Dropped lens...

[Deleted Member 5045]

I got home on Saturday and pulled my used equipment out to give it a clean. Grabbed my 16-35mm GM and as I did the bag kicked to the side that the 200-600mm is on, and for some reason still unknown I reached down with the hand holding the 16-35mm to correct the bag. So the lens slipped out the back of my hand from about 15cm, landed on my foot then rolled onto my wooden lounge room floor. A full inspection of the lens and I can't see anything wrong, although luckily it didn't land very hard. No marks, zooms exactly the same, I think I got away with it.

Early on when I first got into photography I knocked an APSC Sigma prime off my 50cm high coffee table which did land straight onto the floor with a good thud, and it wasn't marked and still worked as per normal.

Was interested to hear some lens dropping stories. Any times where a big fall resulted in no dramas, or a small fall resulting in damage. Cheers everyone.

 

[AlphaWorld]

I think landing on your foot first probably cushioned the fall.

I made the mistake of putting a DSLR into my checked bag once. It never worked again. Checked luggage does not get handled gently! Fine if it’s only clothes, but not cameras.

 

[Landshark99]

Luckily there have been only a few in the last 50 some years of working with cameras, the first was one I was first starting out and got bumped by someone on the street while shooting with my first real camera a Nikon F. The fall to the pavement from about 3-4 feet damaged the shutter control knob and top plate, the good news back then, was those cameras were repairable.That camera works as well today as it did when I first got it. Second big disaster came while shooting a job at the beach in the surf wash. I was shooting a few different lens trying to keep all the camera and lenses dry from the salt spray danger zone. I had been using a super wide 15mm lens, when I changed lenses I handed the 15 to my assistant, who I guess put it in their pocket. When I asked for it back, she did not have it and then we noticed something rolling in the sand ofthe surf wash, it was my lens. We were not sure what to do but had heard tone should keep it water until we could get it repaired, somehow that worked. My other two camera disasters did not have such happy endings. I was fortunate enough at the time to be one of the earliest user of a Contax 645 with a digital back, not an inexpensive system at the time. I was shooting outdoors on location with the camera tether to tyhe computer. The location was downtown on some railroad tracks. I had maybe 4 or 5 assistants on the job, with one who was a wonderful guy but he could be little hyper and kinetic at times. Well when when I ask to have a light stand moved he went running by trying to get it done quickly and did not see the cable that ran from the camera to the computer. The camera flew about 6 or 8ft smashing into the ground, trashed and totaled. The only good thing for me, was that I always made sure we had some form of backup camera system on all jobs. We just switched to film and dealt with replacing the camera later. The final disaster was all on me, while shooting again on location this time in an older building in Chicago, to expedite the shoot and not wait for the assistatnts to move the camera. I was lazy and did not dismount the Canon 1DX from the tripod and just started up the escalator to the next location with the tripod held against my shoulder. Not paying attention to how low the ceiling had become while riding the escalator until I heard and felt a crash with the camera hitting something that was protruding from the ceiling. It fell with quite a bang to the metal steps of the escalator, both the lense and body were beyond repair.
The way I look at is the is, less than one camera disaster per decade, so it is not too bad.

 

[Landshark99]

I think landing on your foot first probably cushioned the fall.

I made the mistake of putting a DSLR into my checked bag once. It never worked again. Checked luggage does not get handled gently! Fine if it’s only clothes, but not cameras.

If you have to check cameras they have to be in something made for transporting them in a bad environment, like Pelican, Liteware or Tenba Air case

 

[MrFotoFool]

Just under a year ago I had my Nikon 24-70 f2.8E on the back seat of the car at the parking lot at Delicate Arch (Arches National Park). I was taking off the lens I had on my D850 and was going to attach it when it rolled off the seat and onto the pavement. It looked fine and seemed to work fine after I attached it, but when I reviewed the images at home one entire corner (25-35% of image) was out of focus. I took it to my outstanding local camera repair shop but it cost $650 to repair - an expensive lesson!

