Two weeks ago I took a hard fall on gravel while birding with my Nikon D300 and Sigma 300 f2.8 lens and Sigma TC. The camera/lens rig hit hood first. The hood extends approx 4" beyond the lens. I immediately took the lens to the camera shop, where they put it on the tester and confirmed that the focus is still right on. Subsequent images I took (a) with the camera with another lens, (b) with the camera and the Sigma lens and (c) with the camera, Sigma lens and TC, all appear perfectly in focus. The camera shop told me that a long f2.8 lens need to be built very sturdy since the glass is so large and, as a result the lens can take some abuse. I just can't believe that the equipment could survive such a fall, when I have been on crutches with a swollen knee for two weeks. Please let me hear from any of you who have had similar equipment survival experiences. BTW, I missed the bird I was trying to photograph!!
Nikon gear is pretty tough. I dropped my D2Xs body 2 weeks after I had got it, from waist height and it bounced!! Never missed a beat since and the rubber armour was only slightly scuffed.
I had my Nikon 300 Sigma 500mm f4.5 combo on my tripood which was closed but with legs extended. I leaned it against a table, but the legs were on my girlfriends' rucksack strap which was on the floor. She had gone off to go to the loo and when she returned, she grabbed her rucksack.
I almost screamed as my camera and lens fell to the concrete floor!
I picked up my gear and the lenshoodwas severley bent out of shape. A lot of force managed to get the hood amost back to circular. Other damage? None whatsoever - not even to my girlfriend!!!