Before The Fall (a rant)

[regnaD kciN]

Does this look like an $800 photograph to you? Me neither. And yet...it is.



You see, I was beginning a shoot of the Seattle skyline late Sunday afternoon, and started off on the Rizal Bridge. Just after taking this photograph, my teenager asked me a question about setting up their tripod. As I turned around to help out, my camera backpack hit my tripod, sending it and my camera tumbling onto the concrete of the bridge.



As it turned out, the camera itself was fine. However, the same could not be said for the ($800) Sony 16-50mm DT lens, whose focusing mechanism is D.O.A. (Ironically, had it been the camera body which had broken, it would have been annoying, but at least I had a spare body. Did I have a spare normal lens? Nooooooooo.....)



Anyway, the lens is now at the local repair facility, and only time will tell if it can be repaired, or if I'm going to have to resort to shelling out for a replacement. In the meantime, anyone want to buy a photo of a sunset, a skyline, and a lot of interstate traffic for $800? Visa and Mastercard accepted...

[mnhtnbb]

1. Ouch!

[Mira]

2. I'm so very sorry that happened, and I trust it too will pass.

I very much hope you gave your teenager an example of how not to let adversity get you down.

[regnaD kciN]

3. Unfortunately, it was more of a lesson...

...in "language NOT to use in public."

But, yes, I did make a high-speed drive back home to get an older "normal" lens (not as sharp, but what can you do?) and back again to Seattle. Missed any chance at a sunset, but was able to get in some night shots, a couple of which will be posted here soon.

[Mira]

4. I'm glad you normalized

and let the steam die down. I very much look forward to the photographs!

edited to add that I like the one you already posted very much. Beautiful light and graceful lines.

[alfredo]

5. Sorry about that. I hope it can be fixed, and if not, you can find a

Replacement at a good rice.

[regnaD kciN]

7. The news from the repair center is NOT good...

...basically, enough of the internals are trashed that fixing it would cost almost as much as a new one.

I have a secondhand, supposedly-like-new unit on its way from Adorama, with a 30-day return policy, for considerably less than that. Hopefully, it will live up to its described condition. If not...well, I'll probably decide on a rebuild, as it would still cost a bit less than buying a new one.

[alfredo]

10. All my gear, except for two Sigma lenses are used or refurbed. No shame

in that.

I feed on photographers who suffer from Gear Acquisition Syndrome. My Lumix 20mm came from a guy who sold it to pay for a Olympus 25mm 1.8. My Oly EPM2 came from a guy who upgraded to an Oly OMD. My VF-4 viewfinder came from a guy that traded his Oly EP5 for an EM1 and didn't need the viewfinder. That ended up saving me about $600.

[regnaD kciN]

15. The replacement lens showed up yesterday...

It looks virtually in mint condition, and test shots came out looking sharp and with no focusing problems, so it looks like I wound up with a solution that cost me around $460. Still money I would have preferred not to pay, but far better than $800.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. Oh, my dear regnaD kciN...

How awful for you!

It just hurts to hear about.

But I agree with Mira: this is a lovely, light-filled photo. I do hope your lens can be repaired and functional.

[liberal N proud]

8. Well... it is a really nice photo.

$800 good? Maybe if you had a way to market the print!

I love the color and the distant fog softens it well. I would put that against some of the big names in professional photography.

Print it and title the last shot.

[ManiacJoe]

9. On the bridge is bad, near the bridge is good.

The problem with "on" the bridge is that the metro buses can get it vibrating as they drive over it.

Nice shot though. Bummer about the lens.

[bluedigger]

11. Then there was the time I left a lens on top of my Jeep's spare tire and drove off.

Nikon and Sony thank us for our support.

[Major Nikon]

12. I've trashed a lens in more or less the same way

Most modern lenses have the focusing mechanism and motor internal to the lens and for whatever reason that's the first thing to go when they take a tumble.

[belcffub]

13. uuggg....

makes my stomach sick just thinking about it... hopefully they can fix it... I have the same lens on my a77...

I'm assuming you have a Sony SLT camera... you ever clean the sensor... I finally did mine after two years last night but found a smudge right in the middle about a quarter of the way up from the bottom... I ordered one of those visible dust kits last night (I was using the last of my older kit from my konica 5d)... hate the idea of sending it away for cleaning...

[regnaD kciN]

14. I've used the supplies that come with the Sensor Scope kit...

...although I understand there are other types of swabs that work just as well. Previously, I used Copper Hill kits on some earlier cameras with good results.

I guess, if you really want to be careful, you could have a professional repair place clean your sensor, but the fact is that they generally just use one of the solutions available to you and me as well.

[Blue_In_AK]

16. It's a beautiful shot,

but a shame about the lens. Sorry I don't have $800 laying around.

I'm glad you were able to get a replacement. We had a dropping mishap with my 70-200 a few winters ago, and it cost me over $600 to have it fixed.

[handmade34]

17. ouch...

reminds me of the time I was standing in the Atlantic in knee deep water taking photos and bent over forgetting that I had my $600. 20mm f/2.8 lens in my pocket...

on the other hand... yes, your photo is beautiful and someone out there should pay $800. for it!

[Solly Mack]

18. Yikes! Sorry!

I'm sick just thinking about it.