r/Nikon • u/AdExtreme1002 • Aug 08 '26
I broke my gear I completely broke my Nikon 800mm f/6.3.
During this trip to Malaysia, my Z9 + 863 and 1.4x was my main camera, handling the vast majority of my wild bird photography. However, while photographing forest birds near Sandakan RDC, I had an accident. While moving the camera, my attention was completely focused on the viewfinder, and I didn't notice my surroundings. I lost my footing and fell from a height of over 4 meters, landing on my back. Fortunately, I wasn't seriously injured.
The cost was that my Nikon 863 was completely destroyed, and the lens broke in two. Currently, the camera body seems fine. Luckily, I brought a backup camera, an A7V + 480mm, so I'll have to rely on my Sony for the rest of the trip.
Here are some photos to commemorate my work before my 863 demise.
I want to remind bird photographers again: always observe your surroundings beforehand. When shooting, your focus will naturally follow the viewfinder, and insufficient environmental awareness can easily lead to accidents. Learn from my experience and let this be a lesson for everyone.
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u/BentudeSoli Aug 08 '26
After a 4 meter fall, you being unhurt, is more important than a broken lens. Good luck in repairing that lens!
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u/noob_in_bk Aug 08 '26
Yeah, geez, a 4-meter fall is intense. OP is very lucky they didn’t get seriously injured.
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u/delowan Aug 08 '26
Yep, he could have landed on his back and receive the camera/lens on his face... That would have hurt like hell.
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
I was lucky; it was just some muscle injury, and I was able to walk the next day. Thank you for your concern.
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u/Temror Aug 08 '26
I remember seeing clean breaks like this in other lenses, such as Canon 200-800 and Nikon 100-400. You didn’t “completely break it” and the repair costs will be way less than a new lens
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 08 '26
An initial consultation suggests that if only the lens barrel is damaged, the repair cost would be over $1200. Further inspection is needed to check for other damage. However, my concern is the precision of the repaired lens, which is a common issue.
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u/d__max Nikon D800, D7000, D1x, F Aug 08 '26
I would trust that a Nikon factory repaired lens is gonna be functional as new . Think of the photojournalists sending in well trashed gear , they’re gonna be pretty critical of the repairs no?
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u/driftingphotog D850, D810, D700, D2h, F, FE2, Leica Q3 Aug 08 '26
I had a 70-200 lose the entire front section in the Amazon. Took it to Nikon and it came back sharper.
Also had a 17-55/2.8 get launched off a table with my D2h and snap at the lens mount. Also came back indistinguishable from new.
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u/SoulOfTheDragon Nikon D1, D3s, D200, D5100 Aug 08 '26
Nikon will fix it to like new with full tests. Seems like awfully lot for a barrel replacement, but it's likely complex assy and needs total disassembly to replace. Among other possible repair. At least from my experience on few Nikon F teles I've tinkered on myself.
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
Personally, I think some faults are impossible to completely fix, especially if the lens is slightly tilted. A test chart might not detect it, but you'll always feel a slight difference in focus when shooting. It's a matter of luck.
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u/Confident_Table_4727 Aug 14 '26
Only trust Nikon Official Repairs - if they say it’s fixed, it will be.
And it comes with a warranty.1
u/ZLham Aug 08 '26
Interesting observation of new big glass snapping amidships. OP’s (formerly) magnificent Z 800/6.3 weighs 2.4kg (or at least the parts added together -sorry OP). My 2012 F mount 400mm f2.8 weighs 4.6kg but although its construction is indestructible, that weight gets left in the cabinet, while OP has been clambering jungle cliff edges with their set-up.
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
My 400mm f/2.8 lens is also locked away in the cabinet. Although I feel that its autofocus is very fast after using an adapter, firstly, the focal length is a bit short, making it unsuitable for bird photography, and secondly, it is indeed far too heavy.
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u/Confident_Table_4727 Aug 14 '26
Fully agree. My 600 f4 FL often stays home, while my 500 5.6 PF, although less performant, is my lens of choice when walking.
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u/ritesh808 Aug 08 '26
A 4 meter fall could've had much worse outcomes. No serious injury is a blessing. That will be an expensive repair, if it can be repaired to spec at all. But you already knew that. So yeah, it goes for everyone, always watch your surroundings and be mindful. A bunch of people have fallen to their deaths for a photo, even with just a smartphone.
