Water got into your camera or housing: what to do right now
A flooded housing or a camera dropped in the shore break is every water photographer's bad day. What you do next decides whether it's a repair or a write-off, and whether your photos survive. Camera makers and repair specialists give the same core advice: cut the power, don't test it, and get it to a professional quickly, especially after salt water. Here are the steps, the myths to skip and a checklist to stop it happening again.
The first minutes, step by step
Deal with it in this order, and don't take anything apart beyond the battery and the card.
- Get out safely Your safety comes before the camera. If the housing leaks while you're swimming, hold it still in one position so the water collects in one spot, and come in through the channel. Don't open it in the water.
- Switch off and remove the battery On the beach, open the housing in a sheltered spot, turn the camera off and take the battery out straight away.
- Take out the memory card Remove the card and keep it somewhere dry. Don't try to read it in the wet camera.
- Don't turn it on to test it Powering up a camera with water inside can turn a repairable fault into a dead circuit board. Resist the urge to check.
- Drain and wipe Pour any water out of the housing, wipe the outside of the camera with a dry, clean cloth and leave the battery and card doors open.
- Call a service centre the same day Canon's instruction for a camera dropped in water is to consult a service centre promptly. Every day of delay gives corrosion more time.
Salt water versus fresh water
Rain or a splash of fresh water on a weather-sealed body is usually a wipe-down job. Canon says to wipe water off with a dry cloth, and both Canon and Nikon advise removing salt with a well-wrung cloth dampened in fresh water, then drying the camera thoroughly. But weather sealing is not waterproofing: Canon states that its sealed bodies are not waterproof and cannot be used underwater.
Salt water inside the camera is far more urgent. As it dries it leaves salt behind, which keeps attracting moisture and corroding contacts and circuit boards, and Nikon warns that rust from water inside a camera can cause irreparable damage. Don't leave a saltwater-soaked camera at home for days to see whether it dries. You may read advice to rinse it in fresh water to wash the salt out; only do that if the repair service you'll use tells you to.
Drying it, and why rice is a myth
Drying helps, but it doesn't repair anything. Leave the camera and lens at room temperature in a dry, airy place with the doors open. Avoid hair dryers, ovens, radiators and hot sun, and don't blow compressed air into it; Apple gives the same advice for wet iPhones.
Rice is the classic myth. It absorbs moisture slowly, can't reach water sealed inside the body and leaves dust and starch behind. Apple explicitly tells people not to put a wet iPhone in rice because small particles can damage it, and the same logic applies to a camera. Rice also does nothing about salt or corrosion, which are the real threat. If the inside of the lens or viewfinder fogs up, leave the camera off until a technician has checked it.
When to stop and send it to a professional
Send it in if the camera or lens was submerged, if salt water got inside, if you see water or fog behind the glass, or if the housing flooded even partly. Do the same if the battery feels hot or there's an unusual smell. Tell the technician whether it was salt or fresh water, how long it was wet and what you've done since.
For insurance, photograph the camera and housing before packing them, keep receipts and ask the repairer for a written estimate or a report saying it isn't economical to repair. Manufacturer warranties cover defects, not accidents, so a flood is normally a paid repair unless you have accidental-damage cover. Check whether your policy covers professional use and gear used in the water.
Getting your photos back from the card
Memory cards are sealed and have no moving parts, so they often come through a flood in better shape than the camera. Let the card dry completely, then read it with a separate card reader and copy everything off before doing anything else. Don't format it or shoot on it again.
If files are missing or won't open, stop using the card and try recovery software; several card makers offer their own tools. A card that is physically damaged or won't mount is a job for a data-recovery service. A camera with two card slots set to record to both gives you a backup for next time.
Prevention checklist for your housing
Most floods are preventable. Build these habits into every session.
- Clean the o-ring and groove Wipe both, run the o-ring through your fingers to feel for grit and check for hair, sand and nicks in good light.
- Grease lightly, as the maker says Only a light sheen of the manufacturer's own lubricant. Too much collects sand, and some seals are designed to run dry.
- Do a test dip Dunk the housing for a few minutes before the session and watch for bubbles. After a service or with a new port, test it empty first.
- Use the vacuum check or leak sensor If your housing has one, check it on the beach and glance at it again as you enter the water.
- Add desiccant or anti-fog Put a fresh desiccant pack or anti-fog insert inside, well away from the o-ring and the port.
- Close it somewhere cool and dry Load the camera indoors, ideally in air-conditioning, not on a hot, windy beach where sand and humid air get in.
- Check every latch and lock Confirm that latches, port locks and extension rings are fully closed before you walk to the water.
- Rinse, soak and service After every session, soak the housing in fresh water and work every button. Replace the main o-ring about once a year and have the housing serviced roughly every two years.
Frequently asked questions
Will my camera work again after it got wet?
Sometimes. A brief splash of fresh water on a weather-sealed body is often harmless once dried. A camera that was submerged, especially in salt water, frequently needs professional cleaning or new parts, and some aren't economical to repair. Acting fast, removing the battery and never testing it wet give you the best chance.
Does putting a wet camera in rice work?
No. Rice absorbs moisture slowly, can't reach water sealed inside the body and leaves dust and starch behind. Apple advises against it for phones for that reason. Drying at room temperature with good airflow is the recommended approach, and a camera that was submerged still needs a technician.
Can I recover photos from a memory card that got wet?
Often, yes. Let the card dry fully, read it with a separate card reader and copy everything before doing anything else. If files are missing, stop using the card and try recovery software. A physically damaged card may still be readable by a data-recovery service.
Does insurance cover a flooded camera?
It depends on the policy. Manufacturer warranties cover defects, not water accidents, so you need accidental-damage cover, and some policies exclude professional use or use in the water. Photograph the damage, keep the camera and housing, and ask the repairer for a written report to support your claim.