Changing Lenses

[Lizzie]

Originally Posted by Lizzie
Hey everyone,
Name's Lizzie from Sydney Australia and I am so new to this SLR camera business that it's not funny. Have a Canon 1000D complete with 2 kit lenses (75-300mm and 18-55mm) and figured what I saved on the camera I'd spend on extra lenses so recently bought the fixed 50mm F/1.8 with intentions of taking really good indoor shots and super duper portraits with that nice blurred background. Trouble is, I find I am constantly changing lenses ! Perfect example : on holiday recently I put the zoom lens on and took some pretty good shots of distant mountains / marinas /beaches etc but couldn't get a decent shot of something a lot closer with the zoom so off it came, pack it away, bring out the 18-55mm, take the shots, oops no, I need the F/1.8 etc. etc. etc. Am I using too many lenses and not fiddling with apertures and shutter speeds enough?
I think I need some help! Please! Anyone?

[Donald]

Lizzie

Hello. I'm glad you took up Rob's suggestion and posted this here to prompt discussion. And this is a site where you'll find plenty of that (discussion going on). Hope you enjoy your time here - and keep asking lots of questions.

As for this one (question) - The obvious answer that many will suggest is that you invest in spare bodies, so that you have lenses already on board 2 or 3 bodies and just whip out whatever rig you need at the time. Another answer is that you buy a zoom with the widest possible range.

However, for me the answer will come with your development and learning as a photographer; i.e. you moving more and more towards deciding at the beginning of a day, what it is that you're going to achieve on that day. 'What am I going out to shoot?' 'Which lens(es) am I going to need to get the image I want?'

This will never remove those days when you're in a situation and you are wanting/needing to shoot with all the lenses that are in the bag. When that happens, it might be possible to plan your activity so that you get all the wide angles you want, then change to get all the mid-range stuff and then finally put on the telephoto to do that lot. This is somethimes easier said than achieved. We've all had the days when lenses are on and off like crazy.

Remember - post images and keep asking questions.

[Klickit]

Lizzie, one thing you might consider and that would be to go out shooting with just your camera and one lens. Leave the other home alone and that way you will be able to concentrate on getting to grips with the more technical aspects of photography such as speed/aperture/ISO etc etc. Even just going out into your backyard if you have one, or down the street a little and looking there for subjects will get you thinking about how to compose a particular shot with what settings etc. Experimentation is a great teacher and the digital camera allows you to try things to your hearts content with no costs involved.

[Donald]

Lizzie, one thing you might consider and that would be to go out shooting with just your camera and one lens

And I agree that that is the best bit of advice you could get.

I've told the story on here a couple of times (sorry to those who heard it before) of the former champion golfer Lee Trevino saying that one his keys to success was to master every golf club in his bag. So, he would go out with one and learn everything he could, or couldn't do, with it ... and then do the same with another club. So, whenever he faced a particular situation on the golf course, he knew exactly which club to pull out of his bag to deal with it.

[Dave Humphries]

And I agree that that is the best bit of advice you could get.

I've told the story on here a couple of times (sorry to those who heard it before) of the former champion golfer Lee Trevino saying that one his keys to success was to master every golf club in his bag. So, he would go out with one and learn everything he could, or couldn't do, with it ... and then do the same with another club. So, whenever he faced a particular situation on the golf course, he knew exactly which club to pull out of his bag to deal with it.

Good story and worth the repeat.

It also (in golf and photography) makes one less likely to get riled/put off your stride by sudden equipment failure, because you've already practised putting with a driver, or portraits at 75mm, it is much less of an issue when the unexpected happens one day.

I did put a fixed 90mm lens (totally manual) for a couple of weekends when walkabout to see just what could and couldn't be done - the result, I learnt I lost too many shots to bad focus or exposure, so I bought a 105mm prime that does AF and meters I might take it out later

PS - Lizzie, I think it is a good sign that you know when to change focal length and isn't that why many of us have gone DSLR for the versatility?

Cheers, and welcome to the CiC forums from ...

[Lizzie]

Thanks guys, you've all been most helpful. And you too Mr Trevino. Not only a great golfer buy a very wise and smart man too. The advice about the extra bodies make a lot of sense, really it does. But I just can't imagine myself out and about or on holidays with 3 cameras slung around my neck at the same time or a bag so big I'll have trouble lugging it around. So I'm going to take it one lens at a time, out the back, across to the park, down to the river, and practice, practice, practice. Thanks again everyone and keep a look out for me - I've got a heap more questions !

[Shadowman]

One more comment to add to this string, which would lean towards carrying two cameras is: the more times you change lenses during an outing the more chances of getting dirt or water on the sensor. Consider carrying swab cleaner on your outings.

[carregwen]

If you do change lenses follow a few simple safeguards.

1. Always hold the camera facing down to avoid dirt getting in.
2. Don't change lenses in high wind, if outdoors.
3. Don't change lenses if it's very buggy.
4. Do it quickly.
5. If you are outdoors, try to find somewhere sheltered.
6. And finally, never, ever change a lens and put the removed lens down on a nice convenient wall. Always put it straight in you camera bag. I nearly lost an £800 lens that way. I just got back in time.

