All you abusers post your Nikon Drop test experience here.

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All you abusers post your Nikon Drop test experience here.

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Nikoner

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All of us have done this and are probably too proud to owe up the goofiness, but here’s your chance to redeem the guilt off by confessing all your abuses.

I was at a horse show yesterday in an elevated side judge pavilion. We were in between classes so there was a bit of lull in activity. I placed my D90 + 70-300 VR on a 5 inches wide 4 feet tall guard fence, so that I can reach for a snack. Strangely I wasn’t wearing the camera on my neck nor was I hanging it from my B-Grip which I was wearing. So D90 decided to take the plunge fortunately on my side of the fence (else it was a clear drop of 7 feet on the other side. Quick reflex that I have, I immediately swung my foot and met the D90 halfway on its plunge and broke its fall, somewhat. It still fell ~2 feet to the wooden floor. If it wasn’t for the flower hood I think I had it perfectly balanced on my foot.

I picked it up it was still on, took couple of shots everything worked, lense focused, focus points illuminated, shutter released, and then I turned on the screen to check the photos. Screen came on and first thing I noticed the screen was off at an angle of ~20 degrees (picture was just like when you have a straightened photo in original blank rectangle in lightroom just before you apply it). I was angry that I broke it, being on student budget I can’t afford any repairs. So even though I knew there was nothing to align the display screen I went through all the menus and buttons in the desperate hope to find a solution. Of course there is nothing to calibrate the display screen so instead of sulking back to home, I said what the heck it’s a beautiful day let’s not waste it and took some more pictures. That calmed me a bit and I looked at the screen again and I saw what looks like a plasma discoloration spot, like when you press your finger on a lcd. I have the hard clear plastic screen protector attached and I noticed that it had come off on both the diagonal corners and appeared to be pressing at the exact location where the plasma spot appeared. I took the screen protector off and fixed it back on correctly and turned the display on, and it was all good again.

whew! close call.

Posted 2 years ago #
smarterchild

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glad to hear that its all fine! i had a horrid drop with my D3 w/ 24-70 a few weeks ago. I was getting my bag out of my car with my d3 on my right shoulder. I threw my backpack on my left side and at the same time the D3 slide off my arm 4 feet to the concrete ground. I nearly droped dead seeing it flip and bounce. And quickly went to grab and examine the damage of my beloved camera. First thing i checked was the LCD which was untouched, went to check all the other screens and viewfinder and lens and not a scratch luckily. Tho my bottom of my D3 took a few scrapes, there was nothing wrong. thats my whew! moment :)

Posted 2 years ago #
Jack the Ripper

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Ill play

I had a very Bad-Dad moment.

I was out hiking with my boy, who was almost 3 years old at the time, he was in a stroller and i had my camera. There is a river next to the trail i was on, at one point i had to tie my shoe and i had to take the wrist strap off the stoller, ad i forgot to put it back on.

i got to an area where i wanted to get a shot, the gound was level, i still had not remembered to put on my wrist strap, i lined up the shot and heared something, i pulled the camera down to see my son stroller heading to the embankment to about an 8 foot drop into the river. I dropped my camera (was using a black rapid so it just and swung next to me). I lunged after it and i got right up to the stroller fingers just starting to get around the handle when the front wheel went over the edge and pulled the handle out of my reach, then the whole thing went down the embankment.

i charged after it immediatly without looking to see what was below and went down, long story shot yes, my boy was just fine, the stroller landed upside down in some brush right next to the river, i got him out and carried him back up then dragged the stroller out. he was a little shaken but not a scratch. Dad of the year huh?

Anyway, after i made sure he was ok and got him back in the stroller i started heading back, my foot was all jacked up, and i thought about the camera and then recalled hearing it smach against some rocks as i went down the embankment. It was one of those "oh yeah.. huh.." moments while you are in that adrenaline induced slowed down sence of time and hyper awareness.

i checked my camera which was still at my side, D90 70-200 2.8 VR 1 lens. The lens had a new scratch on the side, the D90 had a little grass stuck to its side but other than that not a scratch. Both the camera and lens took a couple goo whacks on the way down, but came out in great shape.

in fact, the only thing that was harmed at all was my sence of fatherhood, my ankle, a few scratches on my leg, and some scratches on my palms.

i leave my camera at home now if i am hiking with him

Posted 2 years ago #
a-dobbins91

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dropped my 24-70 off a belt strap in a club, thanks to the lowepro lens case it worked fine :)

Posted 2 years ago #
Gentoo

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I had a horrible moment last summer with my 70-200 2.8. I had just come in from a shoot. The bag I had, had a hole in it. The lens fell from it and smacked hard on the tile floor. I heard what sounded like shattering and thought, "there went my first really expensive lens.

