How Do You Change Your Lens?

[MDJAK]

I read that someone keeps his camera around his neck (on the strap of course) and changes that way. I tend to place it on a table, press the release button, rotate the lens to the point it will come off, ready the next lens, and swap them as quickly as I can so no dust gets in. Is there an easier way?

[FlipsidE]

Most people I've seen change lenses seem to do it with the camera and lens facing downwards as to avoid dust. Honestly, I can't figure out how they do that because I can't see the markers to line up the lenses that way. I actually usually do it just like you do.

FlipsidE

[Jon]

On the strap around my neck, and change it there. If it's possible, and I remember, I'll aim it down as much as possible, or at least keep it upright. But there's usually no good place to put it down where I shoot. That's where a shoulder bag, rather than a backpack, pays off. There's somewhere to put the lens down.

[Andy_T]

Camera on strap around neck, pointed slightly down
take rear cover from new lens
take old lens from camera, point it down
put new lens on camera
put rear cover on old lens

Sometimes during this routine a third hand would be helpful, I just pay special attention not to drop anything important.

Best regards,
Andy

[MDJAK]

That is quite helpful. I have, however, noticed one thing just recently regarding placing the lens cover in a pants pocket. I always do that also so I don't lose it or misplace it. However, there tends to be a LOT of lint in pockets and I just noticed the inside cover to be covered in white pants dust. Not a good thing.

I know you said you probably shouldn't leave the camera on during lens changes; I've read that the sensor stays "charged" (though I don't know if this is true) and becomes a magnet for airborn particles.

[Reminisce]

yeah I can understand you about the lint issue, totally understandable there. Most of the times though im usually working on my toes so thats slipped my mind, plus I always have my Lenspen in my bag or in my pocket as well and if I have the chance I dust off the lens when I have a chance, or run the pen across it.

[Medic1]

Camera on strap around neck, pointed slightly down
take rear cover from new lens
take old lens from camera, point it down
put new lens on camera
put rear cover on old lens



Same here....I figure if somethings going to get dusty, might as well be the lens and not the sensor.....I try to keep the camera internals from getting the least outside environmental exposure

[DocFrankenstein]

Wow... am I the only one that "just replaces" my lenses? :confused:

[Tom W]

Camera on strap around neck, pointed slightly down
take rear cover from new lens
take old lens from camera, point it down
put new lens on camera
put rear cover on old lens

Sometimes during this routine a third hand would be helpful, I just pay special attention not to drop anything important.

Best regards,
Andy

Pretty-much the same here. I change lenses in the car quite a bit, but the procedure is the same. Its a bit more cumbersome if you're out in the field, but I just stop, set the bag down, and kneel over it when I change lenses.

[RichardtheSane]

Am I the only one here that doen't have a set procedue for changing lenses?

I just remove one lens, swap the rear cap from one ot the other, put other lens on.
I don't think about camera or lens orientation, if anything I probably have the camera base down but I can't honestly say for sure.

But I don't have a dusty sensor. Had to clean it once in 2 years.
I also forget to power the camera off most of the time too.

[RichardtheSane]

Wow... am I the only one that "just replaces" my lenses? :confused:
Just seen this.... no. Me too :)

[Citizensmith]

Camera on strap, facing any which way. Remove the first lens, drop it in bag. Get new lens, pop off rear cap and attach to camera. Put rear cap on the lens in the bag.

I go more for quick and easy than any particular paranoia about dust and dirt. I used to be way more paranoid until I worked for a while with a journalist with a bag full of glass and no caps on either end. Sure things got a bit dusty but it never seemed to make much difference in his results.

[Persian-Rice]

I press that button on the side, twist, grab the other lens, twist, and there you go.

Really though, I hate cleaning my sensor, so I turn the camera off, face it to the floor and switch.
Only time I didnt do it like that(even left it "on") and I got dust.

[Longwatcher]

All I can say is I tend to have the front of the camera facing down and I tend to have both lenses off and then swap rear covers, but otherwise I agree to I just change the lenses.

I do tend to turn off the camera during the change, but that is a habit I picked up from D60 which would occasionally lock-up if I changed lenses while camera was turned on.

As to how you can mount a lens without looking at both red dots.
I know where the red dot on the camera is - always. I just need to find the red dot on the lens and get it close enough. It will attach fine with a little bit of gentle right and left action to find the correct slot. On the longer lenses they have this nifty tripod mount and that makes it real easy to find the red dot. It is the shorter lenses that I always have to actually look for the red dot on.

I would joke that I could change the lenses blind folded, but that would kind of defeat the purpose of having an SLR in the first place 8)

[Andy_T]

Did you ever think about this ...
... when walking, do you lift the right foot off the ground first or place the left foot down?
... what about running?

:lol: Simple things can become complicated once you start thinking how you exactly do them :lol:

Same about lens changing, most likely.

Still, the one thing that is always on my mind when changing lenses is to take my time (within reason).
I'd rather clean my sensor more often than drop one of my lenses because of changing in a hurry...
Also, watch out for things that might fall out of your open camera bag when you bend down or something...

Best regards,
Andy

[aam1234]

I loosen both the lens from the camera and the cap of the other lens first, then do a quick swap.

[blackviolet]

i change my lens by switching to my backup body (which has the lens i need). it's over my neck and shoulder - resting on my rear right side. :D:D:D

honestly - i have no idea how i change them on the body. it doesn't matter if it's on my neck, in the bag, on the table or floor - i just change it. i'm pretty quick about it. i guess it's usually lens off (and placed into the bag or on the hood - or sometimes who knows...) - then grab new lens and put it on.

i've honestly never thought about it. sure, i have to clean the sensors from time to time, but at least changing lens generally is quick enough that i don't miss a shot.

good post - it has me thinking

[Simon Spiers]

I try to rest the camera on a flat surface and unlock the lens , turn it fully anticlockwise but do not remove it. With the replacment lens close by with it's rear cap removed it lift off the installed lens and drop the new one in place. Takes a second at the most.;)