It’s summertime and you’re framing the photo you’re taking with your DSLR camera with the beach in the foreground and the sunset in the background.
But wait–what are those gray spots in the top corner? Birds? Nope. It’s dust on the sensor of your camera, and now you have to edit those out when you get home from vacation.
To take the best photos with your DSLR camera while traveling this summer, the first step is to make sure it’s clean.
The lens and the sensor of your camera are both delicate surfaces, so proceed with caution while cleaning.
Small particles and dust start to coat your camera lens quickly. It can be tricky to remove these without scratching the lens.
The supplies you’ll need to clean your camera include:
- Non-abrasive, lint-free wipes
- Rubber bulb blower
- Lens cleaner
Use the rubber bulb blower to remove as much as possible without touching your lens. If you still see dirt particles on your lens, use a lens cleaner solution and non-abrasive, lint-free wipes to gently clean your lens. Be sure to apply the cleaner to the cloth first and not spray directly on the lens.
Unless you change lenses quite often, you won’t need to go into your camera to clean your sensor too many times. If you notice blemishes (like those gray “birds” on the perfect blue sky) on your images, however, particles may have found their way inside the body of your camera.
With your camera turned off and the lens removed, take a close look for any particles inside the camera. If your camera happens to be turned on, the sensor will be charged and will attract particles.
To access the sensor, turn the camera back on and put it into cleaning mode, which locks the mirror in front of the sensor. Now, you can use your bulb blower to remove any particles on the sensor. When you have finished, turn the camera off to lower the mirror and put a lens or lens cap back on.
If the blower doesn’t make the sensor completely clean, don’t be tempted to touch the sensor with a wipe or brush. Take your camera to the nearest camera shop and ask a professional for help.