Poking around the bottom of Wentworth falls at dawn this morning in Sydney's Blue mountians. Carrying 2 cameras, the 5D with 100-400 and big flash on top, plus the 400D with the macro rig on it.
Saw a nice flower, put the tripod down (legs at their shortest) turned around and heard, "CRACK!"
Turned back in horror to see the tripod had somehow fallen over, the flash catching the bottom of the rail and smashing off just above the hot shoe. Snapped plastic, wires and pins hanging off the top of the camera.
I vented all the way up the stairs to the top, vented in the car, vented all the way down the Great Western highway, Northern road, and all the way down the Hume and Federal highways until I got home to Canberra. Over four hours of venting (cos I can't use stronger words without risk of hell) and I am still pretty pissed off.
I rely on my gear for my living and just never really considered how important the flash is. Without it, I have to turn clients away until I sort something out.
Last edited by bloodhound31; 14-11-2011 at 10:32 PM.
I'm not being a smart alec here, so don't take it wrong. But if something (the flash) is that important to your livelihood, you should ALWAYS have a spare no more than an arms length away.
Preaching now finished. Hope you get it sorted pronto
Quote:
Originally Posted by bloodhound31
Poking around the bottom of Wentworth falls at dawn this morning in Sydney's Blue mountians. Carrying 2 cameras, the 5D with 100-400 and big flash on top, plus the 400D with the macro rig on it.
Saw a nice flower, put the tripod down (legs at their shortest) turned around and heard, "CRACK!"
Turned back in horror to see the tripod had somehow fallen over, the flash catching the bottom of the rail and smashing off just above the hot shoe. Snapped plastic, wires and pins hanging off the top of the camera.
I vented all the way up the stairs to the top, vented in the car, vented all the way down the Great Western highway, Northern road, and all the way down the Hume and Federal highways until I got home to Canberra. Over four hours of venting (cos I can't use stronger words without risk of hell) and I am still pretty pissed off.
I rely on my gear for my living and just never really considered how important the flash is. Without it, I have to turn clients away until I sort something out.
I'm not being a smart alec here, so don't take it wrong. But if something (the flash) is that important to your livelihood, you should ALWAYS have a spare no more than an arms length away.
Preaching now finished. Hope you get it sorted pronto
Easy to say if you're rich enough to afford a second one. My gear has slowly been earning me some money and the business is building, but so far only enough to scrape by on and pay some bills, not enough to start doubling up on gear. I've just saved for months for my wildlife lens which is where I really want to go in my photography career. I still had a couple more things to go (nearly there too) before I started working on a bit of spare stuff, with extra lighting certainly on the to-do list.
It's just come at a bad time.
Last edited by bloodhound31; 14-11-2011 at 10:25 PM.
Reason: Just explaining a bit is all
Struth Baz-that's not good,you sure have had some bad luck this year-the 5D2 in the water and now this.
Very sorry to read,-not sure if this helps-but try your house hold insurance,you should be able to get a new one.,through it.I was very specific when I sat my insurance agent down and discussed all this camera gear/telescope stuff I own.I made a list of gear,I took photos of every thing I own and gave them the list and disk.All serial numbers etc etc.
Your episode is most unfortunate,but if out in the field and this happens to gear,I know I would be a little comforted by knowing I have done my best with insurance mob.They have been very good when I had a small claim-on a antique lamp a bat(as in flying marsuipal) knocked over.
I got a EX 430 I might be able to loan you,but it would be on the previso-for only studio work-not your out door adventuresThey read rather full on-even more hard core than my 'fierce creature' adventures.
Thanks Chris, that's extremely generous of you mate. I have a few leads to follow up on tomorrow, including insurance and yes my gear is covered, but if the excess is too high, then I won't use them as it may not be much more for the flash anyway. I'll be checking with Canon to see if it is repairable too, though I doubt it.
Yes, the wildlife and landscape photography in some of these places is certainly hard on the gear. I'll just have to be more careful.
At least it was the flash that broke, rather than the top of the camera itself becoming damaged. It's good that the weak-point is the plastic just above the hotshoe plate.
I'm not as peeved as I was earlier. I'm kind of resigned now like, "Oh well, it's done now so I will just have to overcome it."
Oh nooooooo Baz!
So sorry to hear what's happened.
Trust that it will work out for a quick outcome of a replacement and focus on staying positive. You know what happens when negativity enters our heart.
Have just said a prayer for you.
They read rather full on-even more hard core than my 'fierce creature' adventures.
Sorry to hear about that.
