Unless you are shooting in a studio every time, it isn’t unexpected to find dirt, rain, dust or whatever kind of grime on your camera. And with camera bodies and lenses costing up to thousands of dollars, it is essential for a camera owner to know how to take proper aftercare of their camera lenses. With this guide, we will show you the right tools you can use to keep your lenses crystal clear.
Camera specific tools
This is an important tool that will allow you to blow away dust clinging to your camera lens. Using a cloth to wipe the lens may drag the dust and damage it. With this tool, no contact is necessary as you use air to remove unwanted material.
This is a tool that has a carbon-charged felt tip on one end, and a retractable brush on the other. The felt tip can be used to absorb oils and other particles that might have settled on the lens, which will allow you to remove grease and fingerprints. The retractable brush will help remove the dust that the blower could not get to. You should not apply much pressure if using one of the ends.
Lens cleaning wipes
These are miniature wipes that are pre-moistened in a lens cleansing solution that quickly evaporate when applied to the lens. The wipes are designed to be convenient for the user to clean all types of spectacle lenses. The cleaning agents they contain are free from harmful damaging substances and artificial fragrances.
Non-camera tools
Microfiber cloth
These are best used to buff the lenses after using the wipes. Microfiber cloth is the perfect type of cloth to clean lenses without any product applied to it. Using the same cloth on different products should be avoided as the material coming from one might damage the other.
Paint brush
These are efficient tools that can be used to remove dust that are settling on the surface of the camera bodies and lens barrels. Since it will only be used in the outside of the camera and outer casing of the lenses, a brush with tougher bristles is recommended as compared to ones that are extra soft.
Make-up brush
This performs a similar same role of the LensPen’s retractable brush end. Depending on the make-up brush’s size, you can reach areas where the LensPens could not. Make sure you buy one brand new as you do not want make-up residue to end up in your lens.
Zip-lock bag
Your cleaning gear must be protected from dust and dirt too. Zip-lock bags serve as an excellent solution to keeping your tools free from any unwanted material.
What I can add to this post is that you should buy kits ONLY from reliable manufacturers. I ordered cleaning kit from China (eBay) and almost destroyed my camera!
Keep it up! 🙂