I have just returned from a post-ADITL shooting, where I had a most
tragic accident.
My 35mm shift suddenly left the loving (but trembling) hand of its owner
and decided to try its fortune as an underwater lens in a nearby stream.
The bounces off the rocks preceeding the final plunge into the drink
were absorbed by the plastic lens caps (two dents) and by the lens mount
(one slight dent, which does not obstruct mounting of the lens to the
camera).
The lens was underwater for a second or so, before I managed to reach it
and grab it out. A small amount of water poured out of the shifting
mechanism immediately, but the inside of the lens seems to be dry, apart
from the two drops of water (approx. 1mm and 3mm in diameter) on one of
the internal elements.
As I had to climb out of the gorge first, I just wiped the outside of
the lens with my T-shirt and stored it in its lens case and into the
camera bag. Due to difficult terrain I could not hold the lens in my
hand to prevent shaking and possible additional migration of water
through it (notwithstanding that holding the lens in my hand apparently
isn't the safest idea anyway).
An hour later I arrived home and immediately started to dry the lens
with a hairdryer. As you know, part of the shifting mechanism is damped
with a velvet-like fabric, which was of course quite soaked. A side
effect of this drying was condensation inside the lens, which I hope it
will go away eventually. Otherwise, I have found no other cosmetical or
mechanical flaws.
Now, my question is, what do you think the fate of my lens will be? Is
there anything I can do to keep it alive and well?
(as an excuse to all Zuikoholics for treating this wonderful lens so
badly, I can only say that I suffered a realy hard blow in the
incriminated arm earlier in the day when I slipped on a steep slope
while doing geological mapping, and tried to catch myself to the nearest
tree. Nevertheless I of course deserve to be severely and brutally
punished... say 30 blows with a 350mm Zuiko.... anybody?)
br,
Marko Vrabec,
Kamnik, Slovenia
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