Didn't think it'd happen to me until it did.

[sunnyVan]

Sometimes when I heard people talk about dropping a lens, I just assumed they probably got clumsy hands. Well, it happened to me today. I was taking out my 100L (in a Lowepro lens case) and it slipped out of my hand. I wasn't nervous at all after it happened. Hey, it's in a lens case, so what's to worry about? I unzipped the lens case and found the filter cracked. I was unable to remove the filter on the spot since it's stuck. All my filters are B+W. Well, except this one!! It's a Marumi which has served me quite nicely until now it bent.

I don't have a filter wrench. Never thought I'd need one. So quickly ordered one on amazon. When I got into my car I did some test on my lens. AF worked fine. Tried f2.8 and then f8. The pictures don't show the cracked and stuck filter at all. Now it makes me wonder why I should ever bother to clean the filters with wipes. I was gonna go home and do more testing at f22. Only out of curiosity at which f stop the cracks would show.

No need anymore. When I got home I was able to bend the filter back to a more circular shape and I finally took it off. On close inspection, there's no damage to the front element at all. I blew off the rest of the debris with a rocket.

I'm glad it happened when the lens was in a lens case. Too bad the 100L is too tall for my lens case leaving no leeway. Otherwise the filter may not have cracked. It was a close call though. I can definitely imagine the shattered filter glasses scratching the front element. In fact, that was my worry on the way home. I was about to ask you all if you know how much it'd be to replace the front element.

Just a little story to share. I'm sure people hear it a thousand times. After it actually happened to me (as someone who's pretty careful with gear), I have more empathy for those who went through the same.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Its possible, likely even that there is internal damage or cracks that could be fixed sooner rather than have Mr. Murphy strike during a critical shoot.

I'd have it checked out. The fact that it appears to be fully functional is good news, but I'm cautious. Things get jarred loose and then progress to failure taking other parts in the process.

I installed a old Sigma TC on one of my lenses, and not only would it not find focus, but it went intp hyper drive vibrating the AF system until I could turn it off. Then I noticed a noise when I turned the lens to install it.

It turned out that a lens retainer had vibrated loose and the glass was rattling. I have a set of lens tools, and used the spanner wrench to retighten it. Fortunately, it was not one of the elements that is ground, it was just plain glass.

 

[mackguyver]

It happens to all of us eventually - and you're fortunate that the filter sacrificed itself. I'd have it checked, too, but that's going to be $200-300 in most cases.

Also, on the whole why should I clean my filter thing - the main reason is bokeh. Dirty filters/front elements show specks and stuff if the bokeh. If you're not shooting that type of subject, the only other issue might be extra lens flare, at least from oily residue on the lens. You'll find the flare with a cracked filter is pretty bad, too.

 

[TeT]

The filter cracks and dust WILL show when you when you start bumping images post...

off the camera they will only occasionally show up...

 

[RustyTheGeek]

I was with some boy scouts in a parking lot recently and we were about to trek out into a local soccer field together with a BSA photographer for some "action" shots. All of a sudden I heard a whack behind me and I turned around to see a rather large black 300mm f/2.8 Nikon lens on the ground beside the photographer's SUV. Seems that when he opened the back side door, the lens had shifted and fell out from the back seat onto the concrete. Ouch! Amazingly, the lens still worked for the shoot but I really felt sorry for him. He goes all over the country shooting scouting events for BSA so I assume he is well versed in taking care of his gear and this was a fluke for him. So yes, it can happen to anyone and eventually it will!

 

[CaiLeDao]

I was in the same situation while in China last year. I had never cracked a filter before, but smashed two 82mm polarisers on the 24-70 F2.8L mark II, different times and places. I think the plastic body doesn't support the filters as well and they are more sensitive to minor taps. 100mmL is better quality and needs a proper drop.

Hoping the plastic elements of L lenses doesn't increase in the future, at the price would much rather have more robust materials.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

Gravity is a cruel mistress.

I fear it is a question of "when" and not "if" I drop a lens. :'(

 

[anthonyd]

A few years ago I dropped a Tamron 17-50/2.8 from waist height to a hard floor, thankfully inside a pouch. The filter didn't break, but the metal rim got a clear sign of force. The lens kept working fine for a few years but then the AF started jamming (which is good news in the long run, since I replaced it with the Canon 24-70/2.8II :-} ). I don't know if the two events are related, but I'd like to second Mt Spokane's advice to have your lens checked before any critical shoot.

 

[pwp]

Whether your gear survives a drop or not is often a matter of luck. At an event a few years ago I dropped a 1D MkIII with 70-200 f/2.8 (non-is) and 580ex onto a carpeted floor. It slipped off my shoulder, so the camera & lens would have been at hip-height. Only the 580EX survived. The camera and lens were write-offs.

