Do you follow a procedure when changing lenses

[hairy_moth]

The other day I was astonished when I watched a person change lenses without no concern for keeping dust out of the camera or lenses. I have always had a ritual, but now I am wondering how others do it.

My steps

1. Get out of direct sunlight; put lens cap on old lens.

2. Unscrew (but don't remove) the back cap of the new lens, stand the lens (rear end) up with the rear cap laying on top.

3. With the camera pointed to the ground (to keep dust from falling into the camera) remove the lens and place it next to the new lens

4. Place the rear cap from new lens on top of the old lens and put the new one on the camera that is still pointed to the ground.

5. Screw on the rear cap of the old lens and put it back in the bag.

6. Remove the lens cap and shoot.

I do steps 3 and 4 as quickly as possible to minimize the amount of dust getting, first into the camera, and second onto the rear of the lens.

The person that I watched was carrying on a conversation while she changed lenses. She had all of the lens caps off and laid the camera on a table facing straight up while she dug around in her bag. Watching her drove me nuts!

[gjl711]

I use to be much more careful and went to great lengths to avoid dust. But now that I have had gone through 5 different bodies and have been dealing with dust issues for several years, I'm much more relaxed. I do switch my lenses quickly but all this hanging upside down stuff does nothing. Dust happens and it's so simple to blow it out that it's not worth stressing over.

About the only time I will get out of the elements is if it's raining, really foggy, or really windy and dusty like at a beach. I'll change lenses in the car or go out with both bodies, one with a wide zoom and one with a long zoom and not change lenses.

[TheHoff]

Dust gets in whether I'm fastidious when changing lenses or not. It is easier to blow it out before a shoot than to always be freaky when swapping things around. I'd rather be fast at lens changes to get the shot and clone out some dust after than be slow and miss things.

[Cesium]

1) Take off lens.
2) Put on another one.

[RPCrowe]

The advantage of shooting with a pair of camera bodies is not only having a very wide focal range available (with great IQ and terrific AF along with relatively fast apertures and IS) is that I seldom need to change lenses in the field.

I not only do not miss out on shots while I am changing lenses, I am far more likely to use the correct focal length for each shot.

Finally, I have a backup camera immediately available and I also have longer battery life and greater CF memory since I am dividing my shots between two or more cameras.

[shooterman]

My procedure:

1) Take
2) off
3) lens
4) put
5) on
6) another
7) one

Whew, I'm exhausted. :)

[hairy_moth]

Okay.. Thanks all for confirming that I really am anal; I have always suspected. :)
This is just a hobby for me, and while I do still have my old 300D, shooting with it is agony after using a the 7D; so two bodies is out.

With the exception of getting out of sunlight (a practice I adopted when using film), nothing about my routine really takes very long, so I'll stick with it when time is not critical.

[tdodd]

I have six EOS bodies, the oldest being 3.5 years old, and nine lenses. To date I have only performed one wet clean and I have not used my Rocket blower for over a year. The wet clean was on my 30D after over a year of ownership, more like 15 months, I think. If I have dust then I don't see it. Whatever I am doing, it works for me. What I can say is that I rarely change lenses in the field. If I want more than one lens then I usually take two bodies and I sort out my lenses at home before I leave for my shoot. A short/wide f/2.8 zoom and a longer zoom have me well covered. I might take primes if I have concerns about the light, but I rarely use them.

[[Hyuni]]

I used to be worried about dust and take every precaution before switching lenses, but I realized that the dust issue is no problem and a simple rocket blower will get rid of the issue.

The ONLY time I am cautious about switching out lenses, it when the air is damp or wet because the dust can stick to the sensor and a rocket blower won't get it off.

[number six]

With the exception of getting out of sunlight (a practice I adopted when using film), nothing about my routine really takes very long, so I'll stick with it when time is not critical.

What's the point? Sure, sunlight can sneak in and fog film - maybe - when the lens is off, but that has no application at all with digital cameras.

Bright light on the sensor? I use a very bright LED light/magnifier when cleaning the sensor. Nothing wrong with that.

