Lens mounted vs. body cap

I have a 5D with a 24-70mm f/2.8L. For now it's my only lens. I haven't taken it off since I put it on 3 months ago. I shoot every 2-3 days.

Should I be taking the lens off and putting on the body cap when it's not in use?

Also, I normally store the camera in my camera bag, lens pointing down with the body resting on the vertical padding. Is this acceptable, or is there a better way? The bag is a Lowepro Nova 3 AW.

Why wouldn't you want to leave the lens on? Lenses and cameras are meant to go together.

And most of us leave our cameras pointing lens down in the bag. It makes it easier to grab it out to take pictures.

micahharwell wrote in post #4514571
I have a 5D with a 24-70mm f/2.8L. For now it's my only lens. I haven't taken it off since I put it on 3 months ago. I shoot every 2-3 days.

Should I be taking the lens off and putting on the body cap when it's not in use?

Also, I normally store the camera in my camera bag, lens pointing down with the body resting on the vertical padding. Is this acceptable, or is there a better way? The bag is a Lowepro Nova 3 AW.

The way you're handling your equipment sounds just fine to me.

The hood never comes off my 24-70. I merely put the 20D (with grip) and the 24-70 (hood mounted normally) into my bag with the lens pointed down. Because the hood does a great job of isolating the lens' front element from anything else, I don't even put the front cap on the lens. I also never use a filter for anything but creative purposes (in fact, the only filter I own for my Canon lenses is a polarizing filter), so no filter is on the lens when it's put into the bag.

micahharwell,
I suggest you don't worry about it
You are more likely to get dust on your sensor by taking the lens off and putting the body cap on.

I have stored my 5D with lens facing down in my LowePro Nova 3 and now my Nova 5 bags for 2+ years and it still works fine In fact it has even survived hours on a snowmobile in the Nova 3 with the lens vertical, not exactly a smooth flat ride

So I suggest you not worry about it

Jon wrote in post #4514584
Why wouldn't you want to leave the lens on?

Extra stress on the mount perhaps, I'm not sure. I've been treating my camera like a first born child. Just wanted to get some input from those of you with a little more experience.

No - it's made to hold the lens when it's sitting horizontal, and thus applying torque to the mount; "stress" from the lens pushing directly into a stainless steel flange isn't going to stress it.

Treat your camera like the workhorse it is. Beat it, curse it, and when your done, toss it in the bag with the lens on.

People who baby their cameras usually have issues. You paid more than $2000 for that machine, feel free to abuse it, the camera can take it, trust me.

Jon wrote in post #4514650
"stress" from the lens pushing directly into a stainless steel flange isn't going to stress it.

Gotcha. I guess Canon knows what they are doing and should stop second-guessing them.

Thanks for the input guys.