[MichaelJPR]

My two-year old son completely submerged my wife's Olympus D-520zoom digital camera in a bucket of water.

Everything is wet - the batteries, the SmartMedia card -- everything. If I try to turn on the camera by uncovering the lens, it just beeps and the lights flash. The LCD display also flashes about once every 5 or 10 seconds.

Any advice ?

[Paul S]

My advice is to not try anything until it's completely dry. If there's no electric current running through it, nothing can burn out. If you try it wet, the water will conduct the electricity and maybe burn something out. If it doesn't work after being dry, you may have a problem.

[Grrr]

Believe me.. It's F*cked..

[Vanquish]

If you don't turn it on and let it dry completely it should work, but I'm not sure about the LCD, that one could be Fu*cked <img border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" title="" src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" />

[robby818]

I dropped my olympus 3040 into a river while i was fishing. I thought I completely ruined my $700 camera but after letting it dry out for a day and cleaning it carefully with Q tips and compressed air to get as much of the silt out of it, it still works. The damage was slight-- the lcd on top of the camera (thankfully not the color lcd) no longer works and I noticed that on night shots there are three stuck pixels. But overall picture quality seems to be just as good as before. Just open all the little doors on the camera and let it dry out for a few days, then drop in fresh batteries and see what happens. Good luck.

[warnergt]

Buy a Canon PowerShot with the waterproof case.

<img src="http://cache.computers4sure.com/comassets/productlarge/2080696Lg.jpg" alt=" - " /> <img src="http://cache.computers4sure.com/comassets/productlarge/CNET/I41695.jpg" alt=" - " />

[MichaelJPR]

NOW you tell me. Where were you when I needed you?

[CIA]

Instead of a few days, let that sucker dry out for a few weeks, don't take any chances. If you bought it with a credit card, many credit card companies have buyer protection deals, look into it.

[cejones]

first, take the battery/batteries out

Take it apart as much as you can... remove accessories, etc...

Place it in sunlight for a few days... let it completely dry out. (A good place would be in your car, if you live where it is hot outside right now)

Most of the components in cameras can withstand submersion as long as they are not operating... Even the LCDs are sealed devices...

Once dry, clean the battery contacts with qtips and clean batteries... Put the batteries back in and cross your fingers.

If you suspect it is not completely dry, wait! If water is still in there when you turn it on, you will fry something.

Good luck

[gattur]

You might get <a href="http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,51205,00.html" target="_blank">lucky</a>.