Back buttons wont work on Canon 70D and images wont display - help!

Question

Hi guys. so i was shooting at tthe beach with my cannon 70d, i took some 2" long exposures with flash on then my camera shutter started to lag and the camera would say "busy" alot. after a few pictures the back buttons on my camera stopped working (like delete, menu, options and such) and the images i took would not display on the screen. my hands were a bit wet while i was holding the camera but shoud that be an issue since it is weather sealed? please let me know what to do. 

Answer 1

GeorgeCKW wrote:
so u suggest i should take it to repair it at the store? yes it was salty water. 
There may be nothing wrong with your camera.
You mention taking long exposures with it. If you had Long Exposure Noise Reduction enabled, that will cause a delay and "busy" warning. The way LENR works is right after you take your shot, the camera automatically takes a second shot of the same duration, with the shutter closed. This "blank" shot is then used to determine where noise is occuring and that data is used to "subtract" the noise from the first shot. While the second "blank" shot is being made the camera is in "busy" mode. If your first shot was 2 seconds, then the camera will show "busy" for another 2 seconds while LENR takes the second shot. If your first exposure was 30 seconds, then there will be an additional 30 second busy period, etc. You can cancel the second shot from happening by turning the camera off, but doing so will delete both the original shot and the second "blank" shot. To prevent LENR from automatically operating, it can be turned off in the camera's menu. With it off, your images will typically show more digital "noise" as a result, of course, so you should plan to apply some noise reduction later during post-processing.
Another possibility, you mention using flash. There are a lot of variables, but it's also possible the camera was showing "busy" while the flash was recycling (recharging, if you will). If using the built-in flash in particular, the duration of recycling can be slower than it would be with an external, self-powered flash. This is because the built-in relies upon the camera's main battery for power. As the power level of that battery is reduced, the duration of recycling will grow longer.
Also when using flash, after a certain number of "pops" are done within a certain time period, most flashes have a protection featyre to prevent them from overheating, by stopping any additional flashes for a while, giving the flash time to cool off.
If you merely touched the camera with wet hands, it's possible but not certain that the dampness might have damaged the camera in some way. Essentially, some water has to intrude into the circuitry and cause the camera to short out to cause a problem. The 70D has some sealing and resistance, though maybe not as much as more high end cameras. But no Canon DSLR is completely waterproof, either. I'd be particularly careful if changing memory cards or lens or batteries, not to let water get inside. But I've gotten soaked in a sudden, heavy downpour while carrying a pair of older and less well sealed 30Ds without any problem. Once I got to shelter I turned the cameras off, removed all the batteries & memory cards, removed the lens and propped open the memory card & battery doors,  then let them sit to dry for a several days. Both worked just fine afterward.
Unless the camera gets splashed with water... or dunked in it... it's rare for water to get inside. I think it unlikely to happen merely because your hands were wet. But, it only takes a single drop in just the wrong place, so I'm not entirely ruling it out as a possibility, either.
Salt water is worse than fresh water. The salt increases the waters conductivity and is corrosive too. If the outside of the camera got wet from your hands, you might want to wipe it down with a lightly dampened, lint free rag or a pre-moistened "monitor wipe" or similar, just to be sure that any salts or minerals are removed. Stay off the optics of the lens and viewfinder, though. If those need cleaning too, use lens cleaning procedures instead.  
I do not recommend putting a camera in rice to dry it out, other than extreme emergencies. Rice gives off dust, which can intrude places you don't want it and make for problems too. Better is to use some sort of dessicant in a package that prevents dust... a lot of people who shoot in humid environments will keep a package of dessicant in their camera bag. For example: 40gm dessicant in aluminum tin with indicator. This can be dried in an oven at low heat and reused over and over. It has a "saturation" indicator on it.
Prevention is the best solution. I recommend getting some sort of protective cover for your camera if you will be using it at the beach a lot. Not just to keep water off it, but also sand can cause problems if it finds it's way into some of the camera's nooks and crannies. There are raincovers you can purchase, or you can simply make one out of a plastic bag, some gaffer or duct tape and rubber bands. For really wet work very close to surf or right in the water, there are fully sealed underwater housing ranging from relatively inexpensive, heavy duty plastic bags that might serve near the surface, to diving rigs that can be used doen to 100 feet or more depth, but cost a whole heck of a lot more. These also often limit the lenses you can use with the camera, and might require special flashes be used.
Hope this helps and your camera is fine.
Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
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