Drag Racer Smashes Nikon D700 and 400mm F/2.8 Lens

We have seen our fair share of equipment end up in the gear graveyard, but it's still painful to see cameras and lenses end up in pieces. The latest horror story comes from racetrack photographer, Mark J. Rebilas. He set up a remote Nikon D700 with a beautiful (and incredibly expensive) 400mm f/2.8 lens to capture drag strip action from afar. One of the cars got loose during its run and ended up catching the helpless camera in its parachute.

Being a pro photographer, Rebilas made sure his gear's demise was well-documented, posting pictures of his smashed camera and lens on his blog. There's even a video of him setting up the remote camera just hours before it met its high-speed doon. He was also able to track down the intact memory card that was inside the dead camera at the moment of impact. While its last image isn't particularly compelling out of context, it's another interesting element in the story.

You'll also notice in the video that Rebilas also apparently uses a Corvette to cart around his camera gear. It's not station wagon, but it looks like it gets the job done.