My Camera Drowned Today

I knew it was only a matter of time before my beach combing at high tide was going to get my camera in trouble. Today happened to be that time.

I was bending over picking out shells in the shin-deep surf. I usually tuck my camera around so it rests on my back. Since I was only grabbing one thing and the water was at my ankles, I didn't bother to do that. Sure enough, a larger wave crashed close to shore and soaked my left side up to my shoulder. My camera was hanging down the center of my chest.

The camera wasn't totally submursed in water, thankfully. It only received a healthy splash of the sea water wave. I quickly dried it off using the dry side of my tshirt and inspected the possible damage. 

It was dry under the lens cap, and the battery & memory stick compartment were dry also.  What seems to have happened is that some water seeped in where the buttons reside on the back panel, specifically the zoom buttons. 

At first my camera wouldn't zoom properly. Then later, it proceeded to zoom all by itself. When I last checked a few hours ago, it would zoom back and forth all by itself without ever touching the buttons.

If you hold the photo button down halfway, the zoom will stay stationary. The photos it takes seem normal. In fact the one of the little girl I recently posted was taken within a few minutes of this incident happening.  However, if the wiring doesn't seem to bounce back once the camera has fully dried out, I'm going to have a problem.

Just to be on the safe side, and also because I was beginning to have trouble with the zoom button sticking a little even before the ocean water, I purchased a new Sony Cybershot H10 today. This is the model that both Phil and Priscilla have and is a model year newer than my now water-logged H3.

Because the H10 is a closeout camera, it was about the same price as I paid for the H3 in December 2007. Cheapest I could find it brand new, in stock, and from a reputable dealer was $285. I looked at the newer H20, which sells in the $250 range, but passed because none of my accessories will work with it. The H20 too new, not to mention twice the size and uses a different battery. So I stuck with what I know, like and have stuff for.

So I spent a bunch of money I didn't have today. Hope eBay continues to do well so I can pay for it quickly.  

As a side note, I've had a Sony P8 camera literally sit in several inches of water for 30 minutes before, where the entire battery and memory card area were wet. It bounced back a week later as if nothing ever happened. It still works perfectly today and is the camera I use for my ebay item photos. Only difference is fresh water versus salt water. The later is much more destructive.

It would be nice if the H3 ends up fixing itself.  If it does, I can just use it as my beach camera from now on. I'm not going to hold my breath.

Oh, did I mention I have to put new brakes on my car tomorrow morning?

When it rains, it pours.