Praktica has unfortunate accident.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Hi folks

I managed to drop my very good condition Praktica Nova into a bucket of urine/water. Stupid story, toilet broke, was fixing it, used a large bucket to drain it into, camera got knocked off shelf and landed in bucket.

Anyways, it got fished out and is sat on a pile of paper towels.

I've no idea what to do with it, I'm tempted to put it in the bin.

Any suggestions for cleaning methods? What's the likelihood of it being liquid damaged now?

It's only an old M42 camera, I have other M42 cams, I'm tempted to just bin it, the idea of a pee soaked camera is not attractive at all. Sad

skida · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 2:15 am Post subject:

I am thinking the wee will cause some problems with corrosion - is it alkaline or acidic? There's certainly ammonia in it. I think a respectful burial is in order. Crying or Very sad

Luckily, if you needed to replace it, Novas and later M42 Prakticas are common and cheap on the bay. I have been on the look out for an additional cheap M42 body myself as I am giving up on the (6) Zenits that all have one problem or other, but I keep getting distracted by lenses! Shocked

berraneck · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 2:16 am Post subject:

pee is full of salts so I would do the same as after bath in seawater

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

If you fancy cleaning this pristene but pee soaked Nova, you are welcome to it Skida. I have a nice Carena M42 SLR, an MTL5B, a half dozen Zenits so I'm covered! Smile

If not, I think I shall bin it, even if I clean it, I'll still know it was once so vile Wink

jjphoto · Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Posts: 410

The bin, even before it was stained!

Katastrofo · Expire: 2013-11-19

I was just thinking, you don't hear of this situation everyday...no. Laughing

mo · Expire: 2016-07-30

marty · Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Posts: 767 Location: Italy

Hi, there.
My old cellphone did undergo the same fate and ... lo and behold ... it's still alive after disassembling, drying with a paper towel and left several days buried in a cup of rice. The rice is hygroscopic and absorbs humidity. If you wonder it doesn't even smell bad Smile

.
I think you got nothing to lose in trying ...

Cheers, M.

yinyangbt · Expire: 2012-12-27

When did it happened?

Nesster · Expire: 2014-02-20

skida · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 11:38 am Post subject:

yinyangbt · Expire: 2012-12-27

Throw it away and get another one if you want.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

I think I'll just bin it, unless someone wants it?

Drack · Joined: 27 Feb 2011 Posts: 735 Location: Lithuania

kansalliskala · Expire: 2016-12-30

Was there film inside?

http://forum.mflenses.com/developing-film-with-pee-t52692,highlight,%2Bpee.html

Very Happy

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

An old mechanical camera like that I would wash it under the tap, without soap, then dry with a hair dryer to blow as much water out as possible, then put it on a radiator for a few days. You might be surprised, the water shouldn't wash away all the lube, and a quick squirt of lighter fluid on the moving parts after will soften what's left and move it about a bit. You might end up with water marks on the prism and mirror, but I would risk a gentle wipe with lens cleaning fluid and a cotton bud.

DigiChromeEd · Joined: 29 Dec 2009 Posts: 3460 Location: Northern Ireland

Mos6502 · Joined: 20 Jun 2011 Posts: 960 Location: Austin

Weren't the old soviet ever ready cases urine tanned?

You probably could just let the praktica dry out, leave the back open and even unscrew the film gate so everything inside dries out quickly. If it were mine I'd probably save it for parts, you never know when you might need a tiny screw or spring or something for another camera or lens.

peterqd · Expire: 2014-01-04

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Come on ! Unbeliavable... if you have 'semi' friend gave it to him Laughing

skida · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:53 pm Post subject:

You could always clean it with some Box Jellyfish Venom! Laughing

skida · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 9:27 pm Post subject:

Nobody has asked the obvious question, so here goes: Do you often take a camera in the toilet with you? Shocked

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

MTHall · Joined: 07 Nov 2012 Posts: 120 Location: England UK

THIS IS NOT A GUARANTEED REMEDY but!

If you drop a camera into the wet and smelly, or salty water, FIRST remove it's battery if it has one. (straight away is good!)

separate lens from camera if lens detaches.

Then (soon after is good too!) totally immerse camera and lens (separate is good, but don't knock against each other!) in a bucket full of clean water, swishing about for maximum soak (but be gentle!!)

Change the water and do it again.

When you are as sure as you can be, that only water is in the camera, drain it out, shake out as much of the water that you can.

IF you use an airline to blow out the water, be VERY careful with the shutter curtains/blades and any other fragile components!!

Place the camera and lens on a radiator to dry out completely, DO NOT BAKE IT!!

ISSUES>

The lens may have watermarks on the glass, as may the viewfinder/prism.

Some of the lubricants may have washed out or migrated elsewhere.

Mechanical cameras can survive this, but may never be the same again.

If you are successful and the camera is valuable enough, get it professionally serviced (AFTER YOU HAVE DRIED IT OUT!)

If you send it to be repaired before it has dried out, the repair shop may not be able to repair it because the water may have caused damage from corrosion.

The best way of course, is NOT to drop it in the sh*t to begin with!

Clean water does less damage than salty water or excrement, sea water is lethal. They all dilute in clean water. Oils and fuels are a different matter.

This may be far to late for the original poster, but can be kept in mind by those who read this. He wasn't the first to get caught out and he won't be the last!!

Good luck!!

VBR

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07