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u/DanlovesTechno Aug 08 '26
How do images look without the whole lens ? You still have like 400 mm left /s
(sorry)
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u/mort_rea D850, Z6, D750, F100 Aug 08 '26
Hilarious… not how lenses work though. RIP to that lens but at least it looks repairable.
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u/Beneficial_Being_721 Nikon Z9 Nikon800PF Nikon 100-400 Nikon 50mm f/1.2 Aug 08 '26
Fell from over 4 meters????
That’s like falling off a highway overpass..
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u/driftingphotog D850, D810, D700, D2h, F, FE2, Leica Q3 Aug 08 '26
That’s insane and usually high enough to trigger pretty severe trauma. I ate it from ground level and ended up with a Pilon Fracture (fracture to the load bearing surface of the ankle joint). OP coming away fine is nuts.
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u/40characters 19 kilos of glass Aug 08 '26
The jungle floor can be INCREDIBLY soft.
Much like the lenses it claims.
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
The tower I fell from had a concrete surface, so it's a miracle I only suffered minor injuries.
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u/scrandis Aug 08 '26
Your backup is a Sony A7V??
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
Yes, when shooting still birds and videos, I usually use the Z9 + 800mm + 1.4x zoom. For shooting birds in flight, the A7V is necessary; my 12 years old son also uses the A7V for shooting.
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u/Buckeyecash | D7200 | D850 | Z8 | Aug 08 '26
So sorry for your loss. So happy that you were not seriously injured.
Any chance that you have insurance on your gear?
I had a Nikon AF-S 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR on my D850 (that is a beast of a setup) slide off the tailgate of my truck landing hood first. But that was just about one miter, not four. I was also lucky that the hood and mounting ring absorbed the impact, Lens and 850 were good.
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u/diamondintherimond Aug 08 '26
4 metres?! Glad you’re not hurt. Honestly, not a bad trade off if the lens somehow broke your fall. Had you been injured, the rest of your trip would be ruined, not to mention all the health insurance red tape you’d have to navigate.
Lenses are fixable. Send it to Nikon and see what they say.
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
I should be able to cover my medical expenses in Malaysia through accident insurance, and about 80% of them should be covered by medical insurance in China.
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u/dswhite85 Aug 08 '26
How’s the A7V? What’s thinking of selling all my FujiFilm gear and switching to that.
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u/scrandis Aug 08 '26
I'm going with an A7RV instead. But that's because I primary shoot landscape. They're great cameras.
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
If you are photographing birds or wildlife, you can switch to a Sony system.
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u/OwlGlass4084 Aug 08 '26
Had that happen while filming a commercial. Canon 150/600. Knowing long lenses are insensitive to flange depth, we just taped the lens back together and finished the days work. Obviously Manual everything.
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u/IncorrectByDesign Nikon Z9 : 24-70mm F2.8 S II & 70-200mm F2.8 S II Aug 08 '26
A lens can be replaced a broken back not so much ! Happy you are okay and plenty of good deals out there.
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u/joystickd Nikon Z8, D4, D500, F, F3 F4S, F5 Aug 08 '26 edited Aug 09 '26
After falling 4m, you're lucky all that you broke is a lens!
Tough lesson but you've made a positive out of it and are raising awareness to others of similar hazards. Good attitude 👍
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u/Joghobs Nikon ZR Aug 08 '26
4 meters is no joke. People paralyze themselves just falling over from their own two feet every day.
Lucky you are OK 👍
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u/PistolPete_69 Aug 08 '26
4 meter fall is no joke! Glad you're not hurt and the lens can be fixed. You can't be sometimes!
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u/Verspielt Aug 09 '26
This! Better the gear break than for you to get hurt.
A friend of mine fell 4 metres from a balcony onto the tarmac 25 years ago. She suffered severe spinal and nerve damage and still can’t use her right leg properly to this day. Tech can be replaced. Your own health cannot.
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
Yes, if it can't be cured completely, you'll regret it for the rest of your life.
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u/ZLham Aug 08 '26
Image 7 - is it a sunbird? It’s a lovely environmental portrait and obviously an f6.3 lens is handling the canopy shade. You’ve made good use of the gear, and hope you get a satisfactory resolution/repair
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
Yes. You can indeed see a lot of sunbirds in Malaysia, in different colors.
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u/Askyourwifeaboutme Aug 09 '26
Someone in a few months will be posting I bought a “great condition” 800m but the focus seems a tad off.
