How to Clean the Inside Lens of an SLR Camera
In an SLR camera, light travels from the view through the lens, the mirror and the prismatic reflector to the eye of the photographer. That is why an SLR is often also called a through-the-lens (TTL) camera, because what is seen in the viewfinder is what will be recorded on film. This sometimes causes problems because of parallax view, when what is seen in the viewfinder does not correspond exactly to the image going through the lens, which is what will be recorded on the film.
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Instructions
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Examine the outside of the camera, particularly its grooves and moving parts. Dirt in these parts may get into the camera interior while you are cleaning it. Clean the body using your pump or compressed air duster, then use camera wipes or microfiber cloth. Brush off caked dirt.
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Unscrew the lens from the body. Set the lens aside. Examine the lens mount and area around it, and then wipe off any dirt or dust.
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Gently blow any dust off the inside camera lens using the mini-blower, not the compressed air or pump blower. Wet the microfiber cloth with a drop or two of the cleaning fluid and gently wipe off the surface lens. Use a dry microfiber cloth to wipe the lens dry.
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If yours is a digital SLR camera, you may want to clean the sensor filter by very gently blowing it with air from the mini-blower --- never the compressed air, cloth or brush. Reassemble everything.
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Tips & Warnings
To find out if the lens needs cleaning, set the lens aperture as small as it goes, then take a photo of a clean and plain view, such as a piece of white paper or a clear, no-cloud sky. If the camera is digital, look at the image on your computer, zooming in to magnify likely looking spots as needed. If you see specks and aberrations, the camera lens needs cleaning.
Do not touch anything inside the camera body. Your skin will leave an oily print that will collect dust, dirt, lint or moisture that will oxidize to rust. Frequent cleaning of the camera lens will damage the lens coating, resulting in blurry pictures. Lens coating damage is not repairable; replacement is the only solution.
