Look after your camera Some simple tips |
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 Hints and tips by Philip Grosset If you'd like to submit photos for criticism, click here. |
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A camera case offers useful protection. Use it! The same goes for a lens hood, if you've got one. Keep your camera well away from flying sand. Indeed, think twice before even taking it onto a sandy beach, or, months later, it may grind to a halt! Don't leave a camera locked in a car on a sunny day. Keep it hidden away in the shade. It's safer, anyway, if not exposed to view. If you take it from a cold place into a warm one, condensation may form on the lens. Give this time to clear. |
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| If the lens is dusty, use either special lens cleaning tissue (or a sable paint brush) or a blower brush (to blow away grit from controls etc). You can remove dirt from metal parts with a soft lint-free cloth. Make sure the film path is free of dirt or specks of grit, but don't touch the mirror or shutter. |
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| The most useful parts of the lens cleaning kit, seen above, are the lens tissue and blower brush (also seen on left). The kit also contains cotton buds (moisten with the lens cleaning fluid provided to clean up any crevices), and lint-free cloth (to clean hard surfaces such as guide rails). | ||||||||||||||
Try not to leave a camera unused over a long period, but, if you do, be sure to remove the battery (or, in the case of a digital camera, recharge it). Modern automatic cameras do not lend themselves to home repairs. But, if nothing happens when you try to use it, do check the batteries. Rundown batteries are the most common cause of breakdowns! Always have spares available.
Be sure to insure your equipment. In the UK, it can often be included on a house contents insurance policy, but check that is is covered when used away from home. |
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Keep the camera dry. Wipe off any light rain immediately. If it falls into the sea, immerse it in fresh water. Use a sealed container, and take it in for repair as soon as possible.If it falls into fresh water, remove any parts that can easily be taken off (if there are any!), dry with a hair dryer, then take it in for a check-over. Don't follow the example of the man in the photo and take unnecessary risks!
