Keeping caps off lens?

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dancook

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Does anyone just leave their lenses bare in their bag for quick change?

I've just removed the caps from mine, and whilst it feels a little risky - I think that's paranoia.
 
old bloke said:
Always keep mine capped, I don't think it's paranoia, when I see the amount of muck that seems to find it's way into my camera bags.
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+1
 
I must have paranoia then I would never leave any lens at risk of possible damage to the elements.
On my 500 f4 VR, which has its own dedicated backpack, I fit a silicone insert on the front element followed by the faux leather hood before it is stowed. :)
 
dancook said:
I think that's paranoia.
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Yes it is! and I SHARE IT!

Rear caps are a MUST at all / any time… I always
have one in my hand before I detach any lens.

Front caps are generally less a must except for the
monster 14~24 ƒ2-8. No lens goes in the bag without
its caps
 
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gramps said:
silicone is very durable
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Yep, and these are the two features I like best…
  1. the sizes are perfect fits and will not drop off
  2. the fit is so tight that it traps the air inside and
    creates a protective air bubble, cushion for the
    front element
 
Maybe something I will get for my new lens :cool:
 
Back caps, always go on, front ... meh ... no rush, especially is the lens has a hood
 
I'd be worried - especially if one day you notice your front element has nasty scratches on it. Would be the end of the world for me.
 
Gil Bev said:
I'd be worried - especially if one day you notice your front element has nasty scratches on it. Would be the end of the world for me.
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Depends on lens, but I think for e.g. a long lens like a Canon 200mm f2 costing several thousand, the front element didn't do a lot, and was a couple of hundred to replace - so it might be lens to lens, but might not be as bad as you think
 
dancook said:
Depends on lens, but I think for e.g. a long lens like a Canon 200mm f2 costing several thousand, the front element didn't do a lot, and was a couple of hundred to replace - so it might be lens to lens, but might not be as bad as you think
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For someone who's just dropped around £10k on 3 lenses, I'm surprised you're not more worried!

In the real world, you're not really going to miss any life-changing opportunities at a wedding for the few seconds it takes to remove a lens cap. Then again, you could just one of your other cameras alongside the M10 and not need to change lens at all.
 
use a cap and I use a protection filter. when cleaning lenses I always manage to scratch the coating somehow so prefer a filter
 
stevelmx5 said:
For someone who's just dropped around £10k on 3 lenses, I'm surprised you're not more worried!

In the real world, you're not really going to miss any life-changing opportunities at a wedding for the few seconds it takes to remove a lens cap. Then again, you could just one of your other cameras alongside the M10 and not need to change lens at all.
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It's probably because I was borrowing an M10 at the wedding I shot at the other Saturday, that I took so long to carefully change lenses. The ceremony was so short, everything flew by and I did feel the urgency whilst changing..

Having to juggle two lenses, two front caps and a rear cap around - well I will see how I get on.
 
dancook said:
The calamity..

Keep caps off? by dancook1982, on Flickr
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That's how I have them in the bag when actively shooting... no caps w/ "open end" down (or sideways if there's enough room). When they go into storage (pelican case) I put the caps on. I've done it that way for decades w/o issue.

Surprisingly, palm prints on the front element don't tend to affect images much ;). Don't pull modern lenses out by the plastic hood... a lot of them are not that well secured.
 
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GTG said:
use a cap and I use a protection filter. when cleaning lenses I always manage to scratch the coating somehow so prefer a filter
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It's far easier to scratch a filter than a lens. I have been throwing lenses into the bag without caps for years and have never scratched one. I clean them all nicely once I get home, but out in the field, I see no urgency to over protect lenses. I think it's better to get them in cover away from the elements asap than fiddle about with caps. Front elements are tough, you'd have to actually try to damage one to do so. And unless there's rocks in your bag, they're well safe cap-less in there for a few hours. That's what dividers are for ;)
 
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dancook said:
Can you clarify?

Front element down, without cap?

And rear element cap, on or off?
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Rear element down and no caps at all. Most of my lenses have recessed rear elements and it's easier to get crap in there if pointed up... the couple that don't I don't use a whole lot, but I'll put them in front element down with lens hood installed. Each lens has it's own spot in the bag with an empty spot for the lens that will be swapped out (one open slot even w/ two cameras).
I also don't tend to use shoulder straps, I use hand straps and holsters (Spider) instead.

Edit: If I was working on a beach with blowing sand (or similar) I might rethink the caps... then again, they're tools and they are insured.
 
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sk66 said:
Rear element down and no caps at all. Most of my lenses have recessed rear elements and it's easier to get crap in there if pointed up... the couple that don't I don't use a whole lot, but I'll put them in front element down with lens hood installed. Each lens has it's own spot in the bag with an empty spot for the lens that will be swapped out (one open slot even w/ two cameras).
I also don't tend to use shoulder straps, I use hand straps and holsters (Spider) instead.
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Thanks :)
 
dancook said:
Does anyone just leave their lenses bare in their bag for quick change?

