Poll: Your strategy against dust when changing lenses

[AlbertP]

Which best describes your strategy against dust when changing lenses?

[Paul Shields]

I've yet to deal with dust despite frequently changing lenses. I didn't realise there was a problem with dust in DSLRs.

Sorry, just thought I'd get the Olympus user post in before anyone else .

[ohenry]

I change my lenses on a dSLR the same way that I did on my film SLR's. Body pointed downward or away from wind, body blocking any wind, take the existing lens off, put the new lens on after uncapping, then cap the old lens with the cap from the one just uncapped. Sometimes I even turn off the camera, although not always (I realize I should, I just don't always do it). I don't worry about dust really. If it shows up, I clean my sensor at my earliest opportunity. Cleaning up dust spots on photos only takes a few seconds.

[Michele]

Originally Posted by ohenry

I change my lenses on a dSLR the same way that I did on my film SLR's. Body pointed downward or away from wind, body blocking any wind, take the existing lens off, put the new lens on after uncapping, then cap the old lens with the cap from the one just uncapped. Sometimes I even turn off the camera, although not always (I realize I should, I just don't always do it). I don't worry about dust really. If it shows up, I clean my sensor at my earliest opportunity. Cleaning up dust spots on photos only takes a few seconds.

I am sure glad you posted this Ohenry as this is the exact same way I do my lens changing and I clean when I can and like you said, dust spots on photos doesnt take long. Although, I will say, that sometimes a dust spec does occur in a place on a photo that is hard to clean up without interferring with the rest of the photo. Like in a very detailed spot.

Michele

[Neil V]

No matter how hard you try dust will still get in the camera.

I have no issues cleaning the sensor in my camera at all, some people I have read about go to great lengths, ie; air cleaners ran in the room to make a dust free enviroment etc. It kinda makes my laugh at times what people will do...

[JDArt]

There's a thread on another forum from someone who buys a separate camera body for each of her lenses, presumably to prevent dust. To top it off, she's buying really expensive bodies for each lens. Jeez.

[ohenry]

Originally Posted by JDArt

There's a thread on another forum from someone who buys a separate camera body for each of her lenses, presumably to prevent dust. To top it off, she's buying really expensive bodies for each lens. Jeez.

I'll do that after I win PowerBall..................NOT! LOL

[Michele]

I heard of that too JD... I thought it was insane cuz can't dust still come in through the connections if its not a tight fitting? I heard of that. but not sure how true it is.

[Narsuitus]

I change my lenses in a plastic garbage bag when I am in an environment with a lot of blowing sand or dust.

[nsurit]

e-1, e-300, e-500. Come on, just Olympus credit for what they got right on this deal. Hope the e-whatever has some of the wizbang stuff that Nikon and Canon have on their dslr cameras. Been using the e-1 for a year and a half. No dust! Bill Barber

[Rense]

I vote for no. 6:
I change my lenses by putting body and lenses in a plastic bag and then I point the body downward, take the existing lens off, put the new lens on after uncapping, then cap the old lens with the cap from the one just uncapped

[dc2]

I change mine in a dust free laboratory the sort where they make silicon chips .
Well not really but I think canon should supply one

[Blinky]

I change like this...

1) turn the camera off... not sure why, just seems like there may be less attractive charge when the power is off.

2) I hold the new lens in my right hand right next to the lens I'm changing from, I make sure it's lined up and ready to mount.

3) with my left hand I hold the lens I'm changing from, which is also cradling the body with a finger on the release button. I release and rotate that lens without removing it.

4) When I'm ready, I quickly swap the lenses and cap the free one. The body opening is exposed for no more than a second usually.

I get about five to eight changes before I compulsively clean the sensor. I also blow the rear opening on the new lens right before I change. Naturally I try for an environment with as little airborne stuff as possible.

I've resigned myself to cleaning the sensors before every commercial job. I've got a system for it that seems to work well... but I hate doing it.

Chip

[dvdowns]

I bought a D50 to complement my D70 so they could each have their own lens .... they both have dust on the sensor now anyway . I point the camera down when changing lenses , not that i do it often with the dust issue .

[Mark McCall]

You can actually get dust on your sensor without ever changing the lens.
No zoom lens is airtight. (if they were, you'd create a vacuum when you zoomed, so they wouldn't stay that way for long).
Dust is sucked in between lens barrels.

Learn to clean your sensor, or pay to have it done regularly.

nsurit,
Good point on the Olympus.
My first digital cam was the E10. Outstanding images. Non removeable lens.

For the record, you should power down your camera before changing lenses.

[dvdowns]

I would like to invent a cleaner using an old Nikon lens that mounts on the camera , you lock the mirror up , give the lens a twist , and the cleaning pad moves up against the ccd , a few turns , then you "zoom out" and the ccd is clean ....... dream on I suppose :-[