Water damage question OMD EM5/kit lens

[maflynn]

Not sure if anyone here has any info, but I have the first gen OMD EM5 and the 14-42 kit lens. I was floating down the river and fell into the water, camera and all. I understand the camera has some weather sealing and the body seemed to fair decently though water did get into everywhere but the body seems to work.

The lens on the other hand did seem to fair too well.

Any ideas of what it will cost to repair the lens, or being a kit lens, not worth it? I can see some of the moisture drying off inside the lens, but it left a clouded haze on the inside, their's still water in the lens, so its not fully dried out, but I'm not sure if its worthwhile to fix or just find another lens to replace it

 

[TheDrift-]

I suppose all you can do is give it a through drying out and see what happens...

 

[kenoh]

Agree. Leave it until you are sure it is dry then try it. I dont know about the cost of the kit lens but the 12-40 f2.8 Pro is £629 in the UK. I imagine an upgrade from the kit and is weather sealed (not sure about dunk proof mind you... oops).

 

[Apple fanboy]

Not sure if anyone here has any info, but I have the first gen OMD EM5 and the 14-42 kit lens. I was floating down the river and fell into the water, camera and all. I understand the camera has some weather sealing and the body seemed to fair decently though water did get into everywhere but the body seems to work.

The lens on the other hand did seem to fair too well.

Any ideas of what it will cost to repair the lens, or being a kit lens, not worth it? I can see some of the moisture drying off inside the lens, but it left a clouded haze on the inside, their's still water in the lens, so its not fully dried out, but I'm not sure if its worthwhile to fix or just find another lens to replace it

Kit lenses often get sold off second hand as people upgrade. If the wait and see approach doesn't work I'd go down that route. Many will be hardly used.
Alternatively you could always upgrade!

 

[maflynn]

Alternatively you could always upgrade!

Closer examination of the camera, and it appears to not have faired as well as I initially thought. I think the camera is toast, I'm traveling so I don't have an opportunity to put it in a bag of rice.

I agree with you on the kit lens, looking at what the used lens market is for the 14-42 lens, its I can get a good used lens for 60 bucks, clearly any repair costs for my lens will easily succeed that threshold.

It looks like I may be in the market for a new camera, not sure if I want to go with a DSLR, or back to the micro 4/3 platform. I'm not knocking that platform, but if I have to spend $$$, I might as well take some time to do some due diligence.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Closer examination of the camera, and it appears to not have faired as well as I initially thought. I think the camera is toast, I'm traveling so I don't have an opportunity to put it in a bag of rice.

I agree with you on the kit lens, looking at what the used lens market is for the 14-42 lens, its I can get a good used lens for 60 bucks, clearly any repair costs for my lens will easily succeed that threshold.

It looks like I may be in the market for a new camera, not sure if I want to go with a DSLR, or back to the micro 4/3 platform. I'm not knocking that platform, but if I have to spend $$$, I might as well take some time to do some due diligence.

Micro 4/3 vs DSLR.
Now you've open a bag of worms!

Enjoy the rest of the trip. Any insurance cover accidental damage?

 

[maflynn]

Micro 4/3 vs DSLR.
Now you've open a bag of worms!

I know

I've been down that road before and I opted for Micro 4/3 due to the camera body size, and I think that ideal is still with me, but I'll be doing some mulling as I shoot any pictures I can with my iPhone SE

Enjoy the rest of the trip. Any insurance cover accidental damage?

Thanks, so far its been a good trip, and while the camera is ruined, I don't think I would have done anything different - just a freak set of circumstances. As for insurance, no, nothing, but that's like

 

[Precision Gem]

I had a Nikon D700 go in the river once. After about a month or so, it came back to life. I did send one lens to Nikon to repair after getting wet, and the cost was around $400, since I paid $1000 for the lens it sort of made sense.

 

[maflynn]

I had a Nikon D700 go in the river once. After about a month or so, it came back to life.

When I get back home, I'll put the camera in a bag of rice, and hope for the best. In the meantime I'm starting my due diligence in researching a possible replacement.

 

[MCAsan]

The wife and I loved our original E-M1 bodies. We stood in the rain in Alaska for hours with Pro lenses without rain sleeves or other protection and never had a bit of trouble. Pro DSLRs around us were failing. We have since moved to E-M1 II and find them to be amazing.

 

[maflynn]

The wife and I loved our original E-M1 bodies.

I've been out in the rain myself and that was one of the features that intrigued me, when I first selected the camera, sadly, what occurred to my EM5, was a little more then just getting rained on

Perhaps it will come back to life once it fully dries out, but given what was not working, I'm not so sure.

