CLEANING ?

Hi guys, I've been using my K10 almost daily since I got it and each time I must change the lens 2 or 3 times. The camera itself is out with me in all kinds of weather and with the lens changing I think it's only a matter of time before I need to clean things up. I use the dust and sensor cleaning facility a lot so that might suffice but should I be prepared ?
What should I have to clean the camera body, lenses, and the possible hit by dust ???

many thanks,

DERYN

It's a topic dicuss many times, maybe we should make a complete list of tools and ways and make it a sticky. If someone is willing to write a short articale about it that would be great, you'll have my support.

To answer you question Deryn.
It's why you bought a DSLR to begin with, that you can get specialize lenses to get the best result so don't be afraid to change the lens as much as you need to.

When cahnging a lens, the sensor isn't expose the shutter curtain is infront of it, don't know if that helps any but it's a nice thought it helps.

I don't think that the sensore cleaning help a lot to behonest, it might shake the particles lose from the sensor so that they stick less but I don't have the diea they really fall off of it.
The easiest and the less expensive tool is a bellow, you simply squeeze it and it gives a stream of directed air that blow away the particales from the sensor. The problem is that you only move the dust inside your camera so it stays inside most of it, so you viewfinder and mirror would mostly like get dirty.

Then the other simple method is the artic butterfly.
It's quite expensive though but it works great against dust and small things. It's a brush that you can make turn around to make the brush static, since the sensor is ant-static you whipe it clean in an instance.

You also have... things that looks like a stamp that is sticky on the underside. you simply gently push it on the sensor and the dust and particles will stick on it. don't know the price of these... dopn't think they are quite cheap but not mighty expensive.

You also have swaps and fluid, this i see as the more serious kind of clean just like the sticky stamp one. You really need to sit down for it.
With fluid and swamps you really get the sensor clean, also grease and things like that isn't a problem. a set is expensive but you will do around the 2 years with it so in the end not so expensive.

For in the field I qould use the artic butterfly since it's easy to use and cleans it well. It also only consumes batteries so you can use it almost as much as you want tilll the brush wears out.
The bellow would aslo be for the quick dust removeal, the only problem is that you might need to come close to the sensor with the end of it so that the air has more power... you need to be casrefull not to damage the sensor then but it's quick and you can use it on you lenses aswell.

For real thourgh clean I would get swaps with a fluid, they realy clean the sensor and has some enhancing abalities so you give the sensor an sort of an overhaul.
I forgot the name of the brand but the fluid is called eclips I believe and they also have swaps.

oh for the lesnses, I use the bellow or a wipe it clean with a special cloth I bought for it. I mostly use the cloth since that works the fastest.

Hi Stefan thanks for the explanation, very comprehensive. I'll search the forum for past topics as well. As I said I've no problem at the moment but I want to be prepared.

Thanks again,

DERYN

You think you don't have a problem
set the lens to the highest f-number and take a shot of a blank wall bit over exposed, the photo doesn't have to be in focus.

When you look at the photo all the dust and particals on the sensor show up.

I find that when using a puffer like the Rocket blower it helps to have the lens mouth pointing downwards. It is a bit awkward to do but most of the dust falls out of the camera instead of further into it.

I am not convinced by the sticky pad things like the Pentax O-ICK1. I had a couple of marks on my sensor for ages after I used it.

Cheers, Kris.