-js

[DisrupTer911]

and besides, the curtain is covering the sensor from sunlight anyway...

[JWright]

I usually take the caps off my lenses before I ever start shooting and leave them off during the shoot. I'll take a lens off and drop it into a pouch without the caps so it's ready when I need it again. I also use Black Rapid straps and attach them to the tripod collar foot of my 70-200 or 100-400. I;ll even go so far as to remove the camera from the lens and leave the lens hanging from the strap with the back wide open while I shoot with a shorter lens on the camera.

I just love watching the OCD newbies spin up when I do that... :mrgreen:

[Mark1]

I cant say I have ever worried about dust when I change lenses. While I am far from reckless about it...I am just as far from careful.

It is funny hearing all the OCD stories about how careful people are about it. It seems the more people work with their cameras the less they obsess about it.

Lens caps off in a tray in a studio is nothing. I have seen working pros that keep their lenses at the ready on a lil blanket in the grass as they do an outdoor shoot, none of the lenses have either the front or rear cap in place. And they lay there by the hour.

[RDKirk]

With the exception of getting out of sunlight (a practice I adopted when using film), nothing about my routine really takes very long, so I'll stick with it when time is not critical.

So why did you ask if it makes no difference to you?

[matonanjin]

I shoot dirty, dusty horse shows for a living. I follow Cesium's procedure.

But I clean sensors after every week-end and send them in to be thoroughly cleaned once a year. And I'm with the Hoff. I can't worry about lens swapping at a shoot.

[number six]

I just love watching the OCD newbies spin up when I do that... :mrgreen:

:lol:

[nphsbuckeye]

Take off lens. Find new one and attach.

[hairy_moth]

So why did you ask if it makes no difference to you?

Hey.. I said I would stop getting out of the sunlight. That was a practice that I started with film but apparently is not important with digital.

To me the person I watched seemed careless, now I know she was not.

However, doing it the way I have, I have never had to clean the sensor for as long as I've had a DSLR (since the first Digital Rebel came out.. ''04 I think) and it really doesn't take very long. I don't see a reason to change. If I were doing this professionally, and time was money; I could see the benefit in saving a second or two (that's all it takes to put on the caps -- How long does it take you ;) ).

[JeffreyG]

Remove lens, throw straight up as hard as possible.
As old lens follows ballistic path, remove new lens from bag and remove rear cap
Attach new lens to camera
Extend hand, catch old lens falling back to earth
Replace rear cap
Bow, acknowledge applause

[CafeRacer808]

Remove lens, throw straight up as hard as possible.
As old lens follows ballistic path, remove new lens from bag and remove rear cap
Attach new lens to camera
Extend hand, catch old lens falling back to earth
Replace rear cap
Bow, acknowledge applause

<clap, clap, clap!> :mrgreen:

[dovaka]

The other day I was astonished when I watched a person change lenses without no concern for keeping dust out of the camera or lenses. I have always had a ritual, but now I am wondering how others do it.

My steps

1. Get out of direct sunlight; put lens cap on old lens.

2. Unscrew (but don't remove) the back cap of the new lens, stand the lens (rear end) up with the rear cap laying on top.

3. With the camera pointed to the ground (to keep dust from falling into the camera) remove the lens and place it next to the new lens

4. Place the rear cap from new lens on top of the old lens and put the new one on the camera that is still pointed to the ground.

5. Screw on the rear cap of the old lens and put it back in the bag.

6. Remove the lens cap and shoot.

I do steps 3 and 4 as quickly as possible to minimize the amount of dust getting, first into the camera, and second onto the rear of the lens.