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

I think landing on your foot first probably cushioned the fall.

I made the mistake of putting a DSLR into my checked bag once. It never worked again. Checked luggage does not get handled gently! Fine if it’s only clothes, but not cameras.

Far out! That must have made you happy! Did you have any lenses in there too?

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Luckily there have been only a few in the last 50 some years of working with cameras, the first was one I was first starting out and got bumped by someone on the street while shooting with my first real camera a Nikon F. The fall to the pavement from about 3-4 feet damaged the shutter control knob and top plate, the good news back then, was those cameras were repairable.That camera works as well today as it did when I first got it. Second big disaster came while shooting a job at the beach in the surf wash. I was shooting a few different lens trying to keep all the camera and lenses dry from the salt spray danger zone. I had been using a super wide 15mm lens, when I changed lenses I handed the 15 to my assistant, who I guess put it in their pocket. When I asked for it back, she did not have it and then we noticed something rolling in the sand ofthe surf wash, it was my lens. We were not sure what to do but had heard tone should keep it water until we could get it repaired, somehow that worked. My other two camera disasters did not have such happy endings. I was fortunate enough at the time to be one of the earliest user of a Contax 645 with a digital back, not an inexpensive system at the time. I was shooting outdoors on location with the camera tether to tyhe computer. The location was downtown on some railroad tracks. I had maybe 4 or 5 assistants on the job, with one who was a wonderful guy but he could be little hyper and kinetic at times. Well when when I ask to have a light stand moved he went running by trying to get it done quickly and did not see the cable that ran from the camera to the computer. The camera flew about 6 or 8ft smashing into the ground, trashed and totaled. The only good thing for me, was that I always made sure we had some form of backup camera system on all jobs. We just switched to film and dealt with replacing the camera later. The final disaster was all on me, while shooting again on location this time in an older building in Chicago, to expedite the shoot and not wait for the assistatnts to move the camera. I was lazy and did not dismount the Canon 1DX from the tripod and just started up the escalator to the next location with the tripod held against my shoulder. Not paying attention to how low the ceiling had become while riding the escalator until I heard and felt a crash with the camera hitting something that was protruding from the ceiling. It fell with quite a bang to the metal steps of the escalator, both the lense and body were beyond repair.
The way I look at is the is, less than one camera disaster per decade, so it is not too bad.

You win some, you lose some! That must be a unique feeling, hearing your camera get hammered and knowing it is more than likely dead. You wouldn't even want to check out would you..!

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

$650 wow, a lot cheaper than a new one though. Did the zoom mechanism operate perfectly still?

 

[AlphaWorld]

Far out! That must have made you happy! Did you have any lenses in there too?

It was an entry level camera and a kit lens - intended as a backup in case my main one failed. Learned a lesson on that trip!

 

[Clide]

I just picked up a 200-600 mm lens a few weeks ago. I attached my camera strap directly to the lens. I walked up on a land scape shot that I liked, got out my 20mm gm lense. I removed the 200-600mm lense from the camera and while attaching the 20mm lense let go of my camera body thinking it was attached to the camera strap around my neck. The camera dropped from my waste to the ground. Luckily soft ground from the rain with pine needle cover. No damage to the camera but my heart skipped a beat. It was a learning experience.

 

[MrFotoFool]

$650 wow, a lot cheaper than a new one though. Did the zoom mechanism operate perfectly still?

Yes, zoom was unaffected.

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

I've never dropped a lens or camera, but did have a tripod leg that hadn't locked properly suddenly slide back in and dump my Pentax K3 and 150 450 lens on the ground. Thankfully it did nothing more than ping a card cover off. That tripod was sold

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

I just picked up a 200-600 mm lens a few weeks ago. I attached my camera strap directly to the lens. I walked up on a land scape shot that I liked, got out my 20mm gm lense. I removed the 200-600mm lense from the camera and while attaching the 20mm lense let go of my camera body thinking it was attached to the camera strap around my neck. The camera dropped from my waste to the ground. Luckily soft ground from the rain with pine needle cover. No damage to the camera but my heart skipped a beat. It was a learning experience.

