mikeg492 Loc: WIlmington, NC

There's an off button? Lol

Erv Loc: Medina Ohio

Well I guess I am old school. I turn mine off if there isn't anything in front of it to shoot. I also turn the computer off and unplug it from the wall. Power surges have killed a few of mine. But I also don't leave my truck running in the driveway all night. There are only so many hours that things will run. And then things start to fail.

drmarty Loc: Pine City, NY

This true imy opinion, especially in cold weather. Turning the camera on and off activates the ultrasonic process that shakes off dust.

drmarty Loc: Pine City, NY

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

tomeveritt Loc: Fla. + Ga,NY,Va,Md,SC

I had a D70, something went wrong, would not turn off. The battery stayed charged for a month, taught me there is practically "No" drain. Once I take my 1st shot, I never turn it off except to change lens.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

If I'm out shooting, I leave it On. When I get home, and I finish uploading, I turn it off. Instructor after instructor has recommended not turning it off. Basically, the camera turns itself off.

Nikonhermit Loc: In This Place

You're right! Using that on and off switch does put wear on it. That is why I never switch my camera off. I also never change my aperture, leaving it at f/5.6, which is a good general compromise. That preserves the thingamajig that changes the aperture. I never change the shutter speed either, leaving it at 1/250 s. for the same reason- I leave the camera on auto ISO, which I think wears it out the least, since it is simply an electronic gain. And have you thought of that hard-working focus motor? It KILLS it to rack the lens back and forth. That is why I strictly use manual focus, which I am used to from my 1939 Exakta. Most of all, because of sensor dust problems, I never change my lens. The 28-300 is a great compromise and I have epoxied it into the bayonet. My cameras, like my cars, last just forever.

Now if only I could find a way to take pictures without using that shutter. Oh my gawd, that shutter and mirror- they really take a beating!

sirkeys Loc: Hilton Head, SC

The manuals all say shut the camera off before changing a lens. Remember there are about 8-10 contact points between lens and camera. As the lens is rotated the contacts momentarily cross each other and different circuits are momentarily aligned. A low resistance across the wrong pair of contacts can do a lot of damage if they are energized.

The sensor does have an electrostatic field about it when on as does any electrical device so it will attract more dust when energized.

skywolf

I turn my camera off to change lenses, or if there's going to be a period of time I'm not shooting, but otherwise I leave it on.

skywolf

I also turn it off when mounting or removing the flash.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

I leave my camera on from the time I get ready to shoot until I quit shooting, with the exception of turning it off to change lenses. I agree with others, I almost never turn my computer off unless I have done something like an upgrade that requires a reboot and then it isn't a turnoff but simply a reboot. I have 3 Unix servers that have only been turned off once in the last 6 years (with the exception of adding hard drive or memory on one of the servers) except for the 4 days when they were packed and moved from up north to the warmer climate of Florida. I have to say though that while I almost never turn any server or workstation off but only reboot except for upgrades.

David Kay Loc: Arlington Heights IL

:thumbup: :thumbup:

ole sarg Loc: south florida

WHAT READ!

LEARN SOMETHING!

What a novel idea who would of thought such a possibility exists.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

It is your camera. If you want to leave it on leave it on; if you want to turn it off turn it off.

Goober Loc: Southeastern PA

Airborne dust particles may be electrically conductive or nonconductive depending upon the properties of the particle. A particle becomes charged via a process known as triboelectrification,which occurs as it separates from a surface. A particle may be charged positive, negative or may be neutral.

A charged surface emits an electric field some distance from the surface depending upon the magnitude of the charge, size of the surface and proximity of other conductive structures to the charged surface. When a charged particle enters into that field it may be attracted to the charged surface or repelled depending upon the polarity of the surface and the charged particle. Opposite charges attract, like charges repel. An uncharged or neutral particle, if it has any conductivity, can be influenced by the electric field of the charged surface and become polarized, and will also attract to the charged surface. Once a particle becomes attached to a surface due to electrostatic forces it can be very difficult to remove so it is best to try to avoid that happening as much as possible, and practical.

Earth is electrically conductive. It is an infinite source and receptacle for electrons.

This is a very condensed explanation so I hope it helps answer your questions.

Goober