Scary Nikon D300 + 24-70mm lens experience . . . . .

1 hour ago, my wife backed her little car into a huge, full size brite red pickup truck parked right outside my office. Only minor damage to both vehicles, thank goodness. A couple of years ago my SB-800 fell off my tripod - I had forgotten to lock it in place. We all, or at least many of us, have our stories. Mistakes happen. Yours seems to have a happy ending. And you ended up with some really nice shots!

One fairly frequent complaint about he 24-70mm/f2.8 AF-S is that the screws that fasten the mount onto the lens barrel are too short so that it can easily break. However, in this case it sounds like the entire lens came off the body.

BTW, I have never even met Lil in person. However, my parents volunteer at the Huntington Library in Pasadena, in the Los Angeles area. They have taken me there a few times when I visited.

I would test the lens at both 24mm and 70mm. Make sure that every AF point on the D300 still works with it. I would also inspect images files at the pixel level to make sure that it is still sharp from edge to edge. You only need a small dent on the lens mount to get consistently soft images from a slightly damaged lens.

From Lil's story I would say that this could happen to anyone.

Does anybody insure themselves against mishaps with camera equipment? Is such insurance even available?

I dropped a Hasselblad once when I was an assistant and I thought my heart had actually stopped. I couldn't take a breath for what seemed like forever. So, I feel your pain.

Never had a lens pop off a camera body, though: very strange. Are you sure someone other than you was not handling your equipment?

Hope the lens checks out okay!

Thanks Elliot,

you're very kind. :-) I'm still shaking from the experience.

Hi Shun,

yes - - the whole lens came off. If part of the lens mount had remained in the camera I believe the screws would have been the issue. Here it was the whole lens.

I will do the test as you recommend & will probably send the lens in to Nikon for a full test by them. Based upon the battle scars by the lens mount I would imagine the blow was fairly strong.

Shun is right - - we've not ever met in person, but Shun has been extremely supportive & helpful since I joined here & started my dive into the world of dslr photography. I mentioned Shun as I know his parents volunteer at the Huntington & that he's visited. Shun has also been generous enough to offer guidance, which I really appreciate, both with photography & the boards here.

Lil :-)

I have all my equipment insured against damage of any kind, theft, etc. It is a rider to my home owners policy and they required that every item being listed with a serial number and replacement value. The coverage is very inexpensive. My policy has a $500 deductible per incident and runs under $200 a year for $22,000 coverage.

Tachion,

in the US we can add our equipment to our house insurance. I don't know about rental insurance. But house insurance will allow for adding the equipment & it didn't sound like a lot based upon what my agent told me. I haven't done it yet, but will now.

Robert,

thanks for understanding. My husband once dropped a full Steadicam setup as an assistant. He was being attacked by a bee. This is before he owned his own equipment. He never worked with that Steadicam Operator again.

My husband is a camera operator. He knows how fanatic I am about my equipment. My daughter only handles one of my cameras if I hand it to her. No other person around to handle it.

I'll report back after I've tested every one of those 51 focusing points as Shun recommends.

Thanks for the support

Lil :-)

I once was walking down a gravel road swinging my almost new Nikon F by its strap (I have no idea why I was doing that). Then as the camera reached the top of a swing out in front of me, I let go of the strap (I have no idea why I did that). The camera and 24mm lens hit the road at least five yards in front of me and rolled two more yards. When I picked it ip there was a dent in the front face of the FTn finder. Didn't have to send it to the shop and used it four years before trading it on another Nikon.

Regarding insurance, I have all of my equipment covered with my insurance company unser a personal effects floater policy. There is no deductible. If the equipemnt is lost or damaged or stolen, it is covered. The only catch is that I cannot use the equipment to generate any revenues--not even one dollar. Annual cost is about what Robert pays going from memory. If you generate money from your equipment, join NANPA and buy commercial insurance from it or its vendor.

To protect my equipment, I try and keep all of it in a backpack until I am ready to shoot. I tryand have the right lens on the right body. I used to carry my cameras and lenses on straps ready to shoot like Lil describes. I changed after seeing too many people in photo groups having problems with their equipment--lenses getting banged up especially the one on the spare body. Whenever possible, I keep that spare body and lens in a bag.

