Our Top 3 Camera Care Tips
Hi all! Happy Saturday. I'm writing to you from a little airbnb in Mexico City. Elle and I have been traveling quite a lot this past month as I'm sure you've noticed our IG game hasn't been on point and honestly, that's ok. We're both taking some time away from work and enjoying summer as much as we can. Don't forget to do that for yourself and your mental health! If you needed a little nudge, this is it! Anyway, because we've been both vacationing a lot, my camera hasn't been getting picked up quite as often. Earlier this month, during one of the few days that Elle and I happened to be at the office at the same time (lol!) I remember mentioning that right now would probably be a great time to go get my camera and lenses cleaned. And that's exactly what this post is all about. Camera and lens maintenance! It's a thing people. Just like we all have to take our cars to the shop, we also have to care for our equipment. Keep reading below for some camera care tips that have helped us maintain our equipment in good shape.
The Essentials
You can't have a camera and not own some of these *essential* cleaning items. Yes, I'm talking about a microfiber cloth, a lens/screen cleaning solution, and a rocket air blower. All three of these are an absolute must and will help keep your equipment nice and clean before every shoot. The rocket air blower works super well for when you want to remove any dust or particles from the inside of your camera, lenses, and any crevices on the outside of your camera/lenses. The microfiber cloth and cleaning solution (usually alcohol based) is perfect for wiping down your screen and your lenses. We paid SO much money for our equipment, the least we could do is keep them clean as much as possible.
Handling and Storing Your Equipment
One of the ways that I try to keep my camera sensor clean is by making sure I mount my lens in a way that minimizes dust from getting in there in the first place. When doing so, I always like to point my camera's sensor at a downwards angle, remove the dust cap, and attach my lens as quickly (and safely) as possible. If I were to mount my lens with the sensor facing upwards then there's a much higher chance that dust could settle inside of my camera (hello gravity!) and we don't want that now, do we? That's why it's super important to be efficient when mounting your lens because the longer your sensor stays exposed, the dirtier it could get. For storage, it's quite simple. Keep your equipment stored in a cool and dry place. Preferably, either a camera backpack or case. Always remember to remove your batteries when not in use. I read somewhere that you could reduce the battery's charge if left in the camera for a long time when not being used. Kapish?
Your Camera Sensor Needs Love
Alright you guys! This one's my FAVORITE and I wish I had started doing this back when I first got my camera but I'm glad I do it somewhat regularly now. Please, for the love of all things good... do not try to clean your camera's sensor by yourself. It isn't worth it. You could potentially damage your sensor unknowingly and it just IS NOT WORTH IT. Go get it done professionally, you will thank me later. Not sure about you, but dust retouching is the absolute worst and realizing that you're retouching the same dust over and over again because it keeps showing up in all of your images... is the worst. So, go get your sensor cleaned at your local camera shop. Depending on how often you shoot, you might want to go get it cleaned more regularly but even a 2-3 times a year is great. You can also take your lenses to get cleaned professionally as well but I'd say your camera sensor is really where you want to spend your money.
So there you have it folks! A few of our top camera care tips that I hope you're either already doing or will start to ASAP as possible. Camera maintenance is essential to making sure our equipment lives a long and healthy life, lol! Feel free to share any tips of your own below or in our Slack.
Is it the weekend yet?
Arabela