Advice for keeping dust out of slr

[macgrl]

I have just had to take my cannon into get the sensor cleaned. Are there any tips that people can give me to minimize the risk of keeping dust / crap out of the camera. The guy at the store said that due to the zoom action on the lens it can act as a vacuum and suck dust into the body. I have decided to get a bag that will fit the camera with a lens attached so that it reduces the times that I have to remove the lens and so open up the camera body. Any other tips?

 

[GoCubsGo]

If you have a DSLR and you don't have a bag then that's #1. It escapes me why you wouldn't but anyway.

It sounds as though you take your lens off your body when you're done? That's unnecessary. The more times you change your lenses the more often you're exposing the mirror to dust. Dust travels. When you change your lens in the field I would point your camera downward, ensure you have your lenses ready for a quick swap (loosen the rear lens cap). If you're in conditions where there is wind or other weather issues then take cover and change the lens or try to work with what you have on if you're just shooting casually.

You can always invest in a Rocket Blower, this is by far the most used tool in my bag. It blows air, not compressed air (that's bad), and you should start the practice of using it each time you start shooting and then finish shooting. Think of it like getting ready to leave and then washing up once you get home. Your camera needs a little wash too (don't use water ok).

I am unsure about the zoom BS the guy told you. The lenses you use should be sealed pretty darn tight and the lens on the body should create a fairly tight seal depending upon the camera you have. It's usually a twist and lock motion so I'm not sure how much of a vacuum this creates. It sounds silly but I've been known to be wrong often.

Finally, you want to make sure that you take it in for a good cleaning or learn to do it yourself once a year. I firmly believe with the Rocket Blower you'll get by with an annual cleaning if you find a dust bunny has just taken residence on your censor. I would not recommend cleaning it yourself until you've learned all the various ways to do it wrong then the one way to do it right.

 

[macgrl]

Thank you for your reply. I should have explained better in my original post. I have a big bag that holds both my lenses and my camera body. But I have to take the lens off the body to store them in the bag. I have now got another bag so that I can take just the camera and lens attached with me as I tend to just use one lens.

I think the main problem for me is the changing of the lens. If I didn't take it on and off for storage then I would possibly only change to the other lens that I have say one time out of 5 shoots.

Thank you so much for your advice. I will look at getting a Rocket blower.

 

[toxic]

just blow out the sensor every now and then. no big deal.

 

[compuwar]

I am unsure about the zoom BS the guy told you. The lenses you use should be sealed pretty darn tight and the lens on the body should create a fairly tight seal depending upon the camera you have. It's usually a twist and lock motion so I'm not sure how much of a vacuum this creates. It sounds silly but I've been known to be wrong often.

While I can see the argument for zoom lenses getting dust inside the lens, I've always been puzzled how it's going to get past the rear element- maybe the OP can go back and ask?

 

[macgrl]

I sure will I was confused about the vacuum thing too. But I am new to this so don't know much better

 

[GoCubsGo]

I think the vacuum thing is bullsh*t really.

 

[macgrl]

just blow out the sensor every now and then. no big deal.

where is the sensor and how do i blow it out? I have done some internet research and am wary of messing around with the sensor. How do I clean it without doing damage. Many place say don't use compressed gas.

 

[GoCubsGo]

Your sensor is under the mirror basically.
You want to lock your mirror up and blow it out with a rocket blower or similar tool.

Sensor Cleaning

 

[compuwar]

where is the sensor and how do i blow it out? I have done some internet research and am wary of messing around with the sensor. How do I clean it without doing damage. Many place say don't use compressed gas.

Under the mirror, your manual should tell you how to lock the mirror up to do it- make sure you have a fully-charged battery. Don't contact the sensor with anything if you're just going to blow it out, just use the rocket over the surface, moving the tip as you go. I like to hold the camera up so the sensor is pointing down to get the dust to fall towards the floor. After I do the sensor, I let the mirror back down and do the chamber.

 

[toxic]

where is the sensor and how do i blow it out? I have done some internet research and am wary of messing around with the sensor. How do I clean it without doing damage. Many place say don't use compressed gas.

the sensor is behind the mirror.

there is a menu option to turn on sensor cleaning mode. activate it and the mirror will flip up until you turn the camera off. you must have a full battery or it won't allow you to use it. just give the sensor a few puffs with a blower. do it in a relatively clean area, like a bathroom (or outdoors, if you're not at the beach or something), so you're not blowing more dust or debris into the chamber.

 

[macgrl]

thank you guys soo much. very much appreciated

 

[chiefroastbeef]

I think the vacuum thing is bullsh*t really.

I'd definitely have to disagree, at least on the consumer Nikon lenses. My 18-200mm lens has PLENTY of dust behind the Front glass element, one of the pieces is quite big, no idea how it go there.

However, on my "pro" zoom lenses, such as my 24-70mm f2.8, and my father's 10 year-old 80-200mm f2.8 lenses, not one speck of dust behind the front glass.

At least in my experience, consumer lenses, especially the super zooms like the 18-200mm suffers from the vacuum effect.

To the OP:

Definitely invest in a rocket blower(keep that sealed in a zip loc bag), and like others have mentioned, try to do it in a room with no circulating air, less dust particles I would think. And please don't do it during a sand storm!