Hot swapping lenses?

[Finn Yarbrough]

Originally Posted by Nicholas de Kock

Having discussed this now & working in the field over the weekend was interesting. My conclusion is that it's not practical to power down the camera to swap lenses at all. I use a ThinkTank Modular Belt system so at any given time I go between three lenses there is no practical solution to power down the camera in a fast paced event environment.

They make special lenses for fast-paced event environments: they're called "zooms."
; )
Seriously, though, why are you asking us if you're just going to do it anyway? The IR filter will keep your sensor itself from getting dust on it, sure, but the static will still pull more dust, which is just as dangerous for your IQ if you don't catch it, even if it doesn't ruin your sensor.

Ironically, you are even more likely to get dust in there and not catch your mistake in a fast-paced environment than you would be if you had the time to power-down.

You will do what you have to, but I have ruined a shot more than once by unscrupulously swapping lenses. And one time I even ruined a camera that way. So now I almost always power down or use a zoom.

[Andy Wilkinson]

I always power down on my C100 when swapping lenses.

I note the discussion on dust but I thought I read a long while back in the early days of the C300 that the main issue was fleeting contact/shorting of powered contacts with other contacts in the lens mount area (as the lens is twisted off/on) that was a conern - hence blown fuses on C300s?

[Danny O'Neill]

It seems a few people using a c300 have blown a fuse but I've seem no evidence from c100 users. It's also curious how the 300 has a lens swap button but the camera aimed at fast paced event filmers has none. Maybe because it doesn't need one?

Anyway, I submitted a feature request for a lens change button. Unless they just assume we are all going to use a 70-105 all day ;)

[Nicholas de Kock]

Originally Posted by Finn Yarbrough

They make special lenses for fast-paced event environments: they're called "zooms." ; )

Seriously, though, why are you asking us if you're just going to do it anyway? The IR filter will keep your sensor itself from getting dust on it, sure, but the static will still pull more dust, which is just as dangerous for your IQ if you don't catch it, even if it doesn't ruin your sensor.

Finn please show me a zoom that does 11-300mm F2.8 :) Have you actually looked at the sensor on the C100? I live in South Africa which is a fairly dusty environment & I'm not getting dust sucked into the mount I obviously try to minimize changing lenses in a dusty environment but I'm not paranoid about it.

I ask because hot swapping lenses is something I do often and a friend has expressed concern so I need to investigate if there is a justifiable reason not to do it. I stand to be corrected by time but I don't see any danger from hot swapping lenses on the C100. After this weekend I also realised that it's impossible to power down in a fast paced environment at the rate I go through lenses so I'll have to take my chances. Having two C100 cameras filming for several months with no issues I conclude it's safe to hot swap. I'd be interested to hear from other C100 owners that might have run into problems.

[Finn Yarbrough]

Originally Posted by Nicholas de Kock

Finn please show me a zoom that does 11-300mm F2.8 :)

Ha ha! If I showed you that, I'd have to kill you.
I don't have any other reasons not to hot-swap, you've stumped me. You obviously have the dust issue under control.