CameraHobby - e-Book on Cleaning and Care, Chapter 12

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Photography e-Book Chapter 12 - Cleaning and Care of Equipment

If you have an abundance of money and can afford to buy every camera and lens from a brand's range then you probably do not need to concern yourself with cleaning the equipment. You either have Jeeves the butler clean it for you or you will probably sell it in favor of the next greatest body and lens before it really gets used too much. For the rest of us, our equipment at whichever level we have bought at, represents a significant investment that should be maintained properly for long lasting use and enjoyment.

There is not a lot that is required, just a few pieces,

Large hand blower bulb that can move a lot of air
Blower bulb with fine hair brush to delicately clean of dust and other loose particles, if you can find one made of camel hair so much the better but these are quite hard to find and you may have to order from B&H Photo in NYC
Can air for those times when the hand blower cannot do the job but exercise caution in use of this product and never use compressed air to clean focusing screens inside the camera's mirror box. The screens are quite delicate and blasting dirt and other particles around the screen may scratch the screen and also cause it to be knocked out of alignment. I use the can air mostly for cleaning really hard to remove dust from film and off of my flatbed scanning bed
Micro fibre cloth for lens cleaning or general cleaning use - some people may cringe at this but I do actually use the micro fibre cloth for cleaning my lenses - I find it easier and better to use than lens tissue
Lens cleaning solution and lens cleaning tissue for the serious lens cleaning jobs
Toothbrush for cleaning hard to reach areas of the camera or the lens exterior - NOT the lens surface

Other useful items to have,

Anti-static brush to get rid of stubborn dust particles - if you do your own scanning, this could be a very useful accessory given the way dust clings to a scan bed or the film
ROR or Residual Oil Remover claims to remove carbon residues on a lens that can reduce the amount of light being transmitted through - I have not tried this product myself though
A very soft leather chamois for cleaning the exterior of the equipment during shooting sessions in the rain - an accessory used by noted landscape photographer Galen Rowell when he is caught in the rain.

Cleaning the lens involves a specific technique,

Blow off all dust and particles seen - a hand blower is the safest way to do this but stubborn dust may require canned air
If you are using lens tissue, wet the tissue NOT the lens surface
With the lens tissue folded up to a comfortable working size, start the cleaning process in the center of the lens element
Work in small circular motions in the center and work your way to the exterior by using larger and larger circular motions
DO NOT clean in a radial pattern, meaning in straight lines from center to edge or edge to edge, ALWAYS work in a circular pattern
If there is still some lens cleaner fluid left on the lens, use a new dry piece of lens tissue to wipe off the excess, again in a circular motion

I like to ensure that there is slight moisture on the lens and if this means having to blow on the lens with my breath, I do so. I know some people will object to the the idea of using your breath but I would not dry clean the original lens element - a filter I hold in less regard and I will cheat now and then with them but NEVER with the original lens.

Tools to never leave home without,

Leatherman or similar multi-purpose tool that can be compacted in a small package for the pocket or for the belt. My leatherman is the standard version with pliers, a blade, scissors, and most useful, four screwdrivers.
Small flashlight - I use Maglight's ultra small minilight on my keychain
Jeweller's size screwdrivers for the tiny screws found on almost all major pieces of photo equipment - detail of this tool below.

With any sort of equipment that uses screws, it is wise to ensure that the screws are tight on a regular basis. I have not experienced screws coming loose but others have reported that the vibration of an airplane can be enough to loosen screws in a camera.

* Since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US, airlines have been very intolerant of any device being brought on board that could be used for a potential hijacking. Use some common sense and pack your tools away in the check-in luggage and not with your carry on bag, so as to minimize explanations and hassles during the check-in process.

I consider myself lucky to have the presence of mind to buy this screwdriver when I saw it on sale in a package with some lens cleaning accessories. The cleaning accessories I basically ditched because they were worthless but this tool is quite a gem with a flat-head and Phillips head, mini screwdrivers. I regret not buying more as I have not been able to find this tiny tool since.

The screwdrivers are small enough to do work on eyeglassess and is just a wonderful multi-use tool to have for everyday use with modern day electronics.

Chapter 13 - Insurance

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