We lost him around 11:30 am, CST, today when he seemed to leap in front of a Sony A7Rii camera and the new 85mm lens in order to save them from an accidental tail wag. The assorted gear was sitting on a shelf about four feet from a (dreaded and obviously dangerous) Saltillo tile floor. The CEO of VSL had lifted his companion, Studio Dog, up off the floor in order to carry her across the way to the studio. One swish of a tail was all it took.
The brave little lens was swept from the countertop with a fair amount of force and hit the floor with gusto, bouncing at least twice. Its companions came to no harm because of his brave intercession.
At first there was hope that 28/70 had survived. There was no "apparent" damage. But a cursory check with the lens on a camera indicated that it had lost the ability to focus and had partially lost the ability to zoom.
It was a sad loss of great potential; the lens had only been out on a few test runs, but we had great hopes that this would be the one to turn the tide and revitalize the entire photographic industry. I thought it might be "the chosen lens" of which the legends speak...
A eulogy will be said by his close friend, Sony 24-70mm f4.0 in a small, private ceremony. The wake begins after supper this evening.
To say I am devastated may be slightly overstating the situation but I will state for the record that this is the last time I'll put loyal and valuable camera gear on the counter next to the front door again. If we can save one other camera or lens from the same tragedy our caution will have been worth it.
We have maintained a safe space for lenses for over 20 years without incident. That sign (which brags of our safety record) gets replaced on Monday and, hopefully, will read = "No lens accidents in over 2 days".
Please....no flowers.
13 comments:
Hmmm...It seems that, only a single day after singing the praises of prime lenses, you may have inadvertently placed a zoom in harm's way. Psychic determinism?
Word on the street is that the 24-70 arranged for its demise. Premium lenses get upset when budget lenses start getting all the attention.
Are you sure it didn't purposefully jump to its demise so that its beloved owner could have an excuse for another new lens?
That thought crossed my mind.
If it's really dead, take it apart, lets see what's inside!
Rest in pieces.
Dog has to be reprimanded...
Ouch! My heart feels your pain.
My A7rii has what I consider a major design flaw. The lens release should not be on the side of the camera grip. My hands are large. In retrospect the A7rii is too small - for my hands, for adequate battery and card space, etc. My fingers regularly connect with the lens release. A few days ago I accidentally engaged the lens release when my 28-135 zoom lens was on the camera. I love that lens. I reacted quickly enough to catch it on the way to the concrete. My heart still races when I think about the near disaster.
Hi Kirk,
So sorry for your loss!! You brought tears to my eyes, of laughter! No disrespect intended. It seems the lens was of high character and sacrificed itself for the entire team, what more could one ask for. I'm sure she, was it a she, aren't they all she's, will be remembered for many years to come. My advice, just remember the good times, and know that she most likely saw the light, all the light, in her passing.
Highest Regards,
Doug
Studio Dog is clearly a prime lens purist.
Perhaps it could be buried here
https://petapixel.com/2016/06/29/giant-shattered-lens-memorial-fallen-photographer/
The Kennedy Assassination, first man on the moon, Nixon's resignation, and now this day will be forever etched in my memory. I think each of us shall define our days as before the lens sacrifice, and after.
I almost bought the 28-70 when I got my A7, I had read good things about her. But somehow the budget opened up to purchase the 24-70mm f4. It has been camped on my A7, which thanks to Sony and our local store, Pro Photo Supply, is now an A7II. I love the lightness of the 24-70 for my day hiking and landscape work; but I know she would be crushed with one nasty fall in our Oregon wilds. I have taken falls for her and my Olympus gear more than once. Even rescued her when a dog decided to run back and forth under my tripod and another jumped up to great me on the Wildwood trail and knocked me over, tripod and camera in hand. Oh, and the dogs in the parks who go into agressive mode at the sight of a guy with tripod and camera. What we do for our gear.
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