Ripley's Kittens

John Bartlett's Kittencam is up again with a new litter! Ripley's Kittens Thanks to musicboxwaltz at randompictures for the heads-up.

( Screencaps from today, taken 7:30 AM PST )

F-F-F-@#&*$##&!

I dropped my SLR camera onto the concrete driveway. SHIT.

It may not be that bad. The lens cap was a total loss, but so what. Apparently its lower edge was where the camera hit; it's misshapen enough to be unusuable, but fortunately not so much that I couldn't get it off the lens.

I looked through the viewfinder and -- WRONG. Not focusing, and a line at the top like a crack (OH GOD NO). Maybe just the lens, I thought (not that I'd be happy to lose my precious macro lens either), so I took it off to try another. The focusing screen fell out in my hand. After doing some online research, however, I was able to put it back in. I replaced the lens and now the image looks normal, through the viewfinder, at least. The focusing screen holder still looks like it could be damaged, but the screen is staying put.

I had a scare when it looked like I couldn't open the camera back to change film, but no, it was just my clumsy old fingers. Whew.

I still don't know for sure that the camera body is OK, or, for that matter, the lens. I should take a test roll, with that lens and with another, to see if it still functions properly.

Notes to self: (1) pay attention to where the camera is and make sure I'm actually holding on to it, (2) put the camera strap around my neck where it belongs, thus making (1) a lot less important, and (3) regardless, in the future, drop the goddamn groceries instead.