You TOOL dazman...dropped my K20D

dazman · 10-25-2008, 06:33 AM

Today has not been a good day. I was walking through my kitchen with my camera in hand. The neck strap, which I planned to remove 2 weeks ago, caught on the edge of the bench and was ripped from my hand. Like a catapult my camera was projected through the air like a slow motion replay and came crashing down HARD on the polished floor boards. Oh S*#t!!!...that can't be good!!!

After abusing myself for being such a careless tool and calming down from the shock of what happened, I slowly moved closer to the camera for a good inspection...this can't be good. Looking down all looked to be ok. Bending over to pick it up, all look ok. With camera finally in hand, all looked to be ok. This can't be right?

With further investigation the only damage I could find was a small crack in the bottom plastic casing. This is one well built camera! But...does it still work? I turned on the camera. Focus...yes. Dials and buttons...yes. The lens...yes. Click....YES!!! The image and several after, look to be sharp as per normal. Phew! Pentax...built like a Hummer!

I plan to give it a good test tmw and will drop it off at CR Kennedy (Pentax Australia) on Monday just to be sure by getting a service and have the bottom casing replaced. From what I have heard lately CRK have been improving with there customer service and repairs, so I look forward to reporting back on this.

Needless to say I have removed the neck strap and can have a bit of a laugh (only a small one, thanks to a couple of beers) at what happened. For many reasons I glad I brought Pentax and now I can add excellent strong construction to the list.

Happy shooting all and...watch that neck strap

**Damn Brit** · 10-25-2008, 06:35 AM

You probably won't have any focussing problems now.

Mike Cash · 10-25-2008, 07:08 AM

One of the reasons I don't use neck straps. In the truck, where I do most of my shooting, neck straps are pretty much guaranteed to snag on something almost every single time I pick the camera up. So at work I go strapless. On foot I attach a wrist loop to the tripod mount. Religiously.

Photo Tramp · 10-25-2008, 07:25 AM

Well I'm glad everything worked out and the camera only had slight damage.
As for neck straps, Yes they dangle, and catch on everything. However I use a neck strap with the way I shoot. With a neck strap the very first thing one has to do is put the strap around ones neck. (Key word here being PUT) from the time I take the camera out of the case until I put it back in the case that strap is around my neck.
After a few near misses with the floor I learned that if I'm going to use it I have to put it on.
Good luck with CRK and let us know how everything turned out.

*germar* · 10-25-2008, 07:35 AM

Originally Posted by Mike Cash

One of the reasons I don't use neck straps. In the truck, where I do most of my shooting, neck straps are pretty much guaranteed to snag on something almost every single time I pick the camera up. So at work I go strapless. On foot I attach a wrist loop to the tripod mount. Religiously.

Mike:

Your wrist loop ... is it like those leather hand straps one can find from Chinese vendors on ebay, or is it something else? The hand straps I mean are the kind that have a faster for the tripod mount and a strap that loops through the right side eyelet on the camera body...kinda has a sling that wraps around the top of the hand, made of undoubtedly cheap leather or something similar.

thanks,

germar

*Blue* · 10-25-2008, 11:31 AM

I agree about neck straps being a potential problem, but there are other times they are a help. years ago I had a guy on the street grab my camera and try to run, I jerked him off off his feet from behind and he hit the side walk hard.

Plus they can help keep from dropping it when walking around. That's why easily removable straps are good!!!!

flyer · 10-25-2008, 12:53 PM

I always have the neck straps on my cameras, but, whenever I pick up a camera, I ALWAYS loop the strap around my wrist. It keeps the strap away from the lens, and you can't drop the camera, and it can't be snagged by a mugger. After a while, it becomes second nature to do it, so it is not a nuisance, but a safety.

procyon · 10-25-2008, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by flyer

I always have the neck straps on my cameras, but, whenever I pick up a camera, I ALWAYS loop the strap around my wrist. It keeps the strap away from the lens, and you can't drop the camera, and it can't be snagged by a mugger. After a while, it becomes second nature to do it, so it is not a nuisance, but a safety.

Same thing here. Strap around wrist feels very secure.
I once also bought one of those cheap hand straps germar mentioned, but it is kind of useless IMHO. I suspect it gives some advantage with cameras that are very hard to hold with one hand, but my K10D fits in my hand very well anyway. To feel any difference at all I need to fasten it so much it feels extremely uncomfortable.

*Clicker* · 10-25-2008, 05:59 PM

On the bright side (i think) you can now participate positively in this poll

how many times have you dropped your camera?

dazman · 10-25-2008, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by Clicker

On the bright side (i think) you can now participate positively in this poll

how many times have you dropped your camera?

At last a bright side...I knew I must have dropped my camera for a reason

Poll entered.

dazman · 10-25-2008, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by Damn Brit

You probably won't have any focussing problems now.

True

...but I don't recommend it for a solution.

Some useful ideas shared for the neck strap. I like to have mine over my shoulder while out and about. After removing it last night I've made some modifications so that the strap can be attached and removed via a locking carabiner...strap on, strap off. When I'm in a crowded area I'll try wrapping the strap around my wrist for security.

After testing the camera today, I may have a small problem. I think there maybe small fragments of plastic from the crack on the sensor. I blow it clean, use the camera, check the sensor dust alert again and sometimes it's back other times it's not. Let's see what the service people say.

*Clicker* · 10-25-2008, 10:35 PM

You're a potential candidate for this strap or the DiY version:

R-Strap **please ignore the camera brand he uses...LOL** VIDEO make sure your volume is DOWN!!!!

DiY R-Strap **again, ignore the camera brand, they're clueless...LOL**

now i'm gonna have Canon groupies ...yay

Mike Cash · 10-26-2008, 12:01 AM

Originally Posted by germar

Mike:

Your wrist loop ... is it like those leather hand straps one can find from Chinese vendors on ebay, or is it something else?

Here's the whole uncomplicated thing:

All I want it for is to stop the camera if I lose my grip on it. It is also very convenient when I need both hands, as I just let the loop slide toward my elbow and let the camera hang from mid-forearm. If mounting a short prime I can usually flip the camera back up with just my right hand.

The only caveat for these is that they should not be used as "dangle straps". In other words, don't walk around with your camera dangling from it. The screw does work loose when used that way.

Spongefingers · 10-26-2008, 04:38 AM

Originally Posted by dazman

I plan to give it a good test tmw and will drop it off at CR Kennedy (Pentax Australia) on Monday

"drop it off"... Was that an intentional pun?
Sorry.

*cardinal43* · 10-27-2008, 04:29 AM

So at work I go strapless.

I bet that excites your coworkers.