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Here's my broken camera story. I was setting up my new at the time Z7 on a tripod with a brand new 70-200 F/2.8 E lens on the FTZ adapter. I had is sitting on the lawn was shooting up high so the camera was about 6 feet off the ground. I went inside to get the weights I hang from the tripod to keep it from tipping over and got distracted and when I came back out the tripod had gone "TIMBER" and fallen like giant tree. Remember, I was set up on the lawn being no dummy! The only problem was there was a sidewalk about 4 feet away and the tripod was over 5 feet up. The camera hit directly on the EVF and the lens functioned as a drive hammer and smashed the front ring of the FTX back into the ftz body about a quarter of an inch and it was very crooked.About a month ago in my underground parking spot I threw my bag on my back and turned and the Z9 with 500 pf (and 1.4 tc) slid out of the bag (yup one zipper not pulled to the top). Best I could figure it dropped and hit on the bottom of the camera which has a small rig l-bracket attached (there is the slightest of burrs on the bracket and thus that conclusion). Camera and lens wound up sitting as the would on a table, but pretty sure the camera fell, camera down, lens pointed up, in the vertical position given where the mark is on the bracket. The jarring of the drop made the lens hood (in reverse) pop off, as well.
Thought I'd escaped any damage -- though it took me until the next day to turn the camera on and take some shots, so convinced was I that the sensor was likely hanging by a thread or all of the glass in the lens was cracked. Have taken a few thousand shots with the combo since then without issue.
HOWEVER, today I went to shoot the lens without the TC and oh oh it and the lens are stuck together. The TC will turn to the remove position but the final click and removal is not available.... I can see a raised edge of a metal ring or ridge between the camera and TC that curves out of true in one spot....
So will be making a trip to Nikon next week -- luckily they're just down the highway. Hope they have returned to taking drop offs as it'll be an added pain to box and ship. Or maybe I'll just settle for having a fixed 700 f8 lens.... Ah, no
While on this subject, any Canadian shooters can give a recommendation for loss/damage insurance for photo gear. Been casually trying to buy coverage for years and every time the carriers I do find always turn me away as I'm not a commercial photographer. The standard carriers of course are only interested in covering the gear for normal 'home owners insurance' so if I say, oh I dunno drop the Z9 and 500 pf with 1.4 TC attached on a cement floor they won't cover repairs.
Steven,About a month ago in my underground parking spot I threw my bag on my back and turned and the Z9 with 500 pf (and 1.4 tc) slid out of the bag (yup one zipper not pulled to the top). Best I could figure it dropped and hit on the bottom of the camera which has a small rig l-bracket attached (there is the slightest of burrs on the bracket and thus that conclusion). Camera and lens wound up sitting as the would on a table, but pretty sure the camera fell, camera down, lens pointed up, in the vertical position given where the mark is on the bracket. The jarring of the drop made the lens hood (in reverse) pop off, as well.
Thought I'd escaped any damage -- though it took me until the next day to turn the camera on and take some shots, so convinced was I that the sensor was likely hanging by a thread or all of the glass in the lens was cracked. Have taken a few thousand shots with the combo since then without issue.
HOWEVER, today I went to shoot the lens without the TC and oh oh it and the lens are stuck together. The TC will turn to the remove position but the final click and removal is not available.... I can see a raised edge of a metal ring or ridge between the camera and TC that curves out of true in one spot....
So will be making a trip to Nikon next week -- luckily they're just down the highway. Hope they have returned to taking drop offs as it'll be an added pain to box and ship. Or maybe I'll just settle for having a fixed 700 f8 lens.... Ah, no
While on this subject, any Canadian shooters can give a recommendation for loss/damage insurance for photo gear. Been casually trying to buy coverage for years and every time the carriers I do find always turn me away as I'm not a commercial photographer. The standard carriers of course are only interested in covering the gear for normal 'home owners insurance' so if I say, oh I dunno drop the Z9 and 500 pf with 1.4 TC attached on a cement floor they won't cover repairs.
A client accidentally knock my Z9 of a table onto concrete with the 50mm f1.2 mounted.About a month ago in my underground parking spot I threw my bag on my back and turned and the Z9 with 500 pf (and 1.4 tc) slid out of the bag (yup one zipper not pulled to the top). Best I could figure it dropped and hit on the bottom of the camera which has a small rig l-bracket attached (there is the slightest of burrs on the bracket and thus that conclusion). Camera and lens wound up sitting as the would on a table, but pretty sure the camera fell, camera down, lens pointed up, in the vertical position given where the mark is on the bracket. The jarring of the drop made the lens hood (in reverse) pop off, as well.
Thought I'd escaped any damage -- though it took me until the next day to turn the camera on and take some shots, so convinced was I that the sensor was likely hanging by a thread or all of the glass in the lens was cracked. Have taken a few thousand shots with the combo since then without issue.
HOWEVER, today I went to shoot the lens without the TC and oh oh it and the lens are stuck together. The TC will turn to the remove position but the final click and removal is not available.... I can see a raised edge of a metal ring or ridge between the camera and TC that curves out of true in one spot....
So will be making a trip to Nikon next week -- luckily they're just down the highway. Hope they have returned to taking drop offs as it'll be an added pain to box and ship. Or maybe I'll just settle for having a fixed 700 f8 lens.... Ah, no
While on this subject, any Canadian shooters can give a recommendation for loss/damage insurance for photo gear. Been casually trying to buy coverage for years and every time the carriers I do find always turn me away as I'm not a commercial photographer. The standard carriers of course are only interested in covering the gear for normal 'home owners insurance' so if I say, oh I dunno drop the Z9 and 500 pf with 1.4 TC attached on a cement floor they won't cover repairs.
