Best Practices for Lens Changes

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Comments

  • sidewayssideways Posts: 54Member
    Reading this reminds me of something I spotted on David Hobby's Strobist blog from 2006.

    Rather than posting a link i've pasted the two original comments from the discussion that I consider noteworthy.
    I hope that this is acceptable and give full credit to David Hobby. I encourage you to read the original on the strobist blog and leave you to draw your own conclusions ...

    D Hobby:
    "Wherever my lenses are, (in a bag or waistpack) they are positioned in a way where when I grab them (with my right hand) my thumb and forefinger end up on the lenscap end.

    That way, I can easily twist my thumb and forefinger to pop the cap as I am bring out the new lens.

    My left hand is holding the camera at all times. So, the sequence (for the right hand) goes:

    1) Quickly pull the 1st lens from the body as described in the post.
    2) Slip it - no cap yet - into the pack or bag. I'd usually slip it in rear element up, and still capless.
    3) In the same motion, pull the new lens from the pack/bag, twist-popping the back cap off in the same motion, letting it remain in the bag/pack.
    4) Slip it onto the camera with the reverse move that was detilaed in the post.

    Total time would be closer to one second than to two seconds.

    The important thing is not trying to rush it. Go for smooth. Speed will come.

    It's like hitting a golf ball. Or so I am told, by people who can actually hit a golf ball and have it land somewhere in the zip code they intended it to land in...

    At the next practical moment - usually when whatever I quickly swapped to shoot wraps up - I would re-cap the first lens which is in the pack or bag."


    And a comment by poster "masterofgoingfaster" :

    Actually David is fibbing a little bit on his method. He is much better and faster than he describes.

    At a seminar, I asked David how he changes glass. He had a lens in his right hand, removed the first lens with his left, installed the second lens with his right hand, while the camera was hanging from his shoulder. It was bad enough that he did this in one second...

    The bad part was he did it without looking.

    Scott Kelby was there and mentioned it on DTown.TV, Episode 22.

    David is serious fast, folks. And he showed us how easy it is to yank someone's lens while you distract them with a pat on the back. I've noticed he has much nicer lenses these days... Coincident?"

    :-)

    Mods please delete if you feel this is inappropriate
  • spraynprayspraynpray Posts: 6,545Moderator
    He sounds like the descendant of a gunslinger! @-)
    Always learning.
  • SkintBritSkintBrit Posts: 79Member
    edited January 2013
    In answer to the OP.....As clean, quick & infrequently as possible.
    Post edited by SkintBrit on
    D3s's D700 F100 / Trinity 2.8 Zooms & 1.4 Primes / 105 micro. SB900s with Pocket Wizard Flex TT5 / Mini TT1s. Camranger remote control system.
  • Been just swapping lenses - slow and steady - for over 40 years.
    Do you ever stop swapping and take any photographs? I just wondered....

  • warprintswarprints Posts: 61Member
    Darkslide -- Why would I take any photos until I get my technique down just right. After all, I only wag around fancy looking cameras to attract the ladies (and occasional wannabe thief). If I took pictures, I'd have to get a computer, some sort of software like LR4, maybe a printer, a screen calibration device .... what a pain !! No, I'm still just working on getting the lens changes right.
  • Darkslide -- Why would I take any photos until I get my technique down just right. After all, I only wag around fancy looking cameras to attract the ladies (and occasional wannabe thief). If I took pictures, I'd have to get a computer, some sort of software like LR4, maybe a printer, a screen calibration device .... what a pain !! No, I'm still just working on getting the lens changes right.
    That's my man! Excellent response :D
  • MsmotoMsmoto Posts: 5,398Moderator
    Next we will be talking about how to not lose your lens caps.... :-))
    Msmoto, mod
  • warprintswarprints Posts: 61Member
    Next we will be talking about how to not lose your lens caps.... :-))
    Wait, what? You don't throw those away when you unpack your new lenses? Oh, maybe that's why I have no trouble switching between lenses.
  • fishguyfishguy Posts: 23Member
    So the OP wanted to know about reducing dust on the D600 sensor. I did a test with a refurbished D800 that was giving me problems. I intalled a brand new 28-300 lens and left it on and ran off a number of shots. The "dust" spots increasted from zero to 50+ - so IMO, the "dust" was internal, and not related to lens changes at all. Nikon must have agreed because they replaced the camera.
    ~fishguy
  • spraynprayspraynpray Posts: 6,545Moderator
    That there is good info - just what I was getting at when I asked the question above. B-)
    Always learning.
  • KnockKnockKnockKnock Posts: 398Member
    @Golf007sd
    Something to consider:
    This technique (youtube), how to hold both lenses in the right hand, is awesome. Thank you!

    I am often flustered moving between establishing shots, portraits, details - always seeming to have the wrong lens on. I never timed myself before, but it was usually a question of not having enough hands or safe surfaces.

    I tried this technique about 30 times last night, and got down to ~15s shot to shot. It changes one's perspective on what lenses to carry and gives access to the power of interchangeable lens systems.
    D7100, D60, 35mm f/1.8 DX, 50mm f/1.4, 18-105mm DX, 18-55mm VR II, Sony RX-100 ii
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