Camera Cleaning Questions

Joined: 28 Apr 2006 Posts: 57

I called a Cameta Camera and asked if they could clean my camera while I wait and they said no way - they have to send it out and it can take up to two weeks. How can this be?

All I want to do is a basic cleaning of my lenses and whatever else is can be cleaned by me since I don't think there is any dirt on my sensor. So any tips on cleaning the camera myself? A website you can point me to?

My main concern is that I took it to the beach this weekend and I just want to make sure that the salt water in the air isn't going to damage anything.

Thanks!

Joined: 09 Oct 2006 Posts: 51

Puting the camera in the salt water is a very bad idea!
It would be better to take your camera into a licensed lens service!

Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 5:40 am

If you are just looking for something to clean your lenses off and not an in depth sensor cleaning there are a lot of options.

For example, I personally own this:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/343088-REG/Giottos_CL1001_Lens_Cleaning_Kit_with.html

It works pretty well.

-cEc-

Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 282 Location: Relocated

after a trip to the beach....

wipe down your camera and lenses external surfaces (but not the glass) with a very slighly damp cloth.

Clean the glass with a decent product *... first be really careful to blow away any little particle that might be on the lenses as the smallest grain of sand can do big damage.

if you changed lenses whilst on the beach then open the shutter as though you were going to clean the sensor - see your instruction booklet on how to do this. Hold the camera upside down and use a blower. If you see sand in there then a professional clean should be considered.

I live with the beach 5 metres infront of my window so i know how careful you have to be. Any salt residue will attract moisture like crazy so make sure those lenses are really clean!

Hope this helps a little.

ps. Cleaning the sensor is easy and sometime necessary. I use a blower to remove debris but once had to do a more thorough clean as documented here

* by decent product i'm not sure what i mean here lol. There are many different opinions but here is mine... due to possible salt residue on the lens i would give it a wipe. I would use a lens cloth (i hate those tissue things) and breathe on the lens first before gently wiping. A lot of people will say that you should never wipe the lens as you can remove layers... but they can handle a gentle wipe every now and again...