What maintenance and cleaning is necessary for my camera and lenses?

Don't wait until something is wrong with your photographic equipment. Your camera and lenses need careful, regular maintenance and cleaning to be ready to capture every important image.

Professional camera cleaning services and repairs are conducted by Anderson Camera Repairs, a third generation family business with a 60 year+ history. With a reputation for technical expertise and customer service, Anderson Camera Repairs has also been Nikon's Queensland service agent for 50 years.

To keep your equipment in shape in between professional cleans, the in-house technicians at Anderson Camera Repairs make the following suggestions:

1. Keep your camera and lenses as clean as possible. Wipe the outside with a dry, clean cloth. Don't use harsh cleaners or solvents, which can cause permanent damage.

2. If you aren't using your camera and lenses for a few days or more, remove the batteries and store your equipment in a clean camera bag, and in an internal, dry and dust-free cupboard away from heat.

3. Empty and vacuum your camera bag occasionally to remove dust particles. Keep a bag of silica gel in your camera bag to absorb moisture and retard lens fungus.

4. Don't overcharge your batteries or leave them in places where temperatures may get high, such as on a car seat or in the glove box of a parked car.

5. Keep zoom lenses retracted when not in use to avoid dust settling on the exterior and being drawn into the lens and camera when you activate the zoom or focus ring. This dust will result in spots on your images.

Sensor Cleaning

These spots can be removed by cleaning the sensor. If doing this yourself you must:

• Use a fully charged battery or an AC power adaptor;
• Use the camera menu if it allows sensor cleaning – don't use bulb mode;
• DON'T damage the low pass filter protecting the CCD unit because this is very expensive to replace.

Spots can be also removed during a professional clean. At Anderson Camera Repairs this has the added benefit of including a clean of:

• The mirror box area (to remove lint)
• The auto focus sensor
• The focus screen and lens to body contacts
• The sensor
• The front and rear lens surfaces.

Removal of these spots requires immediate attention. If dust gets behind the low pass filter you may incur the significant expense of replacing the sensor.

6. Use a skylight filter to safeguard your lenses from scratches and expensive damage.

7. Always use a soft microfibre cloth and cleaning fluid to clean the front and rear elements. Apply lens cleaner fluid sparingly and don't put it directly onto the lens.

8. Use a mildly abrasive pencil eraser to polish the contacts, including those on the foot of the flash gun and sides of the flash shoe, keeping the terminals clean and corrosion free.

9. Charge and fire your flash guns every few months to keep the internal capacitor working.

10. Store memory cards in their protective case. They can be damaged from dust and grit if you store them in your pockets. Lens caps, rear caps and body caps can also transfer lint from clothing to the lens or camera if they are carried in your pockets.

11. Carefully insert memory cards into your camera. Undue force can result in an expensive replacement of bent pins.

12. To prevent accidental impact to your camera, be wary of leaving it mounted on a tripod, especially in the presence of children and animals, and occasionally check the shoulder straps affixed to your camera are securely attached.

Anderson Camera Repairs has been the Queensland service agent for Nikon for more than 50 years. The company's factory trained technicians use the latest technology in their custom-built photographic service centre in Capalaba, Queensland.

Book a camera repair or service today using our book a job form or mail order form, email us or call 07 3245 6444.