I've just removed the caps from mine, and whilst it feels a little risky - I think that's paranoia.
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When I get a new lens I fix the lens hood on it, which never comes off, and stack the front lens caps on my 'Lens caps' shelf for if & when I sell the lens on

The hood is all the protection it needs at the front, the rear cap does stay on unless in use though

Dave
 
sk66 said:
then again, they're tools and they are insured.
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I'm sure many UK insurers would take issue with not protecting the glass elements in the event of a claim for damage caused in a bag etc ... the issue being failing to take reasonable care.
 
I keep my front caps off and lens go front down in the bag . I've actually marks lenses from rushing putting caps on and off , I have butter fingers
 
gramps said:
I'm sure many UK insurers would take issue with not protecting the glass elements in the event of a claim for damage caused in a bag etc ... the issue being failing to take reasonable care.
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Well, mine doesn't... they even paid to have the sensor in my D4 replaced when I scratched it by carelessly cleaning it myself. And yes, I did admit that to them.
But I've never made a claim for a scratched element, or even had one replaced... I don't think I've ever seriously damaged one, at least not w/o totaling the lens (dropped off the side of a cliff while climbing, drowned in a river, etc).

I've done more damage with "careless cleaning" over the years than anything related to not using lens caps... a dirty lens cloth (or shirt/etc) is the usual culprit.
 
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Have to admit whilst I'm out the front caps stay off that way it saves that extra couple of seconds when switching lenses (rear caps always on). They are also always lens down in the bag.
When being stored all lens caps are fitted.
 
I shot live music in the pub tonight,

7 acts, 3 songs each act - I change position each song roughly, sometime during - but then I often try each lens in each position, save me taking the same shots and moving position too frequently :)

So there was a lot of lens changes for 24/50/90

I just left the caps off and put them in each compartment of my shoulder bag. Put caps back on before I went home.
 
dancook said:
I just left the caps off and put them in each compartment of my shoulder bag. Put caps back on before I went home.
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Be careful you don't become a distraction to the main act. If you are risking your lenses fair enough if you are well paid from photography or other employment. But there is more chance of dropping one before you scratch it (as for dust no comment). At the wedding further up in this thread the answer would have been two bodies if you must change lenses (says me with the one camera at all times).
 
Which camera? In the past, I have wasted an entire roll of film in my rangefinder by leaving the cap on. I now remove the cap at home and it stays off until I return home. SLR cameras, both film and digital, I leave the caps on while the lenses are not on the camera. The lens on the camera does not have its cap on.
 
TLR-330 said:
Be careful you don't become a distraction to the main act. If you are risking your lenses fair enough if you are well paid from photography or other employment. But there is more chance of dropping one before you scratch it (as for dust no comment). At the wedding further up in this thread the answer would have been two bodies if you must change lenses (says me with the one camera at all times).
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I am a courteous person, I do my utmost to be discrete.

It's a hobby, I don't get paid for live music photography. Weddings I'm second shooting, so not a lot of money in that.
 
john.margetts said:
Which camera? In the past, I have wasted an entire roll of film in my rangefinder by leaving the cap on. I now remove the cap at home and it stays off until I return home. SLR cameras, both film and digital, I leave the caps on while the lenses are not on the camera. The lens on the camera does not have its cap on.
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Leica SL currently, but i'll be doing this with the Leica M10 when it arrives - just thought I'd start getting used to manual focusing some more..
 
Why 'lens element down' out of interest? My bag looks pretty much like Dan's with lens caps off and lens pointing up! Even more so when I've one on another body in the bag ready to go.

I'll put the front cap on when I've finished, but I don't bother when I'm swapping lenses out frequently. Rear cap on always. I do use hoods, and will only use a filter if say standing in the ocean to avoid spray.

*Small caveat to that - my X100 gear has a permanent clear filter attached, but never a lens cap or hood, it's a good one and I basically use it as a shoot through lens cap so the camera is always ready.
 
Furtim said:
Why 'lens element down' out of interest? My bag looks pretty much like Dan's with lens caps off and lens pointing up! Even more so when I've one on another body in the bag ready to go.
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The main thing I don't want is a lens element rubbing directly on the bottom of the bag (I don't recall the last time I've cleaned a bag out). The next thing of concern is that I don't want a recessed rear element collecting stuff, that's the end going into the camera (they're more likely to "catch" rather than "pick up"). And lastly, anything that does get on the rear element is much more likely to affect an image than something on the front element, like sweaty palm prints.

Since we're on this topic, how many pay attention to what crap the lens caps are picking up while rolling around in a bag or in your pocket? I mean, if you're that concerned about dust and stuff getting on/in your lenses then it doesn't make sense to put dirty caps on.
 
My caps go in a handy pocket, usually my shirt pocket. I have a quick look at the cap before it goes back on the lens and it gets a blow if there's any cr@p on it. Rear caps get transferred from lens to lens rather than being lobbed willy-nilly into the bag so less chance of collecting any cr@p.
 
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