ducwic Loc: Milwaukee, Wi.

It's an electronic/ sensor/dust issue. I also face the camera downward when changing lenses. Always have, always will.
Old school???
Maybe!!
And when I'm hunting, safety is always on until I'm ready to squeeze the trigger.

CHOLLY Loc: THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE!

^^^This is EXACTLY one of the things that can happen when you pull a memory card without turning off the camera... ESPECIALLY if it's still writing to the card. :(

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

Whatever you hunt would rather you kept the safety on - so would I!

Ralloh Loc: Ohio

My business of 23 years was installing commercial telephone systems and limited computer. The one thing I learned real quick was ALWAYS turn off ANY electronic or electrical devices when servicing them or changing something on them. Granted, they are far more forgiving today than in the past, but, all it takes is one electrical short to ruin your day.

I really don't see what the big deal is anyway, particularly for those who say they never turn their camera off. A flick of a switch and it's off and safe. Another flick and it is instantly back on. I don't see the down side to that.

CHOLLY Loc: THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE!

^^^^EXACTLY!!! :thumbup: :thumbup:

rob s Loc: La Mesa, CA

Canon have the same instruction when lens changing. For many years I was unaware of this and like Sharp Shooter never powered down for anything except card changing.
I very much doubt that professionals who shoot sports or news bother too much about this and I have never heard of a photographer who could unequivocally ascribe any damage to doing this. We went round this subject at some length in the recent past and I think there was one 'might have been' and a bunch of us who've done it and never been punished.
There's been a lot of speculation and quite a few folks have pointed out the theoretical possibilities of damage.
My strong suspicion is that all the engineers who design these things try very hard to make them idiot proof. (For obvious reasons). If forgetting to turn cameras off when swapping out cards, batteries or lenses had much risk attached to it we'd know. There would have been dire warnings posted by the unlucky victims at great length. I haven't seen a one yet!
The one place where you definitely could have a problem is with removing a card. I haven't done a poll but I bet every maker is like Canon and has a microswitch on the card door that turns off the power before you can get to the card. I would also bet that the lenses are designed so that the first contact to open as you rotate the lens to remove it is the power contact. Basic engineering common sense.
In short -
1) Yes you should power down. I do now I know about it. (If I actually remember ......)
2) It almost certainly isn't going to matter if you forget or are simply a contrarian ;-) Just try and remember next time.

ducwic Loc: Milwaukee, Wi.

Not to worry, you haven't seen me shoot!
It's been over 25 years since my last hunt.

Merlin1300 Loc: New England, But Now & Forever SoTX

2 seconds of no breathing I can understand - -
but I don't understand the Zen of lowering your heart rate below 30 :shock: :shock:
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OBTW - - fab shot !
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Don't know if any difference or concerns regarding cameras that have the lens motors in the camera body vs those with motors in the lens. My cameras have the latter configuration - so less worry here about possibly 'grinding gears ? :shock:
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While the likelihood of 'voltage spikes' serious enough to do any damage in systems with 6 volt batteries is unlikely - I suppose there may be some theoretical possibility.
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And - OBTW - if your camera is hit with a good Static Electric ZAP - - won't matter if it is turned on or not. That 50KV spark can pretty much jump across most circuit board tracings in a 'flash' :-D
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Having said all that - YES - it is a good idea to turn your camera OFF when changing lenses. I probably remember about 50% of the time. Have NOT had a problem in the past 12 years from my first Canon 10D in 2003 to my current 7D.

redhogbill Loc: antelope, calif

{off topic} French press!!!!! ya brother!!!!

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

It is not just Nikon, but probably all Camera manufacturers. As to what might happen specifically beyond "Damage", they don't really spell it out. But not just VR stuff. The power switch should be off for changing lenses, R & R SD / Micro-SD Card, R & R any accessory that uses power. You realize this is the same with a computer. Your PC or Mac should be turned off before doing anything in side or "removing" anything that is not ejected first. Note, loading and unloading CDs, DVDs, DC-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and oldie Diskettes does not seem to be an issue, but thumb drives, cards, and External HDDs can be. Eject or turn computer off first to be safe.

Same with cameras and other high-tech electronics. What might happen with your Nikon camera, hard to say. You will probably get some responses and stories from some Nikon owner who have done just that.

I've forgotten a few times with my Pentaxes and nothing horrible or permanent happened, but the camera did a few times act weird for a while. R & R lens with camera on: lens and camera did not talk to or ID one another until the camera was turned off and then back on. Similar with old film manual lenses when camera not off. Insert SD card with camera on, really bad idea; but done accidentally, camera gives error message that there is no card. Might even have to R & R card before turning camera back on to clear that error. Seems errors are a bit random, but since I do it so rarely I can't really be sure of that. I had not noticed an effect on AF one way or another since I rare leave my lenses on AF.

This could have even been an issue with later film cameras with electronic contacts between camera and lens for Shutter Priority and other features. With an old Nikon F, F2, FM, Nikkormat FTN, etc, Pentax K or M cameras, no problems. Later ones or any AF models I'd have to wonder. Anyone out there know if Canon AE-1 or A-1 cameras freaked out if you did not turn the camera off before changing lenses?

Slick Willie Loc: The U. S.

I've been following this forum for quite a while and just hadn't joined 'til recently. What is my "sort" and what's your problem with what I said.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Slick, welcome to the Hog, I wouldn't take anybody's comments too personally, as NONE of us here have been here that long! :lol:
I agree with your response to Grandpa. Nothing against grandpa, I have great respect for him. BUT there is a lot of tongue-in-cheek and innuendo that gets flung around here. Usually it's done with a smiley face so that we all know it's just making a point.
Remember, we are all just phantoms hiding behind our keyboards, and we all go away when you, "Power Down" ! :lol: :lol:
SS

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

OK, I need to take this to the next level.
I'm on record that I never turn off my camera(Canon), or do I?

It's true, I never turn it off, BBBUUUTTT, anytime I open the Card Door or the Battery Door, the camera COMPLETLY shuts down and is just like it were off, but it's not technically Powered Down.
So, is it turned off or not?
If it IS off, it's been made idiot proof to protect us from ourselves!! :lol:
Now, when I remove the lens the camera body stays active, giving us the ability to free-lens. BUT, if the shutter button is not half-pressed, the IS system is actually not activated.
So, is the IS system even receiving any power?

There are SOOO many urban legends in photography, it's pretty difficult to separate the truths from the myths. Just like the IS needing to be off while on a tripod.
I say everything is already OFF, so why turn it off??!! :shock:
SS

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

:thumbup:

Shutter Bugger

Hmmm, it may relate to whether; circuits are present or not. ie it is a greater risk at points of electrical contact to break them than make them... I'm referring to removing and installing the SD card of course and the fact that the owners manual does not say to switch it off when
installing the memory card... and making that circuit.