Sunday, May 4th, 2008
I broke a $10,000 camera

Yesterday I broke a $10,000 camera. My roomate....who used to be a camera guy comforted me by telling me it was prolly more like $30,000....but I find that hard to believe...and a producer tended to think that number is high as well.

Either way I broke a camera that costs more than my car.

I went to cover a Vietnam Veterans event. Got there nice and early. Suddenly I saw my one man band enemy/competitor/counter part from WAND...who just got married and I haven't seen him out and about since he was in Hawaii for his honey moon. He's a really nice dude.

While talking about his ceremony of lost freedom suddenly I saw his eye balls light up...and he whispered "oh no". I turn around. A HUGE wind gust had blown my tripod over.

What seemed like slow motion...the camera started to take a fatal tip towards the ground. As I lunged towards it.....it smashed onto the pavement amidst the gasps of all the Vets. I walked towards my fallen soldier. The lens and most of the important parts seemed fine. The only bad part....the tape deck was out....and would not shut. Random screws that were from some unknown deep part of the camera were on the ground....and the camera was useless to me.

I ran back to the station and exchanged it with another camera.....made it back to the Vet event....only to miss the fly over from the air national guard. The camera now lays injured inside the engineer room. I have a feeling when they come to work they are going to say some words about me and they will not be nice.
7 Comments
SallyPants
1) I bet the WAND reporter totally paid the wind a few bucks to blow your camera over so he could have an exclusive on the fly over.
SallyPants   Sunday, May 4, 2008
2) This happened to me last week on a much MUCH smaller scale. One of our brand spanking new digital Nikons went crashing to the ground while shooting sports pics at Lutheran High (in what I believe were gale force winds). The boss was less than impressed. Not quite the same, but I can relate to the sick feeling in the stomach.
Ames   Sunday, May 4, 2008
reera
3) I have been meaning to ask you-are the cameras you use heavy? When my son was doing the one man band thing back in the 90's he had shoulder pain from the cameras. Sory about your accident but hopefully the camera is insured.
dannie   Sunday, May 4, 2008
4) This is coming out of your allowance.
Anonymous Communist   Sunday, May 4, 2008
Leslie
5) Oh my...I would think the station would have insurance on such pricey equipment. Good luck with the boss.
Leslie   Sunday, May 4, 2008
6) I can totally commiserate. Yesterday I left a patient out in the wind and they blew over. Thankfully they were there for a hip replacement anyway. They must have insurance and can now get a new, lighter camera. Maybe you can get one of those 20/20 investigatory cameras that you hide in your hats. They should be thanking you!
Jess   Monday, May 5, 2008
ben
7) Dannie,

The cameras are VERY heavy. While the rest of the world is going lighter and smaller....our cameras are just as bulky, big and heavy as they have ever been. The batteries weigh almost as much as the cameras and the tripods are no carbon fiber cut out either. So I can relate to your son! Where did he work?
Biker Ben   Monday, May 5, 2008
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