Re: [Leica] Damaging cameras

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca>]

Noel Charchuk wrote:
>>> Ted, I guess it is about time you tell the tale again about the guy that
destroyed the thousands of dollars of photographer pool lenses!<<<<

OK Noel,
One more time for those who don't know. :-)

Once upon a time in a land far far away there were 6 lenses, then there were
5. Shortly there after there were 4!  The end! :-)

When the 1988 Winter Olympics were held in Calgary, Leica sent 6  400mm 2.8
prototype lenses for field testing and assessment. One lens for me, one for
a Brit, two for German photogs. With the remaining two as loaners for any of
the accredited photogs wishing to try a Leica and the glass.

Consider you've just been handed a $20,000 brand new Leica lens don't you
think you might take very good care of it? About half way through the Games
one of my mates asked was it me who dropped a 400 Leica lens? I near died
right there at the thought and assured him, not I.

When I returned my lens on closing day I inquired about the dropped lens.
"OH yes one was dropped and it broke in half! Would you like to see it?"
Shocked at what had happened I was even more so when he brought out the two
parts.

"Well they were brought here for field testing and now we know we'll require
longer screws!"  Yeah right! :-) The errant photog was the Brit who had a
monopod screwed into the lens and flung the camera, an R7 & motor up on his
shoulder only to have the lens and monopod part sending the lens crashing to
the concrete.  $20,000 gone in a blink. :-(

Now there are 5 400's left for testing in Seoul, Korea for the Summer games
6 months later.

Upon arriving for the Games the same 5 lenses were there for the same 4
professionals. I take mine in the case and for the entire time I carried
that puppy with great care as though it were a new born child.

And on the closing day I returned mine and said, "Boy I'm glad to give this
back after all the care I've been giving it and fear of an accident."

"Do you remember Norman in Calgary?" said the Leica rep.
Me," Yeah that's the guy who smashed the 400." And the strangest expression
came on the face of the rep. I said, "Naw, he didn't do it again?"

"Better this time and there's nothing left of the new R7 and motor that was
attached to the lens. If you'd like to see what's left come out back." he
offered.

The lens front element looked like a very large oyster shell all shattered
through, the R7 was literally in pieces and the motor. Well have you ever
seen what they look like inside?

The photog did the exact same thing, put the lens on monopod over his
shoulder as he was going up the concrete steps in the main stadium when the
screw snapped and the lens, camera and motor began a tumble and bouncing end
over end down the stairway.

Then some enterprising individual made grab for it, missed and kicked it
merrily on it's way for more bounces, so by the time it came to a stop from
one level of the stairway to the lowest, there were pieces spread like
confetti!

So this one shooter wrote off in six months, $40,000 in lenses, plus the R7
and motor in Calgary which were salvaged for parts, and the one in Korea was
a complete destruction.

"Are you guys going to give any more gear to Norman for testing?" I asked.
The look on the Leica reps face was incredible, "it'll be a long cold day in
hell before that happens again."

So there you go eh? So lets be careful out there with the loaner gear. ;-)
ted

Ted Grant Photography Limited
www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant

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