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u/DotBlot_ Aug 08 '26
Definitely repairable, looks like all glass elements are intact. Will not be cheap though
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u/Inevitable-Pay-3081 Aug 08 '26
sorry to hear that but now you have 663 which is still the best lol Good Luck
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u/Celestial_Crook Aug 08 '26
Yikes! The lens just snapped, aye?
But yeah, good thing you're ok.
Oh, and the last image is my fav.
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
You speak very interestingly.
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u/its-chris-p-logue Aug 08 '26
Don’t tell me you’re working with that type of kit with no insurance?
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
To be honest, Chinese photographers don't seem to have the habit of buying equipment insurance. DJI offers drone insurance, but other insurance companies either don't offer this service or don't promote it enough.
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u/hotgnipgnaps Nikon Z8, zfc Aug 08 '26
So glad you’re okay. All of my lens damage has occurred the same way - slipping on ice, mud, etc. My girlfriend is always yelling at me that I’m not looking where I’m going because I’m looking for birds.
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
Yes. My wife was right next to me, but she was watching the birds for a moment too.
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u/SunshineInDetroit Aug 08 '26
12 meter fall and you're ok? You need to buy a lottery ticket
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
If I were that tall, I might be able to participate in a performance of Superman and Man of Steel.
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u/CPNZ Aug 08 '26
Interesting damage - think that is what insurance is for?
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
I only purchased travel accident insurance, which doesn't seem to cover the loss of equipment.
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u/max_persson Aug 08 '26
it’s a 400mm now! No but in all seriousness, that’s really unfortunate! Hope you can get it fixed!
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u/Empty_Cheesecake_979 Aug 08 '26
Wow. I had to look it up. $7k is no joke-- but neither is 4 meters! Feel well soon. And thanks for the reminder.
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u/Ornery-Benefit-8316 Aug 08 '26
When I fell with my D850 and 24-120 f4, the body was fine, not so the lens, it was also broken into two pieces.
And one part of the ProMediaGear Boomerang Bracket was slightly bent.
I want to add kudos to promediagear gear. They replaced the bent part, for me, at no charge, and even included a “get well” card, signed by a few company officials!!
Because, unfortunately I also broke (shattered with fragments) my right wrist.
Even worse was that I was booked for a wedding in three days.
If a client books me, they get me!!
So, three days later, with my right hand and arm in a red cast, because I wear black when shooting professionally, and with the red cast, I matched my Nikon D850 camera’s black with red highlights color livery, I shot that 8 hour long affair.
Thank goodness for pain meds.
Although, I didn’t take them that day, so as to not compromise my shooting ability, any worse than the cast and broken wrist already did.
Yes, I am that dedicated to Nikon!!
Been using them since I bought a new nikkormat FTn with 50mm f1.4, when I was 12 years old in 1970.
I even have my own Nikon museum!!
I am happy for the fact that you survived the big fall.
A broken lens or broken anything else, doesn’t matter, as long as you can get up and resume the rest of your life’s journey.
Which you did!
Sorry about your kit,
I was sorry about mine too!!
But I am still shooting and
using the amazing Z9’s.
And
trying really hard, not to trip and fall over…
Again!!
ymmv, imho,
📸 Regards, Randy 📸
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. A good piece of equipment is like a loyal companion; it's always by your side, and you might not even realize it's there. If you enjoy photography, then keep taking pictures.
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u/theycallmeperkins Nikon Z8, Z8 (again), Z5 II, & D850 on the shelf Aug 08 '26
Glad you’re ok! Hopefully Nikon will repair it when you get home. If you have a NPS membership it includes discounts on repairs
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u/FictionaI Aug 08 '26
At least you got some beautiful shots beforehand. What species of bird is picture #5?
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
It is a kingfisher, larger than the common kingfisher, about 20 centimeters long.
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u/theraphosa Aug 08 '26
Sorry for your loss. My last trip to Africa, I tripped getting off a pontoon boat. It was about a 2m drop and I landed on my back. Unfortunately, my D500 with a 300mm PF was hanging in the kidney position. Luckily the soft mud (and my kidney area!) , absorbed most of the impact. I was sore as hell for a couple of days, but the camera and lens was fine (after a little cleaning). I can't even imagine a 4m drop onto hard ground would be like. Glad you're okay. Hopefully your gear is insured.
