It will never be the same again ...

Location
Switzerland
Name
Matt
... because the lens I finally got around to shooting today got destroyed during the very walk I finally managed to take it on while adapted to the Sony A7 II.

The Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm f/2.8 for Contax mount is was one of the two modern lenses I own owned (I'll knock this off now, you get my drift) that are sporting the coveted Tessar formula (the other one is the Leica Elmar-M 50mm f/2.8). I had been planning to use this lens on a (high quality) Novoflex adapter for a while, and furthermore, all the back-and-forth talk online about the Sigma 45mm f/2.8 for E mount (and the Samyang 45mm f/1.8 that came out a little earlier) had me wondering even more how well I'd click with the 45mm focal length.

I found the lens a bit underwhelming in terms of build quality, but it was a joy to shoot with once I got over its plastic-y build and the downsides of its downright diminuitive size. I seem to be capable of pre-visualising the 45mm FOV at least as well as the 35mm FOV I usually am partial to. Using the lens in a simple focus-and-recompose fashion worked very well, and apart from the slightly funky bokeh the Tessar produced at times, I was very happy with what I saw. Stopped down (usually to f/8), the lens came into its own and proved a very nice performer indeed, some little optical problems (minimal distortion as the most obvious) notwithstanding.

However, towards the end of my extended and meandering walk into town, I did something I've been through a couple of times before (I hope this isn't becoming a recurrent themeh): I failed to spot that a patch of leaves on the ground actually covered a pothole; after slipping on its edge, I stumpled and fell, camera in hand. I initially hit the ground hands first (which meant: lens first, as far as my right hand was concerned), and even though I managed to roll subsequently (unfortunately slamming the camera bag that held another camera into the ground as well - though that camera and lens seem completely fine ...). The front of the lens took most of the actual first blow; the focus ring and filter thread were both bent, scratched and cracked, the whole lens seems to be out of whack. A goner, to be exact. Amazingly, neither the adapter nor the camera seem to have been affected. Lucky me ... (I'm mostly fine as well, though there's some low-level pain throughout most of my upper body, but I'm used to that - 25 years of Ju Jitsu do that for you ...). Apart from the lens, the only thing that really got hurt is my pride, but that at least is mitigated by the fact that I managed to avoid worse ...

I've had this lens for while and had used it with its original companion, the Contax S2 Anniversary model it came on, but not very often. Now that camera is lacking its natural lens - and I am one intriguing option short through only a marginal fault of my own (it was next to impossible to see that there was a pothole in the first place, case in point: I almost fell once more shortly after getting on my feet again - another pothole filled with leaves ...).

Usually, under such circumstances, I'd just write off the lens. But I think that in this case, I'll look for a replacement. In the meantime, I think the Sigma 45mm f/2.8 might just be the right thing to patch the wounds ... but maybe it ought to wait.

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M.
 
Sorry to hear that Matt, as a member of team tall, I know all about back pain. When you recover (which alas won't be tomorrow) there's always the Contax 90mm F2.8 which looks very interesting.
 
As I age (I'm 70), I fall more frequently. It's disconcerting and embarrassing, even when there's no one around to see me fall. I haven't fallen with a camera in hand, but had a nasty spill on my Segway (dog attack) and had my D810 and a 24-70mm zoom in the handlebar bag. No damage to the hardware, but the software, my body, took quite a beating.

When I began to accumulate more expensive camera equipment in 2014, I decided to get insurance. I'm happy to pay the premium because I don't make enough money to replace even part of my gear if it were ever stolen or damaged. The premium covers more than just my camera gear, which may come in handy if I continue to drop my Galaxy Note 9 like I have - I drop that damn phone more than I have dropped all other cell phones since 1994 combined.
 
Ouch! Glad you weren't seriously injured. And glad you have other lens choices. Heal well.
Those are some fearsome potholes! I hope you have pointed them out to those in charge.
You know, I'm not even sure who is in charge - though the public footpaths are probably the town's responsibility, and I'll contact them tomorrow.

