A little do it yourself FYI

[dnoyes]

A few months ago I dropped my digital camera in a river when I was whitewater rafting and ruined it. Last Friday I did the same thing with my new one. You'd think I would have learned the first time but hey I'm a guy and I like to take action shots.

Anyway I was standing in the kitchen looking at another $300 down the drain when my daughter said to just drop it in a bag of white rice. she said it would dry it out in about 24 hours. Saturday I opened the bag of rice and took it out and it works perfect .. I put the old one in the rice and last night pulled it out ..... drum roll please ...... works perfect.

Am I the only one who never knew of this trick?

 

[SCHBR'smom]

I didn't know it, but I will remember it now. Thanks for sharing!!

 

[liamsaunt]

I have never heard of this! I have a dead digital camera that I dropped into a pool of water while hiking. I think too much time has gone by to fix it now, unfortunately.

My new camera rule: always wear a wriststrap!

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I never knew this!! Thanks for the tip!

 

[sbell111]

Another option is to stop putting expensive electronics at risk.

 

[worm761]

Works for cell phones you drop in water too!

 

[Imzadi]

I saw this recently on The Morning Show to do this with cell phones that have been dropped in water. The rice pulls out moisture.

 

[DrCavin]

Many people have done this with Ipods as well, just leave it in there for about a week & don't turn it on!!

 

[Ilivetogo]

Nice to know!!! (just in case)

 

[dnoyes]

Another option is to stop putting expensive electronics at risk.

I ride snowmobiles, 4-wheelers, go crabbing in the Pacific Ocean and raft rivers all over the Northwest. I didn't buy a camera to take pictures of flowers (not saying there is anything wrong with that) I like to print the photos on postcards and mail them to the people that were with me on these trips. They love to get them and I like being able to do it. Most of the time they don't even know I'm taking the pictures and get a big thrill when they get a postcard of them crashing through a big rapid on their first ever whitewater trip.

I hear what you are saying but the risk is worth the reward in my case ..

 

[MichelleinMaine]

If you have to buy another camera at another time, I highly recommend an underwater one! I carted my "regular" digi camera in the kayak, to the beach, anywhere I went. (Was lucky I didn't drop it in somewhere!) I recently got an Olympus underwater one and it is sweet. Even took pictures IN the touch me tank at the aquarium yesterday.

Mine was $200, I've since seen similar ones in ads for ballpark $150. They have float straps for them as well. I need to pick up one of those before the next kayak trip.

 

[trip]

Years ago my Grandmother used to put rice in the saltshaker with the salt. It keep the salt from clumping in humid weather.

 

[dnoyes]

If you have to buy another camera at another time, I highly recommend an underwater one! I carted my "regular" digi camera in the kayak, to the beach, anywhere I went. (Was lucky I didn't drop it in somewhere!) I recently got an Olympus underwater one and it is sweet. Even took pictures IN the touch me tank at the aquarium yesterday.

Mine was $200, I've since seen similar ones in ads for ballpark $150. They have float straps for them as well. I need to pick up one of those before the next kayak trip.

I was already looking at them on line before I knew mine would work again. My next one will be waterproof for sure. I had one several years ago but lost it in the ocean in Turks and Caicos when we were sailing. When I stop and think about it maybe I shouldn't own a camera ...

 

[JR6ooo4]

the main key is to remove all electrical current asap!
don't turn it on to see if it got ruined. that is what usually ruins it.

pull the batteries and memory cards, wipe off all outside water, open battery doors etc to help let air in then let it dry with the rice trick.

Or if you are rushed, put in in front of a fan for 8 hours or a day. I think the rice would pull moisture from areas the fan might not reach. so if you have the time, use the rice.

and get a waterproof phone or camera

and get personal article insurance. $5K in coverage costs us about $120 a year. and it covers accidental damage like dropping on concrete or into a river.

Mikeeee

 

[Imzadi]

When I stop and think about it maybe I shouldn't own a camera ...

I think you have water + camera karma.

 

[java]

the main key is to remove all electrical current asap!
don't turn it on to see if it got ruined. that is what usually ruins it.

pull the batteries and memory cards, wipe off all outside water, open battery doors etc to help let air in then let it dry with the rice trick.

Or if you are rushed, put in in front of a fan for 8 hours or a day. I think the rice would pull moisture from areas the fan might not reach. so if you have the time, use the rice.

and get a waterproof phone or camera

and get personal article insurance. $5K in coverage costs us about $120 a year. and it covers accidental damage like dropping on concrete or into a river.

Mikeeee

We've done this (without the rice trick) and it worked fine for us.

Thank you for the Personal article insurance info too! I'm going to look into that!

 

[PollyannaMom]

I didn't know about that tip either, but will remember it now. - Thanks for sharing it!

 

[dnoyes]

the main key is to remove all electrical current asap!
don't turn it on to see if it got ruined. that is what usually ruins it.

pull the batteries and memory cards, wipe off all outside water, open battery doors etc to help let air in then let it dry with the rice trick.

Or if you are rushed, put in in front of a fan for 8 hours or a day. I think the rice would pull moisture from areas the fan might not reach. so if you have the time, use the rice.

and get a waterproof phone or camera

and get personal article insurance. $5K in coverage costs us about $120 a year. and it covers accidental damage like dropping on concrete or into a river.

Mikeeee

Never heard of personal article insurance but you can bet I'll look in to it. Sounds like it was made for me.

There is another story about a camcorder a crabbing trip and severe nipple pain but it's way to embarrassing to tell. Not sure there's a insurance company in the world that would pay that claim.

 

[Maridw]

Years ago my Grandmother used to put rice in the saltshaker with the salt. It keep the salt from clumping in humid weather.

In southern states, they do this in some local family owned restaurants. I found that if you put a cracker in the bottom of the sugar bowl, it does the same thing.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Never heard of personal article insurance but you can bet I'll look in to it. Sounds like it was made for me.

There is another story about a camcorder a crabbing trip and severe nipple pain but it's way to embarrassing to tell. Not sure there's a insurance company in the world that would pay that claim.

state farm was the only place I found it.

Im sure they would cover it. just leave out the details. all they need to know is "I dropped it" definitely not why, hehehehehehee.

Mikeeee