Dropped 5D MK II with 24-70L.....how !@#&%$ am I?

For those who care for a story, I'm going to be moving in the next couple months and have known for awhile I have too much stuff. So I decided to donate a bunch of old clothes and shoes and sell various electronics and snowboard gear. Setup my tripod, couple video lights to make it easy and mounted my 5D MK II with 24-70L on my tripod. Couple items in and everything is going as it should, then all of a sudden my 5D falls off the tripod slamming hard onto the hardwood floor below. It sounded like I dropped a 30lb dumbbell onto the floor. My heart dropped from my chest and stopped beating. I looked down and went to grab the camera figuring the lens had broken off the body, and interestingly enough it was still locked on and mounted on the 5D. First thought I had as I picked it up was "Damn Canon builds some tough ****! That was a 5 foot fall with The Brick on it! Awesome!" But right after I finished saying "Awesome!" to myself, I noticed this...

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One of my classmates had a random crack in her camera (she didn't drop it or anything - it really was the most random thing) somewhat similar to yours. She took it in and I think it cost 200-300? Hope all goes well!

Cheapest insurance you can buy is either Really Right Stuff or Kirk Enterprises L-brackets specific to your repaired or new camera.

I don't normally drop any camera, but tripped twice in Europe a few years back sending a Canon XTi smashing to concrete each time. Zero damage to camera but some scratches on L-bracket.

Just wondering how your camera could have "fallen off" your tripod? Did your tripod tip over or your camera wasn't clipped on right?

Take Care,
Cheers, Patrick

emelvee wrote in post #15168836
One of my classmates had a random crack in her camera (she didn't drop it or anything - it really was the most random thing) somewhat similar to yours. She took it in and I think it cost 200-300? Hope all goes well!

Thank you! Hopefully I get lucky and the repair is in that range

advaitin wrote in post #15168860
Cheapest insurance you can buy is either Really Right Stuff or Kirk Enterprises L-brackets specific to your repaired or new camera.

I don't normally drop any camera, but tripped twice in Europe a few years back sending a Canon XTi smashing to concrete each time. Zero damage to camera but some scratches on L-bracket.

That is definitely something I will be looking into for the future. I've always seen them but classic case of "I'm careful I don't need it right now"

Saint728 wrote in post #15168904
Just wondering how your camera could have "fallen off" your tripod? Did your tripod tip over or your camera wasn't clipped on right?

Take Care,
Cheers, Patrick

I honestly don't know. It was mounted onto a Velbon PH-173 ball head and was fully screwed in. I even remember checking it once or twice during shooting to make sure it hadn't loosened (I was shooting portrait) and it was tight. This Velbon head does have a double-dial setup where one is spring loaded so that the stud can move up and down. I'm guessing this is for a quicker release? I'm not 100% sure which is why I have always doubled checked to make sure everything was secure and tight. My guess in this case would be that the pressure from the camera being in the portrait angle pulled too much causing that spring loaded dial to release? But I still don't see how it can un-screw itself and the threads on the 5D's tripod mount aren't stripped either. Really bizarre and my fault for obviously failing at some point. Here's the head I have (well not for long, getting rid of this head and tripod ASAP!)

900 x 3876

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Best of luck with any necessary repairs to your camera body and lens. I always double check the security of the base plate on my tripod before releasing my hold on the camera, if you're in a hurry it might not be engaged fully...

The only significant camera drop I had involved getting tangled in the strap and losing my grip - that was with a D700 with a 105mm macro lens attached. Only damage was a shattered UV filter, no ill effects on either camera or lens (I had the latter checked out by a lens repair specialist just to be sure.). When I'm out and about with my camera, I use a Black rapid sling, but other than that, no more straps/slings for me!

I use only Arca-Swiss style lens or camera brackets, feet or lens plates and Kirk or RSS (some Jobu) QR clamps, but always with screw tighteners, rather than a lever tightener.

Pjay wrote in post #15168976
Best of luck with any necessary repairs to your camera body and lens. I always double check the security of the base plate on my tripod before releasing my hold on the camera, if you're in a hurry it might not be engaged fully...

The only significant camera drop I had involved getting tangled in the strap and losing my grip - that was with a D700 with a 105mm macro lens attached. Only damage was a shattered UV filter, no ill effects on either camera or lens (I had the latter checked out by a lens repair specialist just to be sure.). When I'm out and about with my camera, I use a Black rapid sling, but other than that, no more straps/slings for me!

Thank you I'm thinking I didn't have it fully engaged. Even though it was tight, it clearly wasn't secure enough. My next tripod head purchase will definitely be one with a locking plate. Atleast that way if the camera is going down, its taking the complete tripod setup with it. Glad to hear your drop only damaged the UV filter! The D700 is one of my favorite bodies, I would really hate to ever damage one. As far as straps for me, if the strap isn't around my neck its around my wrist twisted and looped over and over in case the camera comes free. Now Ill probably never take my strap off my neck no matter where its mounted haha

advaitin wrote in post #15169068
I use only Arca-Swiss style lens or camera brackets, feet or lens plates and Kirk or RSS (some Jobu) QR clamps, but always with screw tighteners, rather than a lever tightener.

Next head will definitely have a locking plate as stated above. This was a costly lesson for me. It might not require me to have to fully replace both camera and lens, but its still hundreds of dollars that could've gone elsewhere