The person that I watched was carrying on a conversation while she changed lenses. She had all of the lens caps off and laid the camera on a table facing straight up while she dug around in her bag. Watching her drove me nuts!

thats basically what i do but ive seen wedding photogs before that have both caps off of there lenses and just leave them in the bag like that so everyone obviously does it quite a bit differently

[Cesium]

My procedure:

1) Take
2) off
3) lens
4) put
5) on
6) another
7) one

Whew, I'm exhausted. :)

I like my procedure better. Less steps. :p

[bjyoder]

Starting my D-SLR life with concerts, there was no time to be delicate with swapping lenses; off went one, on went the other. If the caps made it on before I had to stow the lens in my pocket, then great! There were (possibly too many) times that I ended up with a nice thumb print on either the rearmost ore front elements, but that was something I had to deal with. ;)

It was wild the first time I had one of those "OCD newbies" in the store across the counter from me. I was trying to diagnose some issues with her camera. I took her lens off, set it face down on the counter (with front cap on), and was going to grab another lens to put onto the camera. She stopped me, picked up her lens, threw her hand over the mount, and asked for something to "cover the hole" before dust got in. I had no idea what to do. It never - not once - crossed my mind that dust was that big of a problem...

[Absolutely Fabulous]

1) Take off lens.
2) Put on another one.

ITA

[neilwood32]

Remove lens, throw straight up as hard as possible.
As old lens follows ballistic path, remove new lens from bag and remove rear cap
Attach new lens to camera
Extend hand, catch old lens falling back to earth
Replace rear cap
Bow, acknowledge applause

bw!

Do you run training courses? I fancy showing that technique off to my friends!:D

Starting my D-SLR life with concerts, there was no time to be delicate with swapping lenses; off went one, on went the other. If the caps made it on before I had to stow the lens in my pocket, then great! There were (possibly too many) times that I ended up with a nice thumb print on either the rearmost ore front elements, but that was something I had to deal with. ;)

It was wild the first time I had one of those "OCD newbies" in the store across the counter from me. I was trying to diagnose some issues with her camera. I took her lens off, set it face down on the counter (with front cap on), and was going to grab another lens to put onto the camera. She stopped me, picked up her lens, threw her hand over the mount, and asked for something to "cover the hole" before dust got in. I had no idea what to do. It never - not once - crossed my mind that dust was that big of a problem...

Thats because it isnt!

Unless i was shooting in a venue where the dust was seriously kicking up (like the poster who does horse shows), I really dont worry about it.

7K shots and 3 years later and never had to do a wet clean yet (used the blower about 10 times i guess).

[bjyoder]

Thats because it isnt!

Unless i was shooting in a venue where the dust was seriously kicking up (like the poster who does horse shows), I really dont worry about it.

7K shots and 3 years later and never had to do a wet clean yet (used the blower about 10 times i guess).

I totally agree, but at the time, I was fairly green to photography! :lol: It took me a moment to compose myself after that, but I did, dealt with the customer, and got her on her way.

[birdfromboat]

Remove lens, throw straight up as hard as possible.
As old lens follows ballistic path, remove new lens from bag and remove rear cap
Attach new lens to camera
Extend hand, catch old lens falling back to earth
Replace rear cap
Bow, acknowledge applause

if it's not on video it never happened

[RDKirk]

if it's not on video it never happened

Yeah, it's a military maneuver they teach at the US Army PJ school. You should see the school class do it on graduation day as they march in formation before the commandant and the audience. Very stunning maneuver when you see forty soldiers do it all at once.

Actually, the first rank tosses their lenses into the air and keep marching. The next rank marches under them and catches them as they come down and mount them to their lenses.

[Jon]

I do try to remove the first lens before mounting the second, but that's about it.

[birdfromboat]

Yeah, it's a military maneuver they teach at the US Army PJ school. You should see the school class do it on graduation day as they march in formation before the commandant and the audience. Very stunning maneuver when you see forty soldiers do it all at once.

Actually, the first rank tosses their lenses into the air and keep marching. The next rank marches under them and catches them as they come down and mount them to their lenses.

do you find that zoom creep causes a change in center of mass? Does this rule the 24-105 out? do you think primes are better for this? what about extension tubes and telextenders?
how about having the troops keep the lenses in posession and flinging bodies? fewer moving parts, and yopu could take advantage of the enhanced balance with battery grips I keep hearing about.

