the most expensive equipment is the gear not being used
Stephen
Stephen
Your most expensive broken piece of gear?
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Paul Jenkin
Well-known
Early 1980s, I dropped a Zuiko 28mm/f2.8 off Striding Edge when changing lenses en-route. I watched as it hopped and bounced down what I approaximated to be 750-1,000 feet of Lake District crag until it disappeared from sight. I saw a bloke in the group behind me smirk and it was sorely tempting to chuck him down after it to see if he could find it. *******.
willie_901
Veteran
My cosmetically excellent Yashica Electro 35 GSN afflicted with the "pad of death" failure.
emraphoto
Veteran
in 2012 a russian rocket came through the cinder block wall of a building i was in and exploded. shrapnel tore a whole through my brand new, $2500 Macbook. it was about 1 foot away from me when this happened.
i picked up a part of the rocket and took it home with me in my carry on, through 5 airports without issue. the macbook... buried where it fell.
i picked up a part of the rocket and took it home with me in my carry on, through 5 airports without issue. the macbook... buried where it fell.
Pherdinand
the snow must go on
most expensive broken piece of gear?
That must be my knee 🙁
That must be my knee 🙁
zuiko85
Veteran
The best answer yet and one I am so guilty of.
SamShio
hiking/walking photog
I haven't really broken anything except for a cheap $12 tripod
Takkun
Ian M.
A few.
Most recently, though of no fault of my own, an M8. I'd bought it online at B&H while I was on a trip back east, and it arrived just in time for a trip to SF. And got the dreaded shutter failure about two hours after getting there.
About a year ago, a very, very drunk friend dramatically swiped everything off a table, including my just-bought M5. It bounced. there's a nice dent there.
Another drunk once knocked my Bronica out of my hands, which landed on the floor prism-side-down. The mounting rails were ripped clean off.
And a long, long time ago, I had an iBook plugged in across a room at school, and someone with a rolling backpack ran over and tangled the cord. The computer flew out of my hands, across the room, and broke into 3 pieces against the floor. "Oops," was all the perpetrator said to me.
Most recently, though of no fault of my own, an M8. I'd bought it online at B&H while I was on a trip back east, and it arrived just in time for a trip to SF. And got the dreaded shutter failure about two hours after getting there.
About a year ago, a very, very drunk friend dramatically swiped everything off a table, including my just-bought M5. It bounced. there's a nice dent there.
Another drunk once knocked my Bronica out of my hands, which landed on the floor prism-side-down. The mounting rails were ripped clean off.
And a long, long time ago, I had an iBook plugged in across a room at school, and someone with a rolling backpack ran over and tangled the cord. The computer flew out of my hands, across the room, and broke into 3 pieces against the floor. "Oops," was all the perpetrator said to me.
tsiklonaut
Well-known
Not exacly broken but lost an uber-expensive Heliopan multicoated 105mm polariser - twice! :bang:
First it fell off the filter holder and bang on the rock - spidernet cracks over filter, loved the filter so much (for me it is better rendering than the more expensive B&W MRC coated that I also have btw) then with tears of pain in my eyes I quickly bought the second one. Guess what, withing couple of weeks later it fell off again into couple of hundred meter deep Atlantic Ocean - the high-end multicoated heavy Schott glass doesn't float btw 🙄 At this moment I was literally ready to punch the guy smack into the face who designed that plastic filter holder marketed as a "professional" product.
Now I'm on my third Heliopan, it's my favourite filter maker afterall - but this time with a new and much better filter holder (obviously!)
...I still vividly remember that filter freefalling like in slow motion, ...and splashing into the Atlantic, silently!!!
First it fell off the filter holder and bang on the rock - spidernet cracks over filter, loved the filter so much (for me it is better rendering than the more expensive B&W MRC coated that I also have btw) then with tears of pain in my eyes I quickly bought the second one. Guess what, withing couple of weeks later it fell off again into couple of hundred meter deep Atlantic Ocean - the high-end multicoated heavy Schott glass doesn't float btw 🙄 At this moment I was literally ready to punch the guy smack into the face who designed that plastic filter holder marketed as a "professional" product.
Now I'm on my third Heliopan, it's my favourite filter maker afterall - but this time with a new and much better filter holder (obviously!)
...I still vividly remember that filter freefalling like in slow motion, ...and splashing into the Atlantic, silently!!!
hilltime
Well-known
Many years ago I had a friend who had used a number of Leicas in his life. He eventually paired down his stable to an M6 and bought the then just released Minilux. He always raved about how great his photos were and I could attest to the fact. The colors were stupendous. I finally got one a few years ago and about 9 months ago, it came up with the dreaded E02 error code, which from all I've read, means DOA. A real bummer, great lens, sorry camera.
Spanik
Well-known
Must be a Fuji G690BL with its 100mm after it went through the post. Bottom bent, lens filter thread bent.
