Had a bad night last night!

[Dobick]

So I head to the arena football game last night. I was working solo, because the primary photog was heading out of town, so he left me some of his gear, primarily his Canon 1DMkIIN, 300 2.8, and 14mm. So I get to the stadium about 30-45 minutes early, check a few settings, throw on the 14mm onto his camera, take a few shots, and about the fourth shot that I take, I hear a squeal coming from his camera along with the dreaded Err. 99. I pull the battery, the cards, shut the camera off, change lenses, anything that I could think of, and everytime that I turn the camera on, I get a squeal and an err 99. Not sure what is wrong, I put the camera up, and get out my 20d. No real problems until I decide to put on the 14mm, and without even getting off a shot, I get an err 99 on my camera. I take that lens off and put it in the bag, because at this point I think that I am going to have bad luck with it. Put on the 300, and nothing happens, no err, no lights, no response what-so-ever. tightened the battery grip, pulled all the cards, pulled the batteries, and finally it's working again. Missed a good bit of action while all this is going on, but oh well, at least my camera is working again. Fast forward to the end of the third quarter, and I am near the end zone waiting for the touchdown action, and out of nowhere one of our players gets blocked pretty hard into the wall, and smacks dead solid into me. Now that I am out of the Army, I am no longer all that lightweight of a fella (I'm pushing 225-230) and there is no telling how far I would have flown backwards had there not been a wall behind me. It was not a light tap. Thank goodness I did not have my camera up to my eye at that exact point, or it is likely that my entire face would have been a bloody mess of goo. After that, my camera was once again showing an err. 99, but a quick battery reset got it working again. Needless to say, I woke up a little bit on the slow and sore side this morning, but here lately, that is not a new feeling.

What gets me, is the fact that this is the first time that I have ever even come close to being hit. I can usually see them coming and avoid them, whether it is a ball, or a body, and even these guys I saw, but only had time to pull the camera down and they were on me. I would like to say I learned my lesson, but I am not sure what I could have done different, and still been in position for any kind of shot. I guess I just can't move as fast any more.

[Roy]

I had that happen with basketball this past season. Got clobbered by two players but managed to pull my camera down in the tuck position. Must save camera I'm thinking. Sounds like you got hit harder though. All I had was a few minor scrapes and my feet pointed up in the air and no err 99. I think if you do this kind of thng you should expect at some time to be intitiated so to speak.

[Dobick]

I remember your post about the hit that you took!

The thing is, the hit didn't feel that hard -- kinda hurt on the wrist a bit, and my chest stung, but I think I may have dinged my head as well, cause I was a bit woosy, and was having a hard time shaking the stars (that and I had a tough time figuring out why I was a good six to eight feet away from the wall where I started).

I don't mind the initiation, I just hate the fact that I totally missed the shot I was trying to get (our team scored on the play in question and the block was totally away from and behind the action)