For Sale: Canon EOS 1000D- only used underwater once

[Liz Caldwell]

Original Post by +Markus Thompson:

For Sale: Canon EOS 1000D
Description: only used underwater once, in the Pacific Ocean, for approximately one year.

Actual story: found off the end of a wharf in Deep Bay, BC while I was diving on a job for the harbour. I removed the SD card, cleaned it up, stuck it in a card reader and after being underwater in a corroding camera since August 2010 - it works! Approximately 50 pictures on the card from a family vacation. If you know a fire fighter from British Columbia whose team won the Pacific Regional Firefit competition, has a lovely wife and (now) 2 year old daughter - let me know. I would love to get them their vacation photos

There are other clues on within the pictures - I think we should be able to track them down (not sure he'll want the camera back tho).

Update:
The camera owner has not been located. A number of comments claimed to have located the camera owner after calling the fire department. I checked the individuals facebook page and he appeared initially to be a match. Upon closer inspection this is not the case, although I have not heard back from him, a number of details prove the photos cannot be his (one being that their child was not born when the photos were taken). I apologise for the premature update (I never expected this to go viral). The search continues. Regardless - thankyou to everyone who responded with ideas (some listed below) - I remain confident we will find the individual and prove that the google+ hive-mind can be utilized to complete a simple gesture like returning someones photos

Pics are posted in the album from the SD card (photos aren't mine, so the child remains anonymous).
exif data has been looked at.
Kamloops Fire Rescue and Firefit have been contacted.
Canon Canada has be contacted re: camera serial number (no word back yet).
The photos have been dropped into google search and specific websites mentioned in the comments (no luck yet).
camera serial - canon eos rebel xs: 0520213746
_SD card (for those who inquired): Sandisk Extreme III 20mb/s 2GB (it's not uncommon for SD cards to survive underwater - regardless of brand).

[Peach]

Neat!
I posted this to Facebook - I'm originally from Kamloops (and apparently will be moving back) and have some friends in the RCMP and as firefighters down here who might be able to help.

[Liz Caldwell]

Here's a link to the guy's photo: maybe one of them will recognize him: Camera Owner

It would be pretty cool if we could locate him! I figured this would be the best place to post it up; not only do we have members from everywhere but there's a 50/50 chance that he's already a forum member, lol

[Liz Caldwell]

Update Posted (12:33 PM):

The camera owner has been identified - email received from Firefit Canada:

"Hello Mark,
Thank you so much for the email.
Yes I know exactly who the camera belongs to!
He is a Delta Fire Fighter.
I will have him contact you.
Kind Regards,
Hilary."

Thank you to everyone who responded with ideas (some listed below) - proof that the google+ hive-mind can be utilized to complete a simple gesture like returning someones photos Did I mention that I love Google+?

[ArmySoldier777]

Can you imagine how surprised he is? I know if I ever lost something in the ocean , even a camera, I'd NEVER expect people to try to return it to me. That's great

[Peach]

Dude, I used to live across the street from Delta, too. Small small world.

Glad to hear he's been found!

[Biomech]

I know if I ever lost something in the ocean , even a camera, I'd NEVER expect people to try to return it to me.

Every time I go on holiday I have to buy like 5 pairs of sunnies because they fall off in the surf - like at the very edge, 6"- 1' deep, right next to me and I can never find them :P

[SwissJon]

I think the next time I go travelling with my camera, the first photo will be of my name and contact details (not my home adress, otherwise some psycho my tun up!)

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

I think the next time I go travelling with my camera, the first photo will be of my name and contact details (not my home adress, otherwise some psycho my tun up!)

I do this every time I leave the house.. it's a jpeg with contact details (ie phone and email and website).
I've also sneakily carved initials in my camera and lens in places I don't suspect the average thief will think to look. And I put obvious markings on the outside that can't be covered up.

What a great story.. I hope the guy buys you a beer or 10.

[Liz Caldwell]

I know, the post is a bit dead, but it's still kinda neat, so here's the last update posted about it:


Markus Thompson - Dec 1, 2011 (edited) - Public

Update: Canon Canada contacted me and have offered to replace the owners 'severely weathered' Rebel XS - free of charge. SanDisk has also contacted me and will be providing us both with new SD Extreme III Pro imaging cards. My thanks to both for the kind gesture!

The photographs, having spent 440 days on the ocean floor, have been reunited with the photographer and the family. I am very happy to have facilitated the journey back to where the photographs belong! I certainly didn't anticipate the attention this created, any photographer finding my camera would do the same, right? Thanks again for the great help that came from all of you - the Google+ community. I received an email from the recipient of your help this morning:

"Again thank you so much!!! Seeing the pictures brings tears as we really had forgotten what we were missing by not having them."

I love Google+, it's brilliant!

Previous Update: Thank you to everyone who responded with ideas (some listed below) - proof that the google+ hive-mind can be utilized to complete a simple gesture like returning someones photos Did I mention that I love Google+?

three pics were posted in the album from the SD card (photos aren't mine, so the child remained anonymous).
exif data was examined.
Kamloops Fire Rescue and Firefit were contacted.
Canon Canada was contacted re: camera serial number (reply received - no record of the serial number).
photos were dropped into google search and specific websites mentioned in the comments (no luck - nothing matching the exif serial online).
camera serial - canon eos rebel xs: 0520213746
SD card (for those who inquired): Sandisk Extreme III 20mb/s 2GB (it's not uncommon for SD cards to survive underwater - regardless of brand).

an interesting comparison: I posted this on facebook early this morning to try my luck there - it received one 'like' - that's it (there's a reason I left).

Media: please feel free to use the information posted here. I will not be providing interviews or contact information. to those who inquired re: use of my photographs and the story, and provided credit - thank you.