OK so your camera hits the concrete lens first – lens damage!

What to do when your camera and lens hits the concrete floor – lens damage…

Just last week I was shooting for American Campus at one of their properties at Florida State in Tallahassee. My camera with my Canon TS-E 17mm tilt shift lens was mounted on my Manfrotto Neotec tripod. One of the legs of the tripod decided to get in the way of my foot as I leaned forward to reach for my cup of coffee. Down goes the whole rig – lens first – and of course this lens is like a huge eyeball – all round glass on the front with nothing to protect it. The front of the lens was greeted by a lovely tile floor. This is not the image you want to see when you turn around after hearing that horrifying sound similar to someone stepping on a wine glass.

tilt shift lens hits the tile

After inspection I noticed that the lens fracture was an interesting pattern. The cracks in the glass were constricted to the outside of the lens. I also noticed that I could not turn the focus ring. It was lodged tight as a coon’s ass. $2,000 buck down the drain. If the camera was damaged, I would be doubling my pain. After regaining my senses, I tested the camera and it work perfectly. Why not shoot a test shot and see what I get? Amazing! The fracture in the glass did not show up in the shot, and the focus ring had locked up at a focus of about 12 feet which for a 17 mm lens still delivers lots of depth of field. I decided to shoot out the project with that focus setting with and take a chance – with the camera lens damaged.

Sure enough, my shots were clean. Some of the exterior shots were bit fuzzy at the farthest points but a bit of sharpening in camera raw fixed that.

What I appreciate:

• The indestructibility of the Canon 5D Mark III camera. This is not the first time it has meet the earth.

What I learned:

• Carrying an extra lens was still a good idea.
• Having gear insurance was a good idea. Mine was through Professional Photographers of America.