Swapping lens whilst body still on?

[Trieu]

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone has had any issues while swapping Len's with the body still turned ON? Should it be turned OFF when swapping lens?

I have swapped lens a few times now and have forgotten to switch it OFF first, are there any consequences?

Not sure if this question has already been asked.. THANKS

[birddog114]

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone has had any issues while swapping Len's with the body still turned ON? Should it be turned OFF when swapping lens?

I have swapped lens a few times now and have forgotten to switch it OFF first, are there any consequences?

Not sure if this question has already been asked.. THANKS

Yes & No.
Yes, for your safety not getting electrocution
Sometimes the contacts on the body mount misaligment with the lens, may caused malfunction for both.
No: I did that several times but still survived.

[Alpha_7]

I've been told it should be off, and well it makes sense to turn it off as your playing with live contacts etc

But I have many times forgotten not too, and have so far suffered no ill affects, that said I wouldn't advising making a habit of it if you can train yourself now to switch off first.

[beetleboy]

I've read many a time that you should switch the camera off and leave it for 10 seconds to allow the CCD to discharge otherwise it will attract dust! I've personally never had time for that kind of discipline and it doesn't seem to have affected me! I've only ever done 2 wet cleans and my D70 is dust bunny free!

As mentioned tho, it is a good idea to switch the camera off anyway, I've forgotten in the pressure of a job and some times it can make your lenses behave strangely.

Liam

[Trieu]

Thanks everyone, feedback on this is great, thanks!

[greencardigan]

I've also done it a few times accidentally without any problems.

[Raskill]

The simple solution is just to get another DSLR body, 24-120 VR on one, 70-200 VR on the other. That way you dont have to change lenses.

How do you get another body, just take a photo of a damn egg (which I'm wracking my brain about).

I've changed mine plenty of times with no adverse effect. I suppose if you fire the shutter with no lens attached you could introduce more dust to the CCD. I'm pretty careful about removing my VR lenses with the power still on, but non-Vr I don't worry to much.

[birddog114]

Trieu is a pround Canon owner, talking about Nikon, he may not get it.

[losfp]

I've done it many a time without thinking about it, with no real problems. Probably best to switch it off, but probably a low risk thing if you are reasonably careful when changing lenses anyway.

[birddog114]

I've done it many a time without thinking about it, with no real problems. Probably best to switch it off, but probably a low risk thing if you are reasonably careful when changing lenses anyway.

Glad to see your luck without electrocution!

[Laurie]

how much power would be going through the contacts? surely not that much? could it be any worse than licking a 9V battery? (which sucks)

[yeocsa]

9V won't kill you. But you can get more dust bunnies on your sensor. The sensor is charged and therefore attracts more dust.

regards,

Arthur

[Alpha_7]

how much power would be going through the contacts? surely not that much? could it be any worse than licking a 9V battery? (which sucks)

I wouldn't be concerned about getting a zap myself, I would be more concerned about shorting the wrong contacts and daming some of the internal circuitry on the camera or lens. That said I'm still not as careful as I could be.

[Trieu]

Yes.... I shoot Canon... BUT would love to win the comp and have a Nikon D70s!

Now onto the egg.... hmmmmm

[Alpha_7]

Yes.... I shoot Canon... BUT would love to win the comp and have a Nikon D70s!

Now onto the egg.... hmmmmm

That would solve all your problems you could sell the canon and those couple of lens and get some nice Nikon glass

[Oneputt]

It is a myth about the sensor being charged and therefore attracting more dust, because the sensor is always charged. I would still recommend turning it off though despite forgetting quite frequently myself.

[birddog114]

It is a myth about the sensor being charged and therefore attracting more dust, because the sensor is always charged. I would still recommend turning it off though despite forgetting quite frequently myself.

Tap your right hand three times prior to change lens

[Oneputt]

Birddog since switching from the D70 to the D2X I have had very little trouble with dust on my sensor, none at all in fact.

[birddog114]

Birddog since switching from the D70 to the D2X I have had very little trouble with dust on my sensor, none at all in fact.

I didn't tell ya that, but I did have the thin coat of ScratchPro AP60 srpayed on its CMOS prior to ship it to you, perhaps you haven't noticed it

[MattC]

Sensor is covered by the shutter, so dust is not going to make onto the sensor during lens changes, whether the sensor is charged or not - I also doubt that any charge carried by the sensor is able to have any influence on dust through the closed shutter. The issue, as I see it, is whether or not dust makes it into the chamber during lens changes (due to circulation of air) and gets deposited on the sensor when the shutter is released (windage from the mirror must be fairly substantial and stir things up some) and stays stuck (maybe) due to static charge.

Cheers

[Matt. K]

You should always have one hand on a water tap before changing lenses. It will earth out any static electricity.

[Steffen]

You should always have one hand on a water tap before changing lenses. It will earth out any static electricity.

Doesn't work for me. I can't change lenses with just one hand. Therefore, I use both hands and change lenses under running water from the tap...

Cheers
Steffen.

[whiz]

I believe that changing the lens with power on is extremely dangerous.
I know of several instances of people doing this with bad things happening.

One man who was cautioned against it continued without regard. Seconds after changing from an 80-200 f2.8 to a 60mm Micro, he was attacked by a rabid midget shnauser which inflicted grievious bodily harm against his sequinned european carryall.


I won't go into the second case, but lets just say that involved flocks of divebombing penguins and a vat of cream cheese.

So make sure you turn off before you twist.

[kamran]

I have seen many pro cricket shooters adding and removing teleconverters with the camera still ON. And the most unbelievable thing is, it takes them a total of 2 seconds to do it from start to end !

It's like detach camera - detach teleconverter - attach camera. Ready to shoot !

[ozonejunkie]

I believe that changing the lens with power on is extremely dangerous.
I know of several instances of people doing this with bad things happening.

One man who was cautioned against it continued without regard. Seconds after changing from an 80-200 f2.8 to a 60mm Micro, he was attacked by a rabid midget shnauser which inflicted grievious bodily harm against his sequinned european carryall.


I won't go into the second case, but lets just say that involved flocks of divebombing penguins and a vat of cream cheese.

So make sure you turn off before you twist.

This is starting to sound like one of those chain emails . . .

Personally, I would like to say that I turn the camera off before changing lenses, but that would be a lie, as I rarely do so. I have never had any problems though. (touch wood)

[DionM]

Never turn it off. Ever. It stays on when its in the bag, when I'm changing lenses, when I'm changing CF cards. I just rely on the auto-power down. I've had one Err. 99 on my 20D which I put down to a dodgy CF card.

As others have said, if you're worried about dust being attracted to the CCD, don't ever turn the camera on. Best leave it in the box