Change lenses whilst still on?

**BruceBanner** · 09-03-2017, 10:35 PM

Ok, i'm throwing this rather silly and dumb question here under K-1 Specific because that's the camera in question that I am asking about. Is there any harm in swapping a similar focal length lens whilst the camera is still 'on'. My main reason for asking is regarding swapping a AF FA 50mm 1.4 lens for an old MF Pentax-A 50mm 1.7 lens, for reasons of quickly accessing a CIF feature that only works (for me) with this older lens.
If i have a User mode set up for a specific type of shoot (such as Portrait/Kids) and now the kid is moving more than my AF can handle on the FA50mm, I thought a quick lens swap to something similar but allow me to shoot this particular scenario might be advantageous. I could power down and back up again, but even something like 'Outdoor Brightness' on the LCD would default etc making chimping hard and I'd have to rebind that etc.

So yeh, can you damage or harm the K-1 from a quick lens swap? If the focal length is the same then the Image Stabilization is already calibrated correctly, right?

Cheers,

Bruce

pschlute · 09-03-2017, 11:15 PM - **1 Like**

I would not change lenses with the camera still on. Taking a lens off and putting one on while the contacts are charged may not cause a problem but why risk it? I have also heard you are more likely to get dust on the sensor as it will be charged while you swap lenses, even though it is not directly exposed.

But I imagine you will still have to enter a FL as the camera will not recognise the lens, perhaps you can try this and confirm ?

As far as outside view settings are concerned you just need to set this up in memory options so it wont change when you turn the camera off/on.

**BruceBanner** · 09-04-2017, 12:23 AM

Originally posted by pschlute

I would not change lenses with the camera still on. Taking a lens off and putting one on while the contacts are charged may not cause a problem but why risk it? I have also heard you are more likely to get dust on the sensor as it will be charged while you swap lenses, even though it is not directly exposed.

But I imagine you will still have to enter a FL as the camera will not recognise the lens, perhaps you can try this and confirm ?

As far as outside view settings are concerned you just need to set this up in memory options so it wont change when you turn the camera off/on.

Rightio, guess that makes sense. I think I've done this absent minded in the past (more than once) and it doesn't prompt for an input of focal length, and if it does I think you can skip (and change it at a later time in menu etc). From what I read the input of focal length is just for Image Stabilization, so my thinking was if swapping a 50mm for a 50mm and it doesn't prompt then you're already at the correct IS amount anyway.
I recall (now that you mentioned) 'memory options' that I can select/deselect screen brightness. I tend to like it at default (mid way) but living in Australia and shooting outdoors I tend to like to move one up on occasion. I guess it makes sense to leave the default as is and just deselect it from the memory so that when you switch it on it just uses the last setting used, in this instance that would work best.

I just kinda wondered if real bad damage could occur from lens swapping whilst on, like I said tho I'm sure I've done it before a few times by mistake. I'm just wondering if it was a 'safe' feature to use, you know.... if pros do it all the time with AF lenses and saves them that extra setup time etc.

**rod_grant** · 09-04-2017, 12:25 AM - **1 Like**

I swapped lenses without turning off my k-5 without any damage.
But I think it is a dumb thing to do given the contacts are still going to be live.
I won't be doing it again (unless I forget to switch the camera off again

)

Bruce, I just wouldn't risk it!

joergens.mi · 09-04-2017, 01:02 AM - **1 Like**

I'm changing all my lenses with camera on. this works fine upt to now with a K-20 K-5 K-3 and K-1

**BruceBanner** · 09-04-2017, 01:07 AM

Originally posted by rod_grant

I swapped lenses without turning off my k-5 without any damage.
But I think it is a dumb thing to do given the contacts are still going to be live.
I won't be doing it again (unless I forget to switch the camera off again

)

Bruce, I just wouldn't risk it!

Originally posted by joergens.mi

I'm changing all my lenses with camera on. this works fine upt to now with a K-20 K-5 K-3 and K-1

So that's interesting, two opposing opinions. Sounds to me like Joergens has been doing this for a long time now with no ill effect. I might ask Rob at Pentax Australia directly what his thoughts are on this (the repair guy).

**microlight** · 09-04-2017, 01:41 AM

I've always turned Pentax DSLRs off while changing lenses - why risk it?

**gaweidert** · 09-04-2017, 04:39 AM

I don't make a practice of it, but it should be okay. What does happen is that if you have a 50mm lens on your camera and switch to a 300mm lens, the camera does not recognize the change and still thinks a 50mm lens is attached. This affects shake reduction and any lens corrections you may have entered for that lens. The only time the camera queries the lens is on startup.

