Another sad tale...

[iksobarg]

Dropped my camera

I still cannot believe this happened. Sunday, Mar. 9, I had the opportunity to FINALLY put my newly purchased 200mmF4 lens+adapter to work on my dslr on my first time using my brand new Skytracker. I was about done setting up and decided with a slight hesitation to rest the camera on the mount try (stupid, stupid, stupid). For background I had been on a truly gnarly mountain up/downhill earlier in the day and was pretty tired, knew I should have just have relaxed but I was too stoked about this setup.
*Sigh
As I moved the mount for aligning the camera fell onto the floor and then it slid a ways and fell down again, down the stairs to the next landing. I was in the stairwell of our home and the upstairs neighbors, who I was trying to be particulary quiet for, ran over and opened their door. There there were looking at me looking at them with my Petz-ZIpka headlamp wondering what the heck had just happened. I was beside myself but did not know it. I went down and picked up the camera and lens cap, which came off, looked it over and at first thought it was ok, but knowing that could not be.
Well the camera, lens, LP filter seemed ok but the lens adapter really seemed to have taken the beating. It was loose in at least three places it was not before. The lens now wiggled really badly on the camera and knew or at least thought this was the end. Battered but not broken I set to using my 100mm/2.8Macro and gathered three image sets. I'm still fiddling with editting and imagine it will be a while, a few weeks at least, before I'm able to share the goods. As if!!?
Anyway, today I was able to take the adapter to the optician for some screw tightening as I have never seen such a small hexhead screw in my life. The rest of the screws I handled myself and the adapter seems to have a second life now although due to the moon I did not "try" to try it out again :S
My camera however now sound like there is something loose inside. Something shifts slightly when I rotate it left and right.
I'll have to consider sending it, I know.
The whole situation could have been worse, I know.
*Sigh
This is what I dropped. :S
Never again.

[iksobarg]

I forgot to mention the $300 IDAS filter that survived as well.

[cowbell]

I stronly recommend taking out camera damage cover for 2 years Worth its weight in gold.

[Leveye]

They sure don't make em like they use to. If that had been my Canon it would be in pieces. Now don't do that again! ;-)

[JessicaFaye]

Yeah I wouldn't do that again... if you wanna watch things fall down the stairs, get a slinky...

[AstroAdam]

Ouch!

[Stevp]

Yeah I wouldn't do that again... if you wanna watch things fall down the stairs, get a slinky...

Too soon

[glowingturnip]

ugh, nasty

[iksobarg]

Never:

Again:

[Grotemobile]

Never:

Again:

It is times like this you

wish you had stair carpet.

Steve

[iksobarg]

I'll say this tale has indeed a happy (at least for now) ending. I've used the k30 normally over the past days and haven't noticed anything wrong  beside whatever inside seems loose. I definitely will consider sending it in for a checkup.

[FilmGuy]

Well John - looks like you got away with this one.  Thankfully Pentax still makes a tough camera.  That SMC 200 lens is one of the best from Pentax and should be tac sharp.  Looks like some drift in those pix - but some are good.  You are going to have to spend some time to gain experience before the really good results come forth - unless you drop the outfit again.    What a shock to the system that must have been.  Get the camera tuned up - don't leave anything to chance.

Good luck

Igor