How long have you owned your Camera?

A camera is just like any other appliance in your home

(except of course, much smaller) !t has moving parts and mechanisms, which must "e kept free of dust
particles, moisture, erosion, etc !n order to keep any appliance, which has moving parts, operating
efficiently# you have to ensure that dust, moisture, or friction$s enemy% erosion, do not infiltrate in&
"etween any of its moving parts'
!n this Article, it is our purpose to demonstrate how
your ()*+ Camera$s moving parts can over time
"ecome dirty (inside and out), due to general everyday
usage ,he most important -uestion(s), you should ask
yourself, with any of your e-uipment in your home or
work life is%
,his is true not
only for your
camera "ody, "ut also for your camera lens All you have to do, to
determine if any appliance needs to "e cleaned is to ask yourself%
.does this have moving parts/?
0f course, our lenses have rings which are moved manually to
adjust focus, (whether or not, we typically use them)# they do allow moisture, or dust particles into the
minute spaces in&"etween
Also, our camera$s "ody has various "uttons, dials, rings, etc which are manipulated to produce great
photography 1ach of these contains an opportunity for dirt particles to enter in and create erosion
internally
Camera Cleaning Kits Available
!f you are purchasing your first new ()*+ Camera
with a regular 23&45mm lens# you may "e entitled to
a cleaning kit with your purchase Heaven knows,
()*+ Cameras and lenses are worth their weight in
cost, "ut can "e expensive in price, depending upon
the "rand and model you decide to purchase
6hy not, ask your sales person to include a
cleaning kit as a .deal/ of closing the sale?
+emem"er, it never hurts to ask'
0f course, you do not need to spend inordinate
amounts of money on expensive cleaning kits, when you can make you own kit, for less than 78855 !f
there are cleaning kits availa"le for 78555 or less, you may want to consider your first purchase to "e
one, so that a few of the cleaning hardware pieces, you will now own for future cleaning needs
C*1A9!9: ,00*) ,!;% <or example, -&tips are easy to find in any home# you can purchase make&up
"rushes, chamois cloths and lens cleaning cloths at any dollar store# a small lens "ellows is a great
o"ject you can make from an infant ear cleaning tool, to get the same great cleaning effect as what you
see in this sample kit'
(D)SLR Camera - Internal View
,his is a great cross&section of a typical )*+
camera, 1=C1;,, that this illustration does
not include the digital sensor or ;entaprism
mirror sections# it demonstrates the older film
)*+ models
6e will use this illustration to demonstrate the
various 1A)> ,0 ?!16 components and then
review the internal cross&sections of the newer
digital components added to produce a ()*+
camera'
,he cross section of a ()*+ camera differs primarily in internal component construction# where the
film is replaced "y a ;entaprism mirror assem"ly and its necessary hardware
,he ()*+ camera uses an internal mirror assem"ly to reflect the image onto the view&finder ,he
viewfinder is the @3 display screen on the "ack of your ()*+ Camera "ody
,his optical side&view of the internal components demonstrates how light (8) passes through the lens
assem"ly and is reflected into the ;entaprism (4) "y a mirror (@), which is angled at exactly A3B and
moves upward and "ack into position with each photograph
,he image is first projected through the roof of the
;entaprism and "ack onto a matte focusing screen (3),
through a condensing lens (C) 6hen the image is viewed
through the eyepiece (D), regardless of whether it is in&
focus or not, the focal plane shutter (2) opens ("y
operation of a shutter "utton) and the image is captured
on the digital sensor (A) 6hen the shutter closes, the
photo image is saved internally
HOW TO Clean DSLR Camera !"# $ Lenses
Any dirt, when "rought into contact with fingers, rain, dust, other air"orne particles and atmospheric
moisture# eventually will seep into the cracks and crevices, "etween the lens or camera "ody$s rings,
dials and set up shop inside Any of these minute particles will create spots, scratches, or "lurred
images across your photograph# a great clue that your camera andEor lens needs cleaning
H06 ,0 CH1CF !< CAG1+A 911() C*1A9!9: ,!;% <irst, set your camera to a small aperture
and take a picture of a white piece of copy paper ,hen transfer the photo to your computer, "y H)I
ca"le and open the picture for viewing on the computer screen Joom in to view any spots, scratches or
other a"normalities of the photo image Alter the contrast of the image, darker to see if any "lemishes
"egin to stand out more !f you see any spots, scratches, etc it$s time for a cleaning'
Ste% & & +emem"er, all digital lenses are made of :*A))' ,he sharpness and clarity of your photo
images, greatly depends on each lens (including the entire camera "ody) "eing s-ueaky clean and free
of any dust, sand, or other particles ,he most important tool, every photographer should carry in
hisEher camera kit is a softy lens cleaning cloth ! am not talking a"out a washcloth from your closet, or
even a paper towel >ou need to keep a small and inexpensive camera lens cleaning cloth with your
camera kit, at all times'
Hsing a microfi"er cloth, clean off the exterior of your camera "ody and lens first Also, make sure to