**Skodadriver** · 09-04-2017, 04:58 AM - **1 Like**

I like to turn off my camera AND switch to MF to withdraw the screw drive when changing lenses....except when I am forgetful. I'm the sort of person that might wear belt and braces whilst forgetting to zip up my fly, take my keys, put my glasses on and what day it is.

pschlute · 09-04-2017, 05:39 AM - **1 Like**

When you change lenses with the camera on everything is "charged". The sensor; the SR mechanism; the AF sensor; and the metering sensor. As you remove and replace a lens you are creating airflow which may allow dust to be attracted to any of these more frequently than if the camera were off. I reckon it is probably very marginal.

Equally there appears to be zero threads about folks damaging their cameras by switching lenses with the camera live.

I would be more concerned about the first issue than the second, but to me it makes sense to switch the thing off.

**BruceBanner** · 09-04-2017, 06:14 AM

Originally posted by microlight

I've always turned Pentax DSLRs off while changing lenses - why risk it?

Well the nature of the post/question is "is it risky at all?". If its completely safe to do then there is no risk. Right now we're trying to determine if there is a risk or potential unwanted damage occurring.

There seems to be a feeling of 'oops... i shouldn't have done that' if you did it by mistake, but then we are in the year 2017, its a pretty bad camera if a simple accidental lens swap whilst switch on breaks something badly. My logic thought process says that if that was the case they'd build in some kind of feature that turns the camera off quick sharp as soon as it detects a lens is being taken out whilst switched on. The fact that this doesn't take place actually leads me to believe its completely fine to do, it's just we've all been 'brainwashed' with old tech ways into thinking such things are catastrophic!

Unregistered User · 09-04-2017, 06:15 AM - **1 Like**

I change lenses all the time with the camera on. I would not think twice about it.

MJKoski · 09-04-2017, 06:21 AM

With Sony mirrorless this is nice way to crash the camera requiring hard reset by removing battery. But yea, that is Sony way. The most likely issue is sensor gathering dust as it is being charged, especially with live view on or something like that.

dave2k · 09-04-2017, 06:22 AM - **1 Like**

I used to change the lens with the camera on but when I had a professional sensor cleaning and there was quite a bit of dust on the sensor the tech asked if I swapped lenses with the camera on. When I replied that I did he said that there are electrical charges in the camera that can attract debris much like static electricity. I have since only changed lenses with the camera off (except if I make a mistake) and I do not seem to have as much of a problem with dust on the sensor. Just anecdotal but I was convinced. I may have actually read this as well, but I don't have a reference.

**BruceBanner** · 09-04-2017, 06:22 AM

Originally posted by pschlute

When you change lenses with the camera on everything is "charged". The sensor; the SR mechanism; the AF sensor; and the metering sensor. As you remove and replace a lens you are creating airflow which may allow dust to be attracted to any of these more frequently than if the camera were off. I reckon it is probably very marginal.

Equally there appears to be zero threads about folks damaging their cameras by switching lenses with the camera live.

I would be more concerned about the first issue than the second, but to me it makes sense to switch the thing off.

I think your point is valid, I guess you have to weigh up the positives vs negatives. If it's only being done occasionally (and kinda like the example I have given, i.e swapping AF same focal length for MF same focal length, for CIF purposes), then avoiding that power down might be worth the risk of dust inside to gain that slight continuity.

I really just wondered if it was a 'thing' that pros do, I'm kinda stunned at some stuff I have seen, like quick lens swapping vids and pros not bothering with putting rear lens caps back on the discarded lens, it just gets plopped back in the bag lol. I guess though if the bag is safe and they are still and can finish the shoot before 'rescuing' the capless lens then they feel its a justifiable risk. The same video got me thinking about whether then even power down and up for the swaps. I realised that the initial power on with the lens attached feeds the camera body the information it needs regarding IS, but that's a Pentax thing only, Canon and Nikons have their IS in the lens itself isn't that right? Perhaps Nikon and Canon folk can swap whilst on and the camera still gets the IS info correct even when changing focal lengths?

---------- Post added 09-04-17 at 11:29 PM ----------

Originally posted by dave2k

I used to change the lens with the camera on but when I had a professional sensor cleaning and there was quite a bit of dust on the sensor the tech asked if I swapped lenses with the camera on. When I replied that I did he said that there are electrical charges in the camera that can attract debris much like static electricity. I have since only changed lenses with the camera off (except if I make a mistake) and I do not seem to have as much of a problem with dust on the sensor. Just anecdotal but I was convinced. I may have actually read this as well, but I don't have a reference.

That's actually good to know, then it might not be marginal but actually a stronger likely hood than say 2-5% etc. Or if you do it all the time those 2-5% chances of dust getting in actually accumulates over time to being an issue. However... if you regularly service the camera anyway...

