My Very Expensive Mistake

Penelope is ashamed of my idiocy.

So, you know how they always say teenagers have that cavalier, “it can’t happen to me” attitude? I found out over the weekend that when it comes to my D90, I have sadly had that attitude for far too long. Meaning….I never bought a case for my D90, instead just hanging it around my neck when I shot photographs, and storing it in a backpack with various lenses when traveling out of town. Oh, I’ll NEVER drop my camera, I thought with confidence. I’m too smart to let it get out of my hands. I’ve had an SLR since I was in college! I know what I’m doing!

This is when Fate, finding me too cocky for words, decided to step in over the weekend.

I was loading a bunch of stuff in my car on Saturday in preparation for going to see my parents and extended family for an early Christmas. My camera was securely (AHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) resting inside of my laundry hamper, on top of the clothes I was planning on washing at the parental units’ house. At some point — perhaps because my hands and arms were full? — I heard a loud BANG, looked to my left, and saw my camera laying on the hard, cold, unforgiving concrete. A vile profanity spewed from my lips as I fell to the ground, cradling my poor camera in my arms.

I finally got a good look at the damage when I got to my parents house. The polarizing filter I had bought as protection for my lens glass did its job; the filter was completely shattered, but the glass in the lens (18 – 105 mm) was fine! Oh, how I rejoiced, thinking how SMART I had been to put that cheap filter on the lens! Oh no, it would never happen to me. I’m too smart for that.

And then, I tried taking a picture with the lens.

No focus.

Lens unable to extend to its fullest.

The sound of something inside the lens loose and rattling around.

I honestly thought I was going to be sick. The lens was destroyed in the fall. Relief that my camera was okay was tempered by the fact that this lens retails for $300, which is a LOT of money to have to shell out for a stupid, dumb, idiotic mistake on my part. I hated myself all day yesterday, and there is still quite a bit of lingering hatred floating around in my irritated state today. I simply cannot afford to replace the lens right now, so I’m going to have to stick with my 50mm Nikkor lens, which I love, but which is a prime lens and therefore has no zoom capabilities. My only other lens is my 105mm macro lens, which certainly isn’t good for shooting pictures on Christmas morning.

In any case, lesson learned. It CAN happen to you, even when you think you are the most careful person in the world. It just takes a few minutes of utter thoughtlessness, and then there you are, without your favorite walking-around lens, and having to save for something you didn’t expect.

But before I buy my new lens? I’m buying a case for that damn camera.