They're lucky these ones. Occasionally you get reckless but everything goes in your favour. As you said mate, it definitely makes you better for it. ️

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

I've never dropped a lens or camera, but did have a tripod leg that hadn't locked properly suddenly slide back in and dump my Pentax K3 and 150 450 lens on the ground. Thankfully it did nothing more than ping a card cover off. That tripod was sold

How did the ad go for that one?

Immaculate tripod, 66% stability..?

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

I got home on Saturday and pulled my used equipment out to give it a clean. Grabbed my 16-35mm GM and as I did the bag kicked to the side that the 200-600mm is on, and for some reason still unknown I reached down with the hand holding the 16-35mm to correct the bag. So the lens slipped out the back of my hand from about 15cm, landed on my foot then rolled onto my wooden lounge room floor. A full inspection of the lens and I can't see anything wrong, although luckily it didn't land very hard. No marks, zooms exactly the same, I think I got away with it.

Early on when I first got into photography I knocked an APSC Sigma prime off my 50cm high coffee table which did land straight onto the floor with a good thud, and it wasn't marked and still worked as per normal.

Was interested to hear some lens dropping stories. Any times where a big fall resulted in no dramas, or a small fall resulting in damage. Cheers everyone.

I whimpered a little as I read that Hope there's no long term damage.
I have been babying my lenses, haven't dropped one yet. I know its going to happen and I pray its will be minor cosmetic (if any) damage.

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

I whimpered a little as I read that Hope there's no long term damage.

Everything looks good and I actually made my own lens testing board because I wasn't satisfied with the chart thing that I bought a while ago.

As I said, no external marks and the thing is still giving me the same as before performance wise. Apart from the slightest corner softness (a few percent) at 16mm when zoomed right in I am not seeing any dramas. 24 and 35mm are ridiculously sharp corner to corner. I know this result is the opposite of what has always been said about this lens but mine has always been just as sharp at 35mm as it is at 24mm and I always felt that 16mm was a couple of percent under those two, still brilliant just not extraordinary.

But out of all lenses I'd want to second guess, this one would be the last on my list. I'm certain it's all good so a couple of outings with it will heal my mental wounds I'm sure.

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Here I thought i was the only klutz.

Back in 2020, i was standing on our brick patio fixing the camera strap on my 6 month old RX10IV in preparation for going for a walk. Well the strap slipped from hand and it dropped lens side down on the patio.

I was petrified to even pick it up dreading what condition i was going to see it in. Fortunately the lens hood sacrificed itself for me and save the camera.

Took it to our local store and they ran it though its paces, and didn’t find any other damage.

Ooh how bloody lucky was that!

Do you still have that camera?

Have you sold your A7RIII yet?

Cool thing is that I made that testing board because of this drop. I tested all my lenses out today and there's definitely nothing wrong with my 16-35mm. I actually thought my 85mm Sigma Art would be my sharpest lens, but my Sony 40mm f2.5 just pips it! That 40mm is unbelievable, the extreme corners are exactly the same as the centre from f2.8...
One that surprised me is my Tamron 28-200mm, it basically kept up with the Sigma Art 24-70mm all over, but the 16-35mm GM is my sharpest zoom, it's very very sharp over the whole range. Didn't test the 200-600mm though, I don't think I need to. My 105mm Sigma Macro is just a whisker behind my 85mm in the corners too.
Was a bit of fun...

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Making a testing board sounds great.

I sold the RX10, a year and a half later to get the A7riii. I regret the decision, it was a great camera and extremely versatile for every day use.

Yes I just sold my A7Riii

Yeah right. So are you moving to an A7IV now?

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Nope, bought the Sony FE 100400 instead.

What improvements are you noticing over the Sigma?

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Sony have really nailed the handling and ergonomics of these large lenses from what I can see. Their engineers who are in charge of comfort really have it sorted down there! All jokes aside, it really is masterful what they have done. ️