Changing lenses outdoors! at DVinfo.net

Chris Harding · January 18th, 2015, 10:32 PM

Hi Guys

Anyone got any bright ideas on how to stop dirt and gunk getting onto the sensor with outdoor gigs! I use the B-Cam with my Sigma 18-35 during outdoor wedding ceremonies and following that I have to do a stedicam shoot but need to use the Tamron 10-24 on the stedicam and the big problem is doing a lens change. Even being careful in the car, a whole bunch of gunk seems to find it's way onto the sensor

Any bright ideas? What could I put the camera into (a bag ???) and then zap off one lens and put on a second. Remember this is all outdoors so the most "protected" area to do a lens change in the back of the car at best.

What do you guys do when you want to change lenses outdoors?

Chris

Dave Baker · January 19th, 2015, 12:53 AM

Hi Chris,

I used my 60D extensively in 2013, changed lenses outdoors quite often and didn't need to clean the sensor once.

The precautions I took were:
1. Shield the camera from the wind with my body
2. When the lens is out, keep the body tilted mount down so dirt cannot fall in
3. Make sure the new lens rear end is cleaned and prepared before taking the first one out
4. Be as quick as possible

The Canons do have an auto sensor cleaning function, so how much is attributable to my precautions and how much to the self clean I couldn't say.

Dave

David Barnett · January 19th, 2015, 08:34 AM

How about a plastic trash bag? I tend to keep one as an emergency rain cover anyway. In case I run into a light mist of a rain where the couple wants to be outside for a few quick shots & can put up with a small little drizzle.

Chris Harding · January 19th, 2015, 09:28 AM

Thanks guys

Much appreciated indeed. I do tend to fit/remove lenses with the camera upside down (sensor pointing downwards) but often in the heat of the action I forget and bam! the sensor gets junk on it which is a bummer when you are shooting shots with sky in them!!

Maybe I need to make a "clean box" inside the car instead of changing the lens in the boot (sorry that's the trunk for you USA guys)

Noa Put · January 19th, 2015, 11:06 AM

When I had my nex-ea50 I also noticed it was very easy to get dust on the sensor, never had that issue with my 550d but that might be because the sensor was covered when not in use so no dust could reach the sensor when the lens was off.
On my current dslrs, the gh3 and 4 I use a arctic butterfly before and after the shoot and I have that thing with me during the shoot, when I change lenses I point the camera down and if I"m outside I point the camera away from the wind. Not much more you can do I think.

Chris Andrikakis · January 19th, 2015, 11:34 AM

I don't have anything to add about changing lenses. But I was just thinking that if you used just one lens for both purposes (e.g. a stabilized 17-5Xmm), you wouldn't need to change at all. I know it's a compromise though, but just wondering if you really need f/1.8 or does f/2.8 suffice? And if you're using ultra-wide just to get less magnification for less shake, this can surely be compensated for by a stabilized lens, no? I like to simplify whenever possible. Just food for thought.

Noa Put · January 19th, 2015, 12:24 PM

But you buy a dslr because of it's versatility in lens choices depending on what kind of look you are after, I wish there was a 5mm to 600mm f0.5 stabilised autofocus lens though :) Otherwise you are better of just getting a fixed lens videocamera.

Peter Rush · January 19th, 2015, 04:25 PM

I feel your pain Chris - The EA50 sensor is like a magnet for dust! However since I stopped using the kit lens and started using my Canon glass, my Metabones Speedbooster adapter stays permanently on the EA50 body, the glass of which always protects the sensor :)

Chris Harding · January 19th, 2015, 07:04 PM

Hi Chris and Pete

Sadly yes ..I need the F1.8 for wedding receptions and the 10mm wide angle for stedicam shoots. As Noa says, a magic lens would be nice! Lets say for the EA-50, a 19mm- 85 all at F1.2 would suit me.

Pete? You have me thinking hard now and I might have a solution ... I'm wonder if it would be any way to put a UV filter inside the Nikon to E-Mount adapters??? Like you mine are on the cameras permanently so all I need is a piece of glass to seal off the front of the camera and voila, no issues with dirt getting in.

Anyone know how one could do this or maybe just buy a speed booster for each camera as they are effectlively sealed with the glass element. Gosh I wonder why Sony didn't put any protection over the sensor?

