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Video: Tips for changing an SLR lens

J., Crutchfield photographer, gives us some tips and tricks for changing the lens on a digital SLR camera.

Read video transcript

J: When changing a lens, don't do it in a dusty area or of course not in the rain. Keep the body pointed down, since things won't fall into it as easily and never touch anything in here, especially if you have a mirror. Don't touch the mirror. And if you do touch the mirror, don't clean the mirror because it's a polished piece of metal and you will never get it clean. You'll only scratch it more and more. You can go to a professional camera shop and see what they can do with it.

Behind the mirror is a sensor. Some cameras deal with cleaning that sensor different ways. Usually in the menu there's a way to lock up the mirror but turn off the sensor so it's not electrostatically charged. And you can take an air bulb sprayer and blast away the air. And it's only gonna get the surface dust off with a little bulb thing. Don't use compressed air because it's liable to spray some of the solvent and you won't be able to clean that off. If your sensor is really dirty, professional camera shops are the only way to take care of it.

If you have any questions about cameras or camera accessories feel free to give us a call at Crutchfield.

Please share your thoughts below.

  • Richard Haywood from Edmond

    Posted on 11/3/2017

    Mirrors coated on the front surface are called called surfaced coated vs rear coated but not metal mirrors.

  • Paul

    Posted on 2/25/2017

    Mirrors in DSLR cameras are coated on the surface with silver vs regular mirrors that have the silver behind the glass. And AKAIK the mirror base is glass. So yes indeed the mirror is metal, and because silver is so soft it is easily scratched.

  • Barry from Glendale, AZ

    Posted on 2/12/2017

    The mirror IS NOT made out of metal.

  • Steve W

    Posted on 8/31/2015

    I change lenses on my DSLRs kind of like the way I used to change film back in the day. Carefully and as quickly as possible. I get the new lens ready by taking the rear cap off and positioning it so I see the alignment mark. Then I remove the lens from the camera, set it down and quickly put the new lens on. Then I put the lens cap on the back of the lens I just removed. I always do this in as a controlled environment as possible. If it's windy and dust is flying around, I'll go inside or sit in my car with the windows rolled up to do the lens change. Back in the film days, if dust got on the sensor (film), usually just the next shot was messed up. But if dust gets on the DSLR sensor, every shot gets messed up...

  • RAFAEL HERNANDEZ from United States

    Posted on 5/30/2015

    I change lenses as little as possible, tha's why I own 3 camera bodies. But if I must, lenses are changed with the camera lens opening pointing down and resting in my office desk and capping the lens I took off after the lens I am installing is firmly attached to the body. This minimizes the amount of dust that will get in the camera regardless of whatever precaution one might take. Despite of all that I have become quite adept at removing dust from the sensor with pure ethanol drops on the Invisible Dust wipers available at retailers.

  • steve from California

    Posted on 5/28/2015

    And don't sneeze while changing the lense.... it cost over 300 dollars to get the sneeze out of the camera.

  • Greag from guilford CT.

    Posted on 5/21/2015

    I like to say that first I've held a camera in my hand sense I was 9 year old. My first changeable lens camera was a Canon. the one thing I was told was to keep the camera upright and never take the lens big lens off well on the tripod. This is so the mount dose not get bent in any form. That my tip.

  • Tim from Owosso, MI

    Posted on 5/10/2015

    Thank You

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