gentoo - I managed to find a way to fix the lens, You should now try it on FX, maybe the sharpness got better too, if so than every one should do this with their lenses and save a lot of money from buying the new version

So today I went shooting with my 70-200 on my D300 which is the body it's been used on most of the time. The focus is fine. The zoom is fine. All seems to work well. That's what's interesting; before, as you may have seen me mention, I used to have to turn the ex. comp. down considerably. Now it seems to be dead on or nearly so. I turned it down to -0.7 and -1.0 like I used to do and the shots were dark. Turning it back to 0.0 seem to be fine in direct sunlight and even +0.3 in shade. Seems like something was knocked awake.

I definitely want to see these suggestions in the wiki adamz ! Make it so.

and "Which camera can be used as a hammer?" - in the carpenters section ;p

How about, "which camera should I use in a street fight?" thread?

LOL... I'm just waiting for the next "Which camera should I use" thread.

"Well the D40 is probably all you need, and much cheaper. But if you need it for Self defense, the D3 is a much better choice"

They don't make em like they used to...

[sheds a tear..]

My wife took her anger out on me with an F4s once.... it was mounted on a Gitzo carbon fiber monopod....she shattered my head and the monopod but the F4s was fine.... :^)

A couple of years ago I was covering a protest in Dallas. One of the protesters thought he should take out his anger on the photographers. He swung a bat size board at me and I swung back with a Nikon F. The all metal camera held together well and he went down hard.

Later that year the same the camera got dropped out of a helicopter (by my soon to be fired assistant). When we landed I gathered up the camera and took it, dirt and all, to the repair center and ask them to call me when they had a chance to look it over.

That same afternoon I got a call saying my camera was ready..."What do you mean ready? I dropped it from about three storied high." He assured me the camera was OK, but had a big dent in the "F". Worked for another 5 years, until it was stolen.

The F was a great old camera - could be used for personal defense or a bomb!

S

When I met my wife 28 yrs ago, she was shooting an old all mechanical all manual Canon F1. I was shooting an EL2. She insisted that I take a few shots with the F1 (that was the only Canon I have ever held that felt right). I dropped it on the sidewalk. No damage done and she still married me. She did sell the Cannon stuff before I said 'I do', I don't believe in mixed marriages. She is now happy as ever with her D300.

Here's one that'll get ya!

Years ago while photographing some air-to-ground, the strap camera hook gave way, sending a Hasselblad 500C with 80mm Plainar crashing on a concrete ramp. I was standing on the skid of a Bell Jet Ranger, tethered I might add, when it happened. There was nothing I could do. Have any of you ever seen a camera dropped from 1000 feet onto concrete? ...not a pretty sight. Glad it was a company camera, and that it didn't hit any one.

LOL we need a drop test section.

I dropped a SB 600 from shoulder level (fell out of the hot shoe).

The red plastic peice on the front broke off, exposing the focus assist lamps. It popped right back on and functions regularly. Even Nikon's plastic is pretty sturdy.

A bit of an update- I dropped my D40 and 35mm 1.8 today. I picked it up off a table between the mount and the camera and the strap caught the edge while I was off guard. I dropped it about 2 feet onto a carpeted floor. It fell on the hood directly, and I did a quick 30 second exposure to see if the aperture blades were damaged. They seemed to be fine.

Nothing seems to be damaged since I think the hood took the brunt of shock.

Nice to hear it survived the drop. Nikon FTW.

Gentoo - you are probably right, but lets check it out, you drop yours and i will drop mine and see if it survives? One ... two ... crash ;)

mb, I was thinking if that had been my 70-300, it would probably be in many pieces right now. It has a metal lens mount but is not built as solidly.

I had more then a few unplanned crash tests using Nikon gear, and the conclusion is:
You really don't want your cheap plastic mount lens to drop, they will all break instantly.
Metal mount lenses are another matter, they all tend to survive, especially with hoods and filters attached, you will sometimes have to use a rubber hammer to dismount them though but it is better to leave this task to a professional service guy.
I have never managed to brake a Nikon DSLR camera beyond a repair so far, hope I never will.

I know this is a Nikon site, but .. years ago my Minolta SRT101 with 55mm 1.2 fell off my bike while I was going down Rock Creek Parkway. The camera bounced and rolled down the pavement. Although it was banged up, everything worked fine. Used that camera and lens several more years until it was stolen.

Glas to see Nikon still makes cameras and lenses the way cameras and lenses used to be made.

glad to hear that Your lens is in good condition gentoo!

once I also had lens crash test, was using some rather cheap Tmaron lens on my F100, I was carrying it on the neck, and the strap broke, the lens and camera hit the ground... and I'm still using the camera, and throw the lens to trash right away as it was in many different pieces :(

Funny thing I dropped my D300 and 70-200 2.8 VR just 2 days ago. I was shooting a few Golf pics and my camera was sitting on a golf cart seat, I was parked but when I jumped out of the cart the camera moved forward and I missed catching it. Everything looked OK, the camera has a minor scratch and the lens looked OK, but not that great after trying to use it. The camera works fine, just like before, but the lens will not zoom properly it does focus OK and looks sharp like before. Anyway I have insurance (made a claim today)to cover damage and/or theft of my gear, but I am going to miss this great lens when it is send away for repair.

Pete

You are one lucky man Gentoo. Pro lenses are made to last but they don't plan for that. Of all the camera's I've owned, I dropped my D300 for the first time in the dirt a couple weeks ago with my Sigma 24-70mm F/2.8 Macro and everything came out fine (was not too hard of a fall). Even Sigma's EX line will stand up to some abuse.

Right after I walked in the door I heard a sickening crash on the hard tile floor just on the inside of my door. I knew it was something important because the only thing I had was my backpack with with D90 with my roommates 35mm1.8 attached to it and my 70-22mm plus a TC that was by itself. This was a big crash, enough to sound like someone was breaking into the house.

My heart went into my throat as I looked down and saw my lens lying on the hard ground. I picked it up and nothing appeared damaged. I shook it next to my ear and nothing made any sounds. What sounded like breakage was the lens cap flying off the lens and across the floor. I immediately took it into my room, attached it to the D90 and made sure everything worked. The VR worked and the AF worked. I then took a couple of test shots at my blank wall, one at 5.6 and the other at F22. After examining the shots all seemed clear with no debris.

Boy was I lucky! I need to fix that damn zipper on that pack. This lens survived a 1 meter fall onto a hard floor. Talk about well built Nikon quality!