the miraculous d-fiddy
kelly | 1 August 2006 - 10:40am
#1 - D-Fiddy's shattered filter
Last Tuesday we were in the Wahiba Sands of Oman. This is where I rode the camel. This is also where we went dune bashing, which is when you drive a 4x4 up and over and around the sand dunes. (We weren't driving - we had a guide.) Being driven straight down a sand dune is scary as shit - but also totally awesome. Dune bashing is the best roller coaster ride ever.
Sadly, the dunes weren't all that got bashed. Our driver went down a dune that was deeper and steeper than he expected. The vehicle basically hit the bottom face first and we stopped HARD. We're lucky we didn't flip. The vehicle sustained some damage around the wheel well and I had a huge swollen bruise right below my knee. But D-Fiddy suffered the most from the impact.
During the ride, D-Fiddy was resting in Rob's lap. When the vehicle stopped suddenly, we all went flying forward and the force rammed D-Fiddy against the seat (or something) in front of Rob. Later, after we had gotten out of the vehicle, we took the lens cap off D-Fiddy and shards of glass fell out. SHARDS OF GLASS. From D-Fiddy!
Fortunately, the broken glass was just from the UV filter we'd attached to the front of the lens and not from the lens itself. But there was a mark on the lens that appeared to be a place where a shard of the filter had scratched. (A scratch on the actual lens is very NOT good.) We rubbed it, hoping it was just a smudge, but it wouldn't fade and we could see a mar showing up in the photos.
But then, a day later, the mark on the lens disappeared. We have no idea how. Perhaps the spot was just a smudge after all. Or perhaps the disappearance of the blemish was due to the healing powers of humidity, which fogged up the lens on a regular basis. But it felt like a miracle, and that's what I think it was.
(Go home today and hug your cameras close. Tell them how much you love them. And next time you take one for a ride in the car, BUCKLE IT IN.)
- 614 reads
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Yet another reason why all of you with dSLR's need to protect your very expensive lenses with a very inexpensive filter. Good work tiny little broken filter. I can't believe the scratch healed up. What, is Dubai like the fountain of youth for D-Fiddy's everywhere.
I'm going to stay away from taking your camera into the very dusty desert. If you start seeing more and more crap particles in your pictures, you may want to check out the Copper Hill Images cleaning kit.
I'm thinking you should invent a camera car seat. A 5-point harness system would, of course, be a must.
It is so nice to see a post from you.
RIP F. Diddy's filter, RIP, man.
P.S. I am very jealous that you got to ride a camel...I would have named her too and your choice was very becoming for her!
i hope kristine comments here soon because i am very concerned that this post may very well have given her a heart attack. similar to how nilbo would faint if you posted b00bage photos.
Indeed, yonz. SO much better to replace a $15 filter than a $500 lens. And, yeah, we totally took off the lens in the desert. IN THE DESERT. Rob started unscrewing it from the camera body and I was like, "You do realize this is the worst possible place on the planet to do this, right?"
That is a fantabulous idea, LadyBug! And while I'm at it, maybe I could also invent a camera carrier to wear across the chest - like the kind for babies - because that thing gets HEAVY lugging it around everywhere. (Smooches to you.)
Thanks, William. It's great to be back - I missed you people.
Hi TKW! I once had a kalanchoe that I named Chloe. Hee.
It's okay, Rz - I already emailed her, as requested, to give her the damage report. But, she hasn't seen the photo. The photo might put her over the edge - it is rather gruesome.
I wouldn't faint from shock. YOU try staying conscious when that much blood rushes away from your brain.
LOL...You guys have NO idea how happy I was to know Fiddy was okay.
I um...didn't uh...tell you that..I uhh...
OKAY, fine. I do strap the boys into a car seat when we go on a bye bye trip!
I'm glad my mom doesn't read this because she would totally tell you about how she had to switch places in the backseat because I already had the boys strapped into the seat that I feel they are most safe in. As if, I get into an accident I would be able to turn around, unstrap, and grab them without too much work.
Yes..I love my boys. *whimper* I'm just glad their cousin, Fiddy is okay.
The only way that could have been more of a miracle would be if D-Fiddy wept real tears.
the words 'shattered filter' are so scary!
Kelly's Lens Oddly Goodagain.
Yay! Amy that is a great one!!
Nilbo, you sure you're not just suffering from poor circulation?
LOL, kristine!! You would buckle them in! Freak. (And by freak I mean super-smart girl. Why didn't I think of that?!)
Ha, Kranki! Once when I peered at his lens, I saw the Virgin Mary.
Oh, that's awesome, amy! Just like kristine said.