©NYI Dean Chuck DeLaney

©NYI Dean Chuck DeLaney

For digital cameras, you don’t have to worry about the inside of the camera – there really is no inside area that you need to visit. There’s a slot (or possibly two) for memory storage cards, and a battery chamber. Most of the time these areas don’t require cleaning. You can use your micro fiber cloth to clean the LCD display screen if that is necessary.

Don’t touch the shutter blades!

Film cameras present another story. You need to keep the internal chamber where you load the film clean and free of dirt and grit that can scratch your film and negatives. However, anytime you open your film camera, heed this important warning: Be extremely cautious and avoid touching the metal shutter inside any modern auto-exposure camera.

©NYI Dean Chuck DeLaney

Clean the dust from the inside of your camera using a blower, but be careful to avoid the shutter blades that you see in the center of this photograph.

To make faster shutter speeds and higher flash synchronization speeds possible, today’s automatic cameras (particularly SLRs – single lens reflex models) feature a set of very thin metal shutter blades that replace the more durable cloth or metal shutter cover of yesteryear.

These thin metal shutter blades are very fragile, and even a gentle jab or tap can knock them out of position. Any damage to these shutter blades will result in a very expensive repair job. How expensive? You don't want to know -- figure $200. And up!

So, DO NOT touch the shutter mechanism on your automatic camera. If it needs any kind of cleaning (and there's little reason it should) take your camera to a professional repair shop that is authorized by the camera’s manufacturer. It will cost you a lot less to get the camera cleaned and checked than it would to have the shutter repaired if you attempt the job yourself and botch it.

Use the blower to clean your camera’s inner chamber. As long as you exercise caution and avoid the shutter mechanism, you can use your blower to remove dust from inside the camera as long as you don’t touch the shutter blades or blow air directly on them. It’s a good idea to clean any dust from the area where the film cartridge sits, and along the areas where the camera back closes on the body.

Avoid “canned” air for camera cleaning.

The reason I recommend a rubber bulb blower to blow dust and grit out of the inside of the camera body is that when squeezed, it provides a concentrated "puff" of air, but not the overly powerful "gush" that most brands of canned air supply. At NYI, we avoid canned compressed or propelled air, regardless of whatever type of propellant is used because the burst of air can be too strong, particularly for today's delicate electronic camera systems. In addition, some types of canned air use a propellant that--if you tilt the can downward -- shoots out a burst of solid, frozen stuff. Who needs that in your camera or on your lens?

Why do I use a separate cloth and squeeze bulb instead of the little squeeze blowers sold in camera stores that have a little brush on the bottom? Because I find those little blower/brush jobs are useless -- the bulb is too little to give a good puff of air, and the brush is too flimsy to get the job done.

Cleaning Lenses and Filters

If you need to clean an SLR lens, I suggest you start by using the blower first to blow all loose dust or grit off both the exposed face of the front lens element and the exposed face of the back lens element if it's easy to reach. There should be no way for dust or dirt to enter the lens barrel and affect the internal elements of the lens. Then use your micro fiber cloth to finish the job. I use the same combination for glass and plastic filters as well. Lots of photographers don't bother to clean their filters, which is a big mistake since they're more likely to get covered with fingerprints than the camera's lens.

What if I see dust in my SLR's viewfinder?

Generally, dust that you see in the viewfinder of your Single Lens Reflex (SLR) is dust that has settled on the mirror or prism of your camera. While annoying, it will not show up in your photographs. If you ever take your camera in for a general cleaning and lubrication, it will disappear. Don’t try to clean the mirror. A dusty mirror, like the one pictured below, won’t affect your photographs.

©NYI Dean Chuck DeLaney

To Repeat, Less is More, and Easy Does It

By the way, a little bit of dust or a tiny finger smudge on your lens is not going to translate into an exact image of that dust or fingerprint on your photo. Your camera is not focused on the lens' outside element. Rather, the problem with dust and smudges is that they cut down slightly on the amount of light that the lens transmits, thus having a small effect on exposure. Large smudges or a film of dust can degrade the image by lowering contrast, cutting exposure a tad, and making the photo a little less sharp. The other problem with some types of oil that get onto lenses (and filters) is that the longer they're left on the glass surface, the harder they are to remove. The oils can actually etch their way into the coated surfaces of the glass on the outside element of your lens.

Final Tip: A Bag Helps

One difference between pros and photo hobbyists is that pros keep their cameras in bags. A bag is likely to provide much better protection for your camera and other equipment than if you keep your camera loose in your suitcase, handbag, or briefcase. There are lots of soft and compact bags you can use to protect your camera, whether it’s a film or digital model.

If you do keep your camera in a bag, and if there’s room, there’s one other very inexpensive accessory I recommend – a plastic bag that’s big enough to hold your camera, your film or extra camera memory cards, and any other accessories. I find this plastic bag is very handy when I encounter a sudden summer thunderstorm or find myself on a speedboat that can catch a wave or spray of its own wake. I just open the bag and pop my entire camera bag into it. Believe me, it has come in handy more than once.

Just follow these simple tips, and your camera will be ready for all the great photo opportunities that summer has to offer.