Canon Ef 600mm goes for a swim!

[potato1]

I'm not sure how many have seen this before but I thought it was a pretty big eye opener, photos of a 600mm f/4 being retrieved from a crocodile infested swamp. Apparently, the guy was shooting from a bridge, with the 600 on a monopod with a 2x. The head snapped, with the lens hitting the concrete bridge, then rolling off, straight into the water!

Photos:

http://www.timaustinimages.com/p9856...6CFB#685206779
http://www.timaustinimages.com/p9856...6CFB#861584172


the thread:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=451992.

[craftgirl]

Holy Moly! I would be devastated and wrecked and a shambles, crying inconsolably to the point of collapse. Not just because of the cost involved but because of the loss of such a beautiful instrument. Wonder why the tripod head failed? Yikes. Did the camera go with it? If not how did the lens become disengaged from the camera? I will have to go read further.....Thanks for sharing the story!

I hope everything works out the best for all involved.

[another view]

I had a Tokina lens that looked like that last year along with the attached Fuji S2 DSLR, so now I don't feel so bad!

Why was the person using a head on the monopod in the first place? To me, the only reason you'd have a head on a monopod is for adjustment. This becomes a moot point with a huge lens that mounts directly to the monopod (or tripod) because for vertical shots you turn that mount, not the head. Usually heads (mono or tripod) have a 1/4" thread for connecting to what's on top of it so that would be the weak link. Guess we now know how weak... Bummer.

[fx101]

Who in their right mind shoots crocs with a 600mm on a MONOPOD?? It's so agonizing thinking about the destruction of such a fine optical instrument.

[jorgemonkey]

That sucks!

On a side note, I rented the Nikon 300 from them last weekend. I'd definitely recommend using them for camera/lens rentals. The fact I can pick up a lens from them 5 mins away from my work helps also