Really basic lens question...changing lenses

I have a Digital Rebel, and I just got my first lens other than the kit lens...
What precautions should I take to prevent dust from getting in and on the sensor ?

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Don't change lenses in a sandstorm.

Just do it quickly. And it's probably better to have the camera facing down when there's no lens attached.

Turn it lens side down when changing lenses.

Not much else to do...except maybe keep the dog from shaking while you're changing it!

Turn Power Off.

Read up on these forums on cleaning you sensor and learn to not worry about it. It's not that scary really and dust is going to get in there no matter what you do. Some times I need to clean might half dozens times in a day and sometimes I go weeks without needing to. after a bit of practice it takes but seconds to clean and your off again.

Get used to the idea of cleaning the sensor now and again. Read up on it and try not to get obsesive about every spec of dust. I find dust normally only shows at very small apertures and so is mostly just a problem with macro shots.

With a DSLR I use a slightly different lens changing routine to my old film SLRs.

Make sure you are facing away from the wind, camera on neck strap.
Body cap in one hand use the other hand to dismount the lens and then pop on body cap.
Put rear cap on old lens and remove rear cap on new lens.
Remove body cap with one hand and use the other to mount the lens.
Lock the end cap and body cap together to prevent collection of dust.

This is not that fast but I can't seem to manage lens off lens on in each hand with the EF mount.

I must admit I did not bother with the intermediate body cap in the old film days. But with the FD mount it was easier to take the old lens off with one hand and pop the new one on with the other. This was partly due to the mount mechanics and realese button being on the lens. Also the generally smaller more compact FD lenses were easier to handle.

britt777 wrote:
Turn Power Off.

Easy to forget that one! I've done it several times now by accident and luckily nothing damaged yet.

...beware body caps.... If you stuff your body cap into your pocket then place it on you camera you will find it transfers lint, curly hairs and general grunge into your camera... Always mate a body cap on a lens back cap before stowing...

I never power down before swiching lenses. Wouldn't know why something would get damaged.... It does offer some chances of capturing interesting 'no lens exposures'

René Damkot wrote:
I never power down before swiching lenses. Wouldn't know why something would get damaged.... It does offer some chances of capturing interesting 'no lens exposures'

Nor do I. The "power down" is an old wives' tale. Here's what Chuck Westfall said in the August 2005 Tech Tips from Digital Journalist

The postulate that you should turn off the camera before changing lenses is based on the idea that while the camera's on,it'll retain a charge, which will attract dust. In actuality, the shutter's between the sensor and the outside world, so direct exposure to dust just isn't going to happen. And if a charged sensor were going to attract dust, then the simple act of taking a photo would allow the sensor to latch onto any dust in the compartment, whether the camera had been turned on or off during a lens change.

Nothing like abit of common sense injected into the thread.Thanks Jon


My advice for what it's worth-

In two years i've taken 25000+ shots,changed lenses well over 400 times,often left the camera sitting on a bench/tripod without a lens and changed lenses at VERY dusty sporting events.In that whole time i've got less than 30 individual dust specs on the sensor
My prefered sensor cleaning method is to lift each individual spec off the sensor with a slightly damp pointed lens cleaning paper.It's so quick and safe and doesn't inroduce more dust (you need a good light and reasonable eyesight though)

So far in that whole time i've only 'had to' do six cleaning sessions
I say 'had to' but most of those i just felt like cleaning it.I can count on both hands and feet the amount of times a dust spec has needed to be removed by post proccessing
.........and even then it's allways clear area of the image so is dead easy to clone out.

Honestly-this whole thing where people worry about dust exasperates me

never set the camera down outside like on a picnic table when it is open. A bug crawled in mind. Now I try not to even change it outdoors.

Good advice, Lester! Also I have learned not to change lenses when the top layer I am wearing is a woollen pullover: a heck of a lot of bits can be harboured in the strands and as for little bits of wool ....

Roll on the day when Canon develops cameras with dust busting/self cleaning sensors

That would get kinda 'splattery' if you pressed the shutterbutton, I imagine (or, rather, rather not imagine )