09-03-2017, 10:35 PM	#1
BruceBanner Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 5,404	Change lenses whilst still on? Ok, i'm throwing this rather silly and dumb question here under K-1 Specific because that's the camera in question that I am asking about. Is there any harm in swapping a similar focal length lens whilst the camera is still 'on'. My main reason for asking is regarding swapping a AF FA 50mm 1.4 lens for an old MF Pentax-A 50mm 1.7 lens, for reasons of quickly accessing a CIF feature that only works (for me) with this older lens. If i have a User mode set up for a specific type of shoot (such as Portrait/Kids) and now the kid is moving more than my AF can handle on the FA50mm, I thought a quick lens swap to something similar but allow me to shoot this particular scenario might be advantageous. I could power down and back up again, but even something like 'Outdoor Brightness' on the LCD would default etc making chimping hard and I'd have to rebind that etc. So yeh, can you damage or harm the K-1 from a quick lens swap? If the focal length is the same then the Image Stabilization is already calibrated correctly, right? Cheers, Bruce

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09-03-2017, 11:15 PM - 1 Like	#2
pschlute Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,202	I would not change lenses with the camera still on. Taking a lens off and putting one on while the contacts are charged may not cause a problem but why risk it? I have also heard you are more likely to get dust on the sensor as it will be charged while you swap lenses, even though it is not directly exposed. But I imagine you will still have to enter a FL as the camera will not recognise the lens, perhaps you can try this and confirm ? As far as outside view settings are concerned you just need to set this up in memory options so it wont change when you turn the camera off/on.

09-04-2017, 12:23 AM	#3
BruceBanner Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 5,404 Original Poster	Originally posted by pschlute I would not change lenses with the camera still on. Taking a lens off and putting one on while the contacts are charged may not cause a problem but why risk it? I have also heard you are more likely to get dust on the sensor as it will be charged while you swap lenses, even though it is not directly exposed. But I imagine you will still have to enter a FL as the camera will not recognise the lens, perhaps you can try this and confirm ? As far as outside view settings are concerned you just need to set this up in memory options so it wont change when you turn the camera off/on. Rightio, guess that makes sense. I think I've done this absent minded in the past (more than once) and it doesn't prompt for an input of focal length, and if it does I think you can skip (and change it at a later time in menu etc). From what I read the input of focal length is just for Image Stabilization, so my thinking was if swapping a 50mm for a 50mm and it doesn't prompt then you're already at the correct IS amount anyway. I recall (now that you mentioned) 'memory options' that I can select/deselect screen brightness. I tend to like it at default (mid way) but living in Australia and shooting outdoors I tend to like to move one up on occasion. I guess it makes sense to leave the default as is and just deselect it from the memory so that when you switch it on it just uses the last setting used, in this instance that would work best. I just kinda wondered if real bad damage could occur from lens swapping whilst on, like I said tho I'm sure I've done it before a few times by mistake. I'm just wondering if it was a 'safe' feature to use, you know.... if pros do it all the time with AF lenses and saves them that extra setup time etc.

09-04-2017, 12:25 AM - 1 Like	#4
rod_grant Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Wangaratta, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,951	I swapped lenses without turning off my k-5 without any damage. But I think it is a dumb thing to do given the contacts are still going to be live. I won't be doing it again (unless I forget to switch the camera off again ) Bruce, I just wouldn't risk it!

09-04-2017, 01:02 AM - 1 Like	#5
joergens.mi Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 408	I'm changing all my lenses with camera on. this works fine upt to now with a K-20 K-5 K-3 and K-1

09-04-2017, 01:07 AM	#6
BruceBanner Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 5,404 Original Poster	Originally posted by rod_grant I swapped lenses without turning off my k-5 without any damage. But I think it is a dumb thing to do given the contacts are still going to be live. I won't be doing it again (unless I forget to switch the camera off again ) Bruce, I just wouldn't risk it! Originally posted by joergens.mi I'm changing all my lenses with camera on. this works fine upt to now with a K-20 K-5 K-3 and K-1 So that's interesting, two opposing opinions. Sounds to me like Joergens has been doing this for a long time now with no ill effect. I might ask Rob at Pentax Australia directly what his thoughts are on this (the repair guy).

09-04-2017, 01:41 AM	#7
microlight Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 2,129	I've always turned Pentax DSLRs off while changing lenses - why risk it?

09-04-2017, 04:39 AM	#8
gaweidert Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Rochester, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,325	I don't make a practice of it, but it should be okay. What does happen is that if you have a 50mm lens on your camera and switch to a 300mm lens, the camera does not recognize the change and still thinks a 50mm lens is attached. This affects shake reduction and any lens corrections you may have entered for that lens. The only time the camera queries the lens is on startup.

