My reason for buying the Canon S1is was due to a oceanic accident: I was puttering around in the ultra-low tide of Galiano Island's Retreat Cove, snapping fotos with my Canon G1. I stepped in the water on something that caused my ankle to twist (after a couple of weeks, the doctor decided my fibula has a spiral fracture), and dunk the G1 in the Pacific Ocean. (At left is one of the last pictures taken with the G1; click for larger view.)
I had heard that salt water is bad for cameras, and now I found out. (Fortunately, the 1GB memory card did not get wet.) The camera seemed forgetful, taking a long time to turn on, and forgetting to turn off. A few days later, I shipped it to Canon in Calgary (AB, Canada). It also need repairs to the bottom of the case, where the plastic had cracked.
A couple weeks later, they called to say the repairs would be CDN$250, incl tax and return shipping. Fair enough for how much the camera originally cost. (A year earlier they had repaired the zoom lever that no longer functioned, for $150.) Yesterday, Canon called again, saying the camera was unrepairable -- too much damage from the salt water. "It would be cheaper to buy a new one than pay for repairing this one. I suggest the G5."
Well, shock of shocks. I had hoped to continue using the G1, especially since I had the flash, lens adapter, and a number of 55mm filters, and several proprietary batteries. Darn!
I asked why Canon originally told me the camera could be repaired for $250. "That was before the technician took apart the camera." I am guessing that in the month or so it took Canon to get around to looking inside the camera, the corrosive sea water did more damage.
They'll ship it back, and I'll keep it in my bookshelf as a reminder (1) to not take digital cameras beyond the edge of the seashore; and (2) of the thousands of photos I enjoyed taking with the G1.
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