Water damaged cameras

There is a detailed report on this topic in the SPT Journal September/October 1977, which was just published on Learn Camera Repair:

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I think fixing water damage to a camera is the most work with the least chance of success. Corrosion is the worst enemy for mechanics and electronics. If it's salt water, it gets even worse.

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More on the topic:


In a tutorial, Simon Pate shows how to repair water damage on a Minolta X-700 with in-depth disassembly.


Thomas Tomosy, Camera Maintenance and Repair, Book 2, Buffalo: Amherst, 1997

Chapter six - Water, Moisture, Rust, Sand, and Fungus Damage

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Water Damage

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When you get a water damaged camera, ask the following questions. Was the camera completely submerged? Was it in salt water or fresh water? How long ago did this happen?

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I have a Bronica S2 which is the same, and the worst is I believe it was sea water. The lower part of the cranking site is heavily rusted and there is nothing I could do.

If it's salt water, just throw it back in, but take the batteries out.

I remember when I was much younger my neighbor had a pristine Rolleiflex 2.8F sitting on the fireplace mantel. I asked him how he liked it and he said "I don't know". He was a big fisherman and bought it for a trip way up North in Canada to take pictures. First day in the boat it went overboard -.

The first day with my Fujinon 300/5.6 in Copal #3 saw it fall off the front of my 100yo Century camera into a pond. Seems a Copal #3 releases 3 or 4 bubbles when submerged.

Since I was only minutes from home, I was able to get back to my shop (where I had just made the lenboard) and disassemble the shutter and both front and rear lens groups.

I was able to get the water off of everything before any permanent damage. It delivered about 15 years of service before needing another CLA.