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robertwgross
14th of March 2005 (Mon), 20:57
I've been happy with my old D60 for 2.5 years now. Maybe 12,000+ frames shot.

Then one week ago I drove off for a 1700-mile auto tour of the springtime wildflowers in some of the desert parks of Southern California. I expected to be shooting for one week, so I had everything necessary to keep going digitally. I even took along my Canon film camera, just for backup.

Day One was spent mostly on the highway. Day Two got me to one park, and I immediately set up to shoot. The flowers were OK. That evening, I was walking around with my camera and long lens on my tripod. Suddenly, I saw a type of wild bird that I never see back home, so I started wading off into the brush to get the shot. I was holding the tripod in one hand, with its precious load on top, and I was pushing the brush out of the way. Suddenly, I heard the unmistakable and immediate sound of a rattlesnake. I must have been right on it (due to the intensity), so it took me about a quarter of a second to react. I fell/jumped backward to get out of the way, and in the process, the camera fell from about five feet high and hit against a boulder. In a word, it was finished.

Once I had caught my breath, I double-checked to make sure that the snake had not gotten me. But the boulder got the camera. There were some minor problems with the case, but once I got those straight, I tried taking some shots. Everything came out about six stops overexposed. I suspect that the metering sensors got jiggled. Nothing could recover it. So, after driving all that distance, I had to do something right. I got out the Canon film camera, moved the lenses over, and shot for the next day or two on a non-digital basis. However, I am not used to the full frame effect on the result. I didn't have any spare batteries for the film camera, and I had only a few rolls of Velvia and Provia with me. RATS!

A day later, I drove up to the locality for BELMONDO and gave him a call. He directed me to the local photo dealer where I stocked up on enough film and stuff to keep going for a few days. Of course, that dealer tried to sell me a Canon 20D, right on the spot. Thanks to Belmondo for the advice. I saw one of his photo prints on display at that shop.

I got home a few days later, 1700 miles weary, with only about eight rolls of film exposed. That is another long story, but I guess I was out of the mood. Less than eight hours later, I had gone to my local Canon dealer and walked out with a new 20D.

So, does anybody want to purchase a Canon D60, slightly used, as-is?

---Bob Gross---

Scottes
14th of March 2005 (Mon), 21:05
Sorry, and congrats.

Maureen Souza
14th of March 2005 (Mon), 21:08
Well Bob...sorry about the D60 but so happy that
a) You didn't get bit by that snake. I'm a nurse and I've seen some ugly bites.
b) You got yourself a 20D!! Yay!! Enjoy.:)
P.S. We are headed out to the Monterrey/Carmel coast this weekend to do some shooting...hope the rain is sparse.

PacAce
14th of March 2005 (Mon), 21:10
Bob, sorry to hear about the demise of your D60. I know it served you well over all these years you had it. May it rest in peace in camera heaven.

And now that we got the sad stuff out of the way, let me just say, "Congrats on your new 20D!" Hopefully it'll serve you just as well as, if not better than, your dearly departed D60. That is, as long as you keep away from the rattle snake infested bushes and undergrowths. :D

Curos
14th of March 2005 (Mon), 21:11
So, does anybody want to purchase a Canon D60, slightly used, as-is?



I'll give you a piece of string for it.

Congrats on the new camera.

Citizensmith
14th of March 2005 (Mon), 21:28
Should have gone back, found the snake, and used the dead camera to teach it a lesson. :)

It's stories like this that remind me I still haven't sorted out all risks coverage from my insurance.

robertwgross
14th of March 2005 (Mon), 22:33
<sigh>

I figure that the camera cost about $2200 when it was new.

If the snake had gotten me instead, then the hospital emergency room bills probably would have been more than $2200 in an instant.

Oh, well.

I'll just place that camera on the shelf as a museum piece.

Incidentally, I was out with the new camera on Sunday, and I spotted another rattlesnake on the trail. I snapped his image. Maybe I can throw darts at it or something, since it was one of his relatives that caused it.

---Bob Gross---

cmM
14th of March 2005 (Mon), 22:52
Did you chase the snake and kill him with your bare hands after you realized what he did to your camera? :D:D:D

Sorry about that, Bob, glad the 20D found its way into your hands, I'm sure you'll put it to good use.

robertwgross
14th of March 2005 (Mon), 23:13
I'll give you a piece of string for it.

