Flooded my Olympus 850SW while snorkeling in Fiji. I let

i don't have the solution but i experienced the same problem on my olympus 850sw
the images turns violet and the pixels are distorted
never see this kind of error ever a camera had

same thing happens to mine. olympus wants to charge me more than the camera cost to fix it. It started doing it one month after the warranty expired. The problem does go away for weeks at a time sometimes but always comes back so camera is not dependable. If you shake/hit the camera repeatedly it sometimes fixes itself. Olympus sucks.

A "little over a year ago" means no warranty. Besides, the warranty wouldn't cover damage due to dropping the camera. If the camera still works, you can use a card reader to download your pictures and eliminate the need for "the side part that plugs into the computer."

It is still under warranty. As long as you didn't exceed the water depth recommendations, Olympus should fix or replace it.

There is a switch on your sd card to lock for writing protection. Make sure it is unlock mode, instead of lock mode.

the battery is probably too old

Well it might be waterproof, but it may not include saltwater proof. I think that is the case. If so, then the salt got into your camera and caused something to not work. I would take it in Olympus and let them look at it. It could just be a bad camera.

My guess the lcd screen was faulty or the water leaked in there and shortcircit it.

Rinsing the camera of was a big mistake.You may not of noticed the water damage that could be in the inside on the ourside. You will more than likely have to replace it.

No need to use soap or fancy cleaners for snorkel or dive gear. The important thing is just to get the salt off, and plain old fresh water will do the trick. The best way to clean your gear, is to fill a bucket or a tub with warm water, and then dunk your gear several times to rinse it out thoroughly. In some cases I like to swish it around underwater, and maybe rub the rubber parts to ensure a thorough rinsing. After that, let it drip dry and store it in a cool, dry, *dark* place. Salt and sunlight are the two things that'll kill your gear in no time at all, keep it safe from that and it should provide good use for a long time.

You probably know by now that the 850SW is waterproof, shockproof and also stands up in freezing conditions. I am just writing because I am very happy with mine and would highly recommend it for your active boyfriend. We have gotten many great pictures with it in the water and the kids have been pretty rough with it at times.

Olympus also has newer versions of this camera, the 1030SW and the 1050SW. I saw the 1050SW today at Costco for just 229.99.