I suppose you could argue that this particular tutorial should fall under the photography category. But seeing as how I did one about keyboard cleaning, I just decided to keep the cleaning topics under this category.
Anyway, I’m not here to discuss website logistics with you all, I’m here to talk about some essential camera cleaning tips and cleaning gear I feel every camera owner should have.
There are 3 essential items that you should have in your arsenal:
- Camera cleaning brush
- Camera and lens cloth
- Air rocket
That’s it. Anything more might just be showing off. (JK. For you overly sensitive folk) After looking around on the internet and reading a few articles I feel that there isn’t any other cleaning items you will need to get the job done.
You might feel that some kind of wipes, cleansing fluid or items to remove moisture are needed, that go right ahead. It certainly couldn’t hurt having a few extra bits.
The one item I do have, and my wife got it for me a Xmas or 2 ago, was a lens cleaning pen. This little gadget is great and can’t recommend it enough.
It comes with a retractable brush on one side and a cleaning pad that has some lens cleaning fluid on it, on the other side. If I recall correctly, it said on the box that the cleaning pad was good for 100 uses. Could be a 1000. Really don’t recall. These items sell for around £10.
How to clean your gear:
There is a little of a routine that I have when it comes to cleaning my gear. I am a little bit of an OCD nerd that.
- Place a soft clean towel or lint free cloth on your desk/table/working surface
- Neatly lay all the gear and lenses that you will be cleaning on the towel
- I start with the lenses and their lens caps
- Take the lenses and remove any filters and lens caps
- Using the Air Rocket blast every little nook and cranny removing as much dirt as possible
- Next, I use the brush to further clear and stubborn dirt that may remain
- Lastly, I wipe everything down with the lens cloth and gently put everything back together
- Make sure everything is spotless before putting it back together
- For stubborn lens marks, use the cleaning pad on the cleaning pen
- Now cleaning the camera body
- If I could offer one tip, make sure you keep the camera body lens hole facing down at all times
- Once again, blast the entire body and guts using the rocket
- Brush out any potential dirt, but make sure you aren’t too aggressive with the mirror/shutter
- Look through the viewfinder and take a shot without a lens on a bright white background
- If there is still any specs, repeat steps 12 – 14
- Remember to clean the viewfinder, mirror, pentaprism
- Reattach your lens of choice
- Take a few test shots
The above was just a basic chat through and routine that I use to clean my camera and gear. If you would like a more graphical view of how to clean your gear, have a look at the photo set I included, below.
Please note: I am doing this using my Nikon D7000. You attempt to clean your camera, regardless of make or model, at your own risk. I will am not responsible for what happens to you or your camera and gear as a direct result of reading this article. Unless it is to praise me for assisting you in getting a sparkly clean camera.
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