Plop......... ****!!!

[redline]

Plop....... ****!!!... The sound I heard (and then the sound I made) as my Canon EF-S 55-250mm IS STM lens fell out of my camera bag into the river Dart on Dartmoor. I looked down to see it briefly float away, before going over a waterfall never to be seen again My only comfort was it not being my L series 70-200mm, or my Sigma 10-20mm, but its still a blow.... even though I didn't use it much. I bought it mint second hand not long after it came out for a bargain price, though you can get it new cheaper now, but thats not the point...

I think I pulled both zips (dual zip) at the same time, therefore unzipping as I zipped... stupid mistake.

So to make me feel less of a twerp, what daft, equipment destroying mistakes have you made?.... Make me feel better please

I was once at a wedding when the togs Hasselblad fell over on its tripod having left it at a stupid angle... A few bits broke off, but it still worked. He made light of it, but you could tell he was gutted.

 

[Columbo]

Gutting when something like that happens but don't feel stupid similar things have happened me. Here's some of my stupidity below to help you feel better.

- I dropped my old Nikon D90 + Tamron 17-50mm in a lake trying to change the battery , I retreived but was obviously dead
- I then a couple of years later dropped my entire back backpack containing my D7000 and 6 lenses in a river at Padley Gorge. I was stood in the middle of the river with waders on with my enitre gear on me so not sure how I expected that to end well. 2 lenses survived, everything else dead.
- Some theiving git saw me put my gear in the boot of my car and while I was off trying to find a toy that my daughter had dropped somewhere helped himself to the lot via a brick through the back window.

Expensive lessons but since then I only take what I think I'll need rather than everything.

 

[daelo]

I took my olympus EPL5 and 25mm F1.8 out for a friends wedding reception party in Shrewbury, went well all night, got some decent photos but at the end of the night dropped the camera at the last hurdle in the ahem... kebab shop! It was in a little pouch wrap but still smashed the uv filter on the 25mm and has made the focus ring very tight to turn whereas before it was silky smooth!

Probably could get it repaired professionally but it still works perfectly touch wood, not as bad as the loosing an entire bag but any mistake still irritates you like mad!

 

[JohnStewart]

I had agreed to part exchange my Canon 1D Mk III towards a lens I was buying from someone and had a couple of weeks before we could meet up in person to exchange.

Incident 1 was when I didn't have it attached securely enough to the strap (type that screws into the tripod mount) and it fell from waist height onto concrete. The lens hood took the brunt of it, but still dented and scratched the area beside the flash mount. Everything still worked thankfully and with a touch up pen it didn't look too bad and you could hardly see it.

Roll on the following weekend and I was rushing through a gap in the Armco to cross a racetrack between races, but slipped a bit and whacked the camera body off one of the steel bolts that holds the armco to the support posts. Punched a hole in the top section of the camera body Amazingly everything still worked perfectly, but there were a few extra dusts spots in the viewfinder and on the camera sensor. Sent it off to Canon for repair and it arrived back as good as new the day before the exchange, but leaving me £175 worse off.

Since then I always make sure the strap connector is extra tight and take my time around Armco.

 

[redline]

Thanks guys ... I feel slightly less bad now, and it could have been soooo much worse.

I think Columbo takes the prize for most gear lost in one go (more than once) and makes my one lens seem a bit lame … so well done sir

The worst thing is, this will be a paid job (or maybe a favor exchange) but it will not cover the cost of the lens, if I bought another, which I am loath to do. I think I'll just forget it and make do, and maybe get another lens that covers and goes beyond the range of the lost one at some point... an L series 100 – 400mm perhaps.

Any other tales of woe will be much apprenticed... the stupider the better

EDIT:... some insurance advice would be good... any cheap policies without silly excesses that are recommended?

 

[Holst1981]

I have insurance through eversure.
Never claimed so I'm not sure how easy it will be but I can't afford to replace my kit so I pay the premium.
It's quite expensive but not worrying about losing £thousands in camera kit is worth it.

Excess is ok but is higher if you lose stuff from a car.

 

[mattcrane]

A few weeks ago a friend of mine was on a 60m dive and had to just sit there and watch his go-pro flood with sea water

Memory card was ok but as you would expect go-pro goes no more.

 

[Jono]

I dropped my Tokina 11-16 out my camera bag once onto a bridleway. Fortunately it'd rained so it got a bit of mud on the end cap and in the focus length ring rubber... which wiped off.

Optically it wasn't damaged

I nearly lost my entire camera bag off Neist Point on Skye, as it rolled down the little slope I'd put it on. Caught it just in time.

 

[AHarvey]

My d700 and 24-70mm 2.8 was pulled off the side last night. Bounced of my sons arm and hit the floor. Looks like everything is still ok but you never know

Also slipped on the ice when I first had it, D700 with 24-70mm 2.8 on it and a 70-200mm 2.8 attached to my side. Landed on my back but managed to save everything.