SPRING CLEANING
PROJECT 3
Dan Mold shows you how to give your Canon gear a professional clean
Dust is the nemesis of all photographers. Grit, grime, dirt and even sand can all find their way inside the intricate workings of your camera body or in the optics of your lenses to cause havoc.
While it’s not the sexiest subject around, it’s vital to keep kit clean, and since cameras and lenses can cost a small fortune, it’s only right that we give them the care they deserve to keep them in top condition. This also helps you keep the resale value high and stops those annoying little dust spots appearing in your photos.
Spring is the perfect time to do an annual deep clean of all your camera kit, from lenses and bodies to camera bags. And while we probably should do it more often, once a year will probably suffice. While cleaning more serious dust and fungus from the inside of a lens is best left to an expert, we can do most of the essential cleaning at home with a few essential tools.
THE SETUP YOUR ESSENTIAL CLEANING TOOLS
A handheld rocket-style air pump is ideal for blasting off loose bits of dust and debris from your camera and lenses. They have a gentle pressure, and unlike canned air cleaners, an air blower won’t spray moisture onto your sensitive equipment.
For more stubborn grime you’ll need to turn to a lens pen or microfibre cloth, although you’ll want to use air power first so that you don’t risk rubbing any grit or dirt further into your optics which could result in scratches.
If dust spots still appear in your photos after cleaning your lenses then the dust is likely on the camera sensor. While we run through how to use sensor swabs to fix this issue, if you’re unsure you could send off your body to be professionally cleaned.
BEFORE
AFTER
PRO TIP
Most lenses have a front filter thread that you can screw a filter into unless the front element is very bulbous, such as on some super wide-angle or fisheye lenses. A pro tip is to fit a high quality UV filter to your best lenses to keep the front element protected and free from dust. Your camera sensor will already have a UV filter on it, so the additional UV filter on the lens will have little effect on your images.
STEP 1 AIR POWER
The first step when cleaning delicate camera parts or optics is to use air power from a handheld rocket-style blower to knock off any loose dirt and debris so that these di
