Care for your DSLR Camera

So you finally got that fancy new digital SLR camera (the one that lets you change lenses), and now you have spots on all your photos. Usually you will notice the spots showing up against solid colors like the blue sky. These are typically the result of a dirty sensor. To avoid cleaning more than necessary there are a few practices that can help reduce the issue.

1. Always store your camera with a lens or body cap in place.

2. Minimize the time a lens or cap in removed during a lens change.

3. Always change a lens with the camera pointing down to minimize the dust that lands in the opening.

4. Lenses or caps should be clean before attaching to the camera.

5. Avoid changing lenses in a dusty or a dirty location (i.e. the beach), and if you must change a lens in an undesirable location look for cover like the trunk of your car or behind a wind block.

Once you have dirt on the sensor it must be cleaned. Many newer camera have a self cleaning function that can work very well. If the camera is very dirty you may need to run the action several times. If there is no self cleaning option or it is too dirty for self clean, the next step is to try air (never use canned or compressed air unless you have special training). My favorite tool is the Rocket. Holding the camera pointed down, insert the tip towards the opening (making sure to not poke inside the camera) and squeeze a burst of air into the camera body. Repeat several times then test for dirt. If you don't have a sensor scope, take a photo of the sky or other solid light colored area and inspect the image for dirt (for best results use an F16 or F22 aperture if possible). You may need to repeat several times to get the sensor clean. For stubborn dirt the next level is a dry cleaning with a static brush. Although the sensor has a piece of glass that covers it and you are not likely to do any lasting damage to it you should be aware that if this procedure goes badly you will be taking your camera to the shop for a professional cleaning. If the camera has never been professionally cleaned there is a near 100% chance that there is stray adhesive or lubrication around the edge of the sensor, if you touch this area when cleaning you will drag that product onto the sensor making it worse then when you started. If the dry cleaning fails the final option is for a wet (chemical cleaning) and although there are kits available I recommend having this type of cleaning done. There are specific hand skills needed as well as requiring lighted magnification to see what you are doing. Most camera shops offer this service for $50-$75 and it usually takes a day or so. Best advise is to avoid letting dust in, look for dust on your images and clean when you notice it. Letting dirt build up before attempting to clean causes the problem to be much worse.