Help! I dropped my camera!

I was getting ready to head out on a trail, so I snapped my Canon 40D onto my trusty Manfrotto tripod with a ball head/quick release. Well the quick release must have somehow not been fully secure, so when I went to pick the tripod up, my 40D and my Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 went crashing down onto hard pavement. I did have the lens hood on so that took most of the blow, but it still messed up the lens...see picture.

Ok...Now my lens hood is busted into two pieces, and front element is internally chipped (I guess thats what you call the first piece of glass) , and the zoom ring seems to be a little stiffer than normal. I took a couple of shots after I dropped it and you can not see the defect, but I want to get it fixed so I don't have any future problems. And also, you can not feel the part of the glass that looks busted, the top layer of glass is scratch free. I have no idea what to do. Can the lens be fixed, or will I have to buy another one.

Also...to the biggie!! My 40D seems to have taken some damage too. There are no visible scratches, chips, or dents on the body itself...but when I push the shutter button, sometimes it takes the picture right away (like normal), but sometimes I have to hold down the shutter release button for a couple of secs to get it finally take the picture. I've tried different autofocus modes and using Av, Tv, M, P, etc. This happens with all my lenses, on manual or autofocus. I'm wondering what might have caused this, if there is a way I can fix it myself, or if I just need to send it off to Canon. The camera is still under warranty, but will canon fix it since I dropped it...will they know?

Thanks everyone!

Oh and also, if this has happened to anyone, do you remember about how much it cost to get the lens fixed?

Daniel, the lens needs to go back to Sigma and the 40D back to Canon. Even though it doesn't appear within the images that the chipped lens has an impact on IQ, it certainly does, and it will show up in some situations. Let them tell you if it can be repaired or if it's beyond that and needs replacement. The fact that the 40D is giving uneven shutter performance is enough to indicate it has been damaged, and those things tend to multiply with age.

A DSLR is nothing more than a computer, after all, and dropping a computer may not kill it, but it'll shorten its life.

Is the Siggie under warranty? And if not do you have a homeowner's insurance policy that will cover camera gear? If you've sold prints or in other ways made money off photography, homeowner's policies that say they cover electronics gear may not actually cover yours. I'd get on the phone to Sigma, Canon and your insurance carrier, but I'd definitely get the lens and camera in for servicing.

Canon will make repairs at no cost to you if the camera's under warranty, and they will not quiz you like Big Brother about the circumstances. All you need to tell them is the problem, not the cause.

Thank you Steve for the reply. Yes the Sigma is still under warranty, but I did not think that it covered accidental damage. Correct me if I'm wrong though. I actually don't have homeowners insurance because I am renting right now, but I do have renters insurance, I'll have to check to see what all it covers. Thanks for help!

Daniel, with luck you'll come out of it spending little or no money. The Canon repair will be free, and the Siggie might be. I haven't dealt with Sigma on it, but check with them so you'll know what to expect budget wise. I just bought a used Canon 70-200 f2.8L less than a year ago, and the guy who sold it to me just had it back from Canon, where they totally prepped and conditioned it for sale. That prep included replacement of the front lens element, and the lens was out of warranty, and the total bill for the prep was only $80. That's not bad at all.

Steve,
Thanks again. I checked with my renters insurance but they do not cover it. I can get $3,000 worth of photography equipment covered for $40/year which is a real bargain! I'll be shipping them out tomorrow. Sigma said that it would cost somewhere between $80-300. I'm hoping for the $80 range.

Oh yeah, and if anyone is interested...I'm taking donations for the 'Help Poor Kids in College Buy Photo Gear'.

Uh, isn't your student loan supposed to cover photo gear?

If the gear insurance you mentioned is through your renter's policy, make darn sure you aren't getting any income from photography, because many insurance carriers will encourage you to get the coverage to increase your premiums but will deny a claim if you earn any $ from your hobby.

My homeowners carrier is USAA, and when they found out I had photo gear they pushed the coverage, but some close questioning showed that it would not have really covered me because I earn money from my photography. If it's just a hobby, no prob at all.

Reply posted by Steve Foss on 08/14/08 at 5:46 pm MDT
My homeowners carrier is USAA, and when they found out I had photo gear they pushed the coverage, but some close questioning showed that it would not have really covered me because I earn money from my photography. If it's just a hobby, no prob at all.
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I had just the opposite response with State Farm. They said under my regular homeowners policy they would not cover the camera gear, but with a specific policy for the camera gear there would be no conditions on whether I was a professional or not, after all it is a specific policy for the camera equipment and pros need their equipment covered too.

Scott, we're saying the same thing in a different way.

I fell in a tide pool and broke my D70 and 18-70mm lens when I slipped and fell in a tide pool. I thought my life was over. It was only $300 from the local camera shop that does warranty repairs nikon. I didn't have the time to send it in. I got it back before the weekend.

Thanks again for the input. Steve: I do not have a student loan...I'm very blessed to have parents that are paying for all my college, however they are not paying for this.

The insurance that I can get through my renters policy only covers my equipment if I do not make any money off my prints. That would work for right now, but I plan on trying to sell some prints in the future. Is there any insurance companies that offer insurance for students/amature or even professionals that would cover this kind of thing?

I'm a member of Professional Photographers of America, and the carrier they have secured for PPA members, Seabury & Smith, offers a full line of liability and/or equipment coverage designed for people who make money from photography. I use Seabury & Smith. Costs me about $300/year for all my photo gear, and there's a $100 deductible per claim.

That student loan crack was a joke, BTW.

I'm with Steve on the Seabury and Smith policies available through PPA. Great service and no hassles. The rate at which outdoor photographers lose, break, ruin or damage cameras, I wouldn't think of trying to sneak anything through on a homeowner policy. "Facts of life" conversations often await attempted claims.

On the 40D misbehavior, I'm sad to suggest that the lens mount on the body might have been tweeked, especially considering the degree of lens damage. That would cause the mirror to drag or hang. I'm not acquainted with the details of 40D construction, but have had it happen on other models- both in 35mm and MF. For your sake I hope not, but your description is giving me a familiar queezy feeling.

You might also want to check out North American Nature Photographers (http://www.nanpa.org) they have also started to offer insurance and the due's are more reasonable that the PPA. I also belong to PPA but will most likely drop it this year there focus isn't really on what I do NPN and NANPA are much more focused.

" You might also want to check out North American Nature Photographers (http://www.nanpa.org) they have also started to offer insurance and the due's are more reasonable that the PPA. I also belong to PPA but will most likely drop it this year there focus isn't really on what I do NPN and NANPA are much more focused."

Good suggestion. Much of the info and services provided by PPA will be extraneous to most nature photographers, good as they are. If NANPA's insurance is comparable, you're more likely to find a happy home there. We use PPA extensively for our studio/commercial business, but I feel kind of like a fish out of water at their conferences when it comes to my nature interests. If I recall correctly PPA's dues are $300/yr compared to $80/yr for NANPA.

PPA is about $235/year if you pay at once, higher if you pay monthly. No experience with NANPA.

Hmmph. I should have double-checked with my wife (chief bill-payer and principal beneficiary from PPA membership). Looks like it came down a little from last time I remember paying the bill. Aint that a kick!

Steve "inspired" me to double-check, and NANPA is now $100 a year. It's a bargain, even if you don't get the insurance.