For hobbyists and enthusiasts who’ve traded up to a DSLR to enhance their photography, you’ve likely invested a significant amount of money exploring your medium. After purchasing cameras, lenses, memory cards, adapters, and other vital pieces of equipment, you need to ensure your gear with proper care. After all, it’s not a compact camera you can easily toss into a drawer. There are plenty of YouTube videos that show you how to properly clean a camera, but Canon has released a short video from its call center that offers some valuable tips on how best to care for your gear.
Though Canon is the only name mentioned, naturally, this video’s advice applies to any DSLR camera – Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Pentax…you name it; some of the tips could even apply to mirrorless compact system cameras (CSCs). The gist is, after frequent use, your gear will have eventual wear and tear, but proper maintenance will help prolong the life of said gear and get the best results possible.
In the short video, Canon Training Developer Holly Groder mentions the harmful elements to look out for: dirt, dust, sand, water, and smoke. Any of these elements can damage your gear immensely, and it’s important to manually clean your camera; auto cleaning functions help get rid of some harmful elements, but it’s also a good practice to use a soft-bristle brush and microfiber cloths to gently clean camera and lens contacts, lens glass, the camera sensor, and the camera’s LCD screen, function dials, and buttons.
Bulb air blowers are great to remove impurities from lenses or your camera’s sensor – just make sure whatever elements you’re trying to remove actually come off/out of the camera and don’t touch the sensor. One fingerprint or one tiny particle of any kind can result in irregularities like spotty or blurred images.
Speaking of what not to do, refrain from using canned air or household items or cleaners on your gear, as they contain harsh chemicals. You can use a dab of isopropyl alcohol on a soft wipe to clear your lens glass of various smudges.
As stated in the video, proper maintenance can help you avoid support calls and different repairs, and help extend the life of your gear. By following these tips, you’ll worry less about your gear and focus more on your photography, “which is what it’s all about,” according to Canon.
(Via Canon Watch)
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