Chris

Chris Harding · February 18th, 2015, 07:19 PM

Hi Guys

Just a little update here .. I have been sticking to making sure that I change lenses holding the camera upside down so the lens is pointing at the floor/car seat or whatever and that seems to be pretty effective and has stopped the more frequent use of swabs and fluid. I leave the adapter on anyway but it definitely makes big difference if you have the camera vertical and then remove and replace lenses. It obviously also makes sense to stay out of the wind and dust storms!!!

Prior to a wedding shoot I always do a shot of the sky with the iris stopped right down and check the sensor .. there is nothing more frustrating than editing footage with a fair amount of sky in it that has blobs in it!!

Vince Pachiano · February 18th, 2015, 07:59 PM

With the original lens still attached, I give a quick blast of canned air at the point where the lens and the body mate. If you take a look at your camera, you might notice a bunch of gunk, skin cells, dandruff, just sitting there waiting to fall onto your sensor when it is exposed.

With the rear lens cap still attached, I do the same with the new lens

Peter Rush · February 19th, 2015, 03:09 AM

I'm wary of canned air as last time I used it on my PC fans it blew a fair amount of propellant as well as air - not so good for a sensor - I use a hand air blower

Chris Harding · February 19th, 2015, 04:43 AM

Hi Pete

Me too .. I use a well worn Rocket puffer. I dunno if you remember Jody's issue with one of these puffers too? To stop the rubber sticking together the supplier dusted the inside of the bulb with French chalk so when Jody gave his sensor a good few puffs of air the sensor got covered in chalk and he had to use swabs and cleaning fluid to fix it!! If anyone uses one of these it pays to wash the bulb out and let it dry first (I tested mine on a mirror to make sure it wasn't emitting anything but air afterwards!!)

January 18th, 2015, 10:32 PM	#1
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Changing lenses outdoors! Hi Guys Anyone got any bright ideas on how to stop dirt and gunk getting onto the sensor with outdoor gigs! I use the B-Cam with my Sigma 18-35 during outdoor wedding ceremonies and following that I have to do a stedicam shoot but need to use the Tamron 10-24 on the stedicam and the big problem is doing a lens change. Even being careful in the car, a whole bunch of gunk seems to find it's way onto the sensor Any bright ideas? What could I put the camera into (a bag ???) and then zap off one lens and put on a second. Remember this is all outdoors so the most "protected" area to do a lens change in the back of the car at best. What do you guys do when you want to change lenses outdoors? Chris

January 19th, 2015, 12:53 AM	#2
Dave Baker Major Player Join Date: May 2014 Location: Brandon, England Posts: 458	Re: Changing lenses outdoors! Hi Chris, I used my 60D extensively in 2013, changed lenses outdoors quite often and didn't need to clean the sensor once. The precautions I took were: 1. Shield the camera from the wind with my body 2. When the lens is out, keep the body tilted mount down so dirt cannot fall in 3. Make sure the new lens rear end is cleaned and prepared before taking the first one out 4. Be as quick as possible The Canons do have an auto sensor cleaning function, so how much is attributable to my precautions and how much to the self clean I couldn't say. Dave

January 19th, 2015, 08:34 AM	#3
David Barnett Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Philly, PA Posts: 951	Re: Changing lenses outdoors! How about a plastic trash bag? I tend to keep one as an emergency rain cover anyway. In case I run into a light mist of a rain where the couple wants to be outside for a few quick shots & can put up with a small little drizzle.

January 19th, 2015, 09:28 AM	#4
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Changing lenses outdoors! Thanks guys Much appreciated indeed. I do tend to fit/remove lenses with the camera upside down (sensor pointing downwards) but often in the heat of the action I forget and bam! the sensor gets junk on it which is a bummer when you are shooting shots with sky in them!! Maybe I need to make a "clean box" inside the car instead of changing the lens in the boot (sorry that's the trunk for you USA guys)

January 19th, 2015, 11:06 AM	#5
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Changing lenses outdoors! When I had my nex-ea50 I also noticed it was very easy to get dust on the sensor, never had that issue with my 550d but that might be because the sensor was covered when not in use so no dust could reach the sensor when the lens was off. On my current dslrs, the gh3 and 4 I use a arctic butterfly before and after the shoot and I have that thing with me during the shoot, when I change lenses I point the camera down and if I"m outside I point the camera away from the wind. Not much more you can do I think.

