topic Cleaning the camera in Point & Shoot Digital Cameras

Cleaning the camera

bedadas — Wed, 25 Dec 2019 02:54:08 GMT

Hi, I have a Canon Powershot SX60. Wife and I shoot on the beach often enough where I can see small particles of dust and a few of sand inside the lenses. Heard it's a good idea to get the camera sensor and lenses cleaned every so often. Also heard it is not necessary because it will have the same dust and dirt right away. Any suggestions? Also what is the best way to clean the outside of the lenses? Appreciate the help.

Thank you

Re: Cleaning the camera

Tronhard — Wed, 25 Dec 2019 09:05:44 GMT

@bedadas wrote:
Hi, I have a Canon Powershot SX60. Wife and I shoot on the beach often enough where I can see small particles of dust and a few of sand inside the lenses. Heard it's a good idea to get the camera sensor and lenses cleaned every so often. Also heard it is not necessary because it will have the same dust and dirt right away. Any suggestions? Also what is the best way to clean the outside of the lenses? Appreciate the help.

Thank you

The SX60 being a non-interchangeable camera, you cannot access the sensor or interior of the lens yourself as you would do with an interchangeable lens camera. If you do get significant dust inside the camera, especially on the sensor you will have to send it in to Canon for cleaning. Getting dust inside the elements of a lens is not uncommon - any lens that extends has a bellows effect to suck in dust. Seeing dust in the lens is not critical unless it impacts on the actual photos - dust on the sensor is liable to be much more of an issue and is denoted by blobs consistently displayed on the same places in your images. For that it is worth having the camera cleaned.

As far as cleaning the outside of the lens goes. The best things to have are a good blower to blow off dust from the surface of the lens, and a lens brush to take of stubborn particles. If you want to wipe material from the surface you should use an optical-grade spray - available from camera stores or opticians and a quality lens cloth. Keep the cloth in a ziploc bag to avoid getting dust on it.

I have an SX60 and I have an adaptor for the front bayonet mount to take a filter thread. I put a lens protector filter on that and an appropriate lens cap. It helps to keep stuff off the lens.

Re: Cleaning the camera

John_ — Wed, 25 Dec 2019 15:21:53 GMT

I agree with everything said and would only add that you vacuum all the nooks, crannies and crevices out first before using a blower. The Home Depot sells a mini vacuum attachment set that has a small brush, tiny crevice tool which attaches to a standard vacuum hose and is great for cameras...not the lens glass but the camera body.