My post today is different than my usual ones... I wanted to share some "tips". Not tips on photography itself, but on keeping your equipment in tip-top condition. The two tips I will be talking about are good for anyone with a camera- pro or amateur.
The first "killer" is DUST. While keeping your camera & lenses away from dirt & grime sounds like common sense, it's not always the case. Even if you avoid specifically dusty areas, it is inevitable that dust will still creep in to every crevasse it can. The most important part to keep dust out of is your digital cameras sensor. Some ways to prevent this (as much as possible) are: If there's no lens on your SLR, it better have a body cap on it! Always keep the internal parts of your camera protected. It's best when changing lenses to do it when the camera is off, and to hold the mount slightly downward as you're changing. Also, if your other pieces of equipment are dusty (like your lens) it can easily transfer to your image sensor. So, also keep everything as dirt & dust free as possible.
You can purchase compressed air cans which give a nice swift blow of air onto whatever you're pointing it at. There are also bulb blowers which are easier to transport in a camera bag, are inexpensive, and are an easy way to keep those nasty little particles away. One of my favorite bulb blowers is this one which has a fun rocket ship design.
The second of todays camera "killers" is FUNGUS. Fungus likes to creep into lenses when you least expect it. On normal fungus levels, it is very hard to spot unless you know exactly what you're looking for. But the thing about fungus it, it doesn't stop growing. Over time it will etch the glass in a lens to the point of no return. Fungus is especially a problem in humid climates... and I don't just mean rainforesty... If you live near a body of water, or a place where it rains on a fairly regular basis, your equipment is susceptible.
In addition to keeping your equipment properly stored,
I suggest silica packs. These can be
I suggest silica packs. These can be
purchased in large sizes that can be re-activated by
cooking it in the oven (best for larger spaces or multiple
pieces of equipment), or for a temporary (& smaller
space), the little packs that come in shoe boxes can
be thrown into your camera bag. I also use these in
my print boxes for preserving old photographs.
cooking it in the oven (best for larger spaces or multiple
pieces of equipment), or for a temporary (& smaller
space), the little packs that come in shoe boxes can
be thrown into your camera bag. I also use these in
my print boxes for preserving old photographs.
And P.S.- even though the silica gel packs say all over them DO NOT EAT, if a little furry friend happens to get ahold of one, they will be ok... just monitor them and make sure they drink water.
