going to photograph the sky as we had a great sky. I removed the filter and lens hood and there were two medium size water drops on the INSIDE front element. Have no idea how it got inside the lens with the filter on. The battery compartment seemed OK. I had a quick release grip and hand strap on the base of the camera which may have helped. The memory card slot seems dry. The swing open view screen seems OK. I removed the rubber eye cup and it looks like condensation on the inside of the viewfinder. Where do I go from here? I figured I would not attempt to try the camera for about 12 or more hours. I am an amateur and 86 years old, and I deserve a kick in the butt.
thanks folks..I am posting on several sites
Dave G. In NJ
www.modernpictorials.com

No ,you dont deserve any kicks or scolding.You are like my father. Best wishes.

 

[pesto]

You certainly do not deserve any scolding, we all have done things that, in retrospect ,seem incomprehensible...hang in there , we are all hoping for the best for you.