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07/12/2005 09:09:05 AM · #1 |
| 3 days ago I got caught in a big rain. Water seeped into my bag and collected at the bottom to form a small pool...where my digital camera was! When I got home, I took the camera right out and dried the outside as much as possible. I could not find a dryer to try and dry the camera, so I just left it on the top of my stereo, which gets kinda warm. Later, I found a hair dryer and used that for a little while. The next day, I tried using the hair dryer a little again...but it still doesnt work. I only dry it a few minutes at a time, I'm not sure if too much heat will damage it or what...Anyways, I was just wondering if now, 3-4 days later, there is any way to save my camera. The pool at the bottom of my bag was not that big, so I thought everything would be ok...Finally, my memory card is also damaged, I think. I have a Sandisk ULTRA 1 gig. I took it out as soon as I got home, but didn't really bother drying it, becuase it really did not look wet. I tried putting the card into my computer today (3 days later) but it can't read it. Then I tried putting it in another digital camera, but it says disk error. At this point I really don't care if my camera can't be fixed, but I am on vacation right now and would REALLY like to know if there is any way to save the pictures on my card! Sorry for the long post, but any information at all would be greatly appreciated! |
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07/12/2005 09:44:54 AM · #2 |
talk to e301. He has had some succes in retriving pictures from cards.
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07/12/2005 10:33:10 AM · #3 |
| thanks for the reply. I am new to these forums and this website, so how would I go about talking to e301? |
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07/12/2005 10:33:55 AM · #4 |
Go to his profile and send him a PM.
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07/12/2005 10:36:24 AM · #5 |
Woah. I have got some bad news for you.
If your camera got water in it, the water would cause shorting any time the electrical system was activated. When the battery is connected, the system lies in a constant state of wait, at the very least waiting at the electrically stimulatable ON button. This means that the electrical system is susceptible to shorting any time that the battery is connected.
The manual quite aptly states that if there is any water that gets into the camera, you need to disconnect the batteries IMMEDIATELY.
Solid state flash memory is actually very good at handling water and moisture because of it's nature. You can put it in a glass of water for a week and if you dry it out properly, it should be ok. (there was a test done on resilience of solid state memory cards a while back, can't find the link, sorry try to google it if you want).
The bad news is that your memory card is coming up with a card error. It is extremely unlikely that a card error would occur from the card merely being submerged.
This indicates that it is likely that there was a short that occurred inside your camera. The scariest thing about the card error report is that it means that your camera wrote information in what was probably a chaotic random way to your memory card.
This is the type of error that is the most difficult to retrieve information from.
You can do a google search for "Flash memory recovery". There is quite a handful of programs out there for this purpose. Some of them are free. Barring that, you can try to check with some local photo shops to see if they can help with a recovery (this will cost you). DO NOT LET THEM REFORMAT OR FORMAT YOUR CARD! Different devices and programs reformat differently, and while some of them leave enough information to rebuild with a recovery program yourself, others will perform a low level format.
It is possible to regain information even after a low level format, but this is $$$expen$ive$$$.
The really bad news: The worst thing that can happen is that your information is OVERwritten.
The good news: It is possible that the relatively low levels of power running through a dormant camera would have caused only limited damage to the information in your card. You might have only caused a fault in the file organization system. This should be relatively easy to fix with the above mentioned apps.
The other good news: If you can get over losing your vacation photos, it is pretty likely that a reformat or a format will restore that card to working order at the sacrifice of all hope for recovering your shots.
Regarding your camera: I wouldn't hold out a lot of hope. You can try to dry everything out thoroughly, then remove the "time and date battery", which is a separate battery that manages the clock even with the battery removed. Leave it out for a few minutes and replace it. This will perform a hard reset on your camera and should allow you to see if you need to take it in to the shop. This will not harm the camera or void the warranty (exposure to the water probably did though), and instructions for the end user to do this are probably in your manual. Check online at the manufacturers website if you didn't bring it along.
If that fails, you will probably need to take it in to the shop. It may be toast, but you will probably be surprised. Circuitry these days has a way of being remarkably resilient. (I can quote a couple of guys who have toileted their $600 US PDA's and recovered).
If your camera is restored, you may have the problem that you have no memory card for it. Weigh the balance past pictures versus pictures you are going to or might be able to take. Weigh that against the cost of a disposable funsaver and the ignomimity of showing your friends the last handful of prints from your vacation from ASA 800 film.
Hope it works out
-k |
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07/12/2005 10:54:03 AM · #6 |
| Arg! Darn me for not reading manuals! When I got home, I after I dried the camera off, I wanted to see if it still worked, so I pressed the power button...I guess that must've caused the short, which would in turn screw up my memory card...Well, after trying to turn it on a couple of times, I took the batteries out (too late, I know). But later when I went to see if it worked again, I noticed that every time I press the power button, the green light next to it flashes...and so I saw that as a sign of hope...Am I right? or is that just a completely different circuit that only lights up that green light? Whatever the outcome, thank you very much for your advice and help! Any more advice with this new news? Sorry I didnt share it earlier, but when you mentioned shorting, I was reminded of it. |
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07/12/2005 10:55:53 AM · #7 |
I hope it all works out for you, especially being on vacation.
I cannot emphasize what eschelar said enough, you have to disconnect all power to it immediately and not try it for an extended time frame. Letting them dry for a long time will help stop shorts and will usually work with all electronic devices...cell phones included. I've heard of people placing it in the oven on its LOWEST heat setting and letting it dry out that way.
As far as your card, it is a long shot but I've used this image recovery software with great results, but I'm not sure how it will work with your card. If the computer can't read the card it may not work but worth a try.
//www.datarescue.com/photorescue/
good luck
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07/13/2005 09:25:43 AM · #8 |
Originally posted by Travo66:
Arg! Darn me for not reading manuals! When I got home, I after I dried the camera off, I wanted to see if it still worked, so I pressed the power button...I guess that must've caused the short, which would in turn screw up my memory card...Well, after trying to turn it on a couple of times, I took the batteries out (too late, I know). But later when I went to see if it worked again, I noticed that every time I press the power button, the green light next to it flashes...and so I saw that as a sign of hope...Am I right? or is that just a completely different circuit that only lights up that green light? Whatever the outcome, thank you very much for your advice and help! Any more advice with this new news? Sorry I didnt share it earlier, but when you mentioned shorting, I was reminded of it. |
So what do you guys think? No hope for my camera or my memory card? What if I send it to a camera repair shop? Or my memory card to one of those companies that can restore the pictures? |
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07/14/2005 10:09:52 AM · #9 |
| Just to update any of you wondering, my memory card still works. However, my computer or other cameras can't read it for some reason. I bought a new camera today, a Sony DSC-W7, and I could view all of my pictures perfectly. Does anyone know when I can't view them on my computer? The memory card is a SanDisk ULTRA, and I think its a PRO Dual, does that make a difference? If that is it, will I still be able to transfer pictures to my computer by USB? Thanks for all your help guys! |
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07/14/2005 10:17:40 AM · #10 |
There is probably a data error on the card. Try the recovery software posted previously, you should be able to recover the pics that way. It might be possible to transfer over USB if the new camera can see them, but the recovery software is what I would try first.
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