About a month ago in my underground parking spot I threw my bag on my back and turned and the Z9 with 500 pf (and 1.4 tc) slid out of the bag (yup one zipper not pulled to the top). Best I could figure it dropped and hit on the bottom of the camera which has a small rig l-bracket attached (there is the slightest of burrs on the bracket and thus that conclusion). Camera and lens wound up sitting as the would on a table, but pretty sure the camera fell, camera down, lens pointed up, in the vertical position given where the mark is on the bracket. The jarring of the drop made the lens hood (in reverse) pop off, as well.
Thought I'd escaped any damage -- though it took me until the next day to turn the camera on and take some shots, so convinced was I that the sensor was likely hanging by a thread or all of the glass in the lens was cracked. Have taken a few thousand shots with the combo since then without issue.
HOWEVER, today I went to shoot the lens without the TC and oh oh it and the lens are stuck together. The TC will turn to the remove position but the final click and removal is not available.... I can see a raised edge of a metal ring or ridge between the camera and TC that curves out of true in one spot....
So will be making a trip to Nikon next week -- luckily they're just down the highway. Hope they have returned to taking drop offs as it'll be an added pain to box and ship. Or maybe I'll just settle for having a fixed 700 f8 lens.... Ah, no
While on this subject, any Canadian shooters can give a recommendation for loss/damage insurance for photo gear. Been casually trying to buy coverage for years and every time the carriers I do find always turn me away as I'm not a commercial photographer. The standard carriers of course are only interested in covering the gear for normal 'home owners insurance' so if I say, oh I dunno drop the Z9 and 500 pf with 1.4 TC attached on a cement floor they won't cover repairs.
www.ppa.com
Is PPA still only doing commercial/business insurance ? The last time I checked that was all they were carrying and so insurance included a lot of things like liability etc. etc. that I do not need and so it made it quite a bit more expensive.PPA MEMBERSHIP BENEFITSPPA | Professional Photographers of America
PPA is a non-profit photography association created by photographers, for photographers. Join PPA to get resources to grow your photography business today!
Insurance for Professional Photographers
This what i use.
I followed the link and there's a comparison between what you'd get just being a member or if you pay.
I see they still want you to apply before they tell you what it would cost. When I checked before the cost was more than I was paying at that time for scheduled coverage on my renters insurance. They also required my business name etc. for the liability insurance etc. provided and I do not have a business. I finally dug deep enough to see the cost membership plus added cost more than I am paying for gear coverage and I do not need the business coverage and also would not qualify since I do not operate a photography business.
Steven,Thanks all. I'll wade into this again but I have been specifically been told by three insurance companies (including at the time and present my current home insurer) that yes given the cost a separate rider is needed for camera gear but coverage does not extend beyond things such as theft and fire or water damage, no matter how much I might pay.... And Bob, it's because I've just bought another canoe -- a solo for specifically photo taking reasons -- that I'm back on the hunt. Off to get persistent and talk to the 'right person' so I can get coverage
Yah, stupidity hurts
I can buy a rider on my home insurance to cover my cameras (as I do my art, for example) -- done because of the higher value of the items -- but what I'm repeatedly told is that rider will not cover things like damage by use (eg dropping it or leaving a lens in a field and going home without it
And no that latter bit I haven't done but a friend has). Yet as the comments show, I think it comes down to the day of the week and the company's risk appetite LOL And if so I'd be worried when it comes to any sort of claim that goes beyond the gear got stolen from my apartment or damaged in a fire in my apt, for example.
Thanks, I'm in Canada, however.
Theft they'll cover. Damage they're balking at.
Thanks, I'll look into that. Does one have to be a professional? Another point here is that if I was a professional shooter my insurance company would happily sell me the type of insurance I'm looking for.
Thanks. And of course that's the other end of the equation -- once a claim is filed whether the damn insurance company finds reasons to not cover the damageGood luck Steven ... hope Canadian or provincial insurance rules etc. do not preclude you for getting an all risk, no deductible scheduled property coverage. I have it in the US and have only had one claim for D6 hitting the pavement with 600f/4E attached and it landed on a bottom corner right on the battery door. No damage to the lens but the camera lens mount had to be replaced. Insurance paid for it but it was a pretty cheap repair so the insurance company still came out ahead. If that camera and lens both had to be replaced they sure would not have
Thanks. I've spoken to a lot of companies -- all happy to take my money with an added rider for the camera gear (as they do for my art collection) but balk once I start talking about damage out of the home essentially. So if I knocked the camera off a table I might have a chance for a claim. Drop it hiking.....
Yup, stupidity really hurts
As I've said I have a rider for "valuable property" on my art collection and it's available for my camera gear but the problem begins when I want protection from damage (like dropping it). I know people who have the coverage in Canada; I've concluded it's just the insurance company risk dance on any given day I call so I'll continue to call. There are companies that insure camera gear specifically, but their amount max for non professionals is lower than my 180-400 alone
Yes extended coverage at the retailer is an option and one I should have taken
The camera which Nikon has asked I send in to have checked although it seems to be fine will be covered by Nikon no matter the damage as it's new. The lens is newer so I'm hoping once they discover that it might be covered as well!? Wish me luck.
Yes, added riders for valuable goods very much available in Canada -- in this instance it's what they cover that I'm having an issue with. If my camera is stolen or my apt burns down with the camera gear inside I'm covered. Drop it in a marsh, not covered -- but I know people with such coverage, in Canada. Still on the hunt
Thanks. I'm going to start using the language "mysterious loss" in my conversations with insurance companies, but again when I've used specifics when discussing what's covered for my premium there is no hesitation to say no for damage in use UNLESS I'm a professional photographer (defined differently by a few companies but all essentially have a high % of income from photography as the benchmark).
