Ok Canon, top this

InsuredDisasterInsuredDisaster Registered Users Posts: 1,132 Major grins
edited November 8, 2009 in Cameras
Just kidding.

I mounted my D300, with Sigma 10-20 on it, and clamped it to a 125cc scooter via super clamp. Then I proceeded to ride through Thai traffic, my girlfriend hitting a the remote release every so often. Until I crashed into a car. The bike landed on its left side, which coincidentally was the side I mounted the D300 on. Luckily for me, we avoided getting hit by traffic, and my girlfriend, ever the helpful assistant, caught me. Well, more like I landed on her. The bad part was, her back was hurting so she had to go to the hospital. I was worried about her so I was around her a lot making sure she was ok. The super clamp had popped off the scooter but the camera was hanging by the strap (tied on for safety.) I could see a lot of broken glass on the lens. But all I could do was throw it into my bag and head to the hospital.

The good news is, my assistant is doing much better. She has nearly no back pain now. I've paid for the car and truck that I hit, and paid the police. All that remains is to see how damaged the scooter is. A quick glance before the police impounded it show'd no major damage, but of course, the forks or frame could be bent.

Even better, my D300 has no damage. A slight scuffing on the body. The protective filter on the Sigma 10-20 was smashed and bent (hence the glass) but the lens is fine. Not sure how to get whats left of the filter off. The clamp and Manfrotto tripod head both have some big scratches on them.

The real casualty was a Nikon 18-55VR. It was on my assitant's D60, which was in her backpack. It was snapped off the D60, and the plastic bayonet fitting were broken off. But the camera works just fine.

Here are a couple of photos taken by our setup. Granted, neither are great. I had the camera in this position for litterally 5 minutes, and already planned to move it further down the road. And in the second shot, the super clamp had popped off so the camera is pretty much airborn, just held to the bike via the neck strap. But you gotta hand it to my assitant. Taking a shot of her in the air. I only wish I'd set the camera on Continous High speed before thand.

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Comments

  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,079 moderator
    edited November 7, 2009
    Thank goodness you are both alive. I hope your girlfriend/assistant continues to improve.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited November 7, 2009
    Wow. :wow Glad you guys are OK!

    Somehow your username seems strangely prophetic now. eek7.gif

    Cheers,
    -joel
  • thoththoth Registered Users Posts: 1,085 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2009
    I'm certainly glad you both came out ok!
    ... and paid the police.
    I don't mean to get a laugh from your misfortune but, as an American, this line made me chuckle. rolleyes1.gif
    Travis
  • Philip GohPhilip Goh Registered Users Posts: 33 Big grins
    edited November 7, 2009
    That looks like Thailand. Paying the police is a common practice in many parts of Asia.

    I'm glad that you're both okay and are on the road to recovery.
  • craig_dcraig_d Registered Users Posts: 911 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2009
    Glad to hear you're okay and your girlfriend is not seriously injured. Good thing it was just a cheap lens, too.

    But if you really want a response to your "Ok Canon, top this" subject line, try the first few paragraphs of Ken Rockwell's review of the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM here:

    http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/lenses/70-200mm-f28-is.htm

    "He recently dropped it off an elephant to the cobblestones nine feet below while shooting in India..."
    http://craigd.smugmug.com

    Got bored with digital and went back to film.
  • InsuredDisasterInsuredDisaster Registered Users Posts: 1,132 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2009
    kdog wrote:
    Wow. :wow Glad you guys are OK!

    Somehow your username seems strangely prophetic now. eek7.gif

    Cheers,
    -joel


    Yeah, so right after I crash the bike, I go to the rental place cuz the police took the bike. I reassured the rental people that it was the real police "the guy had a gun and everything" despite the fact that I got no report or anything like that.

    Surprisingly, the rental agency, without being asked, immmediately gave me another bike, a decision they'd come to regret two days later.

    That's when I came up to the shop, helmet in one hand, keys in the other, and said, "Umm, Lek, motorbike, gone. No motorbike Lek."
  • InsuredDisasterInsuredDisaster Registered Users Posts: 1,132 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2009
    craig_d wrote:
    Glad to hear you're okay and your girlfriend is not seriously injured. Good thing it was just a cheap lens, too.

    But if you really want a response to your "Ok Canon, top this" subject line, try the first few paragraphs of Ken Rockwell's review of the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM here:

    http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/lenses/70-200mm-f28-is.htm

    "He recently dropped it off an elephant to the cobblestones nine feet below while shooting in India..."

    Certainly impressive, but it really comes down to how fast the Canon was going at impact (perhaps around 6 meters per second.) It's quite possible that my Nikon, though the height was less, was also going that fast or perhaps faster due to already travelling at a considerable speed, and being slammed into the pavement with the additional mass (and thus high resulting force) of the scooter.

    Nevertheless, I certainly do not wish to attempt to top Canon's record in height dropped with my camera, and Canon may keep their braggging rights.:D

    We will try to have the busted 18-55 repaired probably, as we will be returning to Guangzhou in a month or two, and there is a Nikon service center in the city that should repair it. I'm curiuos to know what would have happened if the bayonet fittings on the lens were metal rather than plastic. Would the force have damaged the camera, or would the lens and camera have survived that? As mentioned the D60 seems to be working quite well when used with other lenses.
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited November 8, 2009
    That's when I came up to the shop, helmet in one hand, keys in the other, and said, "Umm, Lek, motorbike, gone. No motorbike Lek."

    Dude, somebody "up there" is trying to tell you something. Might be time to switch to 4-wheels. deal.gif
  • GrainbeltGrainbelt Registered Users Posts: 478 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2009
    kdog wrote:
    Dude, somebody "up there" is trying to tell you something. Might be time to switch to 4-wheels. deal.gif

    :nah

    NEVER!
  • InsuredDisasterInsuredDisaster Registered Users Posts: 1,132 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2009
    kdog wrote:
    Dude, somebody "up there" is trying to tell you something. Might be time to switch to 4-wheels. deal.gif

    Yeah, the Police were trying to tell me I was illegally parked.
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