topic Re: Keep the lens cap on after you turn the camera off in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

EOS R5 says keep the lens cap on but lens setup won't allow it

Davoud — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 14:23:02 GMT

Keep the lens cap on after you turn the camera off

That's what it says when I turn off my R5. Problem is, the two lenses I am most likely to use with the camera are the 100mm macro and the 180mm macro. Both have the Canon Ring Lite flange attached, and there is no lens cap that fits the flange. I am loath to remove the flanges due to the possibbility of misplacing them. Advice? Thanks!

Re: Keep the lens cap on after you turn the camera off

wq9nsc — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 03:10:14 GMT

I haven't dealt with mirrorless yet but I suspect that caution is to protect the sensor since it isn't protected by a mirror in front of it like a DSLR and could be damaged by a strong light source even when the camera isn't powered up. I am surprised they don't design in an internal cover that flips into place when the power is off to prevent light/laser etc. from hitting the fragile image sensor.

You could use a lens "hoodie" which fits somewhat like the old style lens covers for the earlier great white primes, it is just a cloth "sack" that covers the lens which snugs up via a drawstring and doesn't need to clamp to anything. I have EF 100 2.8 IS and EF 180 Macro lens also and I really don't care for the Canon macro flash adapter design. Most of their accessories are well thought out from a human factors/ergonomics standpoint but that isn't true of those two adapters.

Rodger

Re: Keep the lens cap on after you turn the camera off

Davoud — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 09:59:07 GMT

Thanks to all for taking time to reply! OK, as I suspected, I shouldn't aim the camera at the sun. I haven't accidentally done that in the 54 years that I have been making pictures, so I'm scratching the lens-cap warning off my list of things to worry about.

Re: Keep the lens cap on after you turn the camera off

wq9nsc — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 12:18:40 GMT

You are welcome and I am with you about not aiming at the sun in all my years of photography. However the image sensor is more sensitive than a mirror so the caution makes sense especially for people new to photography.

This constantly exposed sensor worries me a little because I shoot sports with two or three bodies at a time so inadvertent aiming at the sun with a camera not in use is a possibility. I assume you need to exercise the same level of caution with a mirrorless that you would with a camcorder which is effectively a mirrorless setup.

I do wish Canon had designed a better flash mount system for the EF 180 which is a wonderful lens.

Rodger

Re: Keep the lens cap on after you turn the camera off

kvbarkley — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 13:09:54 GMT

I thought one of the features or the Canon R series was that they did have a shutter, which helps to protect the sensor. I believe that you can burn a hole in the shutter by pointing a lens at the sun.

Re: Keep the lens cap on after you turn the camera off

wq9nsc — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 13:25:40 GMT

It does look like its mechanical shutter defaults to a "shut" position with the camera turned off looking at the Lens Rental teardown of the R5 which makes sense but maybe it is mode dependent? Based upon that I don't know why this lens cover caution appears in the R5 manual.

Any shutter or mirror assembly could be damaged by strong sun exposure through a lens so I am not sure why Canon feels the need to make the statement in the R5 manual unless it is related to cooling. A black heat absorbing shutter is probably more prone to damage than a mirror (change in metal clearance due to expansion) so maybe that is the reason.

Canon knows the reason but they probably won't disclose 🙂

Rodger

Re: Keep the lens cap on after you turn the camera off

Davoud — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 13:56:17 GMT

Incidentally, I remember the days when I would photograph the sun with a Topcon RE Super on a Questar 89mm telescope with no filter. I used what was known as the "hat trick." Hold a hat or other light blocker in front of the telescope objective, remove it, snap the shutter immediately, and immediately cover the objective again. Never had a probblem.

Re: Keep the lens cap on after you turn the camera off

ebiggs1 — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 15:10:40 GMT

There is a shutter so the sensor isn't exposed. I can't see a Sun ever burining a hole in the shutter unless you leave it exposed to the Sun for an extended period. I would guess and this is just a guess it has to do with the AF sensors that are always fully exposed. I don't own a mirrorless so this is just, as I say, a guess.

Re: Keep the lens cap on after you turn the camera off

kvbarkley — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 15:42:28 GMT

The R5 has DPAF, which means that the AF sensors are on the sensor itself.

As an aside, I believe that this is what causes the issue in the "blue line in my image" thread, for some reason the DPAF sites are showing up in the RAW data.

Re: Keep the lens cap on after you turn the camera off

cohen_ufl_edu — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 03:37:10 GMT

Up until today, I got the warning to leave the lens cap on when I turned the camera off. Today, the warning disappeared, but the sensor cleaning message still appeared. I put the lens cap on when I need to protect the lens and otherwise use a lens hood and keep the lens pointed down and away from light.

Maybe the camera gave up teling me to do what I wasn't going to do. They are very smart.

Re: Keep the lens cap on after you turn the camera off

kittyn — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 11:11:47 GMT

Until today, when I shut off the camera, I would receive a caution to leave the lens cap on. The warning vanished today, but the notice about sensor cleaning persisted. When I need to shield the lens, I put on the lens cap; otherwise, I use a lens hood, keep the lens pointed down, and keep it away from light.

Perhaps the camera got tired of telling me to do something I wasn't going to. They have a high level of intelligence.
I think the video shoot from canon's camera have to edited with up to date features like Capcut.

Re: Keep the lens cap on after you turn the camera off

UCPhotography — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 21:48:01 GMT

I wouldn't even worry about that message. It's just to remind you to put it on if you forgot. For me I'm always almost holding my camera turning it off when there's not much going on to save battery. But it's best to keep it on as much as you can to avoid harmful light damaging the sensor

Re: EOS R5 says keep the lens cap on but lens setup won't allow it

ebiggs1 — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 16:18:54 GMT

Of course I was never into mirrorless but back when I was actively shooting full time a lot of the other pros never put caps back on cameras or lenses for that matter. Just stuck'em back in the bag or case as it.

Re: EOS R5 says keep the lens cap on but lens setup won't allow it

ebiggs1 — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 15:19:42 GMT

Two year old thread, my friend. Not likely to get a reply. Start you own new thread.

Re: Keep the lens cap on after you turn the camera off

p4pictures — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 15:40:49 GMT

This does vary by model in the mirrorless range. This may be partly as some of the cameras only have single shutter curtain the "first curtain" while others have both first and second shutter curtains.

Cameras that close the shutter over the sensor by default when powered off

EOS R, EOS R6, EOS R5, EOS R7, EOS R6 Mark II, EOS R3, EOS R1

Cameras that don't or can't close the shutter over the sensor when powered off

EOS RP, EOS R100, EOS R50, EOS R10, EOS R8