changing lenses

[draco]

How do you change lenses in different situation to avoid dust getting into the lens and the sensor? For example, I am on the street with my 17-50 and then i want to swap to a wide angle or zoom lens, what I usually do is to enter a restaurant or any establishment and change my lens there. But what if there is no such place?

[I @ M]

Simply put ---

Dust is a way of life with digital photography.

You take the necessary precautions of changing lenses with the body facing "opening down" in an as clean as possible environment but you will still get dust on your sensor filter.

Bite the bullet and either commit to paying someone to clean your sensor regularly or buy a sensor cleaning kit and learn ( quickly and easily ) to do it yourself at a fraction of the cost of a shop.

[ricktas]

face the camera downward..dust is just like everything else, controlled by gravity (though wind can push it), but generally dust falls and settles on top of things, so face your camera downward, remove the lens and put the new one on. If you are a bit paranoid, you can always buy a big ziplock bag that will hold both lenses and your body and put it all in the bag and change it inside..can be fiddly, but it can be done.

As Andrew says, dust is part of owning a DSLR, and we all have to learn to clean our sensors or be prepared to pay for a clean every now and then

[wideangle]

As per the comments Rick has said, face the camera downwards etc. I don't think entering a building is going to be any better than changing the lens in the street, as there can be dust anywhere! Just look inside a room with the sun coming through it to see how much dust is inside! The type of bag you use can help with changes out in the street.

[draco]

cool. thanks guys.

[PeterP]

When I change my len's over while the camera is around my neck, I brush my shirt or jacket of very quickly and I then face the open front of my camera to my chest during the transition. Its not full proof as dust is a part of our daily lives but if it can prevent more from entering then I do not have anything to loose.

[RMPhoto]

The other thing I always try to consider is the direction of wind - if you can turn your back to face the wind then that also helps. The other thing is to also get practice at changing lenses, the last thing you want is to be in a rush and end up snapping a mount or something.

The other thing to be aware of, is placing the end cap on your lens as quick as possible after you take it off. The components are easily damaged on the lens.

Depending on your camera bag, the lowepro have a great drop pocket at the front that you can use when changing lenses on the fly, you can basically drop the lens in as you take it off - saves doing the acrobatic moves with one hand.

[Sifor]

I used to be paranoid about dust, but now I just change the damn lens and get on with it Like others above have said, make sure the camera is off, face down and turn your back against the wind and you'll be fine.

[William]

Used to be paranoid as well , Having to do three lens swaps every morning Mon-Fri soon fixed that , Just be as quick and efficient as you can, Back to the breeze, Get that lens cap ready to put on the lens that comes off, Camera off is a good tip as well , Most times I change the lens if I can ( I have a Hatchback) in the back of the car , In the end you'll need a sensor clean at some stage anyway no matter what you do

[Amaethon]

I use my back pack when changing lens's, along with the tips above such as car or jacket, i get the next lens standing up ready with cap loose and then quickly take old lens off, pop the cap on it and grab the new lens and in to the camera as quickly as possible.

[OldNick]

Get a camera for each lens. Seriously, camera bodies are cheap and fast- outdated. Lenses are the MOST critical thing in image quality. If you are serious and have good $$ lenses, then the safest way is to buy bodies. Buy cheaper bodies and more of them rather than Top of the Line bodies and only one.

Just sayin

[mikec]

Get a camera for each lens. Seriously, camera bodies are cheap and fast- outdated. Lenses are the MOST critical thing in image quality. If you are serious and have good $$ lenses, then the safest way is to buy bodies. Buy cheaper bodies and more of them rather than Top of the Line bodies and only one.

Just sayin

That's the silliest advice yet, just deal with lenses and bodies getting some dust in them, they can be easily cleaned. You'd need so much junk accumulated inside either before you really started to notice any real loss of image quality.

I'd hate to be carrying you're camera bag Nick using that logic, it must weigh a tonne!

[Steve Axford]

Do your best to keep dust out. Switch the camera off, have the new lens ready to swap so you minimize the time with no lens on and keep the camera away from dust sources if possible - and clean the sensor when necessary.
I have a friend who will change lenses inside active volcanoes. This is not recommended, but volcanoes are generally not good for cameras, so you either don't get photographs, or you take the risk. I've had to replace the front element of a lens due to acid splashes (from a volcano). He's had to replace several cameras.

[Wayne]

I carry 2 bodies (D3s - now D4/D800). One with a wide (17-35/2.8) and another with tele zoom (70-200/2.8). Even when travelling, it fits well into my Retrospective 20 bag and I can manage the load fine.

[Doktaduck]

Is dust that much of a problem? (genuine question)

I understand that dirt or grime would be bad, but does it cause photographers an issue in the short time it takes to change lens?

[Kym]

It depends on the conditions, but minimising any opportunity for dust is good practise.

See: http://www.ausphotography.net.au/for...hanging_Lenses

[Wayne]

Is dust that much of a problem? (genuine question)

I understand that dirt or grime would be bad, but does it cause photographers an issue in the short time it takes to change lens?

DSLR cameras are dust magnets when you remove that lens and leave the sensor exposed. Particularly if the wind is blowing or you are a dirty/dusty environment. Despite best efforts though, if you change lenses even infrequently outdoors, you will get dust. I am so careful about getting dust in my bodies, that I use 2 bodies so I don't have to change the lens outdoors, but I still get some dust...

[AVALANCHE]

A quick solution if there is dust on your sensor is to decrease your depth of field. Generally around f8 and under the dust specks are not as noticeable or not there.

Alternatively, use gimp/photoshop to clone stamp out the dust.

[OldNick]

Yep. All good. So is letting your camera take a dust deletion shot. But all those ideas allow the dust to increase. And any method will result in image degradation. And limiting DOF is OK for hack work. If you keep doing it and hiding the problem, then you get THAT SHOT that needs DOF.

I know you said "quick fix". I am just being devils' advocate, FWIW.

[Speedway]

As said dust is part of DSLR photography. Get yourself a Copperhill kit and learn how to use it (simple) I shoot a lot of dirt track motor sport and change lenses in atrocious conditions and usually give the sensor a clean out as soon as I get home while downloading the event photos. I start with a good blow out with canned air (most of the time this is all that is needed) then if necessary get the Copperhill kit out. I have only used it (the kit) about 8 times in the last 6 years.
Cheers
Keith.