HELP!! 55 - 250mm Canon Lense + Washing Up Bowl = Very Unhappy Lense!

[SaraLou]

Hiya,

Stupidly, I had 2 many things in my hands at once and before I could stop it happening, my new Canon lense found its self in the washing up It was in the water for less than 3 seconds but I fear the damage has already been done

I left it to dry out but it's really very unhappy and makes all sorts of noises, obviously won't focus and can't take any photos.

Is there something I can do / somewhere I can send it to, to be fixed??

Any advise would be greatfully appreciated.

I'm such an idiot...and have only just stopped feeling like I want to cry!

Sara

[carregwen]

Hi Sarah

Sorry to hear that bad news. The first thing to ask is do you have contents insurance for high risk items (cameras etc) for accidental damage? Mine covers me for up to £1,500 per item max.

[carregwen]

Canon (UK) repair centre

Projectors, Professional Camera, Lens, Digital Video, Webcameras, Scanner, Binoculars, Professional Lens, Flash, Analogue Compact Camera, Analogue SLR Camera, Digital SLR Camera

Unit 130 Centennial Park
Centennial Avenue
Elstree Hill South
Borehamwood
Elstree
Hertfordshire
WD6 3SE

Tel: 0844 369 0100
Fax: 0208 731 4139

From this web page http://www.canon.co.uk/Support/Consu...tor/index.aspx

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Sara,

Ooooh dear, easily done, things like this

A look at Canon's own UK web site (is the lens registered?) reveals that their own repair Centre in Borehamwood is closest to you. It'll no doubt cost you, so Rob's idea is well worth following up if you don't have any camera gear insurance that might also cover it.

Canon (UK) RCC Picture_CPS Logo
Projectors, Professional Camera, Lens, Digital Video, Webcameras, Scanner, Binoculars, Professional Lens, Flash, Analogue Compact Camera, Analogue SLR Camera, Digital SLR Camera

Unit 130 Centennial Park
Centennial Avenue
Elstree Hill South
Borehamwood
Elstree
Hertfordshire
WD6 3SE

Tel: 0844 369 0100
Fax: 020 8731 4139

Web: http://www.canon.co.uk

A quick google of "Canon Lens repair" showed up a few places and some reviews of those places.
A couple of people rated Fixation, but I have no idea, so far, I have been lucky (I typed that with my figners crossed)

Sorry,

[Donald]

Sara

Sorry to hear about that. There but for the grace of God... etc

The other major repair centre in the UK is A J Johnstone in Glasgow. They fixed my 17-85 IS USM when the focusing jammed. Excellent service. Their website gives all details about how to get equipment to them.

[carregwen]

Sara

Is this your lens? http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-...-lens/p1021795

If it is I doubt it will be worth having it repaired. The repair cost is going to be well over £100. I had a wet lens repaired last year and it cost £160, plus postage. I'd get a rough quote first to see if it is worth repairing, or just buy a new one. If you do have it repaired it should have a warranty for at least six months. But you may have problems in future with it.

[SaraLou]

The lens is insured...though not sure what the excess is. I hadn't thought about the house insurance...good thinking!

I'll have a look on the Canon website as well as the A J Johnstone one. Rob, that is the one I have so maybe its not going to be worth it unless I can get a replacement...

Lessons learnt today: 1. Finish what you started before moving on to something else (i.e. finish housework BEFORE doing fun stuff) 2. Joining this website has been invaluable

Thank you!

[Colin Southern]

Drop it in a bowl of rice (fully submerged) and leave it for a couple of days. What kind of lens was it?

[Wirefox]

I assume you mean dry rice to get the Hornblower effect? Otherwise the next thread could be 'HELP 55-250mm Canon Lens + Bowl of Rice Pudding = Colin's Dead Meat

[SaraLou]

This morning I could manually focus the lens but still made a horride squealing noice when I tried to take a photo and although it would do it, it came out very blurred.

Colin, the lens is Canon EF-S 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS Lens.

I'll give the bowl of (dry) rice a go...will let you know what happens - hopefully it isn't literally £200 down the drain

Sara

[Wirefox]

Sara

Good luck with Colin's fix and a dedication

[MerleP]

Lessons learnt today: 1. Finish what you started before moving on to something else (i.e. finish housework BEFORE doing fun stuff) 2. Joining this website has been invaluable
Thank you!

So sorry about your accident. It is a gut wrenching event.
But, on a lighter side, Sara, I think you have your priorities backward as you mentioned in your lessons learned. -- Shouldn't it be: finish the housework after the fun stuff. Afterall, the housework will always be there and never end, but the fun stuff might not be. I think I've finally gotten my wife to believe this.

Gee, maybe you should consider getting a Canon D10 camera. http://shop.usa.canon.com/webapp/wcs...earchType=SITE

I carry one with me all the time!

[Sahil]

Sorry for the accident, Sara.
Colin's solution is the best way out, but I feel you shouldn't be using the lens till you are done with submerging the lens in the rice bowl. There might still be moisture in it & if the electronic links are activated, they will only break down.
Best of luck...

[Dave Humphries]

~ I feel you shouldn't be using the lens till you are done with submerging the lens in the rice bowl. There might still be moisture in it & if the electronic links are activated, they will only break down.

Absolutely; as an engineer, I was a dismayed that it had not had sufficient time or opportunity to dry out before it had been wacked on and powered up, but all that happened before the first post in the thread, so too late for Sara - I didn't want to say anything earlier, as it was 'too soon'.

For anyone else that has a similar accident, do ask for advice before powering it up or trying it out.

It takes a lot loger than you'd think to dry and applying power while still wet could just cause more damage.
And that's aside from, in some cases, (not necessarily this one) of it being sometimes desirable to flush with clean deionised water.

Cheers,

[RichB]

I had the misfortune of dropping a compact digital camera into a lake, it took some finding but after removing the battery and giving it two weeks in an airing cupboard to dry out it was fine. So there is always hope . Just resist that temptation to give it a try again. It doesn't seem like to bad an idea if it's full of washing up fluid to rinse it, but I would get reliable advice before trying it!

[Sahil]

But as per human nature, it is very natural to act that way, i.e. to check if the object is still functioning

[SaraLou]

A shock proof / waterproof / freeze proof camera...exellent! Merle, you are completely right - housework should definitely come after fun stuff...this maybe where I have been going wrong

Dave / Sahil, of course you are both unquestionably correct that I shouldn't have turned the lens on until it had a chance to dry out. But yes, I was desperately hoping that it would be ok and not damage at all...very naive and optimistic I know - will not do it again...though hopefully the whole situation will not happen again!!!

The lens has been submerged for 4 days now - can I try it again??

Sara

[Donald]

The lens has been submerged for 4 days now - can I try it again??

Colin said to try it for a couple of days. And on something like this, I would rely on his advice 100%. So, I reckon if it's going to help at all, it will have done so by now. So, yes, I think you've got to try it. Assume it won't have helped. If it has, then that's a bonus.

[SaraLou]

Colin....I love you....just tried it again and it works

(breathe HUGE sigh of relief)

Thank you everyone for your comments and support...and the dedication

[Sahil]

Congratulations!!!!