Turns out, it was the lens hood which went bouncing across the floor. One thing about that drop is that, I had trouble metering with that lens. After I dropped it, it's worked perfectly ever since.

Posted 2 years ago #
DaveKona

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Good story and bad story. While in college I always had a Nikon or two over my shoulder. One day I set my Nikon FM2 (OK, now you know how old I am) on top of the roof of my Dodge Dart (even older now). This was probably five feet from the asphalt. I will bet the camera had a 55mm micro or else the 20mm mf lens attached. I didn't even notice it sliding off, just heard the impact. I picked up the camera and tested it out, it worked perfectly. Just a couple gouges to remind me to be more careful. OK, more recently. Maybe six years ago I was hiking up a steep hillside (cliff really) to access some lava tubes here on the Big Island of Hawaii. I had not planned the hike so I didn't have a backpack with me. A girl on the beach said I could use her knapsack with a string pull to close it. As I was climbing up a very steep section, I heard a 'thud' behind me. Lying on the ground was my Micro Nikkor 200mm f/4 D (IF) ED, a $1,400 lens. It had landed mount-down and crushed the rear lens cap. Several of the contacts had been damaged. It never worked again. All in all, I use all of my camera gear as tools and really put them through a lot of rough handling. None of my gear is very pretty looking. Nikon equipment is so rugged it can really take that kind of use. Most dings that I have given to my camera gear only end up as cosmetic wounds. This stuff goes and goes. 30+ year Nikon user.

Posted 2 years ago #
ShadeofBlue

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I've managed to avoid damage to my gear so far (it's only been a year and a half anyway), except a small scratch on a lens hood. My little 12 inch powerbook has taken a beating, though. Dropped it several times from carrying height onto hard concrete. The only non-cosmetic issue I've ever had is that a few months ago the speaker, which is worthless anyway, seemed to be dying although now it's working fine again. My dad has done the same to his 12 inch powerbook :P.

Posted 2 years ago #
shivaswrath

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Dropped my 50 1.4 twice...once on a body, and survived no issues, other time when switching leses, no body, and no issues...its so light and tank like!

Posted 2 years ago #
NSXType-R

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shivaswrath said:
Dropped my 50 1.4 twice...once on a body, and survived no issues, other time when switching leses, no body, and no issues...its so light and tank like!

Wow, AF-S or AF-D?

I've dropped the D40 with a 35mm 1.8 on a heavily carpeted ground once or twice, from two or three feet.

Still fine.

Posted 2 years ago #
Nikoner

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You would think I would learn my lesson from the morning experience, but no…there’s more.

Same evening (as in the first post incident in this thread) I attended Sleigh Bell concert, so now it was D90+35 f/1.8 NR’s favorite combination. Since it was a concert I did not want to load myself with gear but I did want to take shots from a distance with my 85 1.8d, that was the only other thing I had carried. I quickly changed lenses and put 35 in my hoodie pocket and continued shooting. The place was loud as hell with demonic screams emitting from Marshall Speakers, in hindsight I thought I heard a thud nearby but did not notice it then. I moved around took lots of pictures and then it was time to change lense again, and reached in my pocket and went Oh shit, not again! I retraced my steps to everywhere I had been, even requested a babe photog and beefy security guy to look under the stage but found it at a different spot later. I think Nikon gods like me and want me to keep shooting given my poor student budget.

In both the cases the hood saved me from cracked glass, and yes kudos to excellent Nikon engineering.

