Dropped dSLR
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Discussion

NiceCupOfTea

Original Poster:

25,586 posts

280 months

Sunday 29th July 2012
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Somebody who shall remain nameless wink dropped my D200 just now moving the camera bag. I didn't see what happened but sounds like it fell out 6-12 inches onto carpet. The lens cap came off and the filter is smashed. Camera & lens (Nikkor 70-200 VR) seem ok.

Is there anything I should do to test? It's focusing fine and the camera seems to be behaving but I am relatively new to the D200 so unsure as to its idiosyncracies. The VR on the lens makes a slight hum but I assume it did it before.

Just worried that it takes a lot of force to break a filter - hoping it has sacrificed itself to save the camera/lens. Will be ordering a new filter tonight!

JimmyTheHand

1,001 posts

171 months

Sunday 29th July 2012
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NiceCupOfTea said:
Somebody who shall remain nameless wink dropped my D200 just now moving the camera bag. I didn't see what happened but sounds like it fell out 6-12 inches onto carpet. The lens cap came off and the filter is smashed. Camera & lens (Nikkor 70-200 VR) seem ok.

Is there anything I should do to test? It's focusing fine and the camera seems to be behaving but I am relatively new to the D200 so unsure as to its idiosyncracies. The VR on the lens makes a slight hum but I assume it did it before.

Just worried that it takes a lot of force to break a filter - hoping it has sacrificed itself to save the camera/lens. Will be ordering a new filter tonight!
Check lens zooms and focuses OK - I usually take pictures on news papers to check after this sort of incident - make sure focus across the whole area

The Canon IS (VR equivalent) normally makes a small noise in use - you can test it by taking pictures at slow shutter speed with VR on and off (take several at very low shutter speeds - there should be a noticeable difference)

I no longer bother with filters to protect lens (but I don't take it into dusty or other hugely camera hostile environments very often) - both times I have dropped the DSLR a filter wouldn't have protected the lens, and if it broke is more likely to damage front element than the drop alone - besides which you can't mount filters on the front of the very expensive telephoto I usually carry (but it does have a large solid lens hood)

Simpo Two

92,708 posts

294 months

Sunday 29th July 2012
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NiceCupOfTea said:
Somebody who shall remain nameless wink dropped my D200 just now moving the camera bag. I didn't see what happened but sounds like it fell out 6-12 inches onto carpet. The lens cap came off and the filter is smashed.
Falling 6-12" onto carpet smashes a filter? Ah well, think of it as as crumple zone...

NiceCupOfTea said:
Is there anything I should do to test?
Yes, test it smile

NiceCupOfTea said:
It's focusing fine and the camera seems to be behaving but I am relatively new to the D200 so unsure as to its idiosyncracies.
The D200 has no idiosynscracies... it idiosynchronises at 1/250th nuts

I'm sorry, I appear to be in Beano Mode tonight ('B' on the dial). I blame the cheese.

NiceCupOfTea

Original Poster:

25,586 posts

280 months

Sunday 29th July 2012
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
Falling 6-12" onto carpet smashes a filter? Ah well, think of it as as crumple zone...
That's what I found odd. If I'd seen it happen I would have a better idea of what happened.

It seems to focus OK but, who knows? What are the sorts of things that would be damaged by an impact like this? Obviously, the glass in the lens (elements?), mounting ring, anything else?

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Sunday 29th July 2012
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Filters, risking damaging lenses on light knocks since ages ago...


williredale

2,866 posts

181 months

Sunday 29th July 2012
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I dropped my Canon 350D (it was a couple of years ago) two feet on to carpet when I snagged the strap on something. The camera fell on the 17-55mm lens with filter and the filter smashed. When I picked it up I didn't know it was the filter that had gone as there was just a sound of broken glass behind the lens cap. The filter had shattered and the metal ring was jammed into the thread on the lens. Black on White in Bristol had to saw the remains of the filter off for me. The camera was fine; it's still going and has clocked up a lot of pictures. The lens was fine at the time but I think it was 18 months later when the IS failed in it. It has been fine since that was replaced though.

Gad-Westy

16,559 posts

242 months

Sunday 29th July 2012
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It sounds like you've got away with it. The VR whirr is perfectly normal.

Just check that the manual focus and zoom rings are still smooth and you're probably in the clear.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Sunday 29th July 2012
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Early 17-55's were prone to IS failures , well known issue, canon sorted them out about hmm 3 years ago.

miniman

30,024 posts

291 months

Sunday 29th July 2012
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Hit it with a big hammer, phone insurance company whistle

NiceCupOfTea

Original Poster:

25,586 posts

280 months

Sunday 29th July 2012
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
Filters, risking damaging lenses on light knocks since ages ago...
confused Are you saying that filters can do more harm than good if you drop a camera?

Simpo Two

92,708 posts

294 months

Sunday 29th July 2012
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No filters on my lenses. I just sweep the bits up and get them stuck togther again biggrin

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Sunday 29th July 2012
quotequote all
NiceCupOfTea said:
RobDickinson said:
Filters, risking damaging lenses on light knocks since ages ago...
confused Are you saying that filters can do more harm than good if you drop a camera?
Yes. Most filters are quite frail. Most lenses arnt , even the front element.

Its more likely that a broken filter will scratch the front element than what broke the filter damaging the front element (without any filter)

williredale

2,866 posts

181 months

Sunday 29th July 2012
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
Early 17-55's were prone to IS failures , well known issue, canon sorted them out about hmm 3 years ago.
Indeed and mine is an early one but I can't think that dropping it helped...

OP, get out there and test it. If it's fine it's fine.

NiceCupOfTea

Original Poster:

25,586 posts

280 months

Sunday 29th July 2012
quotequote all
Seems to focus OK, zoom ring feels fine, no focus ring on this lens. No scratches on front as far as I can see, and have brushed any tiny bits of glass out of the filter screw thread.

Hopefully I have got away with it...

Pic as I found it:



Looks like the impact was on the bottom of the lens/filter, odd as apparently it ended up on its back as in the photo...

Craikeybaby

12,089 posts

254 months

Monday 30th July 2012
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It may be worth sending them off for a service check up anyway just to be on the safe side.

Ledaig

1,806 posts

291 months

Monday 30th July 2012
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You may want to check the mounting areas on both the camera and lens for signs of stress. They may have absorbed some of the force of the impact, and whilst are functioning ok now, could be prone to sudden failure at some point in the future.