And yes, I am really happy that nothing worse has happened, even though I was a bit sore this morning. But that may also have to do with the fact that I'm no longer used to sleeping over eight hours ...

Anyhow, thanks everyone for your support and kind words. I guess I just wanted to vent a bit, but I also hope this'll serve as a heads-up for all of us now going through the last days of autumn; winter's no less risky to walk around, either, so take care, everyone ...

M.
 
Falling over whilst sober is not something I ever considered would happen to me when I was younger. However, it seems I have a weakness in my right ankle, and sure enough, last year was walking along a coastal footpath which sloped away to my right and my ankle just gave way. I too was carrying my camera gear, but saved it at the expense of my elbow and a rib.

I'm now hyper-vigilant, especially near water. I've invested in a pair of walking poles which are far cooler than NHS walking sticks. One is enough and it doubles as a monopod/macro-stick.
 
... because the lens I finally got around to shooting today got destroyed during the very walk I finally managed to take it on while adapted to the Sony A7 II.

The Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm f/2.8 for Contax mount is was one of the two modern lenses I own owned (I'll knock this off now, you get my drift) that are sporting the coveted Tessar formula (the other one is the Leica Elmar-M 50mm f/2.8). I had been planning to use this lens on a (high quality) Novoflex adapter for a while, and furthermore, all the back-and-forth talk online about the Sigma 45mm f/2.8 for E mount (and the Samyang 45mm f/1.8 that came out a little earlier) had me wondering even more how well I'd click with the 45mm focal length.

I found the lens a bit underwhelming in terms of build quality, but it was a joy to shoot with once I got over its plastic-y build and the downsides of its downright diminuitive size. I seem to be capable of pre-visualising the 45mm FOV at least as well as the 35mm FOV I usually am partial to. Using the lens in a simple focus-and-recompose fashion worked very well, and apart from the slightly funky bokeh the Tessar produced at times, I was very happy with what I saw. Stopped down (usually to f/8), the lens came into its own and proved a very nice performer indeed, some little optical problems (minimal distortion as the most obvious) notwithstanding.

However, towards the end of my extended and meandering walk into town, I did something I've been through a couple of times before (I hope this isn't becoming a recurrent themeh): I failed to spot that a patch of leaves on the ground actually covered a pothole; after slipping on its edge, I stumpled and fell, camera in hand. I initially hit the ground hands first (which meant: lens first, as far as my right hand was concerned), and even though I managed to roll subsequently (unfortunately slamming the camera bag that held another camera into the ground as well - though that camera and lens seem completely fine ...). The front of the lens took most of the actual first blow; the focus ring and filter thread were both bent, scratched and cracked, the whole lens seems to be out of whack. A goner, to be exact. Amazingly, neither the adapter nor the camera seem to have been affected. Lucky me ... (I'm mostly fine as well, though there's some low-level pain throughout most of my upper body, but I'm used to that - 25 years of Ju Jitsu do that for you ...). Apart from the lens, the only thing that really got hurt is my pride, but that at least is mitigated by the fact that I managed to avoid worse ...

I've had this lens for while and had used it with its original companion, the Contax S2 Anniversary model it came on, but not very often. Now that camera is lacking its natural lens - and I am one intriguing option short through only a marginal fault of my own (it was next to impossible to see that there was a pothole in the first place, case in point: I almost fell once more shortly after getting on my feet again - another pothole filled with leaves ...).

Usually, under such circumstances, I'd just write off the lens. But I think that in this case, I'll look for a replacement. In the meantime, I think the Sigma 45mm f/2.8 might just be the right thing to patch the wounds ... but maybe it ought to wait.

View attachment 209190

M.
That's bad luck, Matt. The only time I've fallen while holding a camera (Sony NEX5n) was in Iceland, and gallingly I slipped on grass not ice. I managed to keep said camera from hitting the ground, but got a nasty bruise on my hip. Once I dropped a Nikon D40 onto concrete, which it shrugged off without a mark!
 
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