Guidance needed.. (maintenance of camera)

[remusxiao]

Hi,
i new to DSLR and getting one soon (later). so some question...

what do i need to maintain my camera in tiptop condition? like dust free?

as i getting a dry box to store my equipment... can i store the camera with attached lens or i need to dismental the lens with the body before storing?

thanks.

 

[Headshotzx]

Hi,
i new to DSLR and getting one soon (later). so some question...

what do i need to maintain my camera in tiptop condition? like dust free?

as i getting a dry box to store my equipment... can i store the camera with attached lens or i need to dismental the lens with the body before storing?

thanks.

No way you're getting it dust free. Just doesn't happen.

Get a blower like the Giottos Rocket Blower (S$8 - 12) so that you can blow dust away from the sensor if there is. Read up on the manual to understand how you can flip the mirror away for easier cleaning.

Buy UV filters, and clean them after shooting.

After a day of shooting, especially outdoors and at the beach / humid areas, do take a clean damp cloth and wipe the outside of the camera.

Thats it I guess.

 

[Benosaurous]

Unfortunately there is no dust free method. Get a blower for cleaning, avoid using solution/poor quality cloth/tissue paper to clean your lenses. If there are smudges on your lens that a blower cant get off, use a good anti-static cloth, ranges from $10-$30, alternatively there are lens pen $10-$20. Keep your camera and lens in a dry cabinet, ~$90 so that dust dont build up and free your expensive hobby from fungi infection.

Keep a good UV filter on (some disagree with additonal glasses infront of your lens). Hoya HMC, Kenko Pro1D, B+W $50-$200 (depending on quality and diameter of filter). So that no dust will go in your front element lens and easier to clean.

Photography is always an expensive hobby.

 

[remusxiao]

where can i get the following?

Giottos Rocket Blower

and len pens?

 

[Octarine]

where can i get the following?
Giottos Rocket Blower
and len pens?

Read first what these things are. Google helps. I only have the blower. Don't buy anything just because people here list it. You might end up bankrupt easily
Recommended shops you'll find in the Consumer Section, it's a sticky thread. Those shops that are reputable for cameras also offer the necessary additional items for reasonable prices.
Be careful with the inside of your camera. Rule of thumb: don't put anything closer than 3cm to the opening (lens detached). Everything else you should leave up to Service Center for the time being. After warranty and once you are more familiar you can think about maintaining the inside on your own. It's easy to cause an expensive repair

 

[attap seed]

to get perfectly good pic, your sensor and lens need not be sparkiling clean. in fact, they can be much dirtier than u can accept and still do the job pretty well.

senors, i ve never clean in 1.5 yrs. a few very minor dust, but i jus ignore.

front filter of my kit lens, quite a bit of fine dust, tried blowing, but mostly they stay put. but i really dislike clening filter w cloth, tissue paper, cus they will get scratched. but even then, fine scratches wun affect image quality.

 

[Headshotzx]

Can get the items at Cathay Photo (peninsula plaza level1 / marina sq).

 

[psdcrdsc]

borrow this thread to seek advise for a point remus asked.

is it ok to store dslr with lens attached, for long period? if ok, what are some good ways to support the lens to level the camera horizontally? currently i improvise with filter lens cases + 1 piece of folded lens cloth.

 

[Rashkae]

borrow this thread to seek advise for a point remus asked.

is it ok to store dslr with lens attached, for long period? if ok, what are some good ways to support the lens to level the camera horizontally? currently i improvise with filter lens cases + 1 piece of folded lens cloth.

Why do you need to do that? It's not filled with water.

 

[kkcharles82]

For the point of using UV filters, I kinda disagree using them as they cause multiple reflections at night. This is when you see a single light point become a series of faint dots chain along with the actual light source. Unless you invest on really good filters, i.e. B+W, you will have some problem. Hoya lenses are horrendously difficult to clean as their coating has better affinity to oil than lens cloth, strange.

I use only a blower and lens cloth with the front element naked. Yes, that includes my 17-55 F2.8. The best physical protection is the lens hood as it is actually long and practically impossible for you to hit the front element on something like a table corner and someone's hand and destroy or smudge the lens respectively. It will not protect against dust, but if you use the blower once in a while to blow dust off, you will be fine. No need for constant wiping and cleaning of the front element.

The following will attract flak, but nonetheless I am going to mention it. Having heard the saying that the front filter will protect the front element from impact damage, in my opinion, thats rubbish. How can a layer of glass less than 1mm thick provide protection when it is less than 5mm away from the front element. If you impact on the filter and crack it, chances are that you will destroy the front lens element as well.

BUT, the front UV filter will protect your lens against salt spray on a boat trip or severe dust in a desert or extremely dirty environment. I consider it as sacrificial protection against light, damaging elements, and not physical protection against knocks and bumps.

 

[voldisinarta]

where can i get the following?

Giottos Rocket Blower

and len pens?

Any blower will be good, if you know how to use it... there is nothing special with those branded blower actually...

 

[ahbian]

Any blower will be good, if you know how to use it... there is nothing special with those branded blower actually...

Having said that, I would avoid buying those blowers that come in an all-in-one cleaning kit. Their nozzles drop out too easily.

 

[psdcrdsc]

cos i attached the grip & lens to the body, now the whole thing pointing down at an angle.

concerned abt adverse effects, if any? is there any btw?

Why do you need to do that? It's not filled with water.

 

[ahbian]

cos i attached the grip & lens to the body, now the whole thing pointing down at an angle.

concerned abt adverse effects, if any? is there any btw?

You mean you worried about "straining the mount" ah? Shouldn't really matter.

Remove the grip if you are really worried.

 

[calebk]

...
The following will attract flak, but nonetheless I am going to mention it. Having heard the saying that the front filter will protect the front element from impact damage, in my opinion, thats rubbish. How can a layer of glass less than 1mm thick provide protection when it is less than 5mm away from the front element. If you impact on the filter and crack it, chances are that you will destroy the front lens element as well.

BUT, the front UV filter will protect your lens against salt spray on a boat trip or severe dust in a desert or extremely dirty environment. I consider it as sacrificial protection against light, damaging elements, and not physical protection against knocks and bumps.

Explain this : my 35mm f/2 was in a lens case that dropped from waist height. It had a 52mm filter on it and the filter cracked, leaving the lens unharmed. Theoretically, it probably fell and hit the ground within the lens case filter-ring first, but the lens was otherwise undamaged. All that needed replacement was the filter.

The front filter will definitely not protect against direct frontal impact, but consider this: you can never be sure what size the object that may damage your front element will be. If it is small enough, and fast enough, it may still damage your front element.

I would use both a hood and a high quality front filter, just to be safe.

I don't think anyone can notice the marginal loss of quality of attaching a front filter, even pixel peeping. The obvious ghosting problem can be solved by simply keeping your eyes open for it and removing the filter when shooting into lights. It usually does not happen under normal circumstances, but usually with shooting night landscapes.

 

[kkcharles82]

Explain this : my 35mm f/2 was in a lens case that dropped from waist height. It had a 52mm filter on it and the filter cracked, leaving the lens unharmed. Theoretically, it probably fell and hit the ground within the lens case filter-ring first, but the lens was otherwise undamaged. All that needed replacement was the filter.

Well, i would say if you had attached the lens hood or maybe the lens cap, most likely the outcome will be the same and cheaper to replace also. You dropped the lens alone, that explains the fairly low energy impact, but if it was mounted with body, I assume it will be pretty much destroyed. In fact the lens is most vulnerable during lens exchange, mounting and dismounting. But during mounting and dismounting, i have the lens caps on, no issues.