Tyler O’Neill, a professional baseball outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals (MLB), gave camera operators a bit of a headache when he shattered a camera lens with a foul ball he hit against Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara in yesterday’s game.
On a 0–1 pitch in the top of the second inning, Alcantara delivered a 90mph (145kph) change-up that O’Neill fouled right into a camera behind home plate. Based on the broadcast footage, it appears as though he shattered the front elements of a Fujinon WCV-L85 0.8x Wide Angle Converter lens, which was attached to the front of a Fujinon UA18x7.6BERD broadcast zoom lens. While seeing the shattered elements of the destroyed wide-angle converter is still a little heartbreaking, it’s a little easier on the heart — and wallet — considering the adapter retails for $1,799, compared to the $22,495 price tag of the lens itself.
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