Now here's a story for you.

This story shows both the great strength of big L's, and the risk you take when aiming them like rocket launchers.

So I got back from Antigua (in the caribbean) about a week ago. I was there for 4 weeks, and I love taking photos of aviation of birds, for these I use my canon 500mm F4. it was a friday and I was waiting on the side of the road in my 4x4, waiting for the arrival of a virgin atlantic 747.
The plane was now in my sight. Before I stick my lens out of my window, I always check if anyone is around, I did so and didn't see anybody. I stuck my 500mm (hood on) out of the window, and as I was just about to click away my lens and camera are smacked out of my hand and fall down with huge force straight on to the concrete.
A rasta man had badly misunderstood the situation and had dived in desparation on to my lens and forced it out of my hands. I was obviously very angry, he explained his thoughts and I explained mine, and we then had a laugh about it.
Here is the amazing fact, my 30d was badly screwed and I had to get it repaired. But my 500 had a few scrathes on the hood and that was it, glass and everything was fine. I was amazed, and it prooved the almighty strength of L , remember this fell from quite a height and landed lens first.
This is the lesson for you all, never point a telephoto lens, at a flying tube with 400 people in it .

I can't believe you were that calm about it. I would've killed the guy.

Interesting.. this is the second thread I've read where someone confused a camera lens with a gun.

august23 wrote in post #2802476
I can't believe you were that calm about it. I would've killed the guy.

same here.

seanm wrote in post #2802452
This story shows both the great strength of big L's, and the risk you take when aiming them like rocket launchers.

So I got back from Antigua (in the caribbean) about a week ago. I was there for 4 weeks, and I love taking photos of aviation of birds, for these I use my canon 500mm F4. it was a friday and I was waiting on the side of the road in my 4x4, waiting for the arrival of a virgin atlantic 747.
The plane was now in my sight. Before I stick my lens out of my window, I always check if anyone is around, I did so and didn't see anybody. I stuck my 500mm (hood on) out of the window, and as I was just about to click away my lens and camera are smacked out of my hand and fall down with huge force straight on to the concrete.
A rasta man had badly misunderstood the situation and had dived in desparation on to my lens and forced it out of my hands. I was obviously very angry, he explained his thoughts and I explained mine, and we then had a laugh about it.
Here is the amazing fact, my 30d was badly screwed and I had to get it repaired. But my 500 had a few scrathes on the hood and that was it, glass and everything was fine. I was amazed, and it prooved the almighty strength of L , remember this fell from quite a height and landed lens first.
This is the lesson for you all, never point a telephoto lens, at a flying tube with 400 people in it .

I hear ganja will do that to you .

Hey, you've got to give it to the Rasta man for actually stepping up and doing something like that. Just think of it from his perspective - Some guy sitting in a truck, he takes a quick look all around him to see if he's alone, then points this large bazooka looking thing at a jumbo jet? I'm sure he's never seen any camera like that before (and the ganja may also have something to do with it). It's unfortunate that your camera was damaged, but you're probably lucky he didn't start beating you with a rock or a stick. In his mind, he was saving the lives of everyone on that plane. That's a great story!

I put a sticker on mine...

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rslv wrote in post #2802672
I put a sticker on mine...

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Me wants!

rslv wrote in post #2802672
I put a sticker on mine...

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haha but man you have to admit ... it does look like a bazooka...