How to change lenses - safely (?)

Richard G

Richard G

Veteran
Local time
1:33 AM
Joined
Feb 28, 2009
Messages
6,991
I have long been worried about dropping a lens when changing them standing in the street. Having dropped my newest lens on Saturday standing in the wardrobe it is time to get some advice. What exactly should one do? I am usually only changing lenses if I have a bag over one shoulder, although when out with two cameras and a 35 and a 50 I might want one on the other. I will then take one lens off and hold it in the palm, hooked with the little finger around it, freeing the other fingers to rotate the other lens off to put it on the other camera. It would only take a slight bump of my elbow by a passerby and 1-2 lenses are on the pavement. If I have the bag I invariably have front and rear caps on any spare lens, and little extra room for another lens just removed from a camera, and balancing it near the top of the bag seems just as reckless as what I already described. So, should I lose the caps, get a bigger bag or an even bigger bag and have one camera per lens? Someone must have worked this out. Please tell me in detail what you do.
 
Keep a rear lens cap in your pocket. To swap:

Remove lens 1 from body 1, cap lens 1, put lens 1 in pocket. Remove lens 2 from body 2, mount lens 2 on body 1. Remove lens 1 from pocket, uncap lens 1, mount lens 1 on body 2.

(Except I don't usually bother with the lens cap)
 
Odd thread. You might also crash your car into a bus, destroying you and all your camera gear. Seriously, I've been juggling lenses for years and have only dropped one a couple of times. It happens. Coming up with elaborate ways to make it absolutely safe to change lenses will make you miss photos. Or do like we did in the days before zooms on SLR's, carry a body for each lens and then you don't have to worry about it.
 
Tennesse, see my post on dropped lens. Dropped a 50 1.5 Sonnar and got away with it. It's a walk in wardrobe where I keep the camera gear. Honestly.
 
Camera on strap around neck.

Remove second lens from pocket or bag, remove back cap. Put back cap in back pocket or bag. Hold lens in right hand.

Unbayonet lens on camera using left hand. Bayonet on lens in right hand. Put back cap on lens removed from camera.

The only time I've ever dropped a Leica lens while changing lenses, the camera was on a tripod and I was drunk in Prague. Six feet onto cobbles. Bent the lens-hood a treat but no other damage and I'm still using the lens, maybe 15 years on.

Cheers,

R.
 
Last edited:
My case is different since I only have a camera body and a 35/1.4 and 50/2 and rarely carry those two together. But what I usually do if I carry them both:

1. Don't change lens that often. :)
2. If changing is needed, then find a safe spot. Don't change lens in the middle of the sidewalk with people moving around or middle of the street where there is traffic.
3. Change lens while in a kneeling/sitting position and preferably with my open bag in front of me (Domke F803).
 
Glue two rear caps together end to end, put those on your lenses. To change lenses, take the old lens of the camera, put it on the free end of the double rear cap, take the new lens off the cap, put the new lens on the camera.

In the middle of the process it always looks a bit like Soyuz-Apollo, but it's safe. :)
 
ruby.monkey said:
There's always one of these. No need to resort to sobriety.
Click to expand...

Have you ever tried one? I had the Leica version (OROLF, as you say -- I had forgotten the Leitz-catalogue Chinese for it). In fact it's on the cover of my A History of the 35mmm Still Camera, Focal Press, 1984. The first twist of the centre knob twists all three lenses (35-50-90) anticlockwise, in order to un-bayonet them. The second twist jumps the face-plate forwards. Then you can twist the turret (still with the knob, I think), before turning the knob the other way to pull the lenses back in and then lock them. And, of course, you can only use screw-mount lenses. It was hellish heavy and hopelessly unstable. In other words, it had 'collector' written all over it...

You're dead right about 3 bodies.

Cheers,

R.
 
Last edited:
ruby.monkey said:
There's always one of these. No need to resort to sobriety.
Click to expand...


YIPE ! It's a monster from another planet !!!!! :eek:

:cool:




Richard, I dislike changing lenses "on the fly" for fear of dropping stuff. My user is an LTM Leica III, which makes lens changing even more challenging; bayonet lenses are easier (?) to change.

If you have to do it, try and find a quiet place where you're not going to get jostled by passers-by, and out of the strong light, so you're less likely to fog your film, and take your time.

I suggest you try a couple methods, as suggested above, find one that seems comfortable for you, and practice that process ( like perfecting a golf swing ), until it becomes scond nature.

If I'm on an outing where lens changing is likely, I 'll have my shoulder bag with my 35 / 50 /90 /135 lenses, hoods, light meter, film.
When it's time for a lens swap, I extract the new lens from my bag, remove the bubble / lens wrap, and remove the rear cap, and put the new lens in my right pocket. I remove the lens from the camera, immediately put on the rear cap from the new lens, and a front cap, and put the "old lens" into my left pocket. New lens comes out of the right pocket, and goes on the camera. Old lens stays in left pocket or goes into shoulder bag.

I've also thought about getting a photog / fishing vest...

I leave my multi-finder on top of the camera all the time, as my prime lens is a 35mm. If I'm switching, it's usually between 35mm & 90 mm.

I'd be sick if I dropped a lens.

Good luck !

Luddite Frank
 
Last edited:
rxmd said:
Glue two rear caps together end to end, put those on your lenses. To change lenses, take the old lens of the camera, put it on the free end of the double rear cap, take the new lens off the cap, put the new lens on the camera.
Click to expand...

The only advantage of my system is that the body is open for less time than with this system. Well, that and you don't have the additional bulk of double lens caps. I'm happier with mine for digital, but for film I'm not so fussed.

Cheers,

R.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom