Camera cleaning

[Vertigo]

Asked this in passing in a photo thread but thought I'd ask more clearly here.

Have recently returned from a safari which at times was incredibly dusty. A very file layer of dust/silt ended up on all the gear and I was regularly cleaning it off.

On my return I properly cleaned all the lenses and the body exterior. It's all "weather resistant" so I didn't really have any concerns about ingress.
The one except is inside the body itself due to having to change lenses in this dusty environment quite often. I'm concerned at how much of this incredibly fine dust will have found its way inside the camera body.

I'm thus interested in whether I can or should send the body off to be professionally cleaned. If such a service exists then I wouldn't mind paying for it but I'm not sure if this is even a thing or whether I should just blow the innards out and be done with it (or whether even that's a bad idea and might push dust into other areas inside the body).

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Derek W]

Asked this in passing in a photo thread but thought I'd ask more clearly here.

Have recently returned from a safari which at times was incredibly dusty. A very file layer of dust/silt ended up on all the gear and I was regularly cleaning it off.

On my return I properly cleaned all the lenses and the body exterior. It's all "weather resistant" so I didn't really have any concerns about ingress.
The one except is inside the body itself due to having to change lenses in this dusty environment quite often. I'm concerned at how much of this incredibly fine dust will have found its way inside the camera body.

I'm thus interested in whether I can or should send the body off to be professionally cleaned. If such a service exists then I wouldn't mind paying for it but I'm not sure if this is even a thing or whether I should just blow the innards out and be done with it (or whether even that's a bad idea and might push dust into other areas inside the body).

Any advice appreciated.

Depending on where you are you might have to google a repair centre near to you. A good few years ago i sent my camera away to this place https://www.ajjohnstone.net/camera-requiring-repair-or-service cos when i was at the football one of the guys i was with knocked over a can of coke which went onto my camera so i sent it off as a precaution. Normally you can give them details of what you want done so they can either give you a quote or they may just ask for it to be sent in and they'll have to take a proper look at it to see the full extent of what needs to be carried out.

The other alternative is to get a sensor cleaning kit / blower if you want to tackle it yourself.

 

[DB_SamX]

I usually clean my own camera sensor. I once did take it to my local LCE for a professional clean but they don't do any more than I could do at home and charged £40. The result was not much better than mine.

 

[Vertigo]

There's actually no sign that any dust has reached the sensor as yet. Of course the shutter is closed when changing lenses but I was more concerned that fine dust may have got inside the front 'cavity' and then work it's way further into the camera or to the sensor over time.

I've just very gently and carefully cleaned out the cavity with an air blower for now. Hopefully that'll be fine.

 

[JohnStewart]

I would just take the lens off, leave the camera switched off so the shutter is covering the sensor and give it a good blast with a rocket blower whilst facing it down. That should clear out any fine dust that got in. Don't use a compressed air can, as the pressure from that could force dust in behind any seals.

I regularly change lenses in dusty/windy environments and the above is all I do every few months. I usually clean my sensors about once every 3 - 6 months, or when a dust spot appears which won't shift with the built in sensor cleaning function of the camera.

As for cleaning the outside, again a regular quick blast with the rocket blower and a small paintbrush to get into the grooves, followed by a wipe with a damp microfibre cloth if required.