How do you change Lenses?

[Andyt]

I can put it off no longer, I have to clean the CCD. I have enough dust bunnies to start a hat factory.

This got me thinking, the way they got in there I presume, was when I was changing lenses in the field. I have been super carefull and always concious of doing the change over in the car, away from wind and dust. When hiking I take a large zip lock bag and perform the operation inside it trying to minimise the possibility of dust etc getting in.

Does anyone have any tips or suggestions on how to perform this regular task, keeping hitchhikers to a minimum? I thought also it would be interesting to hear how other members "swap over".

Regards, Andyt

[DionM]

Umm ... twist off one lens, put on the next one?

I avoid blatently dusty areas, but other than that, I change anywhere and everywhere. Hell, I even changed lenses in the middle of a snowstorm I generally place the camera on its back on a surface, lens pointing upwards, and change that way.

Some people say you should face the camera down when changing lenses, but that's a bit hard when you only have two hands (one to hold camera, one to lens you are removing ... what about the other lens you want to fit on ... my 70-200 requires two hands to put it on!).

[leek]

I take a reasonable amount of care when changing lenses, but I don't get overly paranoid about it...

Dust can get into your camera without even removing your lens... Unfortunately it's not an airtight system... Some zoom lenses (including the kit lens) actually suck & blow small amounts of air into and out of the camera as you zoom out and in...

Dust in the camera is therefore unavoidable and regular cleaning can keep problems to a minimum...

[petermmc]

I agree about not getting too paranoid about changing lenses. One of the advantages SLR digitals is the 'you can change lenses' thing. Turn it face down (face being where the bayonet is) and do it quickly enusring there is no noticeable dust on the incoming lens. Anything other than this will inhibit your fast reflexes for that one off photo of the Tasmanian Tiger of Big Foot.

The money you will make will well compensate for even a professional clean.

Peter Mc

[gstark]

Andy,

What the others have said - don't sweat it, but simply accept that this is a part DSLR ownership.

Face down is a better way, but not mandated.

Regarding large lenses like the 70-200 - this is a different process again, and it requires that you mount the camera onto the lens, not vice versa.

[kipper]

I don't think there are zip tight bags big enough for the 70-200VR, 200-400VR or the 500F4 :

[stubbsy]

Andy

Add my voice to the chorus. Forget the ziplock, way too fiddly. Just be sensible.

[cameraguy21773]

Power off so the CCD isn't charged and attracts more dust than it would anyway.

[Killakoala]

I just change lenses whenever and wherever. After 3 months in wet and windy conditions, at sea with salt air around everywhere and the odd splash ont he camer and with tropical rain comiong down now and then, i still only managed to get 2 hardly noticeable dust bunnies on my CCD, without taking any precautions other than pointing the camera downwards while it was hanging around my neck and relatively quickly changing lenses.

Also the Giotto Air Duster helps now and then.

[mic]

PhotoShop Healing & Cloning = No Bunnies in my D70 Hole

[DionM]

Power off so the CCD isn't charged and attracts more dust than it would anyway.

Hopefully the shutter takes care of that though! Unless you guys change lenses while the shutter is open

[digitor]

I just get the new lens ready by loosening its rear cap, then remove the lens from the camera, change the cap between the lenses, then put the new lens on, all the while keeping the camera pointing down. Takes a few seconds. A Giotto blower takes care of most dust if you get it. I would think the ziplock bag might make things worse, by attracting dust with static electricity.

Cheers

[MattC]

Andy

Sometimes I use a large clear bag in really dusty enviornments, otherwise I try to just get lenses off and on as quickly as possible. A good blow with the Rocket at the end of the session and all is sweet. The last wet clean that I did was about 6 months ago.

I think that you are already doing about all that can be done. If your routine works for you, then stick with it.

[Andyt]

Thanks for all your replies!!!

MattC, Gary et' al, another reason I asked was because I am leaving Perth (after 21 yrs) and relocating to Port Hedland, again on the good side! and wanted to know if I could be doing it better as the dust up there is like no other place

Once settled in I intend to ease the lense lust a little and will have a number to play with

Txs again, Andyt

[Killakoala]

Headland will be an absolute nightmare for CCD dust. You have my pre-empted sympathy

[MattC]

I know what you mean about Port Hedland - last time I was there (20 odd years ago) a lot of the town was painted green but stained red by the dust from the iron ore dust. Tennant Creek is not to friendly for most of the year.

What can I say? Plastic bag, Giotto Rocket and a wet cleaning kit. Proficiency in all of the above. Don't sweat it too much. You will find out what you need to know as you go.

[Manta]

Depends on your cash level.

A PC 4 Lab and positive-pressure Bio-Suit should do the trick but can be a bit exxy and will definitely attract the attention of certain government agencies.

Failing that, a good measure of common sense while changing and using your gear plus acceptance of the fact that even the most fastidious and paranoid amongst us still have to enter the dreaded chamber with cleaning apparatus will see you clear.

Good luck in the wilds of Port Hedland!

[Aussie Dave]

Considering how relatively easy it is to clean the CCD, don't be paranoid about taking the lens off the camera. As long as you're sensible when changing lenses, you should be able to minimise the amount of dust that enters the camera. I don't see any need for ziplock bags etc.. Your lens is likely to introduce dust into the cmaera anyway, so where do you draw the line ??

