30D *really* scratched

[cbock]

so, the family goes to disneyworld for a week. i have the camera 99.9% of the time. gave it to my wife. i got on a ride. within 5 minutes she drops it a few feet onto the pavement! fortunately, the lens hood seems to have buffeted the impact quite a bit. the lens (sigma 24-60) is fine. the hood is scratched, but no cracks or problems with it. one of the snap locks in the battery grip broke off. but, with the door shut on the grip, both batteries register. then there's the body itself. just above the shutter release, there's a deep scratch that goes thru the outer coating and exposes the metal below.

i tried to search for a good solution to fix the scratch. i was unsuccessful. i was thinking that i should just paint over the scratch. sanding it down seems dangerous as there'd be a bit of metal dust in the air. thoughts?

[Keiffer]

I would think what ever you put on it to cover the scracth will only stand out as much as the scratch. I say leave it alone unless theres a color difference and than yes try to use a permanent marker to cover the mark.

[BLS439]

Sounds like a good time to upgrade to the 5D or the 1DMKII or IIN. "Honey, remember that camera of mine you dropped? Well, It needs to be replaced cause of the scratches/gouges it got when YOU dropped it".

Honestly, though I feel for you. I am scared to death that my camera will be dropped/knocked to the ground and put in your shoes.

I wouldn't sand it just for the reasons you suggest. Maybe get a razor knife and trim the grouge edges? Maybe just put a little piece of electrical tape over it and try really hard to forget.

Good Luck!
Dave

[René Damkot]

I'ld have the camera checked for internal damage (alignment of AF etc.) and use Gaffer tape for 'cosmetic' damage..
How's your wife? ;)

[x2x3x4x5x]

I smell a divorce.

[Tsmith]

How's your wife? ;)

More like has was the rest of the vacation ... :confused:

[DocFrankenstein]

Ahh it's just a camera.

I should've taken a picture of my rebel before I painted the thing black. It was starting to look a piece of soap from all the scratches.

[Mark_Cohran]

I'd leave the scratch alone, thoroughly test the camera, and never let my wife touch it again.

Mark

[Lightstream]

I smell a divorce.

I smell 1DsMkII for extra protection against this kind of incident as the only way to forestall the divorce :D

[rabidcow]

Blemishes on the camera body are like scars.....each one has a story.

I know that it is different for everyone, but my camera is a tool, not a toy. This means that I work it hard, and that means that it gets beat up a bit.

30,000+k images captured in 3 months, countless dings, bangs, and bumps. That is the business. Aside from casual shooting or studio shooting, cameras are truely on the front lines.

Maybe a band-aid is in order.....it might look pretty cool.

[cbock]

thanks for all the responses.

no divorce...unless she drops it again!
after spending a week at disneyworld, there's NO money left. let alone for a 1D*
i have no problem with my camera having character. i'm just worried the scratch may corrode.

[Papaw]

I don't think there will be any chance of corrosion. It's probably only cosmetic and psycological --------keep shooting and enjoy.

[Woolburr]

The black permanent marker is not as bad an idea as it sounds. You might want to give it a shot.

[DocFrankenstein]

Magnesium won't corrode. It forms a thin layer of oxide on the surface and stays that way, because it's quite hard and inert.

If it start corroding, then your camera's shutter is long gone.

[Dragos Jianu]

Punish her: Go for at least 5D if not the 1D2N and a new lens. She deserves it !! ;)

[blue_max]

Maybe it's covered under your houselhold insurance policy?

If not, and it doesn't affect the image quality, the mental scars are the ones which are causing the damage.

I always put my camera in a camera bag - less change of any damage if someone else is minding it. I don't think you can really blame your wife - or shouldn't. You will still have great photos long after the body has bitten the dust.

Graham

[WxGuesser]

The black permanent marker is not as bad an idea as it sounds. You might want to give it a shot.

+1

I've used this technique many times... if you want to "blend" the ink ... as soon as you color the scratch, rub it with your finger.. this way you won't be able to see the distinct line from the marker.... next, wash off your finger!

[evandavies]

I agree that if the camera still works then its no biggie.

Its worth checking if its covered by insurance. Not necessarily for you but for resale value. If you are paying for the insurance you may as well use it...

or...

I duno if its big enough but it might be worth filling the scratch with some kind of filler and painting over?
If the shutter button isn't too close you could put a tiny bit of Superglue(duno US name) in there to stop it splitting...?

If anyone asks you can say you were a photojournalist in a warzone :lol:

[steved110]

It's upsetting to get a new camera beat up for no reason - but it still works and at the end of the day it's just a 'thing', a tool. a few cosmetic blemishes are neither here not there.
hopefully your Mrs will be more careful in future, and the comments about insurance are valid. If it had been broken, knowing a replacement was on the cards would make the loss much easier to bear!

[GyRob]

I think you should give the wife the camera and get yourself a NEW one ;)
Rob.

[Mark_Cohran]

Be careful with the insurance idea.....file one or two small claims and you can find yourself with much higher rates or cancelled. It happened to me with Allstate.

Mark

[danedel]

love these "scratch" threads....lol
I have so many scratches, marks, dings on my cam body’s and lenses. when you are in a hurry to get a shot I don’t even notice that my bkup body is bumping a rock or wall, I just hope its not another person :-0

Just last week I remember dropping a 1d2 with a 70-200 2.8 IS about five or so ft, oops. Picked it up and carried on.