A piece of string?

I'm afraid not. (I'm a frayed knot.)

---Bob Gross---

cjm
15th of March 2005 (Tue), 01:01
Bob did you have your shoulder strap around you neck when taking pictures?


Sorry to hear about your camera. I am curious where did you go on your trip? Where do you find a rattlesnake this time of year?

thomascanty
15th of March 2005 (Tue), 02:07
Sorry to hear about your D60, but you're going to love the 20D. Just be careful where you step from now on. ;)

cjm, I'd imagine the rattlesnakes in Death Valley are getting active about now. I'll find out soon enough. I'm headed up that way in 8 hours.

aam1234
15th of March 2005 (Tue), 03:09
Bob, I bet you are happy that this happend ;) you wanted the 20D all a long.

pierrot
15th of March 2005 (Tue), 03:25
Should have gone back, found the snake, and used the dead camera to teach it a lesson. :)
Yeah, and buy yourself a cobra shoe mount flash...
...along with a pair of cobra-proof shoes :D

HJMinard
15th of March 2005 (Tue), 07:07
Sorry to hear about the trusty D60, Bob, but I think you'll really enjoy the 20D.

Did you have any insurance?

(Most importantly ... it's good to hear that you're okay.)

CyberDyneSystems
15th of March 2005 (Tue), 07:16
And most of us sit in these forums all day dreaming of new and interesting (read: Boring dull and pointless) reasons to upgrade!

Not our Bob! He upgrades only when life and limbe are threatened! :)
It was just fates' way of saying time to move on.. (if it had been a snake....?)

Glad you made it out of there without a snake bite Bob.


***********************************************
You do know the one about Bob Gross and Belmondo out in the desert and Bob gets gets bit in the .. er ahem,.. "middle leg",.. by a rattle snake?

They are miles from the nearest road out in the wilderness, no time to get Bob to a hospital,. so Belmondo calls on his cell,.

Belmondo: "Doc! My friend Bob was bit by a rattle snake, and we can't get to a hospital for hours.. what do we do,."

The Doc: "you have to apply a turniquate to the extrmeity and cut off blood flow :confused: and then you have to suck the poison out of the wound" ...... :shock:

Bob "Well!!" Bob groans as the agony spreads... "What did the doctor say"???


Belmondo: "Your going to die"

;)

cmM
15th of March 2005 (Tue), 07:45
...it was all a conspiracy: the snake, Belmondo, the bush... :D

Bodog
15th of March 2005 (Tue), 07:51
Perhaps the end of an era Bob, but also the beginning of a new one... :)

maderito
15th of March 2005 (Tue), 10:50
Frankly Bob, I was worried that your old D60 might outlive you. Enjoy your new extra megapixels.

roanjohn
15th of March 2005 (Tue), 14:36
Sorry to hear about your loss.

Those good for nothin' snakes are nothin' but snakes!!! Darn 'em for good, they're good for nothin'!!!!

On the good side, you didn't get bitten. Also, the fact that you were not used to the full frame viewfinder means that you probably won't be comfortable with the 1DsMKII, saving you even more money!!!

Congratulations on your new camera. The D60 era won't even mean much once you see the noise free images your 20D'll give ya!!!

Ro1

TammieO
15th of March 2005 (Tue), 20:37
So sad to see an old friend go, but glad to hear you're okay. Post some photos taken with the new camera!

dphotomania
24th of March 2005 (Thu), 12:24
Robert, at least you are OK, imagine the snake got you, you might not have a 20D now!!

Good Choose!!

robertwgross
24th of March 2005 (Thu), 14:01
Which is worse, to be bitten by a poisonous snake, or to be bitten by the Canon bug?

---Bob Gross---

Jon
24th of March 2005 (Thu), 14:28
At least your health insurance would cover the snakebite. What covers Canon Bug bites?

Condolences on the demise of your dear friend . . . and many happy pictures with the new one.

Bodog
24th of March 2005 (Thu), 16:53
Which is worse, to be bitten by a poisonous snake, or to be bitten by the Canon bug?

---Bob Gross---
Not sure which is worse, but only one is covered by my health insurance! ;)