Suggestions - Canon 40D + Sand

beans

In a moment of carelessness, my Canon 40D found itself lying on a sandy beach. Soonafter, it ceased to power-on. Subsequently, it proved to be sand on the contacts of the battery causing that problem, but there are other things some of you may be able to advise on:

- Sand in the rear wheel, preventing it and it's central button from working
- Sand in my 17-85 IS lens, producing a terrible grinding noise when I tried to zoom.

So I have a sand-destroyed lens and body. Can anyone suggest methods of self-servicing before I ship it off to IIS? Canon Ireland and Canon UK both tell me IIS are the only ppl that can help, but I hear they're fairly questionable?

My first attempt will involve a hoover.

Cheers

Paulw

ISS will ship the items off to Canon UK to be serviced.

I had a lens with sand in the mechanism before, and I left it with ISS for repair. I'd be lost without the lens, and the repair was perfect.

Fajitas!

ISS are grand, it might be a little bit on the slow side because you're bringing it to them, they're sending it to Canon, Canon are sending it back to them, then they're ringing yourself to let you know it's back. It might be a bit pricy too - Again, middle man involved.

If it were me, I'd try a hoover. I'm sure someone will tell you/me to never use a hoover because it does such and such a thing, but I've done it before on the few occasions my cameras ended up in the sand, and tbh, I'd try again. Though, mine never stopped turning on...

beans

Thanks for the replies.

The power-up issue was pure and simply sand in the battery compartment - thankfully sorted.

Was just looking at some self-repair videos, and will not be trying this! :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAWGScQeC5g

Hoover now, worry later - that's my motto at the mo.

punchdrunk

have you checked here?

http://www.camera-repair.co.uk/

it's where most Canon repairs will be sent to!
just deal directly with them...

beans

I took to the lens and body with a paintbrush, and got the sand out of everywhere but the rear wheel... the button is permanently engaged, and the Autofocus is knackered. Tested on two lenses, permanently hunts and never settles. No sand in with the sensor, thankfully.

The A/F issue could be down to the rear button being depressed? If I can find a way to clean the sand out from around the button, I may be home dry...

Reckon it's time for a service regardless - thanks for the links

Pacha

I've got a speck on sand in a lens after a trip to Goa.
And I ruined my OM10 in Thailand years ago by taking it everywhere with me.

Moral to the story - don't take your camera to the beach.