20D is a tough body

Bob Bell

So I was checking out my 3rd pond this morning looking for whistling ducks. I pulled out my gitzo 1348. Mounted a 20D+1.4x TC+400/5.6. When I turned around I heard crash.

I guess the parking lot was on a slant and I didn't notice it. The left back side by the strap lug took the impact. I have a 1/2 inch long gouge a mm or so deep in it. The drop was from about 24 inches. The impact popped the CF door open and the batteries in the grip released. Once I got everything back to get it turned on and AF worked. I took about 100+ shots of birds, rusty railroad tracks, desert wild flowers, etc... and everything is fine. I carry a sharpie and colored in the gouge which was aluminum looking so it didnt reflect (I was in full camo including the lens)

So I don't know if I will have a problem in the future but 20D's are pretty tough. The lens hood was knocked to the side but I spun it and locked and it doesnt have a mark and everything is working like normal. Nothing like having $3500 falling on blacktop the day after you pay the IRS $1100

saurora

:eek1 :yikes :eek1 I was holding my breath reading this one!! Glad it all turned out ok as far as you know! I am just waiting for the day when I drop my 20D...it's inevitable.....I am just a clutz. Thank goodness Canon makes such tough stuff!!!

Ronza

Daaaam...

I dropped my 20D for the first time yesterday, again another tripod incident. Picked the tripod up, started fiddling with the legs - looked up at the camera and it started to move aroud the screw mount. Split second later, 4ft fall into soft grass. Dunno where I'd be without lens hoods

graeme_7799

lucky you i've only ever dropped my 20d on the couch, which is covered with pillows haha

Jeffro

Welcome to the club.....I dropped mine at the track last year. It was hard packed dirt, but made quite the thud! No damage done, inside or out!

Sure scares the crap out of you though!

David_S85

Sheesh!
Will ya all stop your talking about dropping 20D's please? You're making me feel paranoid, especially the 400+TC+20D+Gitzo story.

And this thread, just before 61 of us will have our expensive rigs mounted onto spindly lightweight tripods atop the edges of tall canyons in Utah.

pathfinder

I heard of a tripod and camera that went over the edge at Horseshoe Bend - about 800 feet to the rocks below.

I was told of this story, as about a dozen of us were shooting from there each less than a foot from the edge of the cliff. You've all seen the pictures

David_S85

pathfinder wrote:

I heard of a tripod and camera that went over the edge at Horseshoe Bend - about 800 feet to the rocks below.
I was told of this story, as abut a dozen of us were shooting from there each less than a foot from the edge of the cliff. You've all seen the pictures

:yikes
Oh, the horror! The horror!

I'll bet dollars to filters that somebody will come back with a heck of a story to top even that in about 4 weeks time. Might even be me.

DaveTech Designs™ is working overtime on a 4" long spiked foot for each Gitzo leg that will be hammered into the rocky ground below me with each tripod deployment.

A revised version is also in the works that will include 22-caliber fired spikes for faster setup time. The DNR might not be so amused with either of these.

Owen

I dropped mine on my concrete garage floor from about 2 feet the day I got it.. everything is fine. Phew.

David_S85

Airbags
Gyro-sensing automatic deployment of airbags. That's the answer! Might add a little weight and expense, but you people have given me a terrific idea.

BodyBags© Built-in plummet protection. I might need to work on that name. Patent form filled in, dated and witnessed/signed and embossed by notary, and off in the mail it goes tonight. Thank you everyone!

KA0TVO

Could this be another Dgrin challenge categorie?

gtc

scary stuff
I have been hanging my camera bag underneath the tripod head to add a little stability,particularly if its windy etc.

If its windy or uneven ground etc I do a bit of a 'wobble and see' shake down to see if its stable and then fine tune levelling of tripod,attach camera and then level it.

I sometimes spread a small insulated picnic rug underneath which I can lay out my gear for easy access and to reduce losing things.

This is all since the time my Sony popped out of its tripod and fell to concrete.

You don't want to drop anything onto concrete-its rather unforgiving!

wxwax

Ever since I had a video camera pop out of the tripod in AK, I don't trust tripods very much. I see folks wandering around, camera mounted in the tripod, tripod slung over their shoulder... and I worry for them. I see it as an accident waiting to happen.

cm5299

OK stop. You guys are scaring me.

I'm thinking about taking the SLR plunge with a 350D. I was concerned about the plastic body, now I'm scared to death! :cry

How much would upgraded glass really be worth to me? (off to ponder... or save)

ridetwistyroads

wxwax wrote:

Ever since I had a video camera pop out of the tripod in AK, I don't trust tripods very much. I see folks wandering around, camera mounted in the tripod, tripod slung over their shoulder... and I worry for them. I see it as an accident waiting to happen.

I have never trusted a tripod either. Beyond the fact that I'm an idiot and may not have locked everything down right or tightened everything all the way - stuff simply fails somtimes. And that's not a risk I'm willing to take.

To the point of often my neck strap stays around me while the camera's mounted.

johno

Geeeesh! I freaked out when I picked up my bag and forgot that I had not zipped it up... My 20D rolled out and took a 1/2 foot fall onto carpet. I should feel pretty good after hearing all these HORROR stories.

Long live the 20D
peace.
johno~