[Steaphany]

Lizzie,

What may be throwing off your choice of lens is the kit lenses you describe have no focal length overlap and the fact that the Canon 1000D has an imager smaller than a 35mm film frame.

To achieve a Normal field of view, you'll be needing 31mm, not 50mm. ( A 50mm on your 1000D would equate to a 80mm telephoto on a 35mm format film/imager )

Your 18-55mm is a nice wide to telephoto zoom with the 31mm right about center. I suspect that you get a significant jump when to step to the 75-300mm lens, and you do not have anything that yet covers the intervening 55-75mm.

[Colin Southern]

One more comment to add to this string, which would lean towards carrying two cameras is: the more times you change lenses during an outing the more chances of getting dirt or water on the sensor. Consider carrying swab cleaner on your outings.

Keep in mind though that the sensor is "protected" by closed shutter curtains when you're changing lenses - so you'd have to try pretty hard to get water on the sensor The other reality is that dust gets in no matter what you do - I find it easiest if people just accept that "resistance is futile" and just get more comfortable and proficient at cleaning it away (which isn't particularly difficult).

[neverhood311]

The other reality is that dust gets in no matter what you do - I find it easiest if people just accept that "resistance is futile" and just get more comfortable and proficient at cleaning it away (which isn't particularly difficult).

I don't know if I'm taking this thread too far off track, but I watched a video on Youtube the other day that was SOOOO helpful and informative about cleaning the sensor on a DSLR. It was made by a guy who does that for a living at a lens/camera rental place. What I learned from the video potentially saved me from ruining my sensor. Go watch it!

Here's the URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRW9AmDPqr0

[Colin Southern]

What I learned from the video potentially saved me from ruining my sensor.

In all honesty, to ruin a sensor you'd have to try pretty hard. The Sensor itself is covered by a glass anti-aliasing / infra-red blocking filter and whereas it's possible to smudge it and make things worse, it's actually pretty hard to damage it if you're being careful.

[Donald]

But I just can't imagine myself out and about or on holidays with 3 cameras slung around my neck at the same time ...

Here you go Lizzie. Perfect accessory to beach wear!

[carregwen]

Here you go Lizzie. Perfect accessory to beach wear!

I think that might double as a seat harness for her bus as well.

[Klickit]

If you do change lenses follow a few simple safeguards.

1. Always hold the camera facing down to avoid dirt getting in.
2. Don't change lenses in high wind, if outdoors.
3. Don't change lenses if it's very buggy.
4. Do it quickly.
5. If you are outdoors, try to find somewhere sheltered.
6. And finally, never, ever change a lens and put the removed lens down on a nice convenient wall. Always put it straight in you camera bag. I nearly lost an £800 lens that way. I just got back in time.

And Alpha to all these, make sure the camera is turned OFF before changing a lens.

[Bill44]

The advice about the extra bodies make a lot of sense, really it does. But I just can't imagine myself out and about or on holidays with 3 cameras slung around my neck at the same time or a bag so big I'll have trouble lugging it around.

Back in the film days when zoom lenses were junk and film was more or less fixed ISO, and I was a working tog, it was not unusual to be walking round with 2 or 3 rigs around my neck, as well as a well stuffed photo vest.

[carregwen]

Back in the film days when zoom lenses were junk and film was more or less fixed ISO, and I was a working tog, it was not unusual to be walking round with 2 or 3 rigs around my neck, as well as a well stuffed photo vest.

A bit like Dennis Hopper as the photo-journalist in Apocalypse Now, in fact? Such a shame he died the other day http://bocktherobber.com/wordpress/w...alypse-now.jpg

[Colin Southern]

And Alpha to all these, make sure the camera is turned OFF before changing a lens.

To be honest Kit, it really doesn't make a lot of difference. There's a popular misconception floating around that the sensor attracts more dust if the power is on to to an electrostatic charge, but the sensor isn't exposed during a lens change because the shutter is closed.

[Klickit]

Oh, OK. I have been living under a mushroom of mis-information, then.

[arith]

If you do change lenses follow a few simple safeguards.

1. Always hold the camera facing down to avoid dirt getting in.
2. Don't change lenses in high wind, if outdoors.
3. Don't change lenses if it's very buggy.
4. Do it quickly.
5. If you are outdoors, try to find somewhere sheltered.
6. And finally, never, ever change a lens and put the removed lens down on a nice convenient wall. Always put it straight in you camera bag. I nearly lost an £800 lens that way. I just got back in time.

I'm always finding the odd lost coin, never found an L type yet though. Do not change lenses in high grass or where pollen might be flying around, or where there is lots of flies, or where it is windy; well that's just about everywhere outside.

This is all good advice from Rob but I would add I've got into the habit of checking the area before I leave, and if you have a car, I haven't, you could use it.