Leaving lenses attatched?

[2112]

I have a 350D and I was wondering. Do any of you leave the kit lens attatched even when not using it? or do you always detach the lens after using it?

[Nikolas]

My lens stays on all the time.

[WaveRider57]

Do any of you leave the kit lens attatched even when not using it?

Yes. Digital sensors are charged plates that attract dust, and it becomes annoyingly obvious after awhile, and requires attention. I've limited my intervention to multiple sessions with a rocket blower, which has eliminated most of the dust.

So, yes. If all you have is one lens, never take it off! ;)

[2112]

Well I have two lenses and I have only had the camera for a week. I have gotten into the habit of taking off the lens every night and putting the protective cover that fits over the hole in the body. I wasn;t sure if I should just be leaving the lens attatched.

[lancea]

It comes off :shock: ?

It's convenient to leave the lens on if it's not too big. The kit lens is great in that respect - and light too. But some people use long zooms more than shortish zooms, or fairly hefty lenses. In that case I'd take the lens off and install the body cap. That way you can protect both the body and lens best when you pack them for travel.

[calgaryphotographer]

I take mine off and put the protective cover on, easier to store!

[kufel]

most bags and backpacks are designed to accomodate camera body with 300 mm telephoto, some with even bigger babies. Always keep a telephoto on, you never know when you spot something really interesting... Landscapes can wait, so wide angle can be put when needed. Also, every time you take the lens off in order to attach the cap you let dust near the sensor - inside the camera body. You will see after a month when you catch a blue sky on the pic....

[ghocking]

Always keep wide and tele lens on my bodies and to hand, never know whats going to pop up in the garden etc.

[robertwgross]

If I had one camera with one general-purpose lens and one specialized lens, then I would leave the camera stored with the general-purpose lens on it. You will get to the place where you need to grab the camera and take a shot with only seconds for preparation. So, leave it stored as close to ready as possible.

If I finish a day of shooting with my specialized lens mounted, then the whole rig comes home. The general-purpose lens goes back on it. The used battery comes out and goes to the charger. The CF card comes out and goes to the computer card reader, then returns to the camera for quick format. The battery comes off the charger and goes back into the camera. Then the small bag is closed and it is ready to hit the road again.

---Bob Gross---

[Jakov]

Related to thread, 28-135 IS lens drains battery life even if IS turned off and camera (10D) not in use? I was wondering if somebody can tell me if thih is true?
I've noticed some "bzz" sound when the lens being attached to camera. I've recently upgraded my 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 to 28-135 IS and the batts seem to last much shorter (even with IS turned off) than with the old lens.

[blue_max]

Related to thread, 28-135 IS lens drains battery life even if IS turned off and camera (10D) not in use? I was wondering if somebody can tell me if thih is true?
I've noticed some "bzz" sound when the lens being attached to camera. I've recently upgraded my 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 to 28-135 IS and the batts seem to last much shorter (even with IS turned off) than with the old lens.

I can't answer your question, but would like to comment on your Avatar. It's really nice and very well done, but there would be one thing that would improve it for me - if it could do a couple of flashes and stop (at least for a short pause), cos it's very distracting when you are trying to read your message. It may just be me of course (I may be easily distracted!). Love it though - so take no notice if you don't agree (or it's too hard to change).

Graham

[Jakov]

Ok, Max..
it's very distracting, I've removed it ;-)

[RogCincy]

If I am out and about the lens stays on.

Once I get home the lens is taken off and the cap is put on, batteries pulled and CF card pulled. If the body is dirty I'll wipe it down with a damp cloth and away into the Pelican case it goes until I head out again.

Out in the field I'll switch lenses when needed and have never gotten anything on the sensor. The lens is another story but those are easier to clean.

[robertwgross]

Related to thread, 28-135 IS lens drains battery life even if IS turned off and camera (10D) not in use? I was wondering if somebody can tell me if thih is true?
I've noticed some "bzz" sound when the lens being attached to camera. I've recently upgraded my 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 to 28-135 IS and the batts seem to last much shorter (even with IS turned off) than with the old lens.

The estimate is that an I.S. lens causes a 25% increase in battery consumption at the camera, compared to a normal lens. The lens is powered up all the time, but the only time that the I.S. feature consumes power is when you half-press the shutter button. It gets ready and does its thing, but then it powers down again after you let up on the button.

