DSLRUsers.com

I had a small misfortune last night while trying to take a photo for the bubbles challenge.

I had my D70 on my tripod and was using an SB-800 in remote mode. I noticed the on-board flash was creating unwanted shadows so I grabbed my SC-28.

Bad mistake.

I was trying to blow bubbles, aim the flash, fire the camera with the remote when I heard a nasty crunch. Turned around to find my poor D70 + tripod on the floor. Ouch.

The Sigma 105 that I was using at the time was hanging off the camera at a funny angle. Half of the screws on the camera mount were pull out and a few metal shim things were floating around loose.

A number of thoughts ran through my mind. The first being 'Hmmm, D200?'

Anyway, I removed the mount, tried to remove to the warp in it and re-attached it along with the other bits.

So the good news is that it seems be OK again.
But no D200 for me yet.

You may be able to become the board technician Good fix

Nice repair dude

very lucky save

Moral - go on your first thought. Next time throw the D70 at the wall and go and buy the D200

Im more than happy if you throw your D70 into my bag if you're going for a D200

sirhc55 wrote:Next time throw the D70 at the wall and go and buy the D200

Hopefully there wont be a next time.

Even with a few of the threads stripped, the mount can still support the full weight of a TC-20E + 70-200VR combo. I was supprised.

Yikes! Great that this story had a happy ending. Could so easily have ended in tears.... (mine, when the wife tells me I can't buy a replacement because I obviously can't be trusted with expensive things!)

Simon,

Are you now going to share with us the method you use to get out of doing the dishes?

Manta wrote:Yikes! Great that this story had a happy ending. Could so easily have ended in tears.... (mine, when the wife tells me I can't buy a replacement because I obviously can't be trusted with expensive things!)

matt

gstark wrote:Simon,

Are you now going to share with us the method you use to get out of doing the dishes?

By a few cheap coffee mugs from Woolies, drop one while washing up and it's only a matter of seconds before you'll hear, "Oh for goodness sake, let me do that! You'll smash everything!"

(Which, of course, frees me up to go and do all those non-fiddly jobs that thrive on clumsiness and a lack of co-ordination - like doing a wet sensor clean perhaps. Shhhh - it can be our little secret...)

Manta wrote:

gstark wrote:Simon,

Are you now going to share with us the method you use to get out of doing the dishes?

By a few cheap coffee mugs from Woolies, drop one while washing up and it's only a matter of seconds before you'll hear, "Oh for goodness sake, let me do that! You'll smash everything!"

(Which, of course, frees me up to go and do all those non-fiddly jobs that thrive on clumsiness and a lack of co-ordination - like doing a wet sensor clean perhaps. Shhhh - it can be our little secret...)

That was it. Thanx.

Ouch! If you've been playing with the lens mount you might want to do some focus testing (e.g. on a sheet of newsprint) to check that the camera still focusses correctly across the entire frame at wide apertures.

I had my own scare recently, but it turned out worse. Early in September I was in WA and had climbed out of bed and driven out to Bluff Knoll (in the Stirling Range) for some dawn shooting. It was cold, I was tired, and it didn't turn out well. Beside the car, I put my 17-40mm lens on my 30D, attached it to the top of my tripod, turned back to the car, and heard a very nasty "crunch" as the lens/camera hit the asphalt! Turns out I didn't pay attention, and only balanced the camera on the tripod rather than attaching it!
The lens hood was cracked in two, the filter on the lens was bent and wasn't going to detach, the lens' focus ring wouldn't move, and in fact the lens rattled! Not a good start to a week's shooting in a remote location!
OK, I got over my initial shock and switched to my 28-135mm lens. But the 30D simply reported "CF Err" and refused to do anything useful.
OK, switch to the backup 350D body and get shooting: the sun was about to come up!

In the end I did get some nice images that morning...

Back at camp later I was able to disassemble the 30D and check the internal connections (I modify the internals of these cameras for a living, and I had a reasonable toolkit in my bag). Luckily that fixed the problem, and in fact the camera has been working flawlessly ever since. It does have a few battlescars though. I like to think the RRS L-plate on the camera did at least something to protect it as it bounced on the bitumen...

As for the 17-40mm/4 L lens, the repair bill is over $700. But at least I only have to pay a $250 excess to my insurance company, and I've got a loaner 16-35mm/2.8 while Canon wait for parts from Japan.

DaveB wrote:Ouch! If you've been playing with the lens mount you might want to do some focus testing (e.g. on a sheet of newsprint) to check that the camera still focusses correctly across the entire frame at wide apertures.

That's a good idea. I'll give it a go when I get a chance.

sirhc55 wrote:Moral - go on your first thought. Next time throw the D70 at the wall and go and buy the D200

Good idea actually.