It was after this that I switched to much safer sling straps, much better/safer when working with two bodies.
FWIW the best sling straps I have ever used (and I've spent too much on too many) are from Peak Design.

Their new Slide is brilliant. https://peakdesign.com/store/?c=straps

-pw

 

[JonAustin]

I lost my grip on a ThinkTank Digital Holster 40 a couple of years ago while unloading my car; it dropped about 3 feet onto the concrete garage floor with a 5D3 + 70-200/2.8L IS inside, front element first. The impact cracked the lens cap, but no damage to the lens or reverse-mounted hood (no filter installed).

I've continued to use the camera body without issue ever since. I had no problems with the lens either; I sold it last summer to upgrade to the vII, and I informed the buyer of the incident. She ran the lens through its paces on her body before accepting; that's been nearly a year ago, and she's still very happy with it.

Kudos to Canon and ThinkTank for building quality gear. Nothing is invincible, and there are many variables in any mishap, but I was impressed by the outcome. This incident also made me more careful when handling my gear.

 

[Hjalmarg1]

I has happened to me twice and in both incidents it was an expensive lens (70-200mm f2.8L IS II and 400mm f5.6) in their protective cases and the filter was damaged but the lens continue to work flawlessly.
Good that your 100L was not damaged.

 

[Tinky]

I bought a used Sigma 18-50 f2.8 DC, which when it arrived, had a filter attached...

I should have been suspicious then having previously worked in a camera shop... it's 101 that you remove the filter, memory cards and any extra batteries, as these are good add on sales that add all impotant margin... sneaky but true, usually the staff get their pick of the good stuff at token prices, genuine batteries etc, and the dross is retained for testing or just binned... anyway I digress.

I tried to temove the filter and found it was bent. At this point I should have rejected the lens. I must have been having a bad day. I guess I must have been needing the lens for a pending shoot or something... instead I cut the filter off (couple of wee nicks on opposite edges of the circumference with a hacksaw blade, invert blade and turn filter out, again, I digress)

The lens seemed fine, even wide open, so I thought no more about it.

Until about a year later, in a rush, recording in a rough area, rather than carefully pack everything away I removed the camera from my tripod and sat it on my passanger seat. It's an extending design the closer you focus and further you zoom, and I had the lens hood attached, outwards, just to add a nice bit of extra leverage.

Drive away, couple of minor potholes. Stoped at next location, picked up camera and the inner tube was totally free, not enough to fall out, but I now had a tilt shift lens with a zoom.

A visit to my local repaier had the zoom helix replaced and the lens reassembled and recalibrated. The engineer reckoned that the helix had been compromised by a previous drop, and that a minor bump would subsequently have been enough to separate the lens.

The happy ending is that the repair cost was fairly modest and the recalibrated lens was absolutely first class in terms of sharpness etc and still serves me to this day.

The upshot is, unless you pphave xray vision, you can't see what damage has been dine internally, and if you depend on your kit for a living, get it checked out.

And never ever buy a used lens with a stuck filter.

 

[RustyTheGeek]

All this talk of gently caring for gear... rubbish!! Who wears the pants around here, you or your gear!? I just toss my stuff around with abandon. Maybe even give it slap now and then just to remind it who's boss! That way, it gets used to the abuse and it either bucks up and gets stronger or it wusses out, starts failing and quickly gets culled from the herd! This way I know my gear is tough and it knows it has to stay that way!! (Plus, it gets all rugged looking, just like a real pro's gear!)

 

[Act444]

I thought it wouldn't happen to me, either...I'm super careful, etc...but one day last year, I was out shooting with the 7D and 70-300L in one strap, the M and 11-22 on the other - several hours at an outdoor event...I was pulling out the M and getting ready to take a shot when I felt a strap loosening - the 7D strap was coming undone...and before I could grab it, the camera and lens were already on the ground. Luckily it was a soft grass patch I was standing on!! Also luckily, it appeared the camera came down flat, which means the front of the lens did not take the brunt of the fall. Amazingly, both camera and lens still worked, no cracks or stratches on the lens...7D was traded in but I still have the lens. Lens appears to work fine (except a weird "phenomenon" - to use Canon's terminology - where AF sometimes doesn't kick in when a scene is well out of focus).

Also, I had a close call once with the 5D3 and 24-70 when I realized the lens had accidentally detached - caught it before disaster struck.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

7D was traded in...

I hope you let them know that the camera was dropped.

 

[9VIII]

Last time I was having this conversation with myself I tripped on my snowshoes and dropped the 400f5.6.
The AF motor went rumbly after that. Thankfully it only cost a few hundred dollars to fix.

My retention system now uses clips instead of just hooking it onto my pack and relying on my ability to stay upright.

 

[jdramirez]

I was thinking about this very thread last night as I was switching lenses at my daughter's bands recital...zero casualties, but that might be as a result of trying to be extra careful.