My 500 got knocked over by a %$^& kid on a skateboard. I thought it was sitting safely at my feet while I had another lens on. not.
The tripod collar is broken across the ring, not far from where the foot is placed.
Gorilla super-glue didn't work, and I don't think I'd trust it anyway.
I have another collar ordered (thankfully, "only" $120) BUT now Nikon tells me that putting it on requires the LENS TO BE DISASSEMBLED ! The intact collar does not fit over the protruding screws on the lens. ugh.
anyone have any ideas? I'm afraid to think what disassembling the lens will cost, not to mention having the lens out of comission for Lord-knows-how-long.
Wow, is it tough to drag this 15# lens+camera around without the tripod foot to grip it!
Sandy
Update: The Nikon place wants $320 to disassemble the lens to install the lens collar, plus whatever it costs to ship it there. UGH.
Will call Kirk and RRS tomorrow to see if they have a collar that will fit.
I may be investing in some gorilla tape! I am bummed!
Posted by Kent Staubus on June 20, 2011 at 9:27 AM
Is there a Kirk or RRS collar that fits it that doesn't require disassembling?
Kent's suggestion is a good one, but I'll chime in that we've had very good, very fast results from Nikon's repair facility. Sorry to say, we're all too familiar with it.
The thing to do with them is to go to their site and follow the directions carefully. At their service page you'll be prompted to send them an email describing the problem. They'll reply with an email assigning you a case # with a PDF of a shipping label. Ship it, and within a day of it getting there we always get an email back that they've diagnosed the problem including an estimate of repair costs. It also asks you for authorization to proceed and a payment function. If you don't want to pay, they'll ship it right back. If you do pay, repairs are completed and the gear is headed back to you within a day or so.
Almost all our transactions have been completed in under a week, starting from our first email till we had the gear back at our doorstep. In the last 10 years the single piece of gear that took longer was an ancient 300 f/4, for which parts were no longer available. It took them a week to track down parts from other sources for the repair, so the total transaction took 15 days. Still not bad for a piece of gear that hasn't been made for decades.
I've learned the hard way that the only repairs that really work are the ones at the factory. If you want to stay with the factory tripod collar, grit your teeth and ship it in. Manufacturer service is usually very fast.
I was in the field this weekend and saw a Nikon 500mm with a third-party collar; it was basically a pipe clamp (the aluminum kind you adjust with a screwdriver) bolted to a tripod mount. There wasn't a brand name and I did ask. The guy said he'd used it without problems for more than two years. Google would probably turn it up.
I'd think any fall bad enough to break a solid metal tripod collar wouldn't do the lens any good either. In your shoes, I'd have the lens looked at as well.
Not nice news. Can you post some photos showing the damage?
Since moving to AZ in 1994 I've used the Nikon factory repair in El Segundo, CA a couple of times. They do good work, and turn around time has been reasonable.
Given the cost of packaging and shipping your lens you might want to consider driving down to El Segundo - even at CA prices for gas it might cost less than UPS or FedEx
I agree with Jim's comment about possible internal issues after a fall like that. A shifted element could ruin focus for you.
I'd think any fall bad enough to break a solid metal tripod collar wouldn't do the lens any good either. In your shoes, I'd have the lens looked at as well.
I agree with Jim's comment about possible internal issues after a fall like that. A shifted element could ruin focus for you.
Ayup. I was afraid to bring it up, but I'd ask them to test the lens while it's there. I'll add autofocus to the concerns. I haven't dealt with knocks on long telephotos, but crashes with our shorter lenses have almost always come at the cost of autofocus.
It really didn't fall far - just from upright on the hood to flat on dirt. It just fell squarely on the tripod foot, which tweaked the collar, I guess. At least it didn't really fall on the lens itself.
Focus and all else is fine afterwards (that last egret image and the peregrine and skimmer right before that were all shot after "the fall".)
But I guess I will take the chance to get it cleaned and checked while it is in..
Posted by Bill Chambers on June 22, 2011 at 11:18 AM
Really sorry to hear about the mishap! My question - did you chase down that little bugger and thrash him for causing the breakage??? I would have been steaming mad!
1. Kirk, RRS, and Wimberly do not have replacement tripod collars for this lens. They have them for the smaller lenses, up to the 300.
2. Nikon wants $350 to disassemble lens, replace collar, clean, put back together
3. $120 for the collar itself (not the deeper replacement foot or Wimberly plate on it)
4. Fed X wants $185 to ship it - insured for it's $9000 value
At least the lens itself is not hurt, as far as I know so far. I hate to think what a major repair of this lens would cost.
&*^&*%&(%^&))*^% KID ON THE SKATEBOARD!! I wish I had grabbed hi, but he was gone before I realized what had happenbed.
Sorry to hear this Sandy. Is any of the cost covered by insurance? Also, the Fed X cost seems extreme. Have you checked out other carriers? ....... or are they just as bad?