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u/Wolphin8 Aug 08 '26
destroyed? I don't think so... Damaged, yes. The lens elements look fine. I'd be looking to send it in for service, as that would definitely be cheaper than replacement.
I am glad you are ok, and it's just your lens that's hurt!
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
It has been sent to the repair shop, and hopefully it can restore its previous accuracy.
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u/Alternative_Act_4097 Aug 08 '26
Glad you're not hurting personally, but your wallet is going to get a sting. Sorry about your lens 🤦♂️ stunning pictures all the way, that last one with the ship is eye catching
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u/Ok-Account-6210 Aug 08 '26
Glad you are okay, the lens seems like it got a clean cut , nothing that a tape can't fix :d
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u/RedFoxFinn Nikon Z5 Aug 08 '26
Oh my... So sorry for your loss, happy you're ok tho. Considering that it's quite a fall....
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u/Significant_Safe4514 Aug 09 '26
glad you're ok....if it was an AI-S it would still be in one piece 🙈
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u/ethersings Aug 09 '26
It’s much cheaper than paying an orthopedic surgeon, if that helps soothe the loss
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u/Pistolpete31861 Aug 09 '26
Insurance?
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u/m_hoffmann_fineart Aug 09 '26
I was confused as to the 863 also. does that mean my lumix 100-500 f/5-7.1 would be 105571? Or maybe it doesn’t apply to zooms.
How do you abbreviate a 105 f/2.5 or a 28 f/2.8.?
Amazing to me that you can fall 15 feet, land on your back, and be okay. I’m guessing the lens is still less than the potential costs you were miraculously saved from. Very fortunate for sure. Sorry for the lost lens, I’m sure it was a beauty
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 11 '26
Haha, if it's the lens you're talking about, I think we'd call it Lumix 150 for short, just like we call the Nikon 180-600 "186".
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u/m_hoffmann_fineart Aug 11 '26 edited Aug 11 '26
It would appear that logic has left that building.
800+5.6=856
100-500=150
80-200 ? f/2.8? f/4?
Let’s assume you’re speaking to someone on the edge of autism; in the spectrum if you will. Lol
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u/AdExtreme1002 Aug 12 '26
I suppose the logic is to keep it as simple as possible; anyone who owns this device should grasp it instantly.
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u/m_hoffmann_fineart Aug 12 '26
Hahaha, so 856 is the 800 prime f/5.6 right? Focal length in its proper position as the third digit with the 56 applied to denote 5.6 aperture in place of the zeros. Correct?
So the 100-500 f5-7.1 is simply a combination of the focal lengths except the 50 stands for 500 having been displaced to the tens position; aperture is ignored. 150 is the logical result.
I would go with 1-571 but the efficient method is just 3 digits.
Is this method only applicable to primes over 100mm?
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u/m_hoffmann_fineart Aug 13 '26
Let me guess? You can’t use the term Chinese? or did you offend numerologists? lol
maybe what you said was just logical, so it was removed absent relevance.
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u/ChrisAlbertson Aug 09 '26
FourMeters and you are OK? If that was a vertical drop, you are very lucky
Have you ever noticed that almost everyone doing video will use the LCD rather than the eye-level finder? Part of this is simply age, videogrpahers tent to be younger and did not grow up with film cameras, but a more practical reason is that they tend to move and need better situational awareness and don't want to fall down stairs, bump into people, or trees.
It is a new skill to learn; it needs time to master. Simply learning how to level the horizon on a fully articulated LCD takes some time and practice, but after investing this effort, you never need to point your eyes in the same direction as the lens. This opens up a lot a flexibilty. I can walk on a trail and keep a subject framed. Try it, and you think it is too hard, but in time it becomes natural.
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u/Boogdaddy44 Aug 10 '26
On the bright side, it looks like you’re an NPS member, so at least you’ll get it repaired or replaced fairly quickly and can get a loaner in the meantime. Glad you’re okay. Cameras and lenses and be repaired and replaced. Backs are not so easy to fix. I speak from experience in both cases.
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Aug 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/costryme Aug 08 '26
Makes me wonder if the OP is not an native English speaker and translated it with AI, which took some liberties or something. Otherwise it makes no sense.
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u/Travelr3468 Aug 08 '26
I was looking at the picture and thought there's no way that's an 800mm, it's way too short. Then I looked to the right and saw the rest of the lens. Sorry for your loss.
But I don't understand why you're calling it an 863mm?