Canon R5 Canon R5 Lens Cap Message

[Digbydachshund]

Why does my R5 show “always replace lens cap when camera is turned off”? Is there some problem with the lack of a mirror to conceal the sensor? I never bothered with my DSLR as there is a filter to protect the lens and the lens caps just fall off and get lost. Should I worry and replace the lens cap?

 

[TMac99]

I have never seen that warning. There is a setting on the 4th tab of the Setup menu (wrench/spanner icon) that specifies that the shutter be closed or open when the camera is powered off. Mine is set to closed, maybe yours is set to Open and that's why you get that message. The manual indicates that this is primarily to "prevent dust from adhering to the sensor when you switch lenses", but I suspect it may also be an attempt to protect the sensor from what Canon envisages with this warning from the manual: "Do not leave a lens or a camera/camcorder with a lens attached, exposed without the lens cap attached. The lens may concentrate the light and cause fire."

 

[MaraLee]

I was going to make the same suggestion as Tracey regarding the shutter setting. I know I read that especially with the larger apertures to make sure if the lens is attached to the camera when shutting down, to always have it set to close to prevent sunlight from damaging the sensor, but I didn't know if it was in my manual or online. I keep leashes on my smaller lens caps, but the 82 and 95mm are too big to swing from the camera. I'm afraid I'm going to lose them eventually.

 

[JayAy]

The message will only be displayed with non RF lenses, I believe, though not sure why. The message is there for a reason and that's because unlike with a DSLR, there is nothing in front of the sensor, so if you leave the lens cap off it is still possible for light to hit the sensor. However, the message is still displayed with a non RF lens and with Set Up4: Shutter at shutdown: Closed. So I think Canon is being a little cautious with always showing the message, regardless of this setting. Can anyone explain why this message is not displayed with RF lenses?

I always put the lens caps on when not using a lens and I close the shutter on shutdown too, but it's your call for your kit.

 

[Avatarshots]

Why does my R5 show “always replace lens cap when camera is turned off”? Is there some problem with the lack of a mirror to conceal the sensor? I never bothered with my DSLR as there is a filter to protect the lens and the lens caps just fall off and get lost. Should I worry and replace the lens cap?

The sensor is directly exposed to light when the lens is off and there’s no cap on the body. Same with lens attached. So yes you should always have caps in place

 

[LaurieAndersonPhotography]

Good discussion as I was wondering the very same thing!

 

[KEN_A]

Yes I have seen that message and wondered why as I have setting for shutter closed when off.

 

[Copterdoc]

Interestingly, It happens when lenses are not on the camera body as well. If you take your lens off, turn on the camera and then turn it off you will get this message.

 

[LaurieAndersonPhotography]

Ok I checked my settings and mine was set to close when powered off and I still get the message.

 

[Ted M]

I had just considered the message as an advisory for good practice, so I've leant something valuable here. I'll start shutting the aperture down too in an attempt to minimise the risk of light damaging the sensor when not in use.

 

[JayAy]

I had just considered the message as an advisory for good practice, so I've leant something valuable here. I'll start shutting the aperture down too in an attempt to minimise the risk of light damaging the sensor when not in use.

Aha! This is the piece I was missing in the jigsaw of why the message only appears with non-RF lenses. When powered off the RF lenses automatically close their aperture, but EF lenses do not - hence the warning message is not displayed for RF lenses.

 

[Rhino]

You can ruin the shutter by exposing it to the sun. Apparently, this has happened before.

I saw this topic come up in one of the videos I watched when I was learning more about it as well as the advanced user guide. It's not a problem for me because of my workflow.

Page 24 of the "Canon EOS R5 User Guide"...

https://cam.start.canon/en/C003/manual/c003.pdf

 

[Copterdoc]

You can ruin the shutter by exposing it to the sun. Apparently, this has happened before.

I saw this topic come up in one of the videos I watched when I was learning more about it as well as the advanced user guide. It's not a problem for me because of my workflow.

Page 24 of the "Canon EOS R5 User Guide"...

https://cam.start.canon/en/C003/manual/c003.pdf

This is just my opinion but I believe that putting a magnifier in front of your sensor and pointing it directly at the sun is not a good idea. This warning is common in most manuals for the Canon cameras I have owned in including the video cameras. I dare say that if I were to look in others, this would be a common warning. All of that aside, having the sun directly in your field of view is common in many Images I have shot and seen. The real damage, much like the magnifying glass and sunlight used to start a fire is the duration of the exposure. I do not recommend shooting directly at the sun for an extended time unless you are using a reasonably dark ND filter. The exposure will be useless in most cases without one in any case. I think you will see the excess light in the viewfinder or on the back of the screen before you can cause damage. The caution in my opinion is to keep people from setting their cameras down while powered on and accidentally pointed at the sun. It happens. This can also damage the screens on cameras as the temperatures can get quite extreme in some environments. JMHO

 

[Rhino]

This is just my opinion but I believe that putting a magnifier in front of your sensor and pointing it directly at the sun is not a good idea. This warning is common in most manuals for the Canon cameras I have owned in including the video cameras. I dare say that if I were to look in others, this would be a common warning. All of that aside, having the sun directly in your field of view is common in many Images I have shot and seen. The real damage, much like the magnifying glass and sunlight used to start a fire is the duration of the exposure. I do not recommend shooting directly at the sun for an extended time unless you are using a reasonably dark ND filter. The exposure will be useless in most cases without one in any case. I think you will see the excess light in the viewfinder or on the back of the screen before you can cause damage. The caution in my opinion is to keep people from setting their cameras down while powered on and accidentally pointed at the sun. It happens. This can also damage the screens on cameras as the temperatures can get quite extreme in some environments. JMHO

Exactly!