Dust and the extending barrel of the 24-105/4L

I notice that it's easy for the extending barrel of my 24-105/4L to attract dust and other little stray particles (I'm guessing mostly from my bag or gloves or clothes or what have you). Should I be concerned about this and whip my blower out every time I see dust when I want to zoom back out? Or should I just try not to worry about it? Is there some sort of seal in place to prevent things like that from getting inside the lens?

I'd appreciate input from 24-70/2.8L and 17-55/2.8 users as well since I imagine they experience the same thing from time to time, too.

I'm sure this is one of the other ways in which small particulates gradually make their way into the camera body. Any lens that increases and decreases its internal volume will tend to push dust about, unless the rear element is sealed.

I would think keeping the extending lens barrel clean will help a little.

Thanks, KenTT. You're right, I'm sure keeping the barrel clean will help.

I guess what I'm trying to ask, though, is what do other owners of the 24-105/4L or the 24-70/2.8L or the 17-55/2.8 do when they find little particles of dust or whatever on their lens barrels? Do they just ignore it completely? Do they blower it or wipe it off once a day? Or every time they see dust? Or every time they zoom out, making the barrel retract?

I do not really pay attention. For some reason I rarely get any dust into my camera.

I've noticed a lot of dust on the part of the lens that extends in and out. That said, I haven't noticed much dust getting into the body. I don't know enough about the lens construction to comment about whether the lens stops dust from getting into the body, however.

There is a dust seal on mine, so yours should have one. I understand that the lens has weather sealing (doesn't really matter with my XT ), so the dust seal would be part of the weather sealing feature.

I've taken this lens to Morocco, where it's dusty! There are no visible dust particles in the lens.


Andrew.