Got the Fed X price down to $95 if I pack it in a larger box and wrap myself. The high cost is mostly the insurance /declared value coverage, and the weight (252 # with the lens, hard case, and outer box).
USPS won't insure over $5000, and UPS wanted $100+.
Insurance has a deductible.. thanks for the ideas, though!
Sandy
Posted by Kent Staubus on June 26, 2011 at 1:06 PM
I shoot almost every day, often in harsh conditions. Last night I was up in northern South Dakota chasing trains until 4 AM. The way I look at it sometimes the Law of Averages catches up with me and "poo happens." I sort of keep this in mind when I buy expensive gear. I was lucky last year--all I lost was a $100 polarizer that decided to roll of the edge of a waterfall in Iceland.
Discussion
16 repliesThe tripod collar is broken across the ring, not far from where the foot is placed.
Gorilla super-glue didn't work, and I don't think I'd trust it anyway.
I have another collar ordered (thankfully, "only" $120) BUT now Nikon tells me that putting it on requires the LENS TO BE DISASSEMBLED ! The intact collar does not fit over the protruding screws on the lens. ugh.
anyone have any ideas? I'm afraid to think what disassembling the lens will cost, not to mention having the lens out of comission for Lord-knows-how-long.
Wow, is it tough to drag this 15# lens+camera around without the tripod foot to grip it!
Sandy
Update: The Nikon place wants $320 to disassemble the lens to install the lens collar, plus whatever it costs to ship it there. UGH.
Will call Kirk and RRS tomorrow to see if they have a collar that will fit.
I may be investing in some gorilla tape! I am bummed!
Kent in SD
Sandy
The thing to do with them is to go to their site and follow the directions carefully. At their service page you'll be prompted to send them an email describing the problem. They'll reply with an email assigning you a case # with a PDF of a shipping label. Ship it, and within a day of it getting there we always get an email back that they've diagnosed the problem including an estimate of repair costs. It also asks you for authorization to proceed and a payment function. If you don't want to pay, they'll ship it right back. If you do pay, repairs are completed and the gear is headed back to you within a day or so.
Almost all our transactions have been completed in under a week, starting from our first email till we had the gear back at our doorstep. In the last 10 years the single piece of gear that took longer was an ancient 300 f/4, for which parts were no longer available. It took them a week to track down parts from other sources for the repair, so the total transaction took 15 days. Still not bad for a piece of gear that hasn't been made for decades.
But I will call he and ask!
Thanks!
sandy
I've learned the hard way that the only repairs that really work are the ones at the factory. If you want to stay with the factory tripod collar, grit your teeth and ship it in. Manufacturer service is usually very fast.
I was in the field this weekend and saw a Nikon 500mm with a third-party collar; it was basically a pipe clamp (the aluminum kind you adjust with a screwdriver) bolted to a tripod mount. There wasn't a brand name and I did ask. The guy said he'd used it without problems for more than two years. Google would probably turn it up.
I'd think any fall bad enough to break a solid metal tripod collar wouldn't do the lens any good either. In your shoes, I'd have the lens looked at as well.
Sorry to spend money for you...
Since moving to AZ in 1994 I've used the Nikon factory repair in El Segundo, CA a couple of times. They do good work, and turn around time has been reasonable.
Given the cost of packaging and shipping your lens you might want to consider driving down to El Segundo - even at CA prices for gas it might cost less than UPS or FedEx
I agree with Jim's comment about possible internal issues after a fall like that. A shifted element could ruin focus for you.
Ayup. I was afraid to bring it up, but I'd ask them to test the lens while it's there. I'll add autofocus to the concerns. I haven't dealt with knocks on long telephotos, but crashes with our shorter lenses have almost always come at the cost of autofocus.
It really didn't fall far - just from upright on the hood to flat on dirt. It just fell squarely on the tripod foot, which tweaked the collar, I guess. At least it didn't really fall on the lens itself.
Focus and all else is fine afterwards (that last egret image and the peregrine and skimmer right before that were all shot after "the fall".)
But I guess I will take the chance to get it cleaned and checked while it is in..
So sorry to hear about the mishap.
1. Kirk, RRS, and Wimberly do not have replacement tripod collars for this lens. They have them for the smaller lenses, up to the 300.
2. Nikon wants $350 to disassemble lens, replace collar, clean, put back together
3. $120 for the collar itself (not the deeper replacement foot or Wimberly plate on it)
4. Fed X wants $185 to ship it - insured for it's $9000 value
At least the lens itself is not hurt, as far as I know so far. I hate to think what a major repair of this lens would cost.
&*^&*%&(%^&))*^% KID ON THE SKATEBOARD!! I wish I had grabbed hi, but he was gone before I realized what had happenbed.
Grrrrr.
Sandy .
USPS won't insure over $5000, and UPS wanted $100+.
Insurance has a deductible.. thanks for the ideas, though!
Sandy
Kent in SD