[Mosca]

I decide which lens I want to use that day, then leave it on. My sister has a bag she uses; she changes everything in that clear bag.

[sandpiper]

3. With the camera pointed to the ground (to keep dust from falling into the camera)

I've seen a lot of people say this in forums and never understood it.

Dust doesn't magically form at altitude and then fall down, it is stirred up from the ground and blown upwards by the wind first, or just generally drifting around. Watch dust in a shaft of sunlight sometimes and it is going up, down, left, right etc.

Next time you are out, and there is a little wind blowing, just look at the ground and watch all the crap and dust swirling around down there. THAT is what you are pointing your open camera at. There is far more dust swirling around at low level (and going upwards) than coming down from above.

To slightly change the old saying - What comes down, musty have gone UP in the first place.

My technique, to answer your question, is to just take one off and put another on. I try and be fairly quick about it but that is a smuch to be ready when the next potential shot presents itself.

If I am in a hurry to shoot, it may be a few minutes until I can spare a moment to put the caps on the removed lens. It's no biggie. I generally rocket blower the rear end at the end of the day, as well as the camera internals, but that is just part of a general cleaning up of the gear, which might be pretty mucky by that point.

Getting the shot is more important to me than nannying my gear.

[dontcallmeash]

just swap them carefully and quickly.

visually inspect the lenses and body and give them a blow every once in a while.

ever seen the photographers at the football game sidelines? they set the friggin things down on the turf to swap the lenses.

[number six]

I've seen a lot of people say this in forums and never understood it.

Dust doesn't magically form at altitude and then fall down, it is stirred up from the ground and blown upwards by the wind first, or just generally drifting around. Watch dust in a shaft of sunlight sometimes and it is going up, down, left, right etc.

bw!

[birdfromboat]

I've seen a lot of people say this in forums and never understood it.

Dust doesn't magically form at altitude and then fall down, it is stirred up from the ground and blown upwards by the wind first, or just generally drifting around. Watch dust in a shaft of sunlight sometimes and it is going up, down, left, right etc.

.

I'll ask my wife about this next time she dusts the bottom of the coffee table while I am trying to watch a baseball game (SOON!)

[neilwood32]

I'll ask my wife about this next time she dusts the bottom of the coffee table while I am trying to watch a baseball game (SOON!)

Have you written a Last Will And Testement yet? If not, can you leave your gear to me?

Because I can see a death fairly soon.:lol:

[birdfromboat]

all siliness aside, I do have a procedure, I guess. I loosen the back cap of the lens going on, I turn off the camera, I remove the lens coming off and place the back cap from the lens going on onto it, I place the new lens on the body, I turn on the camera, and check the autofocus-click a white balance shot in MF if I am changing subjects or locations- and then fire off a few clicks with aperture priority out of range high and out of range low, if everything seems OK, back to the fray. I guess I might check the IS if it is equipped, but I don't remember thinking about that as part of the lens change process, more of the first shot set-up process. The important thing these digital days is to turn off the camera and save the little gyros in the IS and let the static discharge from the sensor, if there is any. That seems to be a hot topic on this forum too. I think there is, maybe from the electrical activity, maybe from the shutter action, it was there in the film days, I beleive it is still there so I shut off the camera hoping it might help.

[Chairman7w]

Have you written a Last Will And Testement yet? If not, can you leave your gear to me?

Because I can see a death fairly soon.:lol:


LOL!!!!

[Bumgardnern]

Nope. I used to do PJ work so I got in the habit of just changing lenses quickly so I could get my shot. A little dust never hurt anything.

[JoeyBowman]

My only procedure is trying to make sure I dont drop anything!

[deathcake]

I do try to remove the first lens before mounting the second, but that's about it.
:lol:


I sometimes change lenses while casually walking along. That gets me some interesting looks. I do make sure to put the front and rear lens caps on before putting a lens away.

