Drowned Camera
pp. 97-98 · Read in the full issue
How to Save Your Drowned Camera
Letter to the Editor THE mishap to a party of Port Moresby residents who spent 18 hours in the water, follow ing the swamping of a lakatoi, moves me to deal with one aspect of such events which is usually neg lected until it is too late.
People nowadays rarely go on organised outings (from picnics to annual patrols) without at least one camera. And postwar cameras are both pricey and, usually, of poor quality from the engineering point of view. The writer can speak with feeling of the latter aspect, as he is one of the slaves who endeavour to restore damaged cameras to work ing order again. A few hints may
be of use to people in outlying centres;— (1) If you drop a camera into sea water, run for the nearest fresh water, dip the camera right in, and shake it around vigorously for a few minutes under water. Then take it out, shake it and wipe it as dry as possible. Then, if at all possible, dip it -into methylated spirits or other spirit, or pure alcohol, soak it well, then take it out and shake dry. (Case-hardened citizens need not howl—they can still drink the alcohol afterwards!) Don’t use petrol or kerosene, which would only increase the danger of corrosion—to the camera, I mean, not the stomach . . . Then send the camera as soon as possible to a reliable tradesman for repair. It is a help if you first paint all metal parts with eucalyptus, cod-liver oil or other fish oil; pour some into the openings in the shutter, and paint all hinges and screws. Don’t use motor or engine oils; they can cause rust . . .
If you drop a camera into fresh water, wash it out well with metho and let it dry, and it should be safe. (2) If you are taking a good camera out in rain, or on sea-water, leave the fancy leather cases at home, and carry the camera and spares in a plain, old fashioned billy-can. The benefits are
obvious, but too many to mention here.
Leather absorbs moisture, and causes damage for months afterwards.
The writer would be pleased to hear of any other treatment which has proved of value in dealing with cameras in tropical climates, or in accidents involving salt-water or other conditions causing corrosion.
He is ready at any time to advise any island resident who has had
trouble with any photographic ap paratus.
I am. etc.,
V. J. Hearnes.
PO Box 1732, Brisbane.
A daughter was born on December 18 to Mr. and Mrs. P. A. Mackenzie of Rabaul, New Guinea.