My D-800 may be dead

While canoeing, my companion caused us to capsize and my D-800 was immersed in the river- fresh water. It and my 28-300 are off to Nikon service -melville.

I have not heard back yet and I am dreading to hear how bad it will be.

I am so mad I can hardly contain myself. There was no need for the capsize other than clumsiness of the other person. If there had been a rapids or other potential danger I would have stowed it in my waterproof case, but there was no cause for concern at the time.

I am very dismayed that he has not offered to compensate me or expressed any concern for my loss.

And I thought he was a friend.....

Anyway if the worst case is , d-800 is beyond repair what do I replace it with ? 800 , 800E, or 600

I checked with homeowners -got the usual answer it`s not covered.

I am totally bummed .

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Jack

Slap him across the face with an oar

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My travel photography blog - http://www.frescoglobe.com

sad story, something similar but less dramatic happend to me last year. I offered a friend to teach him about film photography, and he bumped my camera somehow and flew away when we got back to develop the film... Some people are just plain cowards.

Hi Jack,

Water damage like this is usually fatal for a camera. The lens might be recoverable.

Not sure how your relation is with that person at this moment, but it is maybe coverable by his accident/incident insurance?

I use my camera's and lenses for my work and by that I insure them well. As an advice what ever camera you get/buy again, take an insurance with it which covers accidents like this. For the cost of a cheap zoom you're covered a year long.

Michel

--
- To observe without evaluation is the highest form of human intelligence -
http://www.fotopropaganda.com
http://www.fotopropaganda.com/blog
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9240992@N05/ (my pixel mess on flikr)

Sorry to hear of this, Jack. You may want to look into carrying a special insurance policy on your camera gear - I have what's called an "inland marine" rider attached to my homeowners policy, and it supposedly covers "all causes" of loss. I got it originally to protect me against theft when I travel, but it's probably what you need to cover these kinds of accidents. I think some photography associations also offer something similar.

Ray
My blog: http://www.rritchie.com/wordpress

Why wouldn't you replace it with the same thing?  Have your needs changed since you chose the D800?

Too bad you destroyed your camera but you accepted that risk when you got on the water.  Accidents/clumsiness/stupidity happens.

agreed.....

I have insurance on all my bodies and most of my lenses. It is cheap piece of mind.

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Have Fun!
Steve
http://stevequad.smugmug.com/photos/476767353_j7E44-Ti-0.jpg

I canoe (on calm water) many times a year and with many different folks as canoe partners.  It's a given that anything you put in the boat at at the start of the trip will have gotten wet by the end of the trip. I have a special camera for that sort of trip and water proof case for those things I absolutely need to take with but prefer they not get wet (even that is no guarantee). I'm sure Nikon can indeed fix both lens and body but it will be expensive (they dry out the strap and attach a referb body to it ).  It really is not your friends fault unless that person forced you at gun point to bring your unprotected camera on the trip. Man up and learn your lesson with dignity. Good Luck.

I am sorry for you and I am sorry for him too. I am pretty sure that if he is your friend and knew your camera was in danger he wouldn't have done whatever he did which you blame him for. Otherwise all I can say is that accidents do happen, which is why I would not bring along my D800 on a canoe trip without having it properly protected. Ask him if he has an insurance, if not then bite the bullet and ask him to buy you a dinner.

Cameras can be bought and replaced but a lost friend is gone forever and money can not buy him back. If you value the camera more, then get rid of him, otherwise best is to get over it and have it as a memory for both of you to talk about.

Thank you all for the kind remarks , good advise and even the rubbed in scoldings.

I know it would not have happened if I were alone, but the bad part is if he were a real friend he would have been more concerned, and That is most bothersome to me.

I will wait and give him time to do something voluntarily , and if nothing happens- he`s history.

Now back to my question 800 or 800E ?

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Jack

The question was answered clearly up thread. Why change if you were happy with the D800?

Anything in a waterproof housing. We don't know all the circumstances but on current evidence I don't think I'd want you as a friend. If the guy was a good friend before this nothing should have changed.

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Brian
Fine Art Print sales of the Isle of Skye at:
http://www.eyeofskye.co.uk/

I would go with what you already had and were happy with but this time add a simple rider to your homeowners policy.

I just added a rider for $12.50 per thousand dollars of camera equip., gear, etc annually. It covers everything that could possibly happen, theft, damage, overboard, etc and my rider has a zero deductible!

$125.00 annually to cover $10,000 worth of equipment is nothing..

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- Julie
"We don't remember days, we remember moments"..

Once your friend or anyone else gets into the canoe, you no longer have control or can predict what will happen.  To take it a bit further, even if you got into the canoe by yourself, there was still a possibility the camera could get wet and, at worst, could have been submerged in water or lost in the water.  That's just the risk that you have to take.  When another person got into that canoe, your risk increased many folds.

Your friend should have offered to help compensate, but $3k is alot of money and I'm not surprise he did not offer.  If it was me and I did cause this, I would balk at full compensation.  I would compensate 1/3 or 1/4 and be extremely sorry.

Gary

As others have indicated, there is always cause for concern when canoeing. A canoe is a very unstable watercraft. I was taught how to behave in a canoe from the age of about five years, because my father was an avid canoeist. However, I have also learned that avid or even knowledgeable canoeists are few and far between.

My wife, for example, learned about sailing when she was young, but not about canoeing. Therefore, each season when we get ready to set off in a canoe for the first time, I remind her about the vessel's instability, have her do a bit of controlled playing around to demonstrate the limits of movement, and practice methods of moving that are safe. All this is done before such things as cameras are loaded on board. We also always let each other know, and receive verbal acknowledgement from the other, before either of us moves in any way, even to commence or cease paddling. This type of communication is taught in beginner training as standard operating procedure for anyone who uses a canoe.

If you did not take the above precautions with your canoeing companion, you may appropriately take full responsibility for both the capsize and the damage to your camera.

how about a waterproof compact?  or if you want an FX camera, a 600/800/800E in a waterproof case.

Like others have said accidents happen and you should never go in the water without expecting something to happen!  Stop sulking and whining and see what Nikon will do.  Then put a plan in place and come back and tell us about it.  Take action for your own mistakes.

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Gosman

Hi Jack,

Two things; don't blame your friend for you bringing your camera. You made en error of judgement and brought a very expensive camera into a situation where something like this happening certainly wouldn't be considered very unlikely and is perfectly within the frame of what is normal when going canoeing. Blaming him for it sounds like a projection as you don't want to take responsibility for your own stuff and probably subconsciously feel stupid for having brought it unprotected. If you expect people to compensate you for your loses when they make mistakes that is perfectly within scope of the exercise, then expect them to have a saying in what you can and can not bring when being in their proximity (it will probably end with them asking you not to bother even bringing yourself). I certainly wouldn't want a blame-prone 'friend' bringing his gear into my boat as I never can rule out that I'll make a mistake.

Secondly, why are you asking about the D800 or the D800E? You know exactly what the difference is, and you even have the good fortune of having extensively tried at least one of them. Did you feel you needed sharper photos? Then go for the E, if not, then go for the non-E. Simple as that. You haven't provided any information what you shot or how you print so how is anyone to make a judgement for you in either direction? All you'll get is people having one or the other saying they are perfectly happy with theirs.

Sorry for the harshness, but people blaming other people for stuff that is 100% within their own responsibility and then make the other person out to be a poor friend, annoys me to no end.