Camera cleaning

[armen_hovannisian]

<p>I've always been afraid when it comes to cleaning.<br>

I don't have a cleaning kit.<br>

How can I clean my camera(nikon d60) and lens(18-55mm) gently ?</p>

 

[podstawek]

<p>Armen,</p>

<p>Some may find my advice controversial, but I really live by this rule: don't care much about cleaning. A few specks, particles or fingerprints on the lens won't do any harm to you, your camera, or the picture. When there's too much of it, I usually wipe the lens with the same cloth I use for my glasses. Or even with my T-shirt when I don't have that cloth.</p>

<p>Even if dust makes it to the sensor (which it sooner or later will), it is still not an issue to panic about. For me, I just keep on shooting :). Any visible specks can be easily removed in processing software. When there's too much of it, either check D60-specific instructions on the Web (each SLR maker has specific instructions for sensor cleaning), or give it to the servicing guys for cleaning.</p>

<p>But I would not bother until you see really many specks on the image. If you think too much about cleaning, you stop thinking about pictures. :)</p>

[jackaldridge]

<p>I'm sure there are several threads on cleaning.<br>

Basically you should have:<br>

1- A blower of some kind (Rocket Blower, etc.) to blow off big chunks of debris.<br>

2- A microfiber cloth does wonders on lenses.<br>

3- A lens pen is also great, and one version is made specifically to clean the sensor.<br>

Obviously cleaning must be done gently. Never use compressed air! Never blow on the lens either. I'm not sure why so many people worry about cleaning their camera... if it's done gently and with common sense it's an easy task.</p>

[joshuasigar]

<blockquote>

<p>Never blow on the lens either.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Huh? Did you mean to say to never blow on the lens <em>using compressed air</em> ? Because otherwise what's wrong with blowing on the lens?</p>

 

[jpo3136b]

<p>There are two spots you need to be careful with, when cleaning any camera: mirrors and ground glass surfaces. </p>

<p>Camera mirrors are different than mirrors you may see in ordinary life. In a regular mirror, the reflective coating is on the back, and locked between the glass and the outside of the mirror with heavy paint as a sealant. In camera mirrors, the silvered surface is often on the top, and exposed to the air. This makes for a highly reflective surface that is very smooth and in just the right plane for the optics. It also means that it is physically more fragile. Avoid touching the mirror with your fingers. Also, just be generally gentle with it.</p>

<p>Next is the ground glass surface. The most common kind you will encounter will be the focusing screen on an SLR or DSLR. Two points make this precarious: it will be close to a mirror, and the surface will have very fine grooves in it. These grooves may trap dirt or contaminants if you press in towards the face of the glass. As with the mirror, be physically gentle when cleaning the glass. Fortunately, if you avoid directly touching the mirror or the ground glass with the skin of your fingertips, mirrors and focusing screens can often be cleaned with nothing more than a gentle breeze. The warnings about compressed air are there because while it feels gentle to us, canned air at a close distance, focused through a nozzle, will have more force than the we often imagine. So, a gentle puffer-blower or very soft cosmetic paintbrush will really be all you'll ever need for cleaning those surfaces.</p>

<p>For a DSLR camera sensor, I would treat that by letting the camera's own cleaning system jostle the sensor. If you keep caps on your equipment when they are not in use, then it's unlikely that you'll ever really have a problem with sensor dust that can't be handled by the on-board dust systems.</p>

<p>All of those surfaces: mirrors and ground glass, and a DSLR sensor, should only require at most, a rare gentle breeze to clean them off. Sometimes with a mirror or focusing screen, I might give a gentle touch with a very soft brush. I have never had any reason to touch a DSLR sensor.</p>

<p>For the lens, I use a simple soft cloth and a soft brush. Just being basically gentle with the glass; avoid any kind of abrasive action; it is easy to maintain your lenses and camera with low-cost materials. I dust or gently cloth the lens glass or filter glass in one way or another either daily or every few days. </p>

<p>Use caps. Frequently neglected, they're the best protection for the lens. If you are not letting light through the lens right now, cap that lens assembly. I carry an extra set of rear lens caps and body caps for my camera. If you twist the two empty caps together, they don't make as much noise in the bag. </p>

<p>Your total cost for cleaning supplies should be well below $25. Maybe $25 for five year's worth. I ahve used the same $5 brush for about 15 years. I know I have seen cleaning kits for sale at over $100. These must be for some specialized need; gentle brush and soft cloth is really all you need. </p>

[jpo3136b]

<p>For the lenses and filters, I have also not really used any kind of specialized cleaning solutions. They are often little more than a softened form of water. Bad breath and the corner of a soft T-shirt has cleaned stubborn spots on my lenses many times. I always have those two supplies with me. ;-)</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>To further stress a few important points:</p>

<ul>

<li>Use any kinds of solvent with great care. Never put fluid directly onto the lens, but first onto a lens tissue (at your local camera store).(use the blower first so you're not grinding grit into the lens).</li>

<li>Never apply heavy pressure in cleaning, you can damage coatings, especially on older lenses.</li>

<li>Use a squeeze-type blower like the Giotto Rocket (Canon makes a copy for a little less), nothing stronger. </li>

<li><em>Never, ever</em> use compressed air to blow anything off, especially <em>inside</em> the camera (may be too powerful, but more importantly, the propellant inside the can may spot things up).</li>

</ul>