Accidental Lens Release

[michaelgirman]

  My 24-105L just fell off my 5D mkIII and rolled into the Seine.  The lens release button is way too sensitive and it is so easy to accidentally unlock without realizing it.  I went to twist the zoom ring and the lens rotated and dropped off.  Blogs are full of compaints of this occurance on mkii's.  

  This is definitely a design flaw.  It's not user error.  The button should be relocated or made to require more force to release  or have a detent position.  

  It's a shame that you have to gaffer tape a $2300 lens to a $2000 camera.  Be forewarned.  

[Suraj-Sun]

I’m new to this forum because a few days ago my 24-105 IS II fell off my 5D MkIII.  I read through this entire thread and since there seems to be a dispute about whether the cause is poor or sloppy user technique or poor design of the lens release button, I decided to see if I could find some of the poster’s work to see if they looked like advanced users or not.  I started at the beginning and found an Instagram page for michaelgirman the first poster.  I’ve got to say that judging from his photographs, he has a sound grasp of technique.  He’s shot everything from available light portraits to travel to abstracts with some studio shots.  My conclusion is that anyone who can get the results with a 5D that he does, isn’t sloppy and doesn’t have poor technique.  Draw your own conclusions.

[schmegg]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

BTW, that was post 7,179 if you are still counting!  

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Mate - at around 20 posts per day for a whole year, I think your cover is up. I very much doubt you ever use any of that gear you say you have. You simply wouldn't have the time.

[ebiggs1]

"I think your cover is up."

Darn, I thought the witness protection program would have concealed me but I see not.  I hope you don't make as make false assumptions about other folks as you do on this forum.  You must be wrong a lot of the time.  Another reason why your lens falls off from user error!

BTW, I am not your - mate!

[michaelgirman]

I’m a friend of a fellow New York pro photographer, Sportspro, who had been unitl recently an occasional contributor to this thread.  Apparently he’s been ostracized from this forum after making an innocuous response to eebiggs about his pledge to treat other posters with respect and then immediately going back to the insults.  ebiggs: “I will try to show a little more courtesy to you two but I think I am well qualified to comment on this issue. I have seen your type many times.  One day you buy a high dollar camera and next week you are experts.  Nice!  Your complaint is nonsense.  Learn how to use your camera and stop whining about it.”  So much for courtesy. Sportspro and I both take our dogs to the same dog park in Greenwich Village where we sit on the benches, shoot the breeze and tracking shots with long lenses.  Along with Walter Iooss Jr. and Neil Leifer, Sportspro is one of the greatest action photographers of his (my) generation – lots of covers for SI, ESPN The Magazine, Sporting News, Pro Football Weekly and editorial and advertising shoots for every major athletic apparel and footwear manufacturer.  He’s a serious man.   Speaking for myself, ebiggs is the one who should stop making assumptions about who’s an expert.  Maybe, just maybe, others are also qualified to comment.

[ebiggs1]

"Maybe, just maybe, others are also qualified to comment."

You are certainly right. I do apologize if any statement was condescending to anyone. It is the nature of an emotionless post as opposed to face to face.  But being in this business as long as I have, I have seen the overnight experts.  They abound and are prolific on the ole inner web.  Still no matter what the problem the first place to look is the person behind the camera.  Of course cameras are not fool-proof.  Accidents can and will happen.

All I can say is, I am sorry if anyone was offended.  There are plenty of rude peopel here and I don't want to be one.