What have you left out in the field when you've been out taking photos ?

Went out to try to photograph my son surfing at Belhaven Beach, Dunbar on a very cold, windy day one late autumn. The wind was onshore so I was taking the lens cap off, putting it in my coat pocket, taking a shot, then putting the lens cap back on. After a while I decided it wasn't going to work (lens too short, couldn't work out which was him anyway), so I wandered around a bit more photographing some other stuff, then headed back to the car. No car key! (OK it's not directly photographic but the occasion was...)

Reconstructed where I'd been, wandered around for ages, tried the nearby golf club in case it had been handed in, but nothing. Meantime the tide has come in. Presumably I'd dragged it out of the coat pocket when taking the lens cap out one time. Called out the breakdown people who came 90 minutes later, took one look and said no, they couldn't tow it away because I'd locked the front wheels at an angle. Luckily my son had driven out separately so he took me back home. Had to come out next day by public transport to meet the key guy; scary how easily he got in! He was expensive, too. Now the key gets zipped into an inside pocket...

I also managed to leave a bag containing a new work MacBook Pro in a taxi. Never did get that one back either.

Also a set of filters in a nice case on the cliffs in Cornwall after a sunset shoot. Nothing when I went back. :(
 
I used to only take my tripod (Manfrotto 190 and 489 ball head) out during the night/very early morning when travelling, but starting doing it during the day. I didn't have a bag or strap for it so was carried in my hand. I was in Corniglia in Italy, which is a very small town. I came back from a long day out and went into a pizzeria to get a pizza before retiring for the night. Got up in the morning and started looking for the tripod. Wtf, :eek: where was it! Had someone come in in the night! Racked my brain and realised I must have put it down in the pizzeria the night before. Luckily they were open early and only about 40 feet from where I was staying. With a bit of gesticulating because of the language barrier, they had the tripod. Lucky, :) hopefully lesson learned. I thought. :rolleyes:

Two years later I am on the Vaporetto to Burano, Venice, enjoying the sun at the back. Got off and walked into the town. Got to the first canal and... where's my tripod? :eek: I must have left it at the back of the boat. :rolleyes: Ran back to the terminal but the boat had gone the short distance to Torcello, it is only a 10 minute boat trip, and sometimes comes straight back.This time it was going on to somewhere else in the lagoon. The chap at the terminal said he would get a message to the crew to check, and if it were found it would get back to the Tourist Centre in Piazzale Roma, the entrance to Venice, eventually. This was the 2nd day into the week stay. So 3rd day no sign. One night/early morning lost. 4th morning no sign, so then I had to find a camera shop to get a replacement. Bought one for €80, not a known brand but it seemed sturdy enough. Would it take the weight? Yes I was assured. Went and started taking some pics. Put the camera into the portrait position and the camera stated slowly to point down. So had to go and replace it. Thankfully they didn't kick up a fuss. I checked every day to see it had turned up, even on the way to the airport but no. :(

When I got home I needed to replace the tripod and ballhead I lost because the replacement wasn't the greatest quality, it cost €80 though. And the replacements cost £160 for tripod and head. Luckily, touch wood, I haven't come close to losing another tripod since. ;) :rolleyes: So a quarter of the cost of the trip had to be shelled out because I was stupid enough to forget a tripod. A costly lesson learned. I hope. ;) Time will tell. :LOL:
 
On the way home from my honeymoon back in 1960, I left my camera bag containing two Rolleiflexes on Sidmouth station.
It was only that evening when we arrived home in Muswell hill london that I discovered my loss.
I phoned the station to see if it had been handed in and the station master said "No" but he would go and have a look. When he returned he said it was still sitting on the bench where I had left it. He sent it by the next train to London, where I was able to pick it up the next morning.

Perhaps people were more honest in those days.
 
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We were on holiday a few years ago and took a 2 day excusion so had packed our clothes in one bag and my camera gear in the other - I was so paranoid I'd forget the camera bag I completely forgot about our clothes. It was only as the bus drove off down the road we realised. Could have been worse!
 
Terry's post above reminded of a trip to Rome. We were staying in an apartment, and were leaving about 6am to get across Rome to the airport for 10ish am flight. It was our first trip to Rome so we were giving ourselves lots of time to get across the city so early in the morning.

Because we were leaving so early we were to leave the keys in the apartment when we left. So I was with my friend and her two young children, so everyone getting up and out so early was a touch stressed. :confused: So we get the cases, check the place and leave, locking the door behind us. We got outside for me to realise that I didn't have my backpack with all my camera gear in. :eek: I remember it was on the floor beside a bed. :rolleyes: I try to phone the owner of the apartment, but with no answer. :(

I tell my friend and the children to go to the airport, as I am not leaving without my camera gear. I sit on the steps out side for the next 1.5 hours trying to get through to the owner on the phone. When they finally answered I explained the situation, through a language barrier. The chap said he would ask his father to come and open the apartment, and would be willing to drive me to the airport. This was about 8am. The chaps father turned up about 8.30am. He spoke less English than his son, but we could communicate. My none existent Italian stayed the same. :oops: :$

So we drive out of the north of Rome onto the ring road to get to the other side of the city and Ciampino Airport. We seemed to be driving a long time. I was unsure because of the language barrier, whether I was going to make it on time. I think I got to the airport about 9.15am. Thankfully Ciampino is a small airport compared to Fiumicino, and I was able to get through to my friend and her children with about 10 mins to spare. :rolleyes:

If you are staying somewhere were you lock the door and leave the keys when you leave, check you have everything 5 times before you go through the door. :rolleyes: :LOL:
 
A Richard and a lovely handkerchief. :exit::exit: :help:
 
Yesterday afternoon I lost a Nikon Lens cap. After have had something to eat I thought I would take the dog for a walk and see if I could find it. Not only did I find MY Nikon lens cap, but I also found a Nikon body cap!! RESULT:)
 
Several lens hoods at various motor racing circuits around the UK. I left my collapsible step at Oulton Park last weekend, but thankfully it was still there when I went back.

I lost the eye cup off my 400D once at Silverstone, but think I found it again (unless the one I found was someone elses) about two years later.
 
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