Just learn how to clean your CCD and problem solved. I admit this "dust problem" always seemed like a big deal before I'd started to clean the CCD, but once you realise it's not brain-surgery, you quickly get over it. I don't even think about it anymore. If anything, I'm now probably a little less careful

[birddog114]

I changed lenses as my normal life, breathing the air and live with it.

I have been in Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, Arizona several times in the past years to visit my colleagues same as touring the AMARC (Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center) in the wild (not in the tourist bus). I hope I'll go back there next year, do it again and again.

If you're an avaition buff, that's definitely a spot you need to go and see, then you'll realize what & where are all the monies of the US taxpayers gone? and the surpluses of the hardware, I believe our RAAF has few F111 (The Pig) stored there as well, as their reverved stocks of spare parts.

Cheese! you have to see, then you'll believe what I say, after wandering with few USAF guys around this base on the no roof top Jeep for 2 hours, you'll see how much dust you have on your outfit after few hot dessert wind accross the base between July and August, yes, I changed lenses in my D100 and my D2H in this environment, nothing you can do, the end of the day, just wipe, blow and clean it, it's a normal life same as you're breathing air.

Why should you worry much about changing lens, notthing can help or prevent dust to your DSLR.

[cyanide]

I *really* have to learn how to clean my CCD.... am yet to brave it.... (mainly because I can't find eclipse here!) I am moving to the desert as of next year so I rather suspect eliminating dust bunnies is going to play a much larger part in my routine.....

[Oneputt]

Having only just learnt how to clean the CCD I must admit to being careful to keep my camera pointing downwards, but that is about it. I am more careful with my lenses because that is where the money is

[sirhc55]

Basically I change lenses by getting my manservant to do it in the Bentley with the airconditioning on full blast But, when I do have to do it myself, I make it fast with the camera pointing down.

[BBJ]

I will add my 2 cents worth, today at motoX i put the 300m on and well got a dust bunny from hell. Shows up in 90% of the few hundred pics i took today, wont bother fixing unless i get an order but will fix the ones that i show on forum later.

[leek]

Basically I change lenses by getting my manservant to do it in the Bentley with the airconditioning on full blast But, when I do have to do it myself, I make it fast with the camera pointing down.

[birddog114]

I will add my 2 cents worth, today at motoX i put the 300m on and well got a dust bunny from hell. Shows up in 90% of the few hundred pics i took today, wont bother fixing unless i get an order but will fix the ones that i show on forum later.

That's the hard life when you own the big zoom lens, you can't point the camera down and mount the body on when it's on the monopod or tripod.

Normally, pp don't change their big zoom lenses in the field, they have few bodies with difference focal lenghts of lens, they only change lens with a small or short zoom/ prime.

[BBJ]

Yeh birdie would be nice and will happen oneday but yeh nothing too bad as it is in a corner so easy enough to fix, but i wont bother unless i have to print then i will fix it. Gave it a blow awhile ago and looks ok now but will give it wet clean before next weekends big bike race.

[gstark]

Power off so the CCD isn't charged and attracts more dust than it would anyway.

Why?

The CCD doesn't have any charge applied unless the shutter is also open and it's been openned for making an exposure.

[digitor]

I *really* have to learn how to clean my CCD.... am yet to brave it.... (mainly because I can't find eclipse here!) I am moving to the desert as of next year so I rather suspect eliminating dust bunnies is going to play a much larger part in my routine.....

You could probably use Soju (well it tastes a lot like Eclipse)

Cheers

[Alex]

Power off so the CCD isn't charged and attracts more dust than it would anyway.

Why?

The CCD doesn't have any charge applied unless the shutter is also open and it's been openned for making an exposure.

Gary, are you sure? I'm not sure, but I would expect that there is some kind of a background current whenever the camera is 'ON'. The current varies with exposure, I would have thought?

Just my thoughts

Alex

[mudder]

G'day,
I've only recently joined the "big brave boys club" and gave my camera a wet clean. Forced into it though mind you, as I gave it a blast from a blower and I think I just transferred all the rubbish from inside the chamber to the sensor cover glass (filter?) so it HAD to be cleaned, doh!

Must admit it was a bit of an anti-climax, only took two sensor swab thingies. Easier than I thought it would be, maybe famous last words though, the next go I might completely stuff up

When I change lenses, I simply get the second lens cap loose, remove the initial lens and simply cover the camera lens mount opening with my fingers holding the cam pointing down and get the replacement lens into position, then in she goes...

[cyanide]

You could probably use Soju (well it tastes a lot like Eclipse)

Cheers

Hehehe... well, that makes ONE use for it!!!!

[gstark]

Power off so the CCD isn't charged and attracts more dust than it would anyway.

Why?

The CCD doesn't have any charge applied unless the shutter is also open and it's been openned for making an exposure.

Gary, are you sure?

Absobloodylutely.

First of all, the CCD is NOT exposed; the shutter remains in the way.

Secondly, why would there be any charge applied to it? It's simply not in use at that time. Applying a charge would be tantamount to creating conditions conducive to early failure.

Third, applying a charge would actually end up increasing the noise in anyu images that you're making, through heating of the CCD.

I'm not sure, but I would expect that there is some kind of a background current whenever the camera is 'ON'. The current varies with exposure, I would have thought?

To what purpose?

Normally, as well as the shutter, there is also the mirror in the way, not to mention the fact that the lens would not be at the correct aperture, nor, most likely, pointing in the correct direction.

Rest assured that electricity moves swiftly enough to apply adequate current to the CCD only as and when it's necessary.