[RDKirk]

do you find that zoom creep causes a change in center of mass? Does this rule the 24-105 out? do you think primes are better for this? what about extension tubes and telextenders?
how about having the troops keep the lenses in posession and flinging bodies? fewer moving parts, and yopu could take advantage of the enhanced balance with battery grips I keep hearing about.

That's why the Army issues 50 caliber lenses. I mean, millimeter.

[RDKirk]

I guess I might check the IS if it is equipped, but I don't remember thinking about that as part of the lens change process, more of the first shot set-up process. The important thing these digital days is to turn off the camera and save the little gyros in the IS and let the static discharge from the sensor, if there is any. That seems to be a hot topic on this forum too. I think there is, maybe from the electrical activity, maybe from the shutter action, it was there in the film days, I beleive it is still there so I shut off the camera hoping it might help.

Chuck Westfall has stated explicitly in his Q/A column in digitaljournalist.org that there is never a static charge on a sensor.

There is a danger to turning off a lens while IS is active, but that takes some serious screwing up to make that happen. It turns off within half a second after you release your finger from a half-press of the shutter release.

[RDKirk]

Dust doesn't magically form at altitude and then fall down, it is stirred up from the ground and blown upwards by the wind first, or just generally drifting around. Watch dust in a shaft of sunlight sometimes and it is going up, down, left, right etc.

Next time you are out, and there is a little wind blowing, just look at the ground and watch all the crap and dust swirling around down there. THAT is what you are pointing your open camera at. There is far more dust swirling around at low level (and going upwards) than coming down from above.

I spoke earlier about the very tiny motes that float nearly weightless in a kind of Brownian motion. Any give mote will eventually settle, but as a practical matter, every cubic centimeter of air is filled with a certain number of them, depending on your local environment.

Depending on humidity and other things, that dust will find its way to the sensor, stick, and clump. But turning the camera mount-down is not going to protect you from that...the mirror box is already full of it at the same concentration as the rest of the local environment.

There is also grit tossed up by wind or some other factor that will be traveling in a definite ballistic path--such as the stuff you run into ringside at a rodeo. If you're ringside at a rodeo, turning the camera downward will protect you from some of that.

Incidentally, Canon has pointed to the shutter blades themselves and the body cap as being contributors to sensor dust that they've been working to correct.

[birdfromboat]

I have concerns about the "adhesive strips" canon has placed inside the bodies, hoping to collect the dust that is shaken from the sensor by the vibratory cleaning. Either the adhesive will hold the dust very well and it will work for a time, or it will be overcome by the air burst cleaning canon recomends and will release dust particles that have been in contact with adhesive and probably carry some of it with them.
You have to ask yourself, if there is adhesive inside the camera, how long before some of it migrates to the sensor?

[RDKirk]

I have concerns about the "adhesive strips" canon has placed inside the bodies, hoping to collect the dust that is shaken from the sensor by the vibratory cleaning. Either the adhesive will hold the dust very well and it will work for a time, or it will be overcome by the air burst cleaning canon recomends and will release dust particles that have been in contact with adhesive and probably carry some of it with them.
You have to ask yourself, if there is adhesive inside the camera, how long before some of it migrates to the sensor?

Well, Olympus has been using the same method for six or seven years now. We may need to ask Olympus users.

[Mike-DT6]

I think some of the dust is generated internally by wear on the moving parts of the camera, so there will always be the likelihood of it appearing on the sensor however careful you are.

When I'm changing lenses I just try to keep the period when a lens has its rear cap off, or the camera has its front open, to a bare minimum. It's never more than a few seconds, ever. I hold my replacement lens between forearm and body, then do the lens removal, rear cap changeover and lens replacement in one quick manoeuvre.

As far as precautions go I always face my camera downwind and also hold my breath during the changeover, so as not to create any condensation anywhere. That last bit is probably being a bit silly, but I've got into the habit of doing it anyway.

Even though none of my equipment (lenses and camera bodies) has ever been open to the elements for more than a few seconds at a time, ever, it didn't prevent me from getting a small fly in the rear element of one of my lenses on one occasion. Absolutely unbelievable considering the precautions I always take! :lol:

Mike