---Bob Gross---

[Curtis N]

Out in the field I'll switch lenses when needed and have never gotten anything on the sensor.Have you taken any pictures of the sky lately at f/22 or higher? You might be in for a surprise.

[blue_max]

Ok, Max..
it's very distracting, I've removed it ;-)

I miss it now! Can you not make it just flash intermittently?

Graham

[glangston]

FWIW I was in a pretty dusty National Park, Sequoia, and changed lenses several times. Taking minimal care and always turning the camera off I was quite happy to see no evidence of dust on the sensor. There was plenty of dust on everything else.

[RAitch]

Murphy's law suggests that whatever lens I have on the camera is not the lens I need when I need it right away.

I either leave my kit lens or my 50mm with the extension tubes attached... because that's the only way I can fit everything in my camera bag. The 70-200 is the same height as the bag so it always comes off when I'm packing up.

My wife uses the camera when I'm at work to take some photos... She doesn't like the huge 70-200 and I wasn't happy with the 50mm for the types of shots she took. Most of them were not properly focussed. For that reason, my camera usually has the kit lens on it when it's in the bag. When it's out, I almost always have the 70-200 or the extension tubes on it.

I'd avoid taking the lens off everytime and putting the cover on. That means you'll always be changing the lens twice. You're adding a lot of air time for your sensor when you could avoid it a little bit.

That being said, you have to do what works for you. You might not have a bag that works well with your camera attached to a lens... so the cap might be a necessity.

[2112]

Well I have a nice big hard case I keep everything in and I could certainly leave the 18-50 lens on it. I was just worried leaving the lens always attached may cause undue stress on the body.

[MadMesh]

take it off and wash it with water =) Just playin lol. I try not to change lenses all the time... I expecially hate doing it out on the feild. Fear of dust and other crap gettin into it. I also store the camera with a lens attached (usually the lens i use the most). Any recomendations for cleaning the camera seneor?> Maby a computer air duster made for camera use?

[Curtis N]

Any recomendations for cleaning the camera seneor?Do a search in this forum for "sensor dust" or "sensor cleaning." You will find enough threads to keep you busy for a few days.

Do not use canned air or compressed air.

[myth337]

I'm going to weld my 100-400 to my camera when I get it!!! :p
but seriously... the IS draws power only when the camera is on, right?
what about sleep mode??
.. Lee

[Bluelens]

I always have a lens attached. Aside from all the worries of dust and such getting in the body (which is a good and true reason to keep a lens on) being able to grab, switch on and start snapping away without having to go through all the extra motions of attaching a lens is helpful for those quick shots.


BTW, Great Name and reference....

[AJSJones]

My (non-quantified) experience with IS is : only draws power when the shutter is half pressed and switches off after a couple of seconds after it's released. A 500 or 600 IS lens draws a whole lot more power than , say, a 300 f/4 or the 28-135 or the EF-S lens. Not so much glass to move around. For sensor reasons, the less time (or fewer times) the mirror box is exposed to air/dust, the better.

I see no benefit of taking the lens off and replacing it with the "protective" cover for storage - except when you need the lens for another camera and don't have a spare lens for the one going into , presumably long-term, "storage".

Leave a lens on, the one you think you'll most likely need in a hurry or the one that lets you put the camera away in your bag.

[robertwgross]

what about sleep mode??

When the camera goes into sleep mode, about 99% of everything is powered down, so there is virtually no power consumed.

When the camera is awake, power is fed to the lens, but there is very little power consumed when the lens is not doing anything. Each time you half-press the shutter button, then (if the lens has I.S. active) the lens uses burst of power to make sure it is ready to go. Similarly, the autofocus mechanism will use a little power. Then, when you full press the button, the camera powers the lens more to move the diaphragm.

In total, I would guess that lens power is much less than camera body power.

---Bob Gross---

[myth337]

This all sounds good... and seeing as I have two batteries in the grip... this shouldn't really make much of a difference in charge life. (speaking of which.. I think that the batteries have only been charged two or three times since I got the grip... many many pictures.)

I leave the camera in Sleep mode most of the time, because it seems to wake up faster than from a power off... and when the big helicopters and jets buzz my house, the camera is awake by the time I get to the balcony... ;)

thanks..
.. Lee