Dropped my 24-70....hooray.

Janus12

So my Nikon 24-70 just slipped out of my pack because I didn't have it zipped all the way, dropped probably 4 feet onto my driveway and glass shattered. I felt like I was going to pass out but then realized that what shattered was the filter, thank God. There actually is only a tiny little dot of paint chipped off the lens and the cap is very gnarled. Everything seems fine except the zoom ring is a little stiff around the 50-70mm range. Focus seems to be normal and accurate. Does anyone think I should send it in for service or anything? I don't know how much internal things can get messed up with these. I feel pretty stupid right now.

Icebear

I feel for you. I'd get it checked out. This is why a Personal Articals Floater on your Homeowner Policy is a good idea. You can get all risk coverage for your camera gear at a very reasonable price. Some Renters Policies are also available with All Risk coverage without having to buy a PAF.. And don't you feel smart for having a protective filter on there to absorb some of the impact!

Gitzo

I have a Personal Articles on all my camera gear and laptop. You have to be careful however. If your using your gear for business most times the Personal Articles will not cover you. It's like personal car insurance normally doesn't cover you if you wreck while delivering pizza. Good luck with your lens.

ropeboy

"Zip it, Scott!"
I dropped my Canon 70-200 f2.8 IS "L" lens the same way, because the camera knapsack was not zipped all the way. It hit the concrete and sounded like a big piece of pipe had been dropped. My zoom ring was stiff but the optics were all fine. I debated living with the stiffness but took it in to get it repaired. One or two hundred, I think. Glad I did because I use it so much and need the smooth quick zoom for shooting sports.
Remember to zip your bags closed everyone!
Mark Haymond
www.markhaymond.smugmug.com

Janus12

Thanks everyone. I think I'll take it and have it looked at by my local repair place and see what they say. It would be nice if I could get the zoom smoothed up a bit, hopefully it won't cost too much.

offcamber

I stopped to take pics of a longhorn standing in a field one day on a drive in the country. I was on the way to the local small airport to do some flying but saw the bull and the field in the background and couldnt resist the shot. I had my 70-200F2.8L on my 7D, grabbed my 24-70F2.8L out of my kit. I set the 24-70 on the roof of my Jeep and tried a few shots with the 70-200. I got the shots I wanted just using the 70-200. When I got to the airport, I grabbed my camera bag ( I like to take my camera along when I fly). I noticed that the 24-70 wasn't in my bag and suddenly realized I had left it on the roof of my Jeep. Then I remembered when I drove off from where I'd stopped, about 100 yards up the road I heard what sounded like something hitting the side of my Jeep. I assumed something in the road had popped up and hit my Jeep. I realized then it was the 24-70 rolling off the roof and hitting the side of the Jeep on the way to the road. I hopped back into the Jeep, and hauled ass at around 90-100mph down the country roads back to where I had stopped. About a hundred yards from the stop, I saw something black next to the road. I got out and it was the 24-70, minus the hood and lense cap, laying in the dirt and gravel next to the road. Both caps were off and both ends of the glass were covered in dirt. I figured the glass had to be scratched and doubted that the lens would even function after taking a 45mph tumble from 6ft in the air onto gravel. About 20 feet up the road I found the lens caps and the hood. I drove home and cleaned the lens up. There were no marks on the glass. The hood had a large scrape on it, but the body of the lens itself had been saved by having the hood reversed around it. The hood appears to have absorbed most of the impact as well. I screwed the lens on the camera and I was stunned to find that it functioned perfectly. I won't trust the toughness of it again, however....