clean around the lens amount carefully with -&tips and cleaning solution to ensure that no dirt particles
can get inside the camera "ody or lens, when we detach the lens mount
Ste% ' & Ie sure to clean the front glass on the *ens with the cloth, as you clean the exterior of the
camera Always keep a cap on your lens mount or glass surface to avoid potential future particles to
enter the mechanisms
Ste% ( & Hsing the small air "lower you have made or purchased, clean around each crack and crevice
of the lens$s rings and dials (0 90, H)1 A C0G;+1))1( A!+ CA9!),1+' ,hen take a small
amount of cleaning fluid# add it to the cloth (90, ,H1 *19) !,)1*<), and gently clean the glass on
the lens and the entire exterior surface of the lens Ie sure to wipe away any excess fluid
(on$t use 6index either ,ake the time to pick up Camera Cleaning fluid at any camera shop or
electronics store Feep it and new soft lens cloths on your kit and clean your e-uipment, each event at
which you are shooting Kust like in any other "usiness atmosphere, you need to keep your tools clean
and ready for the next period of operation
Ste% ) & 0nce you have ensured that you are working in a dist&free environment, you will remove the
lens mount so that we can clean the camera "ody digital sensor 6e want to "e sure to clean gently
around the inside of the camera "ody, after we have removed the lens mount to ensure that we do not
damage any part of its moving mechanisms
Ste% * & 0ne of the greatest things a"out owning a
()*+ Camera, is that you can change the lenses as
often as necessary for different project shoots (uring
those lens changes, however, there is a risk of dust
falling Lonto the sensorL !n fact, the CG0) or CC(
sensor is covered "y a color filter or a clear glass plate,
so really the dust has fallen on something that is
covering the sensor 9onetheless, you want to "e very
careful at this point, "ecause if anything near the sensor
is scratched, the camera needs to go in for professional service'
Ste% + & +1A( <!+),, (0 *A,1+# should always "e your motto with expensive camera e-uipment
Ie sure to take a few minutes to review your camera$s manual for cleaning instruction, to ensure the
model you own does not have specific or uni-ue instructions, designed for that exact model and make
of camera Also "e sure to roll&up your sleeves so that no fi"ers from the shirt can get caught into the
camera "ody
I1 )H+1 ,0 )1, >0H+ CAG1+A G0(1 to )19)0+ C*1A9!9: mode' Also "e sure that the
camera power is on and the camera is fully charged >ou may want to plug in your AC adapter at this
point just to "e sure the camera is in the ready, cleaning position !f the power goes off, the shutter
curtain will close and "ecome damaged if you have cleaning e-uipment inside the shutter$s curtain to
clean the sensor
Ste% , & 0nce the camera has "een placed into the sensor cleaning mode, the shutter curtain will open
and reveal the digital sensor Hsing your small "ellows# "low air onto the digital sensor$s defensive
filtering element which is exposed (0 90, ,0HCH ,H1 <!*,1+ 6!,H ,H1 ,!; 0< ,H1
I1**06), A) !, 6!** (AGA:1 ,H1 1*1G19,
Ste% - & 0nce you have used the "ellows to detach any loose dirt particles, you can take your clean
"rush and gently sweep the surface <inally, you need to read the instruction manual once more to
ensure you have the correct siMe of cleaning swa", and take two drops of cleaning solution# apply it to
the swa", not to the camera "ody and gently sweep the swa" from left to right in one direction across
the filtering element$s surface
+1G1GI1+% <irst use the "ellows, then gently sweep with the "rush, then use your cleaning solution
and correct siMe of swa" to clean the surface in one direction to extract any hard de"ris from the
mechanism$s surface I1 :19,*1 A, A** ,!G1) Hse each side of the swa" only once when
swiping the element$s surface ,hrow away and get a new clean swa" to repeat as necessary to clean the
surface
Ste% . & <inally, once the surface is clean, exit the cleaning mode on the camera and refit the lens onto
the camera "ody 9ow, you only need to repeat the .H06 ,0 CH1CF !< >0H+ CAG1+A 911(
C*1A9!9: ,!;/ and see if you have removed all the "lemishes'
!f dust continues to show up, you need to repeat the cleaning process !f after cleaning the camera and
lens a second time, there still appears to "e scratches or "lemishes, you need to seek professional care
for the camera +1G1GI1+ to check the front of the lens to ensure that no scratches have "lemished
its surface
()*+ Camera lenses are -uite expensive and need to "e kept in a strapped position in your camera kit
(o not allow your lens to lay loose in the "ottom of the camera "ackpack or kit, as that is a sure "et to
attract dust particles inside Also keep a cap on your lens at all times, when it is 90, in use'
,he same goes for your camera "ody !f you have removed a lens and you are going to set the camera
"ody down, while you perform other operations# the lens mount must "e covered at all times, when it is
not attached to a lens
Ie sure to take special care with your camera "ody, lens, camera hardware and cleaning e-uipment
Feep your pack or kit clean at all times' (0 90, ;*AC1 <00( 0+ (+!9F into your kit or
"ackpack with the camera e-uipment !t is a sure&fire recipe for disaster'