Posted 2 years ago #
Pierre

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I had put my new D700, 70-200 VRII on my new Manfrotto tripod and I trusted the loud click it did, thinking it was locked-in. Turn around and heard a ploff, the lens was encased at an angle in the grass and the camera was not event touching the ground. There was only a small scratch on the neutral filter. For a while, the lense refused to autofocus or was slightly out-of focus then returned to normal after playing with it for a couple of hours. Thanks to the muddy grass that has absorbed the 5 foot drop. I never quite trust a tripod anymore.

Posted 2 years ago #
jonnyapple

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It hurts me to read this thread.

I don't have any great stories, but can I vote that we turn this into the used gear for sale thread once everyone has had their say?

[five foot drop...works better than new, I promise.] ;-)

Posted 2 years ago #
NikoDoby

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Joined: May '09
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What about setting your camera too close to an exploding bridge?

The only thing that survived the blast was the memory card. Don't worry no Nikon's were hurt in the making of those pictures :^)

Posted 2 years ago #
smarterchild

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Wow! Is that a camera in the second one?

Posted 2 years ago #
PB PM

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Of all my gear, the only thing that I've ever dropped was my 50mm F1.8D, twice. First time I was walking on a rocky path, and forgot to close my camera bag. All I heard was thunk! It landed on the lens cap, but aside from a mini scratch on the cap it is fine. Dropped it again at home, it hit a desk and the floor, with the rear cap off! No scratches though! Works just like they day I bought it.

I had a close call while driving, I had my D80 on the passenger seat of my car while driving on the highway, (bad idea!) and had to suddenly stop. The camera few off the seat into the door of the glove box and then hit the floor. End result, the glove box had a scratch and the D80 kept going on as if nothing happened.

Posted 2 years ago #
poster

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I was once in Central Park. I wanted to get a cool composition of two skyscrapers. So I decided to climb this big rock. Once I am on the top of this thing. I took my picture. I slowly proceed to get my ass off it. I tripped and fell on the ground. Of course, I wrap my wrist in the Nikon strap whenever I shoot. So here I am falling down with my Nikon D70s still wrapped to my hand. Human natural instinct is to break the fall with our limbs, so I broke the fall with my d70s first hitting the pavement and then me falling on it. At the end it had one blemish on its side. Hardly visible. It worked fine and it still did until I sold it. Now I have no clue how the new owner treats my baby. Hopefully she's still kicking ass!

Posted 2 years ago #
Krevlin

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I was standing on a chair with the neck-strap of my D90 hanging and my 55-200VR mounted.

I safely climbed off the chair but tripped and the neck strap went under my foot somehow and I pulled the camera and lens down to the ground hard.

The 55-200VR took all of the force at it was slammed down, it was already extended to 200mm so that plastic barrel was ripped out and the plastic mount cracked.

D90 was fine and is still a champ!

Taught me 2 things, always wrap the strap around my wrist or keep it on my neck and buy better gear.

Posted 2 years ago #
pcraigs

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The screw that attack black rapid to my 70-200mm VR2 tripod hold got loose. So it hit the pavement with hood on along with my D700 with grip. The hood cracked, camera and lens is fine.

Posted 2 years ago #
Gareth

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had my d700 with grip on a tripod with the 105 macro with tc-20eiii. attached via l plate and focus rail.

had to pack up. thought i'll just unscrew the grip first.

duh, the grip is attached to the l plate, which is attached to the rail and tripod.

needless to say, the camera and lenses went SMACK onto the concrete.

luckily it landed on the corner of the d700 body and just suffered a slight scratch.

when you have a lot of gear, it is very easy to screw up packing up.

