Water damage

I haven't got a clue whether they'll still work, but any chance of rescuing the camera and lens is to NOT TURN THEM ON for quite a long time (probably a couple of weeks).

Let them dry (I presume you've already let as much water run out of them as possible) in a warm place (but not so hot that you'll melt anything).

I haven't got any expernience with speeding up the drying by putting them in a microwave or on a heater. I've dried electronice three times, just in my room, but then again, they were never this wet.

Good luck (but to be honest, I would start checking out insurance policies and/or start saving up for a new set). I'm truly sorry for you.

Definitely don't microwave !! the electronics will be frapped instantly, there are some sprays used in the auto industry that may help i used one a long while ago on the contacts of a distributor cap after it was soaked in a rainstorm........ i agree though don't tun your camera on and perhaps leave it near a sunny window or near a heat register for a few days.. i had bad luck with the humidity change on my nikonos five after a long day of diving in bonaire i let the camera soak in a fresh water bath for half an hour, i thought it would be aclimatized to the room air conditioning but when i opened it up -POOF i saw the shutter blades start to curl ...insurance covered that .
good luck
paul

This is a totally amateur response. No microwave! Less obvious: no blowing, you might blow water into places it has not reached. Remove the the lens cap. Remove the lens from camera. Set camera facing down on a dish rack. Set lens on the barrel. Turn up the heat in the room so that it's uncomfortable, but you can still stay in it. The camera is supposed to be fine working at up to 40 degrees Centigrade, so that if you don't go beyond that, you won't cause damage. Call Nikon support as soon as they open. I agree with above not to turn camera on.

From your photo.net home page, it's likely you're in Australia. I just tried to call Nikon support in the US for information for you, since it's a free call within the US, but today's a national holiday here. Good luck.

I see now that I wasn't very clear on what I meant.
Please read my third sentence as "I haven't got any experience with speeding up the drying but would recommend against putting them in a microwave or on a heater".

I've always understood it's best to not put equipment through big differences in temperature. I guess an extra- heated room would be ok, since that usually means a slower build-up of heat, bu I would not put the camera and lens near the heater itself or in the sun for example. No trying to rush this would be my advise.

*blushes a bit* I had forgotten about the electronics getting zapped instantly by a microwave... Guess I wasn't fully awake yet...

I have dried out a flash that got wet by using a big bowl of un cooked rice. Cover the camera completely and let the rice absorb the water out of it.
Even if you get the camera to dry out and work again the odds are that you have shortened the life span of your camera by a large amount.

I learned from one of my friends, who has been in the fire restoration busy for several decades, that air flow dries things not temperature or trying to control humidity. Actually, warmer temperatures could accelerate the growth of mold and fungus. Putting items in cool dry dark area that is well ventilated with a small fan keeping the air moving will probably improve the odds of things working out for you. You probably want to maintain these conditions for at least a couple of weeks before you try any of the equipment.

Good luck.

--Wade

Since the OP is from Australia, I would give Nikon OZ a call ASAP and see whether they have any suggestions. Most likely the D300 body is history already unless you are very lucky. Perhaps they can salvage the lens. Do not let the lens sit for too long or rust starts to develop and it'll be too late; the camera is probably in "you don't have any more to lose anyway" category.

BTW, I saw this the other day. It's a video by Kai W from the UK where he trashes a Nikon and Canon DSLR to see how much abuse they can take. I was impressed with the amount of abuse they took and the shutter was still activating. The bottom line, I would say that there is hope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1tTBncIsm8&feature=sub

--Wade

Wade, that YouTube video you link to is well planned and edited. Sometimes when you drop a camera and it hits at the wrong spot, a simple impact can seriously damage a camera; sometimes a serious drop does not cause much damage. It all depends on each individual situation.

The problem is that water and electronics do not mix. A D300 that was fully submerged is, unfortunately, bad news. That video really has nothing to do with the OP's situation at all.