Another reason for keeping lensehood on!

[Jan K.]

... and not have it on lens reversed too!

Here I was packing the camera on my bike’s luggage carrier and was talking at the same time to one of the neighbours also being down there in the basement.

I apparently can’t multitask, because suddenly the bag slipped and I could just watch, as it in slowmotion fell down on the concrete floor and landed with a terrible noise!

Something clearly broke by the sound of it, but after inspection no appearent damage?

Went out on the tour, had some shots – hmmm, why is the hood so loose?
During a break I examined the hood very carefully and there it was! Found a crack in it and some of the locks were broken off...

If I wasn’t a lazy man and always keep the hood mounted, I’m certain the lens would have been damaged.

As I see it, the forces by the impact were absorbed by the hood and locks... lucky me?

Have ordered a new hood, should be here tomorrow – goodbye £34

On the other hand a cheap price to pay for the lesson....

The damage:

Oh! and it was cheaper to buy a genuine Nikon HB-53 in UK than a clone here in Denmark...

 

[Dave P]

Lucky you, better £34 than a new lens LOL

 

[allanm]

Thats one of those situations where, if the lens hood wasnt attached, it wouldnt have got damaged and cost you £34, OR, you saved the lens from damage.
You'll never know........

Allan

 

[Cagey75]

I remember watching helplessly as an old kit lens fell to the ground because I forgot to zip the bag up ... d'oh! Not a scratch! It even bounced I think Hood, barrel, glass all intact. I reckon if it had been an all metal lens it was busted. Ironic really. The lighter plastic lenses can take a fall, but the heavier metal ones don't have that springiness to soak up impact. What lens was it you dropped?

 

[Bluesmachine]

I can't keep hoods attached. It takes up too much room in my AW150. I can barely squeeze in the 5dmk3, 85&35l with the 70-200 laying on top. It's even worse now I've bought the black rapid r5. Looks like its going to burst I may have to invest in the AW250. I've got more camera bags than soft mick.

 

[Cagey75]

You're buying the wrong bags. Any I've had could hold most lenses with the hoods reversed at least. Just a 2 second turn around when you're ready to shoot.

 

[Nod]

I suppose I could get a bigger bag and keep the hoods on unreversed but I prefer to carry a smaller bag, reverse the hoods and make sure lenses are on terra firma (or at least surface firma) between bag and camera or camera and bag. In 30+ years, I've yet to drop a lens, including many years with M42 threaded lenses - not the fastest mount for quick changes!

 

[ernesto]

I can't believe a lens hood can cost £34. I would imagine it costs Nikon around £1 to produce...

 

[Nod]

...If that! Carriage to Denmark must be extremely expensive!

 

[LongLensPhotography]

How do you know the lens isn't damaged? This exact drop may easily cause elements to misalign, causing soft image on one side or throughout. Have you carefully tested for that.

If there is a problem it can go to ebay with new hood as 'mint' and little used

 

[Bluesmachine]

You're buying the wrong bags. Any I've had could hold most lenses with the hoods reversed at least. Just a 2 second turn around when you're ready to shoot.

No I'm not. I use the bags that my gear I need fits into. Just more annoyed at how bulky the R5 is. The AW150 is a bit small if I want to take 3 lenses in a shoulder bag, but as I mentioned, I've got a lot of bags so there's one for almost every event Lowpro have made a lot of money off me

 

[Jan K.]

I remember watching helplessly as an old kit lens fell to the ground because I forgot to zip the bag up ...

Did you also experience how the mind is able to record the event in what appears to be like 1000 fps?

This is the second time I've dropped my camera. First time was after I just got new panoclamp.
Slided in the L-bracket, turned the knob... hm, that was many turns? let go of the camera and then in ultra slowmotion it tilted forwards, fell off the clamphead, hit a wooden beam half a meter below with lens first, got rotated by the impact, bounced forward and then landed upside down with a "thudd" in the mud on the trail... took hours to clean from dirt, grass, sand, mud, water, bugs and what not.

What lens was it you dropped?

My brand spanking new Nikkor 24-120mm f/4...

I can't keep hoods attached. It takes up too much room in my AW150. I can barely squeeze in the 5dmk3, 85&35l with the 70-200 laying on top...

That's another advantage of being lazy and/or poor. I simply refuse to carry anything more than the 12-24 and 24-120... and tripod.
Using a Tamrac Rally 4 btw. Cheap and can just hold gear, bits and pieces without things being neither too loosely packed nor cramped.

I can't believe a lens hood can cost £34...

And then it doesn't even have a golden ring!

But that was including postage...

...If that! Carriage to Denmark must be extremely expensive!

£16...

A clone in Denmark costs £42, while a genuine Nikon HB-53 costs £49...

How do you know the lens isn't damaged?

It has been thoroughly tested, don't worry!
Everything runs smooth as silk, no noises, sharp, sharp, sharp everywhere

If there is a problem it can go to ebay with new hood as 'mint' and little used

...or on TalkPhotography.com?
But seriously, I wouldn't risk my good ratings anywhere trying to fool anyone.

Besides that, the friends at Nikon Denmark Service Center are both "cheap" and seriously quick to do repairs.

 

[Bluesmachine]

I've got different bags depending on what I want to do. My lens hoods all stay at home, with the exception of the 12-24, but now I have the lenses I need focal length wise, I can be a bit more picky with what I take, which is why I've bought a smaller shoulder bag, and it's a bit more discreet. I've never really taken photos in an environment where I need them in 8 years, and I don't drop stuff. Well, I did drop my 60d with 50mm1.4 attached once. It bounced across the landing and I'm pretty sure time slowed down

 

[Nod]

Over the years, I've managed to reduce my bag collection to just 2 now (although I do have a 3rd, it's on long term loan to the friend who's borrowed my D70 on long term loan), a Lowepro Mini Trekker and a Toploader 75 (IIRC). The MiniTrekker carries my D700 and the 6 lenses I use most often and the TopLoader will carry the D700 with any of my lenses fitted plus spare batteries, cards etc. It'll also carry the body with either the fisheye or 12-24 mounted with the other in the bottom - a great wide angle walk around kit!

Others have included a Slingshot 200 (IMO, no advantage over a backpack apart from slightly quicker access to the camera) and a Nova of some sort. Tempted by a RedSnapper shoulder bag after seeing Yv's last week. Will have to check out prices!