Lens Changing Techniques?

leopardforest

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I have dust on my sensor and I know that it is not the end of the world. My question is what is the best way to change lenses to prevent dust from entering the camera? I have a Canon XTi if that makes any different.

Thanks!!
 
keep the camera pointed down so dust can't float into the camera body as easily. Thats about the only thing I can think of. Just buy a lens cleaning kit and use the blow gun b4 u put the new lens on. I do mine once a week whether it needs it or not I just do it. But I'm anal about keeping my lenses clean. I clean everything once a week just a quick blow and wipe if it needs it.
 
Change lenses in a clean room?

Honestly I change lenses as quickly as possible using a one handed technique. In that 1 second though dust will find its way in eventually. Fortunately it's usually the type that you can get rid off by opening the shutter turning upside down and shaking.
 
I used to hold the camera with the lens pointing down ... but by now i do not care anymore. it does not make any difference. the dust we speak off does travel in all directions, upwards or downwards, as it is s light that it just follows the air flow.

hence it is more important to prevent airflow as much as possible and to reduce the time when no lens is attached to the body.

do not change lenses in the breeze or wind unless this is the only option
 
Of course dust is inevitable sooner than later, but there are a few things that help:

- change lenses in areas that are less dusty. A kitchen area over the living room with carpets.

- Reduce the time that the open areas are exposed. I loosen everything before makeing the swap. Exposed camera areas are open less than 1-2 seconds at most.

- I have the camera lay on the table and a lens in each hand.

- Laugh if you wish... If I can, I roll up my sleeves and wash my hands before swapping lenses when possible. I would much rather face a fingerprint on the lens than an oily finger print... and the sleeves of shirts and sweaters are great places for dust to fall from.

- Don't hover over the camera when changing lenses, don't stop to study the insides... swap the lens and then cover the backs *and* fronts of the lenses with their covers.

- I sometimes take the step of wiping down the lens and the front/rear elements before it goes into its slot in my backpack.

- Camera/lens gets wipped down quickly before each 2-3 usages and always before a lens swap.
 
If you use a zoom, and NEVER changed it, you will still get dust in the mirror box. As you zoom in and out, air moves back and forth pulling and pushing dust all around. Dust simply can't be avoided, no matter the changing technique.
 
If you use a zoom, and NEVER changed it, you will still get dust in the mirror box. As you zoom in and out, air moves back and forth pulling and pushing dust all around. Dust simply can't be avoided, no matter the changing technique.

I never thought of that and it makes so much since.

I just bought a sensor cleaning kit today and it seemed to work out, I will have to wait and see till tomorrow to test it on some sky pics.
 
I never thought of that and it makes so much since.

I just bought a sensor cleaning kit today and it seemed to work out, I will have to wait and see till tomorrow to test it on some sky pics.

you need no sky! just to it indoors and use the ceiling .... too dark? does not matter since you can go for a long exposure, the picture should be blurred anyway!

Just use a small aperture (e.g. f/16), point to the ceiling, de-focus (you do not want an image of the ceiling here), expose correctly.
 
I always do it like that, because I usually clean my sensor in the evening ... no blue sky then ;)
 
The XTi has that dust delete feature. All you have to do is find the setting and follow the directions on the camera. Basically you take a picture of a piece of paper and it keeps a file or something of where the dust is. When you upload the pictures, the dust delete data is automatically uploaded with them (so the dust won't show in your pics). I've read that not all software programs support the feature. If you use DPP though, there will be no problems.

My sensor got dirty very fast but I haven't seen any problems in a long time. Eventually I'll have my sensor cleaned, but in the meantime I don't want to be cloning out all those specks!
 

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