Questions about switching lenses

[Jessentis]

Just got my first mirrorless. Do I need to turn it off when switching lenses? I'm guessing best practice is yes, but what if i accidentally forget? Also is there any risk to turning it on without a lens attached? (with and without sensor cap)

 

edit: also one of my lenses is full electric zoom focus and oss, i can sometimes hear the motors up to 5 seconds after turning off the camera. Is there any risk to accidentally taking the lens off whilst it's still doing stuff inside after turning off?

[GDRRiley]

I swap lenses all the time with the body off and on it doesn't matter. as for turning it on with and without a lens it doesn't care.

as far as I know no, its likely spinning down the stabilization and opening up the aperture

[theonly500]

@GDRRiley

Photographic lenses use a "springing" aperture. Which only springs into place, when you are taking a photo. And Stabilization isn't running full time either. (At least on Canon)
On a Canon DSLR there is a button where you can temporarily put the aperture onto the selected setting.

 

@Jessentis

 

It is good practice to turn it off before switching lenses. But my Dad and I never had any issues whilst switching Lenses in the last 10 years or so.
Any mirrorless Camera can be turned on without a lens. Some even say, that for firmware updates you shoudln't attach a lens to the Body.
When the sensor is exposed, there is the risk of dust making it's way onto it. But, when you've got that covered, there is basically no difference, whether the Lens or the Dust cap is attached.

[GDRRiley]

2 hours ago, theonly500 said:

@GDRRiley

Photographic lenses use a "springing" aperture. Which only springs into place, when you are taking a photo. And Stabilization isn't running full time either. (At least on Canon)
On a Canon DSLR there is a button where you can temporarily put the aperture onto the selected setting.

canon stabilization is running when you half press. check your source, based on how slow the aperture changes on most lenses, it isn't springing. 

but we are talking about a mirroless, now which one we don't know but I know on E mount it sets the aperture and even when you power off the camera it leaves it where it was

[Jessentis]

9 hours ago, GDRRiley said:

I swap lenses all the time with the body off and on it doesn't matter. as for turning it on with and without a lens it doesn't care.

as far as I know no, its likely spinning down the stabilization and opening up the aperture

 

4 hours ago, theonly500 said:

It is good practice to turn it off before switching lenses. But my Dad and I never had any issues whilst switching Lenses in the last 10 years or so.
Any mirrorless Camera can be turned on without a lens. Some even say, that for firmware updates you shoudln't attach a lens to the Body.
When the sensor is exposed, there is the risk of dust making it's way onto it. But, when you've got that covered, there is basically no difference, whether the Lens or the Dust cap is attached.

I have sony a6600 and sony 18-105 f4 by the way

 

I done some more looking/listening and it looks like the zoom motors are doing what appears to be 'opening up' the lens (moving the elements further away from each other to prevent damage?) and then a locking sound (I'm guessing there's a lock on the zoom mech to stop it rattling around when not in use)

 

I also googled some more to find the confidence to turn it on open sensor and would you know it it didn't die, I also took the lens off and back on without powering off. When it goes back on it zooms in and goes mega out of focus really slowly (I assume homing the motors) before going back to normal

[GDRRiley]

11 minutes ago, Jessentis said:

 

I have sony a6600 and sony 18-105 f4 by the way

 

I done some more looking/listening and it looks like the zoom motors are doing what appears to be 'opening up' the lens (moving the elements further away from each other to prevent damage?) and then a locking sound (I'm guessing there's a lock on the zoom mech to stop it rattling around when not in use)

 

I also googled some more to find the confidence to turn it on open sensor and would you know it it didn't die, I also took the lens off and back on without powering off. When it goes back on it zooms in and goes mega out of focus really slowly (I assume homing the motors) before going back to normal

the 18-105 F4 was built as a Cine camera lens for the FS5/FS7 so yeah it may do some weird stuff.

[Jessentis]

2 minutes ago, GDRRiley said:

the 18-105 F4 was built as a Cine camera lens for the FS5/FS7 so yeah it may do some weird stuff.

nice to know. it's main purpose for me is video (i ride bmx and do a lot of filming/edits of my mates)

[theonly500]

@GDRRiley
My Source was the M3 i held in my Hand. I could see the aperture moving just for the Photo. And the 450d, 40d, 50d, 7d and 5d I've used in the past.
That is called automatic aperture. In German "Springblende".

It allows for easier focusing, due to the lesser depth of field and on mirrorless especially it allows for better use of the through screen framing,

If you want to see Video of that happening here is a link to me taking a couple of quick shots into the M3 with the lens on at  f 3.5, f 5.6 and f 22
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xzye0rlnt2hab6n/AAARjnMagzii8DoeY52BSoepa?dl=0