January 19th, 2015, 11:34 AM	#6
Chris Andrikakis New Boot Join Date: May 2014 Location: Toronto Posts: 17	Re: Changing lenses outdoors! I don't have anything to add about changing lenses. But I was just thinking that if you used just one lens for both purposes (e.g. a stabilized 17-5Xmm), you wouldn't need to change at all. I know it's a compromise though, but just wondering if you really need f/1.8 or does f/2.8 suffice? And if you're using ultra-wide just to get less magnification for less shake, this can surely be compensated for by a stabilized lens, no? I like to simplify whenever possible. Just food for thought.

January 19th, 2015, 12:24 PM	#7
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Changing lenses outdoors! But you buy a dslr because of it's versatility in lens choices depending on what kind of look you are after, I wish there was a 5mm to 600mm f0.5 stabilised autofocus lens though :) Otherwise you are better of just getting a fixed lens videocamera.

January 19th, 2015, 04:25 PM	#8
Peter Rush Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: UK/Yorkshire Posts: 2,069	Re: Changing lenses outdoors! I feel your pain Chris - The EA50 sensor is like a magnet for dust! However since I stopped using the kit lens and started using my Canon glass, my Metabones Speedbooster adapter stays permanently on the EA50 body, the glass of which always protects the sensor :)

January 19th, 2015, 07:04 PM	#9
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Changing lenses outdoors! Hi Chris and Pete Sadly yes ..I need the F1.8 for wedding receptions and the 10mm wide angle for stedicam shoots. As Noa says, a magic lens would be nice! Lets say for the EA-50, a 19mm- 85 all at F1.2 would suit me. Pete? You have me thinking hard now and I might have a solution ... I'm wonder if it would be any way to put a UV filter inside the Nikon to E-Mount adapters??? Like you mine are on the cameras permanently so all I need is a piece of glass to seal off the front of the camera and voila, no issues with dirt getting in. Anyone know how one could do this or maybe just buy a speed booster for each camera as they are effectlively sealed with the glass element. Gosh I wonder why Sony didn't put any protection over the sensor? Chris

February 18th, 2015, 07:19 PM	#10
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Changing lenses outdoors! Hi Guys Just a little update here .. I have been sticking to making sure that I change lenses holding the camera upside down so the lens is pointing at the floor/car seat or whatever and that seems to be pretty effective and has stopped the more frequent use of swabs and fluid. I leave the adapter on anyway but it definitely makes big difference if you have the camera vertical and then remove and replace lenses. It obviously also makes sense to stay out of the wind and dust storms!!! Prior to a wedding shoot I always do a shot of the sky with the iris stopped right down and check the sensor .. there is nothing more frustrating than editing footage with a fair amount of sky in it that has blobs in it!!

February 18th, 2015, 07:59 PM	#11
Vince Pachiano Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Dayton, OH Posts: 307	Re: Changing lenses outdoors! With the original lens still attached, I give a quick blast of canned air at the point where the lens and the body mate. If you take a look at your camera, you might notice a bunch of gunk, skin cells, dandruff, just sitting there waiting to fall onto your sensor when it is exposed. With the rear lens cap still attached, I do the same with the new lens

February 19th, 2015, 03:09 AM	#12
Peter Rush Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: UK/Yorkshire Posts: 2,069	Re: Changing lenses outdoors! I'm wary of canned air as last time I used it on my PC fans it blew a fair amount of propellant as well as air - not so good for a sensor - I use a hand air blower

February 19th, 2015, 04:43 AM	#13
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Changing lenses outdoors! Hi Pete Me too .. I use a well worn Rocket puffer. I dunno if you remember Jody's issue with one of these puffers too? To stop the rubber sticking together the supplier dusted the inside of the bulb with French chalk so when Jody gave his sensor a good few puffs of air the sensor got covered in chalk and he had to use swabs and cleaning fluid to fix it!! If anyone uses one of these it pays to wash the bulb out and let it dry first (I tested mine on a mirror to make sure it wasn't emitting anything but air afterwards!!)