Lil, my 500mm f 4 plus camera and flash fell off my tripod early one morning after I swore I had it mounted properly. Fortunately, all I lost was the flash. I have seen unattended tripods fall over with similar equipment mounted so you never can be too careful. I never leave my long lenses mounted on an unattended tripod. They are safer on the ground.

Joe Smith

Lil look at the bright side of things. Of all the places to loose a lens the Huntington Library is probably the best one :-)

Yes I had similar experiences - be well. Walter

Lil -- i cringed through you story -- not for the potential loss, but for the shots you missed while babying your equipment. It's meant to be used. Get it out there. Use it well -- it can take it. There should be pride with every scratch and ding.... like a fine old dining room table that has wine staines and burns and memories from a million converations. The lesson you learned (hopefully) is that your lens is a lot less fragile than you think.

Having said that, I bought an insurance policy too this year... there is a program offered through photo.net that is pretty good and has great pricing. It was a tough call, but I ended up with a policy through PPA instead. Having an insurance policy is important -- your head should be focused on your subject, not on your gear. For $600, I've got some $35,000 worth of gear covered.

Without that policy in place, there are a bunch of shots I have the I would not have.

Ron - I can kinda relate to what you're saying. I baby my stuff, but two guys I shoot with (pro photogs) have been working their cameras hard for years, and I'm always amazed at what they do with their gear that I would never consider.

Yet their cameras keep on going strong. One's a D200 with the 150,000 snaps "odometer" rolled over already.

Sometimes I think I worry too much about it - as you say, it's meant to be used. The one fella, a wedding photographer, just tosses stuff into a bag, sets his bracketed camera and flash on the backseat, and we're off. Meanwhile, I'm putting caps on everything, being ultra careful, etc. - but boy does it slow me down.

Hi Robert,

I need to put together my receipts & fax them to my insurance guy. I've been lazy. Now I will get on it.

Hi Wayne,

sounds like the child in you came back there for a second. LOL - - glad it wasn't disastrous for you.

Hi Joe,

I had my beach rolley with me & could have kept all the equipment on it. But it's easier for someone to steal it off the beach rolley if I happen to turn my back. I think I'll try for some camera bag, larger one. into which I can at least carry one camera body & have easy access. The backpack means a lot of moving stuff around etc. A larger bag would probably be better in the long run....

Hi Walter,

LOL that's a good way to look at it. ;-) But why could it not have happened on one of the lawns instead. ;-) I mean - - if it had to happen......

Hi Ron,

Trust me, for the rest of the day I shot very little by my standards. I just kept holding on to the lens. I was somewhat frantic and am exhausted today from the experience.

You're right - - the equipment is meant to be used. I will do so. I'll go with my daughter to the Huntington again - potentially this week - - and make sure I use the lens. I now need to really get over my fear of using the lens.

Kind of like falling off a horse. You just have to get back up again & get back to it. Or a car accident for that matter..... When this man hit me from behind I got so scared of driving.... Doesn't work here in L.A.

Shun,

as per your wise instructions I've tested all the focus points (yes all 51) at 24 & 70mm - - I also tested it at 28, 35, & 50. All focus points responding correctly. Guess I'll decide after talking to Andrea (she wanted to go yesterday but could not) if she wants to go - - I either send it in just for a check or take it for another turn at a very sunny Huntington Library again.

Thanks for being supportive

Lil :-)

Also, I've noticed that when carrying your camera on your body with a strap, that the motion of the camera moving against your body, can unlock the locking pin on the SB-600 & 800. I learned this the hard way. Luckily, the SB-800 could handle the fall.

Russ

Lil.... That must have been really scary! i think it pays off how well built those Nikon top class lenses are. I know the feeling coz I dropped my 17-55 too. All I can say is that The Huntington Library is a very dangerous place for photography! There is a little Nishikigoi pond, maybe you saw it. Once I dropped my whole camera bag in there! Before i even moved my wife jumped in the pond and pulled it out! Rene'

For what it is worth: find a medium to large holster case. Put the camera and lens in the case when you go 'hiking about.' Chances are good you won't accidently un-mount a lens as you had happen.

