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Lensrentals tears down a $10K Fujifilm GFX 100 corroded by saltwater

01 Sep

What happens when even a splash of saltwater makes its way inside a $ 10K Fujifilm GFX 100? Just ask Roger Cicala, Founder of Lensrentals.

For their latest teardown, Roger and his trusty teardown assistant Aaron took apart one of Fujifilm’s medium format cameras that had been damaged during a rental, wherein it was used inside a dive housing. Fuji Service told Roger a ‘repair [was] not possible,’ and the insurance claims were already paid out, so the dynamic duo took it upon themselves to salvage what components they could.

That is not how a PCB should look.

The general rule of water damage, according to Roger, is ‘it’s always worse on the inside.’ And, unfortunately, in the case of this GFX 100, that tidbit proved to be true once again. While the outside looked mostly unscathed, the inside was riddled with corroded screws, flex ribbon cables and solder points.

A literal hands-on look at the massive sensor inside the GFX 100.

Roger and Aaron salvaged what they could — namely the LCD panel, hot shoe and a few other pieces — but as much as the teardown was about getting any functional pieces, it was also about being able to take apart a $ 10K camera without the risk of damaging it.

In the words of Roger, ‘The IBIS unit looks like it could stabilize a small child, and certainly is strong enough to support this big sensor.’

In that vein, Aaron and Roger came across plenty of interesting engineering decisions and components inside the camera. From the robust IBIS assembly to the spring-mounted shutter mechanism, the GFX 100 proved to be as well-engineered as Roger had hoped for a camera of its size (and price). That said, the weathersealing wasn’t quite as impressive as is suggested, so whether it’s freshwater or saltwater, don’t press your luck too much when out in the rain or near the sea.

You can read and view the full teardown on the Lensrentals blog.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Salt-Powered Lamp: 8 Hours of Light from 1 Glass of Saltwater

27 Jul

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

salt energy lamp design

Aiming to bring low-cost illumination to residents of the Philippines, a nation of 7,000 oceanic islands, the Salt Lamp uses a free and abundant resource to reduce fire risk from candles and replace the cost of traditional lighting.

salt water lamp

Developed by engineer Lipa Aisa Mijena of De La Salle University, the Salt Lamp requires a single glass of water with two tablespoons of salt to provide a night’s worth of a light, but, best of all, it can run off the naturally salty water of the surrounding ocean.

salt powered charger device

The electrode can run for over a year without requiring replacement as well. The next-generation version of the Salt Lamp will also have the capacity to charge portable electronic devices like cellular phones.

salt powered light

Currently, many households in the country lack access to or funds for electricity, resorting instead to oil lamps (which can cause house fires) or battery-powered lights (which cost more to use). Worse, during times of critical need (the area being prone to natural disasters) the resources required to make light are all the more essential yet difficult to acquire.

salt lamp design

As someone who has both spent time with locals around the country and a member of Greenpeace Philippines, Mijena developed the Salt Light as an eco-friendly, low-footprint alternative that could be sold commercially but, first and foremost, deployed via non-profit organizations to those in need. “There are no materials and components inside the lamp that may cause fire accidents. One less thing to worry about for families that rely on kerosene lamps as their main source of lighting. This lamp uses the science behind the Galvanic cell, the basis for battery-making, changing the electrolytes to a non-toxic, saline solution — making the entire process safe and harmless.”