Moto-Uno
Moto-Uno
I would have people refer back to my "Satisfaction" thread ! Peter
vfioravanti
vitor fioravanti
Hassy Fisheye disaster!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsVBAcYB2NM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsVBAcYB2NM
Gary Sandhu
Well-known
Dropped a minolta tc-1 3 feet onto tile floor and the lens jammed shut.
f16sunshine
Moderator
Geezus!
Thank God or whoever you are still here with us John!!
I won't even tell my tale now. It's just nothing..
Cheers
Silva Lining
CanoHasseLeica
A few years ago at Horseguards Parade in London Holding my M3 to shot a picture of one of the guardsmen in one hand, I hoisted up up my camera bag containing my Canon EOS D20 and 35/1.4L onto my shoulder. Unfortunately, I hadn't zipped it up and so it acted as a slingshot, catapulting the DSLR and lens over my shoulder and down onto the granite flagstones.
Clack-clack-clackityclackclackclack.... it bounced for about 12 feet and stopped at the feet of the guardsman in front of me. He didn't move... embarrassed, I went to pick it up watched by a sizeable, now hushed, crowd of tourists from across the globe who had let out a variety of 'oooo's' 'aaaah's' and sharp intakes of breath through clenched teeth as the camera skimmed it's way across the flagstones, now each holding their own camera a little tighter than before....
Naturally, I expected it to be bug**red.... the camera body had scuffs and scraps all over it, but the lens, miraculously, was untouched...I turned it on...nothing, dead, well to be expected after such an impact. As I turned to walk away, a cough from the guardsman. He flicked his boot slightly and I noticed the battery by his foot. Thanking him, picking it up and re-inserting it into the camera, I turned it on and it worked!!
I continued to use it for a couple more years, the body wearing it's scars with pride...
I still have it today, although it has been converted to Infrared by Life pixel and is in semi-retirement.
Clack-clack-clackityclackclackclack.... it bounced for about 12 feet and stopped at the feet of the guardsman in front of me. He didn't move... embarrassed, I went to pick it up watched by a sizeable, now hushed, crowd of tourists from across the globe who had let out a variety of 'oooo's' 'aaaah's' and sharp intakes of breath through clenched teeth as the camera skimmed it's way across the flagstones, now each holding their own camera a little tighter than before....
Naturally, I expected it to be bug**red.... the camera body had scuffs and scraps all over it, but the lens, miraculously, was untouched...I turned it on...nothing, dead, well to be expected after such an impact. As I turned to walk away, a cough from the guardsman. He flicked his boot slightly and I noticed the battery by his foot. Thanking him, picking it up and re-inserting it into the camera, I turned it on and it worked!!
I continued to use it for a couple more years, the body wearing it's scars with pride...
I still have it today, although it has been converted to Infrared by Life pixel and is in semi-retirement.
ornate_wrasse
Moderator
In 2008 I went on a scuba diving trip to Indonesia planning to do lots of underwater photography. In the middle of a dive, I noticed water coming in so I surfaced to figure out what the problem was. It had definitely flooded and it was entirely my fault. It had to do with the way I put my D70S camera into the Subal housing. The camera and 105mm lens were completely toast. Fortunately I had brought a backup D70S with me that I could use for the rest of the trip. I also had insurance on my equipment so after I got back home I was compensated for my loss.
The other thing that comes to mind was not really a loss, but it easily could have been. I was in Bryce Canyon National Park shooting and looking over the edge of a trail that descended into the canyon. I accidentally managed to knock my lens hood off my camera lens. The hood tumbled way down into the canyon. I hiked for about 10 minutes down to where I hoped it was. My workshop instructor, with whom I was shooting, pointed out the approximate location of the hood, while remaining at the top of the trail as I hiked down it. The hood was off the trail and I fortunately was able to get a German tourist who was hiking the trail to go off the trail and retrieve it for me. Sigh of relief!
The other thing that comes to mind was not really a loss, but it easily could have been. I was in Bryce Canyon National Park shooting and looking over the edge of a trail that descended into the canyon. I accidentally managed to knock my lens hood off my camera lens. The hood tumbled way down into the canyon. I hiked for about 10 minutes down to where I hoped it was. My workshop instructor, with whom I was shooting, pointed out the approximate location of the hood, while remaining at the top of the trail as I hiked down it. The hood was off the trail and I fortunately was able to get a German tourist who was hiking the trail to go off the trail and retrieve it for me. Sigh of relief!
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Not technically 'broken', but currently unusable is my recently-acquired Imacon FlexTight Photo scanner, which I purchased without the power supply unit. The seller had two scanners and only one power supply.
Matter of time though, the replacement, brand new power supply is on order and ready to be shipped from Denmark😎
Everything else is working just fine, touch wood...
Matter of time though, the replacement, brand new power supply is on order and ready to be shipped from Denmark😎
Everything else is working just fine, touch wood...
thejameskendall
Established
Leica M6 - overplayed on eBay, loose strap lug, fell out, camera hit floor. Still works but has a hole in it. 🙁
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Repair shops can replace the body shell. CRR Luton, DAG, Golden Touch, Will van Manen. Depending on your location.
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