Posted 2 years ago #
Sven Blokweill

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In 45 years of Nikon ownership I'd never dropped anything 'cept a lens cap or a filter
maybe - lucky me! But just last week at a friends BBQ I had a really narrow squeak.
I'd been asked to bring along a camera to photograph a pal's new fire pit that sits in the middle of a pool, as a sort of decorative feature, in his back yard. I took along
my D200 and banged off a few shots near dusk. Very unimpressive result, so I borrow a
tripod, kinda flimsy thing, and set the camera up on the deck, 15 feet above the pool, for some longer range shots using an 18-200VR and wait for it to get darker. I set an
SB800 atop the camera, looks a bit top heavy on this flimsy Velbon, but hey-ho I need a beer and head off to get one. As I retrieve a very frosty Coors from the coolbox I hear our host shout to someone "Dont let the dog out!" Too late! 90lbs of very excited Rhodesian Ridgeback hurtles down the decking shouldering the tripod on his way. The whole setup tips over, and for a millisecond, seems suspended in mid-air - then plunges to the ground. I think I hear a dull thud. I race over to the edge of the deck and look straight down , about ten feet, and in bad light can just make out the equipment lying
in a heavily populated flower bed. I make my way down the steps expecting the worst.
Everything seems to be cradled in the flowers and foliage, no sign of any damage at all!
When I get back to good light I carry out a thorough inspection, nothing cracked or broken, not even a scratch, camera and flash fire perfectly, maybe one of the tripod
legs is skewed a bit, but who cares? The fire pit pics turned out just fine!

Posted 2 years ago #
shivaswrath

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NSXType-R said:
Wow, AF-S or AF-D?

I've dropped the D40 with a 35mm 1.8 on a heavily carpeted ground once or twice, from two or three feet.

Still fine.

The new one, AF-S. Surprising, right?

The first drop was retarded, from 4 feet, mounted on my N75. I think the body took most of it.

Second one was at a shoot, was quickly changing lenses, kneeling down, but the cap and hood were in place, so that took majority of the blow, I suspect. . .still, 1.5 feet isn't extactly "soft"

If I had any mounted on my D3, I'm sure it would've been worse, the sheer momentum from the 2lb+ body would decimate the hood. . .(I don't want to try it!)

What helps is my black rapid strap, I've found, at shoots - keeps the body floating and my two hands free to change lenses. .

Posted 2 years ago #
Mike Gunter

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Hi,

I've had a couple break on me in Vietnam, but they should have; they were treated very roughly. One F was thrown on a Huey's floor during a hasty exit during a firefight, the lens, a 135mm f4.5 (I think) was broken and the penta-prism was dorked up.

Several cameras got too wet from moisture or dirt or dust. During monsoon, nothing was dry.

All in all, they are tough.

My best,

Mike

Posted 2 years ago #
Jack the Ripper

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oh yeah, a few weeks ago i was out at an italian festival, my shooting partner and i stopped and got some lunch, when i was leaving the restaraunt i reached down to hold onto my camera so it wouldnt bump into anyone and as soon as my fingers wrapped around the barrel the Black Rapid screw came undone from the 70-200's tripod foot. I couldnt believe how lucky i was, i wouldnt want to see a 3 foot fall from that combo onto hard pavement.

Posted 2 years ago #
NSXType-R

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shivaswrath said:
The new one, AF-S. Surprising, right?

The first drop was retarded, from 4 feet, mounted on my N75. I think the body took most of it.

Second one was at a shoot, was quickly changing lenses, kneeling down, but the cap and hood were in place, so that took majority of the blow, I suspect. . .still, 1.5 feet isn't extactly "soft"

If I had any mounted on my D3, I'm sure it would've been worse, the sheer momentum from the 2lb+ body would decimate the hood. . .(I don't want to try it!)

What helps is my black rapid strap, I've found, at shoots - keeps the body floating and my two hands free to change lenses. .

The fact that the lens barrel stays constant is probably a good thing.

Posted 2 years ago #
kyoshinikon

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NSXType-R said:
The fact that the lens barrel stays constant is probably a good thing.

The main reason I hate adjustable barrel lengths is for that reason.

AS for my own horror stories...

My d90 has been dropped on grann numerous times. Last jan it fell off my manfrotto (I didn't clip it right) 71/2 feet down onto concrete with my fisheye. Other than a few dings and scratches no problems were found. Just recently I screwed up the info panel in the viewfinder it by tripping on its cable as it was tethered to the computer. Other abuse includes shooting in the rain, frequent shooting (120000 actuations in less than a year), and banging it on doorways. Ever since the last incident I've been more careful though as it sucks when I am changing a setting and need to look at the top window to see what I am doing...

My D80 and D200 seem to fare better as a result of using both less.

Ive also dropped my beloved 80-200mm 2.8 onto pavement(everything is great but the fact that it will barely not focus to infinity)...

Believe me Nikon/Nikkor gear is more durable than it looks.

Posted 2 years ago #