Ways to Ruin a Camera

PeterSpencer

PeterSpencer

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I'm taking a week off work. Brought my favourite film camera, Fuji 645S. Took the dog out for a short walk on the beach at Sandsea. Taking pictures of crashing waves and got bowled over, completely submerged, camera and all.

This is what was in my camera bag at the time, apart from the camera which also went down with me.

The light meter still woks but I don't know about the camera.

Contacted Miles Whitehead and he asked me to get the camera to him as quickly as possible.

Hoping for the best!IMG_0690.jpg
 

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As 4wd says above, clean water.
They actually used a salt solution during WW2 to bung up the clocks in unexploded bombs (before the magnetic clock stopper came out) I was told years back by a camera repairer to rinse it in clean fresh water, then rinse in alcohol as it displaces the water and evaporates quickly. Now this was long before plastic digital cameras and I've never actually tried it, so keep that in mind.
 
The camera is in the post, special delivery, to Miles. We'll see what he comes up with. There wasn't any water ingress into the film chamber and the shutter works prefectly. The focussing ring was full of sand so I left that completely alone, Same for the focussing ring. But I couldn't see any water in the lens. A little water in the viewfinder though. Perhaps there is hope. I wasn't sure about the dunking in fresh water recommendation because the camera was only in the water for a fraction of a second when the wave washed over me.

Most amazingly, my Sekonic light meter, which was completely submerged in my camera bag is work perfectly!
 
As expected, Miles has confirmed that the camera is a write-off unfortunately. He's going to post the remains back to me for disposal! Maybe I can get a couple of quid if I put it on eBay for spares?
 
4wd said:
It might be best dunked in clean water, the salt will have bad effects within hours.
Click to expand...

First clean water, then isopropanol or ethanol, then put under vacuum. Probably nothing else needs doing as it has next to no electronics. Even for electronic gadgets (battery out!) this may be the only chance, and just a chance...

* clean water = distilled water. Not crap from the tap.
 
PeterSpencer said:
As expected, Miles has confirmed that the camera is a write-off unfortunately. He's going to post the remains back to me for disposal! Maybe I can get a couple of quid if I put it on eBay for spares?
Click to expand...
Why not, someone will have scratched the case badly and could use yours for example, but if it was a project rather than commercial repair someone might be able to fix it to use.
 
PeterSpencer said:
As expected, Miles has confirmed that the camera is a write-off unfortunately. He's going to post the remains back to me for disposal! Maybe I can get a couple of quid if I put it on eBay for spares?
Click to expand...

That’s gotta be a togs worse nightmare.
There was someone else last year,@Kevin Allan I think who trashed his LF kit.

There’s nothing that can be said to ease the "pain" tbh. Hopefully you are in a position to be able to replace assuming you wish to of course.
 
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Well, I think this my be an opportunity, even though my favourite camera is trashed. Might get a Fuji 6x9, I'll see whether finances will stand up later tonight,, got a camera in sight I should be able to convice the Cancellor that this is a good move, as part of the new budget. I enjoyed having a portable MF range finder so perhaps the alternative would be an adequate replacement, I mean more than adequate, of course. I'm teetering on the edge...
 
Fell over the edge. Bought a Fuji 6x9 (mark 1). Should have arrived today but I was out for an hour and missed the delivery. I'll pick it up tomorrow. Very slightly thrilled at the propect of having one and using it. Should be a more than adequate substitute for the defunct 645.
 
Which 6x9 was that, Peter?
 
I presume it's the Fuji GW690 MK1.
 
Correct, its a Fujica GW690(professional 6x9), the first version after the GL690/GM690 cameras which had interchangeable lenses, this one doesn't, it's a fixed 90mm lens. Photo coming shortly.
 
Here are both cameras, the rather forlorn 645S which I got back from Miles and the new monster. I've loaded a film so I will take some pictures this afternoon. Unfortunately today's weather is rather temperamental, unlike yesterday's which was fabulous.
Miles said this of the 645S:
Unfortunately the effect of sea water on cameras is so devastating that rarely
any lasting repair can be done, in the past I have seen equipment that was supposedly repaired
after water damage and they have continued to corrode long afterwards.
I'm just about to put the 645 on eBay as a spares or repair item.

IMG_0805.jpg
 
Shame about the 645, lovely little cameras.

The Fuji 6x9 is definitely on my 'want' list!

One day....
 
I've always wanted a 6x9 but the 645 produces outstanding results and I couldn't justify the outlay on the 6x9, unless as a replacement. Anyway the Minister of Finance gave the go-ahead for this purchase so how can I complain?. If I ever came across a 645 at a reasonable price, whatever that means, I would still be tempted. It's a very capable, portable camera, with an amazing lens.

You can buy the defunct 645 if you like, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fujica-645S-Wide-60-Professional-Spares-or-Repair/333545720268 . Don't!
 
Does that 645 have a portrait or landscape viewfinder, Peter?
 
Portrait. Like a half frame 35mm camera. Maybe I got on well with it because of that, I was a long time users of an Olympus EE3 camera.
 
PeterSpencer said:
I've always wanted a 6x9 but the 645 produces outstanding results and I couldn't justify the outlay on the 6x9, unless as a replacement. Anyway the Minister of Finance gave the go-ahead for this purchase so how can I complain?. If I ever came across a 645 at a reasonable price, whatever that means, I would still be tempted. It's a very capable, portable camera, with an amazing lens.

You can buy the defunct 645 if you like, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fujica-645S-Wide-60-Professional-Spares-or-Repair/333545720268 . Don't!
Click to expand...
I'm tempted but I do have a GS645W with the 45mm lens already.
 
I saw that news item, hope the insurance pays up for her. It puts my small loss into perspective.
 
PeterSpencer said:
I've always wanted a 6x9 but the 645 produces outstanding results and I couldn't justify the outlay on the 6x9, unless as a replacement. Anyway the Minister of Finance gave the go-ahead for this purchase so how can I complain?. If I ever came across a 645 at a reasonable price, whatever that means, I would still be tempted. It's a very capable, portable camera, with an amazing lens.

You can buy the defunct 645 if you like, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fujica-645S-Wide-60-Professional-Spares-or-Repair/333545720268 . Don't!
Click to expand...

Nice ornement to have on the shelf :)
 
No bids yet but eight watchers and lots of views. It's worth the 99p for the original packaging alone, I would have thought.. We'll see what transpires. I couldn't beart to junk the camera nor do I have shelf space to display it, deskspace for a paper weight or a a garden to bury it. It might provide a bit of fun for someone, only hope I have covered the postage.

I've had the last film back from AG and just spotted the last few negatives from the camera. Pity they don't justify the loss in any way. I'll post a couple when I've fixed them. Don't laugh.
 
Sorted out the last pictures from the 645S.

Here we have a shot of a hydraulic event between the beck and the incoming tide. The beck is flowing across the beach. I followed it down to where the tide and the beck turbulently met.
1477_008-2.jpg
Here is a forensic reconstruction of subsequent events...
SandsEnd.jpg
Whoopee! Got a bid with three days to go.
Bid.JPG
 
Final entry in this thread. The wreck went for £78 plus postage.

Anyway I've got a couple of films from the replacement 690 to send off tomorrow. More of that later.
 
IMG_0014.jpeg

Spot my Fuji XT-2 and 100-400 lens. I feel your pain. My kit was lost in a fire last September. Whilst it still switches on and takes pictures I'm unsure how long before it dies.
Thankfully it was insured but it still breaks my heart.
 
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