09-04-2017, 04:58 AM - 1 Like	#9
Skodadriver Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Hampshire Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 892	I like to turn off my camera AND switch to MF to withdraw the screw drive when changing lenses....except when I am forgetful. I'm the sort of person that might wear belt and braces whilst forgetting to zip up my fly, take my keys, put my glasses on and what day it is.

09-04-2017, 05:39 AM - 1 Like	#10
pschlute Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,202	When you change lenses with the camera on everything is "charged". The sensor; the SR mechanism; the AF sensor; and the metering sensor. As you remove and replace a lens you are creating airflow which may allow dust to be attracted to any of these more frequently than if the camera were off. I reckon it is probably very marginal. Equally there appears to be zero threads about folks damaging their cameras by switching lenses with the camera live. I would be more concerned about the first issue than the second, but to me it makes sense to switch the thing off.

09-04-2017, 06:14 AM	#11
BruceBanner Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 5,404 Original Poster	Originally posted by microlight I've always turned Pentax DSLRs off while changing lenses - why risk it? Well the nature of the post/question is "is it risky at all?". If its completely safe to do then there is no risk. Right now we're trying to determine if there is a risk or potential unwanted damage occurring. There seems to be a feeling of 'oops... i shouldn't have done that' if you did it by mistake, but then we are in the year 2017, its a pretty bad camera if a simple accidental lens swap whilst switch on breaks something badly. My logic thought process says that if that was the case they'd build in some kind of feature that turns the camera off quick sharp as soon as it detects a lens is being taken out whilst switched on. The fact that this doesn't take place actually leads me to believe its completely fine to do, it's just we've all been 'brainwashed' with old tech ways into thinking such things are catastrophic!

09-04-2017, 06:15 AM - 1 Like	#12
Unregistered User Guest	I change lenses all the time with the camera on. I would not think twice about it.

09-04-2017, 06:21 AM	#13
MJKoski Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 1,784	With Sony mirrorless this is nice way to crash the camera requiring hard reset by removing battery. But yea, that is Sony way. The most likely issue is sensor gathering dust as it is being charged, especially with live view on or something like that.

09-04-2017, 06:22 AM - 1 Like	#14
dave2k Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Michigan Photos: Gallery Posts: 419	I used to change the lens with the camera on but when I had a professional sensor cleaning and there was quite a bit of dust on the sensor the tech asked if I swapped lenses with the camera on. When I replied that I did he said that there are electrical charges in the camera that can attract debris much like static electricity. I have since only changed lenses with the camera off (except if I make a mistake) and I do not seem to have as much of a problem with dust on the sensor. Just anecdotal but I was convinced. I may have actually read this as well, but I don't have a reference.

09-04-2017, 06:22 AM	#15
BruceBanner Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 5,404 Original Poster	Originally posted by pschlute When you change lenses with the camera on everything is "charged". The sensor; the SR mechanism; the AF sensor; and the metering sensor. As you remove and replace a lens you are creating airflow which may allow dust to be attracted to any of these more frequently than if the camera were off. I reckon it is probably very marginal. Equally there appears to be zero threads about folks damaging their cameras by switching lenses with the camera live. I would be more concerned about the first issue than the second, but to me it makes sense to switch the thing off. I think your point is valid, I guess you have to weigh up the positives vs negatives. If it's only being done occasionally (and kinda like the example I have given, i.e swapping AF same focal length for MF same focal length, for CIF purposes), then avoiding that power down might be worth the risk of dust inside to gain that slight continuity. I really just wondered if it was a 'thing' that pros do, I'm kinda stunned at some stuff I have seen, like quick lens swapping vids and pros not bothering with putting rear lens caps back on the discarded lens, it just gets plopped back in the bag lol. I guess though if the bag is safe and they are still and can finish the shoot before 'rescuing' the capless lens then they feel its a justifiable risk. The same video got me thinking about whether then even power down and up for the swaps. I realised that the initial power on with the lens attached feeds the camera body the information it needs regarding IS, but that's a Pentax thing only, Canon and Nikons have their IS in the lens itself isn't that right? Perhaps Nikon and Canon folk can swap whilst on and the camera still gets the IS info correct even when changing focal lengths? ---------- Post added 09-04-17 at 11:29 PM ---------- Originally posted by dave2k I used to change the lens with the camera on but when I had a professional sensor cleaning and there was quite a bit of dust on the sensor the tech asked if I swapped lenses with the camera on. When I replied that I did he said that there are electrical charges in the camera that can attract debris much like static electricity. I have since only changed lenses with the camera off (except if I make a mistake) and I do not seem to have as much of a problem with dust on the sensor. Just anecdotal but I was convinced. I may have actually read this as well, but I don't have a reference. That's actually good to know, then it might not be marginal but actually a stronger likely hood than say 2-5% etc. Or if you do it all the time those 2-5% chances of dust getting in actually accumulates over time to being an issue. However... if you regularly service the camera anyway...