How to Care for and Clean Your Camera Lens

The lens is one of the most important parts of your camera, so you need to keep it clean. Dirt and dust on your lens can produce a poor-quality photo, so proper care and storage is important, as is protection from being dropped, stepped on, kicked or smashed. Any of these blunt force traumas can destroy your lens and cause "shock," which is expensive to repair, if it can be fixed at all. Keep your camera away from water, because if water gets inside your lens, it will leave spots that are impossible to remove and will show up on your photos. Last but not least, try to avoid scratching the lens because this damage can be permanent. Avoid these problems by following a few step to keep your camera lens in tip-top shape.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Camera lens cleaning solution
• Microfiber cloth
• Padded camera bag
• Quality lens filter

1. Use a microfiber cloth to clean the camera lens regularly. Starting from the center work outward with the cloth. For more stubborn stains, you will need to use a special cleaning solution designed for camera lenses. Do not use any other type of solution, such as ammonia or other household cleaning products, because they can damage your lens.

2. Carry your equipment in a padded bag that is suitable for carrying your camera and all of its attachments. This is also a good place to store your camera items and keep the lenses safe from damage. Be sure to choose a bag large enough for each piece to have its own space.

3. Keep your camera and its lenses away from water. To remove water from the lens, turn it upside down and wrap it in a towel to allow the water to drain. If you are lucky, this can work. If there is remaining water inside, it MAY be able to be removed by a camera service professional.

4. Apply a clear filter to your lens. This can be the best way to prevent the lens from being scratched. These filters fit right over the lens, and if you use a high-quality filter, you will barely notice it is there. This is the easiest way to make your lens "scratchproof," because if something scratches at the lens, the filter takes the damage. These filters are much less expensive than lenses, so you can just replace the filter rather than the whole lens.

[PISDOFF]

on 7/4/2008 Canned air is a no-no. Use only a rubber hand squeezed bulb. The pressure at which the canned air comes out in addition to the possibility of foreign elements in the air are the reasons.

[imagery]

on 5/6/2008 Good article, but I would always start by blowing dust off the lens before applying a cleaning solution by using canned air or a blower brush. If there is sand on your lens and you use a cloth first you could scratch the lens element.