How often do you change lens?

Hi everyone.
I just bought the K20d with Sigma 17-70mm.
Using it for general photography, sometime I need more mms on the wide side (more often, but usually it is easy to step back) and sometime I need more tele (more difficoult to make enough steps!).
(that probably will take me to buy as a second lens a Pentax 55-300 or 50-200, more than a Pentax DA 12-24 mm or Sigma 10-20 or Tamron 10-24)

Sorry for the stupid question but in an average photographic excursion, how often is needed to change lens? I don't think it is fun to change to wide, then tele, then wide, and so on, also for the dust problem.
How do you do?

Hi max11,
Depends on what your shooting really.
For example when I'm on a walk I shoot with my 16-50, tends to cover most eventualities. Last weekend I did change over to my 60-250 for a while, using it mainly at the shorter end.

I tend to carry primes so on an average day's shoot probably 5+ times. Sometimes I just go out with one lens if I don't want to carry the kit bag (usually the FA43) but if I take several lenses with me then I always feel the need to make them pay their way.

I do get dust on the sensor almost daily but I give it a blow over with a Rocket Blower when I get home and tend not to worry too much about it. If its really obvious on a picture I want to use then I clone it out in Photoshop.

I change the lenses whenever it's necessary. But most of the time, I change between 16-50mm and 60-250mm. I only use the Nokton 58mm for special situations, for example, low light or I want strong bokeh.

I don't blow the sensor every time I use it, but on a regular basis, like once per week.

I'm answering practically the same as Hefty, although I use a zoom (16-45), and the FA50mm is my 'one lens' option.

Just had a look through some shots I took the other day, and there are 10 changes of lens...

105mm > 300mm > 77mm > 105mm > 16-45mm > 105mm > 300mm > 16-45mm > 77mm > 50mm > 16-45mm

That covered insects (the 105mm is a macro lens), geese, a lizard, a damselfly, some views of a reservoir, bluebells (with the 105 and the 300), reflections in a pond, someone putting up a massive bat box, views of the bat box from a cherry-picker.

On another day out I might only use one or two lenses.

I think it's crazy to avoid changing lenses, when one of the main reasons for having an SLR (surely) is the ability to choose the right lens for the shot. Having said that, if I'd got the 17-70mm I could have avoided a couple of changes in the example above...

So for me, the answer to "How often do you change lens?" is "As often as I need to!"

Dan

I agree with Dan on this. Change as often as you need to. if you agonise about getting dust in the works then just buy a 18-300 and be done with it.

Dust will not ruin your camera if you are sensible when you change lenses, and you give the lenses and body a quick spruce-up when you get home. if you get dust on the sensor and it is in your shots you can clone it out very easily.

Zooms are very convenient in many circumstances, but there is nothing better than setting off with a bag of primes to photograph your scenes.

I use the two bodies that normally have the DA* 16-50 and 50-135 attached to them, which covers most situations.

Sometimes I will set off with just one body and the DA* 300 and restrict myself to what can be taken with it, although it is a surprisingly versatile lens.

The macro lens is normally only used at home.

Thank you all for sharing your experience.
Probably I was too worried with the dust and agree when you say that "the main reasons for having an SLR is the ability to choose the right lens for the shot".

As to the dust, I read many posts, I understood that sensor has to be clean only when necessary.
But how? I found many possibilities...rocket blower, HArricane blower, Dslr cleaner, Dust off , fluids, vacuum systmes, and others...
really confused!

Since my viewfinder is full with dust because of a blower I bought an artic butterfly and so far I'm content with that. Dust is no problem for it but bigger FOD or smears you can't get away with it for that swipes and the likes are the best.

Ever since I bought the Pentax 18-250 from Anvh I no longer change lenses. The images are great certainly from 18-100. Beyond that the pics are also great . I have a 28mm prime which I use for family portait shots.

As for dust when I had an 18-55 and a 70-300 I had very little if any problems with dust. always made sure I changed the lenses with the body facing downwards and the switched off. I also have the 'dust shake' switched on whenever i turn on my K20, and so far this seems to do the trick everytime.


No doubt as I gain more experienc I will increase my lens stock probably out of boredom and money burning holes

It's ironic that now we worry so much about dust and the problem has never been less. In my film days you should have seen how much of a problem dust on negatives was. Anybody fancy returning to the days of spotting prints - for those who don't know, painting out the defects with dyes and a brush...?

I don't for sure. The equivalent in Photoshop takes seconds and with just a little practice cannot be seen at all.

No point having a SLR camera and not changing lenses.