The earth is made up of more parts of water. So as much as you try to be careful there is a higher probability that you would have water in your camera sometimes. This is not always a sign of carelessness as you might not be able to avoid it, especially when you do outdoor photography.
There are precautions you could also take when taking photos in a damp environment or under the rain. But, sometimes, things could go wrong.
Besides, fog or water when left in the camera for a long time can damage the camera. It is therefore important to know how to get water out of your camera when an accident happens.
Fog Can Form on Your Camera
Condensation in the camera is a form of dampness too. This is not as much as dropping your camera in the water.
You could get condensations formed when you take photos in damp or cold areas such as taking waterfall shoots or when you are out in the snow.
No, there isn’t anything wrong with taking pictures or videos of the water body. It just happens when there is a change in temperature and the gas within the camera tube condenses to form water on the lens.
This could happen when you take the camera from a very cold place into a warm place or from a cool room to really hot environments. Or when your camera is unprotected around a waterfall, rain, or drizzle.
So how do you get the fog out of your camera?
Turn it off
Turning your camera off saves it from further damage. You cannot tell how much moisture is trapped in it so it is better to keep it turned off. The first aid to electronic rescue is to switch it off.
Heat up
Easiest way! Since it was caused when the gas condensed to form water it makes sense to reverse the whole process. By warming up your camera, you should be able to bring the condensed water back to the gas state and get it to evaporate.
Depending on how much fog was formed, this method might be a temporary solution.
Silica gel
Silica gel is a very absorbent material. Once you notice the fog in your camera, you first remove the batteries and memory cards. This way air would flow easily to ease drying. Next, you place the camera in a bag containing the silica gel. Some tins have silica in them. These can be used too.
Many products come with them and people travel with them too. Silica gel is easy to pack so if you have to travel, you should consider taking some along too.
Fall in water
Sometimes, you could have worse problems than just fog in the lens. The camera could fall in the water. This is very dangerous and you could end up with serious damages if not promptly attended to. However, here are steps to reduce damage to your camera.
Turn it off
Like with every electronic that gets in contact with water, the first thing to do is to turn it off. No matter how much or less the contact with water seems, you want to switch off the camera. If this is not done, there might be more damage to the electrical systems of the camera.
Disassemble Accessories
Next remove the batteries, memory cards, and other accessories. They might survive water to an extent but as a safety precaution so you do not lose any data, removing them is better.
Once they are removed, lay them out where there is enough airflow so that they too could dry out
Remove the lens
Removing the lenses is the next thing to consider. Before opening the lens, especially if the camera is soaked, shake the body to get as much water as possible out of the lens.
Also, take a clean cloth and dry out the area around the lens seal so no water gets in. This way, you are sure water does not get into the sensor.
Run a thorough check
Running a quick check especially on the lens to be sure it has not been damaged. Also, check the camera itself to be sure water droplets are not found in it. If you notice water, clean that up with a cloth. As much as possible do not touch the inside of the camera with your fingers.
Saltwater precautions
If your camera fell into saltwater, you would have to take an extra step. Salt damages electronics so you would have to wipe out the lens to remove saltwater. You might have to rinse the whole camera in freshwater to get rid of any salt residue in the camera.
You should ensure that the camera does not stay longer than 5 seconds in the water before you dry it out. An alternative is to wipe it with a wet cloth to remove.
Dry the Lens and the Camera
Drying out with silica gel ensures any other moisture left in the lens is absorbed out completely. Pour the silica gel into an airtight container and place it in the lens. You could also put the lens in an amount of uncooked rice.
Rice is easily accessible making it an easier option for drying lenses. You would want to be careful so you don’t end up with rice in the lens.
Seek Experts to Check the Camera
After giving the camera a “first-aid” it is still advisable to get a professional to take a look at it. They would be able to confirm if you were able to solve whatever damage was done. If not, they would help you get it right.
it is better to keep your camera as far away from water as possible. However, when you get water in your camera, the above-mentioned steps can be applied as quickly as possible.