 

[kenoh]

Thing is, I think that a DSLR in the economical bracket you are looking at will not have things like the weather sealing, the 5 axis stabilisation or some of the other features of the Oly. I think there are good deals on right now for EM-5mkII with the 12-40 Pro lens. Obviously the EM1 mkII is better as it has the newest sensor and I think they are putting it in the serious enthusiast level hence pricing.

Everything seems a lot more expensive now too.

I was looking at the Olys but I am hesitant to move to a new system. Good luck in your decision. Sorry I am not any help.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Thing is, I think that a DSLR in the economical bracket you are looking at will not have things like the weather sealing, the 5 axis stabilisation or some of the other features of the Oly. I think there are good deals on right now for EM-5mkII with the 12-40 Pro lens. Obviously the EM1 mkII is better as it has the newest sensor and I think they are putting it in the serious enthusiast level hence pricing.

Everything seems a lot more expensive now too.

I was looking at the Olys but I am hesitant to move to a new system. Good luck in your decision. Sorry I am not any help.

You hesitate to move to a new system?
Says the Cannon/Leica/Sony guy!

 

[kenoh]

You hesitate to move to a new system?
Says the Cannon/Leica/Sony guy!

Yeah and I saw an Oly in action today... And me likey a lot... But yes I hesitate...

 

[Apple fanboy]

Yeah and I saw an Oly in action today... And me likey a lot... But yes I hesitate...

Friend of mine (D4s shooter) tried out an Olly (can't remember which), but was getting a lot of misses on motorsports compared to his Nikon. But the shots that were good were very nice.

 

[MCAsan]

Friend of mine (D4s shooter) tried out an Olly (can't remember which), but was getting a lot of misses on motorsports compared to his Nikon. But the shots that were good were very nice.

Considering the relative cost difference of a new D4 and even the EM-1 II......the D4 shooter should be getting more keepers.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Considering the relative cost difference of a new D4 and even the EM-1 II......the D4 shooter should be getting more keepers.

Of course.
He's also been a Nikon shooter since film, so I'm pretty sure some of it is to do with familiarity of the camera layout etc.

 

[deeddawg]

Friend of mine (D4s shooter) tried out an Olly (can't remember which), but was getting a lot of misses on motorsports compared to his Nikon. But the shots that were good were very nice.

Also, which Olympus body he tried would definitely make a difference.

The EM5.2 has pretty good tracking for contrast-detection AF but it's not going to hit as well as the phase-detection AF that's in the EM1.2 (and EM1).

 

[Precision Gem]

I have a Nikon D750 and an Oly EM1. I find I use the EM1 a lot more than the Nikon now due to it’s size and weight. I just got back from a trip to Ireland and took the EM1 along with 5 lens. The whole bag was about the size and weight of the Nikon with 2 lenses with a more narrow focal length range.

 

[maflynn]

I have a Nikon D750 and an Oly EM1.

Im largely looking back at MFT and picking up the OMD EM5 MKII, though I want to look at what Panasonic has to offer. While I'm currently traveling, I have had the opportunity to do some investigating and research.

I'm not totally giving up on a Nikon DSLR, but what drew me from the Nikon DSLR to the MFT, still applies. I'll probably take a look at a current Nikon and see how that feels in hand, i.e., balance, and its weight. With that said, the more I read about the Oly, the more I'm liking what it has to offer and it was a fun camera to use.

 

[44267547]

When I get back home, I'll put the camera in a bag of rice, and hope for the best. In the meantime I'm starting my due diligence in researching a possible replacement.

Something else you can add into the rice are silica packets. They also absorb Moisture if you have them available, they might be sufficient enough in absorbing moisture. They are available for sale online.

 

[maflynn]

Something else you can add into the rice are silica packets. They also absorb Moisture if you have them available, they might be sufficient enough in absorbing moisture. They are available for sale online.

Sadly, the camera is dead, and even if it weren't, it seems that it wouldn't last due to corrosion.

I stuck with the MFT platform and picked up a OMD EM5 Mark II on sale. It has some nice improvements over the original EM5, that I'm happy with my selection. Well happy is not the right word, I would have been happy if my original camera didn't go swimming, but that's all on me, and I take full responsibility. I won't make that mistake again

 

[Apple fanboy]

Sadly, the camera is dead, and even if it weren't, it seems that it wouldn't last due to corrosion.

I stuck with the MFT platform and picked up a OMD EM5 Mark II on sale. It has some nice improvements over the original EM5, that I'm happy with my selection. Well happy is not the right word, I would have been happy if my original camera didn't go swimming, but that's all on me, and I take full responsibility. I won't make that mistake again

Waterproof bag for next time you go boating maybe?

Either way enjoy your new camera.

 

[maflynn]

Waterproof bag for next time you go boating maybe?

Yeah, I'm thinking of that tbh. I don't find myself in those sort of situations very often, in fact this was a rarity, but I do think I should be better prepared next time.