16-35mm drama

While on coverage of that release of that New York Times researcher Zhao yan who was arrested in china 3 years ago. I was told that there might be a slight inconvenience where we might have been detained or arrested. No problem I say: bring it on. That, in my books, would be a good thing. Upsetting the Chinese authorities of course. BUT Instead I get THIS: (see photos)

I'd prefer to get arrested anytime. Anyway, this happened when we were chasing Zhao Yan via car from the prison to the hotel in town, I was getting out of our cab, the next thing I knew, I heard a loud thud and when I looked down, I saw the camera on the ground, it was unrecognisable with the 16-35mm broken off the rim. I never took off the straps from my shoulders. But then again it could have slipped off. I really dunno what happened. It was too quick for me to even notice. Bo from APTN was with me and saw pretty much what happened. Even he was shocked. I guess that thing where you see stuff happen in slow motion like when you're falling etc. doesn't apply to this case. Anyway, it broke off in a weird way too, where all the plastics connecting the screws broke off in exactly the same place. I hope it was not weak to begin with. Whatever the case, I don’t think the lens is usable anymore. Camera body however, seems to be ok.

Sigh.