Good luck in the future....

Hi Russ,

I seem to have a way with opening the CF card door if I wear a belt. Especially on the D200 - - happens all the time.

Hi Rene,

is that the pond in the Japanese garden. That's where I found the frog.You have a very special wife there. I hope you rewarded her for getting into that dirty water.

Thanks Gerald,

will look into something like that.

Vince, for all my babying of my lenses - this has happened. I've just done a test against a "flat" wall as per Shun suggestion. I'm not happy - - right side especially seems very oof - - especially wide. I'm sending it in to Nikon tomorrow. I'll overnight it to El Segundo. They'll know immediately it was "dropped" - - well it took flight & I will tell them so. Hopefully it will not cost me an arm & a leg.

Lil :-)

It's that ever present choice between accessibility and safety. I think I would take a long look at holsters for your cameras. Or perhaps a large waist pack sort of thing. I just can't help thinking that the motion of your body detached the lens, as the camera swung back and forth.... somehow. Of course, you may have been distracted by your kid and thinking ahead about meeting the other people. Just a thought.

When you mount an F-mount lens onto a Nikon body, make sure that you hear the click sound when the lock is engaged at the end of the twist. And I would suggest to twist it in the opposite direction a little to make sure that it is indeed locked.

I'm interested in your camera club. I'm in the Beverly Hills area. Where is your group based? When do you meet? (Where are you Shun?)

I also use holsters for my two D70s bodies, LowePro TLZ-1 with a 24-85 f/2.8-4 and TLZ-2 70-300VR, both with hoods in place (actually on the 70-300 I use a shorter Nikon hood), to protect everything from banging around all the time. I also sling them around my neck like bandeleros, but use a belt as well for added support.

Hi John,

I'm thinking a large camera bag which I can criss cross over my chest on one shoulder. I don't think holsters is the way for me to go. I have to admit the same though entered my mind about the motion of my body...... I do have a daughter, but she was not with me. Maybe my story was confusing.

Shun,

Ross & I have mounted the lens over & over again. I'm fanatic (I can't say that enough) about listening for the "click" & I normally do that partial twist back to double check..... Can I swear I did it this time.... No, but it is my normal way of doing it.

Michael, send me off an e-mail. Maybe I can invite you to our next meet up when I know it's happening & what we're doing. We meet about once a month, but there's no set schedule.

Thanks for feedback guys....

Lil :-)

I used to live very near the Huntington Library (Colorado & Wahington Blvd). Has it changed much over there?

Russ

I've dropped lenses and twice the screw on filter on front took the brunt. Each time they've broken. $35 is better than $400. Been there, done that. Broke my 4x5 mount jogging through the dunes at White Sands and almost dumped the whole thing into the sand. Had to carry back the two pieces separately while still jogging because the front gate was closing & I didn't want to get fined being locked in. Oh yes, we've been there.

Hi Russ,

I only know what I know from about 10 years (give or take...) I would think very little has changed. The area is very stable & residential. Houses are all older & it doesn't look like a lot of building is going on in the area. I think the short hours is due to city of Pasadena ordinance (I believe someone hinted to me) They want to keep traffic down on the residential streets. But don't quote me on this. Just the hint I was given.....

Thanks Aaron,

nice to see I'm not the only one who messed up. Because somehow I must have........

I've filled in my information to Nikon. Will send the lens to El Segundo today. Just better to get it done immediately.

Lil :-)

Yea, happened to me, too, multiple times with varying cameras and lenses. Some cameras and lenses were put out of commission. But so far so good, photographically speaking, and I am still shooting! :)

Mary

Thanks Mary,

I've sent the lens in to Nikon. With everything..... They should have it tomorrow & we'll see what happens.

Thanks

Lil :-)

..you are so lucky, had a similar experience with my canon using 24-105L....it bounced on its mount and that need to be replaced at around SGD$280, the lens is sharp as ever otherwise.