Easy outdoor lens changing

For folks who have trouble with this, the velcro idea seems like a good solution. But I have to ask, do most folks find changing lenses outdoors that tough? I'm generally carrying a bag of gear (either a Domke F6 or F5xb) along with the camera. The camera and case are both slung over my left shoulder and sit in the general vicinity of my right hip. And both have tops that are wide enough to support the ep2 on its back (with the extra safeguard of the sling strap I use). So, with that as a support, here's my routine, as best I can explain it.

1. Pull the lens you want to change to out of the bag and close the bag.

2. Put the camera on the top of the bag, back facing down, lens pointing up.

3. Unlock the current lens and turn it just far enough so it won't relock, but its still snugly attached to the camera.

4. Hold the new lens in your left hand and remove it from the rear cap with the cap still in your hand and hold the lens in your right hand, open side down, with the red dot lined up and ready to quickly insert into the camera.

5. Turn and remove the old lens with your left hand and in the same basic movement place the new lens into the camera body and twist it into place. The sensor is pointing up during this exposed transition, but I can generally do this quickly enough that its only exposed for a half second or maybe a second before the new lens is on the body. And then maybe another half second or so to twist it into place and lock it.

6. Both the old lens (open end pointing down) and the cap are in your left hand, so the final step is to twist the lens onto the cap and put it back in the bag.

I can't tell you how many times I've done this in the past several months (certainly 100 or more), but it enough to know that I've never had any trouble. The worst thing that's ever happened is I didn't get the new lens in place correctly right away, so I may take another second or so to move it into the right position and lock it on the body, but the sensor is basically covered this whole time, with just a tiny exposed area around one edge of the lens for that extra couple of seconds. My right forearm is basically wedging the camera in place during the operation, so its not going anywhere. I've just never found anything difficult about this.

Maybe this would be more difficult with a traditional neck-strap and a different type of bag, but with the sling strap and the bag also carried messenger style, it seems like the most natural thing in the world. I wouldn't do it in the rain, but I wouldn't change a lens in the rain regardless unless I had the whole operation well covered by something.

Oh, and Icon, one more thing your girlfriend/wife/partner wouldn't have to do, making you that much more likely to FIND one!  

-Ray

 

Since I hike a good bit, I struggle, I mean absolutely struggle with changing lenses effeciently. I have some questions for what Ray has mentioned.

I normally keep my PEN on a wrist strap on my right arm. The problem is, I'm right handled, not left handed.

This is what I do, but its horrible. Anyone have better ideas.

1. With my bag slung onto my right hip and my camera around my right wrist, I pull the lens out of the bag and take the back cap off. I put it back in the bag front side down with the cap on.

2. I then take the lens off the camera with both hands. Its awkward because the camera is attached to my right wrist, meaning I hold the camera with my right hand and pull it off with my left, which isn't easy since I'm right handed.

3. I take this lens, put the caps on and put it in my bag. At this point I'm holding the camera in my right hand.

4. I grab the lens thats ready to go with my left hand and attach it to the camera. Again awkward because I'm right handed. I take the front lens cap off and its read.

This processes for me takes almost 2 minutes which is tedious when I am hiking.

If someone has a better way while the camera is on my right wrist, I'm open for suggestions.
Dj

 

I just had my camera out on a bike ride with the 9-18 and had a wrist strap on it - bike rides are about the only time I use a wrist strap. So I just tried a lens change without taking the wrist strap off and, using the exact same method I discussed a couple of posts ago, I had the lens out of the bag, changed, and the old one back in the bag in about 20 seconds, same as with a sling strap. Maybe it depends on the wrist strap but mine was no problem. I reached into the bag with my left hand instead of my right since the camera was on my right wrist, but otherwise, it worked exactly the same. There might be factors or wrist straps that would make it more difficult, but give it a try - worked for me.

-Ray