New camera got detroyed by a wave, how to test the lens?

VashHT

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2007
3,058
865
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So I got a brand new camera kit about a month ago, the fujufilm x-t10. I took it with me to San Diego last weekend and stupidly brought it to the beach against my better judgement. It ended up getting hit by a wave while I was swimming, my girlfriend grabbed it as fast as she could but it was already too late. I dried it out for 3 days in rice but it was still all messed up when I tried to use it, I imagine there is a coating of salt all over everything inside.

Anyways, I ended up taking it to a repair shop here that's an authorized shop for fuji, they came back and said the body is not economically viable to repair, but the lens looks like it might be ok. They don't have any spare bodies to test it with so they are not sure though, personally I don't have much hope for it, it's not a weather sealed lens so it's likely some water got inside somewhere.

I plan on re-buying the camera because it was great up until it's demise, I'm pretty tempted to just go for the X-T1 for the weather sealing but at this point I am not sure if I should rebuy the lens or not. It's the nicer 18-55mm F2.8-4 lens so it's around $600 by itself but you get around $300 off the price if you buy it as part of one of the kits. I'd hate to buy a new body only to find out the lens is trashed as well and have to spend even more to replace it so I was wondering if anyone had any ideas. Should I just send it back to fuji to test or something? I'm somewhat tempted to rent a body to test it with, that may be the way to go since I don't know anyone with an X series body.
 

CuriousMike

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2001
3,044
543
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Maybe find a sympathetic Best Buy where you can bring your lens in and try it ?

Or, post in photo classifieds on CL offering to buy someone a coffee if they let you try your lens on their body?

Ultimately, renting the body might be the best way to go.

The X-T1 is obvious only in retrospect and in particular considering what just happened. But you shouldn't just into the X-T1 because of your recent goof if being around weather and beaches is the other 95% of your camera use.
 

VashHT

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2007
3,058
865
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Yeah I'm definitely considering the X-T1 after this incident, but like you said I don't go to beaches that often and I'm not likely to do it now unless I have a waterproof bag or something to put it in. I did see a few X-T1 bodies on Amazon that weren't too bad price-wise so I'm still considering it, the extra little grip on the X-T1 looks like it'd be nice to have as well.

As for the lens, after looking at it more it looks like it's in really good shape so I think I'm just going to risk it and get a new body and see how it goes, really hoping it works out as this is a really nice lens.
 

imported_Irse

Senior member
Feb 6, 2008
270
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81
How about getting a waterproof camera when you go to the beach? It'll eliminate the risk of ruining another body. Never know when a housing or bag will develop a leak.
 

VashHT

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2007
3,058
865
136
Yeah next time I'll just be bringing a cheaper waterproof compact unless I know what I'm getting into. I ended up ordering a used X-T1 body, so I'll see how my lens is when I get it later this week.
 

Imp

Lifer
Feb 8, 2000
18,829
184
106
Meh, it happens.

I dunked my, luckily, $150 P&S when I took it into the field for work -- I was wearing hip-waders to go into streams/rivers the day after a really big storm rolled through. After I dunked it, I dried it out and took it into another river a week later. Dunked it again... but I brought a zip-loc bag with me in case!