Grip and lens cap saved my 7D+lens

I was out playing with my toddler son last weekend when he tumbled walking down a few steps. I lunged forward to grab him and the camera flew out of my hands, landing on our concrete driveway. After setting my son back down, I picked up the camera to assess the damage.

Zeikos grip and the aftermarket lens cap took 100% of the damage. The 7D and my recently-purchased EF-S 15-85mm lens were completely unscathed. I am lucky that the camera didn't land on its back or things would've been different, but they would've also been very different without these two accessories. The lens and body would've suffered major damage. Instead, all it cost me to replace the accessories was $76 from Amazon.

The damage:

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Very lucky indeed! I don't seem to have that good of luck ever. Last time I dropped my phone from waist height it landed perfectly face down on a rock in the parking lot and shattered the screen through my otterbox case. I can't imagine what would happen if I dropped my camera.

Wow!

Glad to see you saved you son lol. I have a Grip i've been trying to sell for a long time but can't seem too, If you send me money to ship it you can have it free of charge. (It's a bower grip for 7D)

That's very generous of you! Thank you very much. My replacement grip just arrived or I would've jumped on it. Plus, I almost feel indebted to Zeikos for making a solid product; it's as if I owe it to them to buy a replacement grip. I know, I am pretty weird.

Mmmmk can't say I didn't try = )

killeraxemannic wrote in post #13305051
Very lucky indeed! I don't seem to have that good of luck ever. Last time I dropped my phone from waist height it landed perfectly face down on a rock in the parking lot and shattered the screen through my otterbox case. I can't imagine what would happen if I dropped my camera.

I hear you. I have destroyed 2 cell phones that way. I guess graceful movement isn't one of my strong points

Thanks again! Good timing is another thing that historically hasn't been my strong point either!

ManiZ wrote in post #13304997
Zeikos grip and the aftermarket lens cap took 100% of the damage.

What you showed us is a lens HOOD, not a lens cap.

A rigid lens hood can provide quite a bit of crash protection if it breaks up or folds up (like one of my metal Nikon hoods did back in 1967).

Ah yes...I meant to say hood and not the cap. Good catch. A cap wouldn't have done anything to help here.

This unintentional experiment also illustrated that the weakest part of the hood is at the mounting point and not the edge (contrary to my previous belief).

I wanted to see the pictures, because I could not imagine how a lens cap saved your lens! I was confused until I saw the post about the hood.

Glad to hear your toddler, and the 7D, are alright. =)

BTW you passed the "good parent" test.

Good parenting
this isn't meant to come off as mean, but you know, a camera strap would of also saved your camera

Nice to have luck on your side for a change eh?? It's funny cause everytime I almost take a spill with my camera in hand or something I just think of how bad the carnage would be if I fell with it. They just seem so fragile to falls ya know?? All about the luck of the draw. I must've dropped my iPhone 100x and then one time it barely fell and landed softly and the entire screen shattered.