Turning camera on & off. Do you do it all the times?

[prestons realm]

<p>"I was told you should turn your camera off when changing lenses because having the camera on gives the sensor a static charge that attracts dust. Is this wrong?"<br>

Back when I first starting using Digital SLR's - I was instructed by the Canon Rep to always turn off the camera before changing lenses, also I believe it says it somewhere in one of the manuals for the Camera - just for the same reason. Dust will accumulate, especially in high dust/dirt area's. Beaches, deserts and even forest have lots of particles floating around.</p>

[clark_yerrington]

<p>batteries sure are a PITA. i'm going next month to shoot ice sculptures in fairbanks, AK. if it's the other times i've been there it will be about minus 15 F with a bit of a breeze. and it could be even colder! certain cameras used to have external battery packs, with a cord where you could keep the battery in your pocket. but i had so much trouble in the past with excessive battery drain, this time i'm taking a voigtlander bessa rangefinder [mechanical shutter; only the meter doesn't work if the battery dies] and a rolleiflex [no battery or meter] for use with time exposure tripod shots at night. and a panasonic lumix DMC-LX2 and mamiya 7 [battery dependent] for quick shooting during daylight hours... and extra batteries.</p>

[tallnbig68]

<p>I am very old school. I take a picture, and turn off the camera.<br>

Every time! <br>

Am not in the habit of using a camera for numerous images, take the picture <br>

or series of pictures and when complete turn the camera off.</p>

<p> Suspect it is an old habit, conserve batteries for they can be sometimes difficult to recharge or replaced when somewhere remote. The other things was one brand of Pentax; the light meter was always on, so it was imperative after making the exposure to cover the lens. Otherwise next time the light meter battery would be dead.</p>

[phule]

<p>I usually turn the camera off when swapping cards. Mostly as a safety check on my part to make sure the camera is not still writing to the card for some reason.</p>

<p>Otherwise, it stays on until I put the camera away for the night.</p>

 

[phil_laudenklos]

<p>I was changing lenses one time with the power on and I saw sparks between the lens and camera contacts. I did not think that was a good idea, so I turn off power any time I change lenses, cards or flash. I also put the camera away with the power off.<br>

Phil</p>

[steven_crist]

<p><em>"I was changing lenses one time with the power on and I saw sparks between the lens and camera contacts."</em></p>

<p>That can't be good.</p>

[derrickdehaan]

<p>I leave mine on 90% of the time.</p>

[howard b. schwartz]

<p>i always turn my camera off. is there any harm in doing this so many times?</p>

[Stock-Photos]

<p>I turn off my 5D when putting it back in the camera bag and often between shots.</p>

<p>With my first digicam, a Nikon Coolpix 990, I turned it on and off so many times the on-off switch failed. Fortunately it was still under my extended Mack warranty.</p>

[CharlesBecker-Toronto]

<p>a very interesting question-thanks for posting it Alex. I have always kept it off between shots but I think that I am going to have to reconsider this; time for an old dog to learn a new trick! regards, cb :-)</p>

[john_markanich]

<p>I only turn my camera off if: 1). I know I will be moving or stationary and NOT shooting. Otherwise I keep it ON (or have set the longest auto-off to its longest setting if the camera has such a setting). 2). As previously mentioned, I add/change/remove a component. <br>

Keep in mind. If your camera has a built in flash the thyrisor will dump its charge when you turn the camera off thereby wasting battery power.</p>

[john_markanich]

<p>I only turn my camera off if: 1). I know I will be moving or stationary and NOT shooting. Otherwise I keep it ON (or have set the longest auto-off to its longest setting if the camera has such a setting). 2). As previously mentioned, I add/change/remove a component. <br>

Keep in mind. If your camera has a built in flash the thyrisor will dump its charge when you turn the camera off thereby wasting battery power.</p>

[frank.schifano]

<p>Most of my cameras don't have an on/off switch!</p>

[rossb]

<p>When I am finsihed, put it in the bag or change lenses. No sensor to worry about. I have a camera with a sensor but I don't use it so it's is just off all the time without a battery in it. But if I were to use it I would treat it the same way. I have no interest in worrying about a sensor. It's a 2 minute process to swab a sensor.</p>

[billfoster]

<p>I have been had a couple of bad experiences with batteries dying right when a great shot presented itself, usually after a full day of shooting walking around Istanbul or Cairo or some such, admittedly usually because I forgot to bring an extra battery or recharge or something. In any case, because of that, I have always been very careful and I turn the camera off after every single shot and I don't use the LCD to review and delete (I mean, I look at the shot of course, but I don't go through them and delete bad ones or look to see what I have).</p>

[Alex]

<p>Interesting array of responses. I might not start turning it off after every shot. Definetly for flash change (although with the 7D and it remote flash trigger) I barely put the flash on the camera a few times, I may adopt the lens changing policy as well.</p>

[gabriel_l1]

<p>Funny... I find it trivial to turn off when not in use and turn back on instantly as I bring the camera up to eye level. But the Rebels have a very convenient power switch. When I use an XXD or better, I just leave it on... the power switch requires more deliberation on those models.</p>

[greg_kowalczewski]

<p>Always off when I am not using it and never on when I change lenses.</p>

[anand_dhupkar]

<p>hmmmm - I normally keep it off when not in use. interesting to note that in the discussion so far, there was only one person doing this way - I always thought on saving battery life but looks like it doesnt matter since so many people dont turn it off ? But how about global warming ? am I helping on that front either ?</p>

[alin_daju]

<p>Frank, you must be using a pinhole camera then :)</p>

[richard_oleson]

or a Leica...

[Alex]

<p>Nikon guys seems to be similar to Canon shutters when it comes to this topic <a href="../nikon-camera-forum/00VkuT">http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00VkuT</a> many do and my don't with quite a few depending on what they do.</p>

[pmind]

<p>When changing lenses or cards...with digital; with film, only for storage.</p>

[mvw photo]

<p>I only turn them off at the end of the day.</p>

[scf150]

<p>I only turn my camera off when changing lens, changing CF card or when finished for the day.</p>