Gear maintenance-How to?

[BW]

Starting this thread with a hope that we all could share tips and tricks to maintain the quality of our gear and make it last for several years. Pictures are most welcome. Examples of gear are photo bags, tripods, flashes, triggers, cables, remote controles, lenses and cameras. The list is not final. General maintenance is mainly external but sometimes we have to open up to get access. What tools do you use, what fluids, oils, greases etc? I think you get the picture

[Andy]

Hmmm.
I keep my "gear" in a cupboard in a normal "dry" room. That's about the maintenance I applied beyond lens and sensor cleaning for the last decades. Never dared to open a lens and a camera.

rgds, Andy

 

[Almass]

   

[charlie]

Hmmm.
I keep my "gear" in a cupboard in a normal "dry" room. That's about the maintenance I applied beyond lens and sensor cleaning for the last decades. Never dared to open a lens and a camera.

rgds, Andy

Sensor cleaning qualifies as maintenance, what do you use to clean your sensors?

Besides the rocket blower, I use the eyelead gel stick.
In my experience it is easy to use and though it doesn't remove the most stubborn of dust particles, it does a good job.

[BW]

Almass's methode is certainly the best if you have a very good relationship with your insurance company But I stick to conventionel methods. Blowing off sand and dust particles before I apply a wet brush to do the dirty job. It goes without saying that this is on the surface of the camera. Around all the knobs and wheels, dust particles are especially prone to stick. Then I dry it off with a clean cloth that does not floss. A quick round makes the camera really shine. I forgot to mention the importance of cleaning the photo bag. A good whaking and a round with the vacum cleaner is important so that your clean gear doesnt becom dusty when it goes back in the bag.

[BW]

Sensor cleaning qualifies as maintenance, what do you use to clean your sensors?

Besides the rocket blower, I use the eyelead gel stick.
In my experience it is easy to use and though it doesn't remove the most stubborn of dust particles, it does a good job.

I do it routinely on my own cameras and I think that this is something one should be able to do. If you dont brag about it on internett forums, warranty still applies

[MFloyd]

@Almass: 😊👍

For sensor cleaning, I'm using swabs and cleaning liquid from Visible Dust http://visibledust.com But I use before a blower with an incorporated filter. The most important is preventive maintenance, leaving the DSLR without a cover for a minimum time; holding the camera oriented to the ground when changing lenses; taking an additional body, avoiding changing lenses in exposed areas; keeping body, and lens caps dust and dirt free etc..

[simsurace]

Almass's methode is certainly the best if you have a very good relationship with your insurance company But I stick to conventionel methods. Blowing off sand and dust particles before I apply a wet brush to do the dirty job. It goes without saying that this is on the surface of the camera. Around all the knobs and wheels, dust particles are especially prone to stick. Then I dry it off with a clean cloth that does not floss. A quick round makes the camera really shine. I forgot to mention the importance of cleaning the photo bag. A good whaking and a round with the vacum cleaner is important so that your clean gear doesnt becom dusty when it goes back in the bag.

Is that a LEGO part as a front control wheel?

[Frank Fremerey]

I use the stuff until it is broken and not mendable anymore, then I sell it on ebay. Used or for parts.
Or I find a particular part not terribly useful anymore and sell it on ebay.
Or something breaks and I replace it with same or better.
As long as I got two bodies and a few lenses in regular use everything is fine.
Sometimes a friend says my front lens is dirty. I give him a cloth and tell him to wipe it if he has a problem with it.

That was the fun version with some grains of truth

What do I do?

I bring the stuff to NPS for check & clean

[MFloyd]

I'm taking often photos into rather unfriendly environments like here on the very windy beach of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands) i.e. wind (30 kts), sand and salt water spray.  Two little plastic garbage bags, and each evening spending 30' chasing sand particles, and washing off the surface with a water moistened towel being part of the post-production ritual.

[Airy]

The only things I do are:
- dusting off;
- wiping the external body parts with a cloth;
- wiping the optical surfaces of lenses with a lens pen;
- taking all precautions mentioned by MFloyd, four posts above. I also wipe or protect the camera / lens junction when it rains, given that most lenses I use have no gasket (the Tamron 45/1.8 being one of the few exceptions).

For sensor cleaning, I always visit a serious shop owner who would do it for free 50% of the time (depending on our other business). And I only ask for it when there is an apparent problem on a NEF, rather than "preventatively", which would increase the risk of accidental scratches.

So far these precautions were ok; I never had to return a camera for repair, and especially not the Nikons (D700, D800, Df). The only trouble was having oil sprayed onto the sensors due to the mirrors: neraly nothing with D700, a bit more with D800, and even more with Df that initially needed its sensor to be cleaned every month. But now, that lousy running-in period is over. Last cleaning was 6 months ago I guess.

[BW]

Is that a LEGO part as a front control wheel?

Of course! Endless possibilities for customisation

[elsa hoffmann]

Question x 2 -

When cleaning the outside of the body to remove perhaps salt spray from shooting on beach - with brush or cloth - just clean water or do you put something in it?

Lens cleaning - besides a lens pen or similar - can one also use a damp cloth - and if so - anything else on the cloth? (besides water)

[MFloyd]

@elsa hoffmann:
(1) just pour clean water on a cloth; not too wet, not too dry - with professional sealed lenses you can go more wet- ;
(2a) lens cleaning - exterior: see (1)
(2b) lens cleaning - front / back lens: avoid direct contact whenever possible; otherwise: make sure that there is no dust or debris present on the lens surface; use (hand)blower; further, use special purpose lens tissue - DO NOT use normal paper which is very abrasive - without lens liquid if possible; if not: with lens liquid.  Lens coating is very wear sensitive and at each cleaning, how careful you are, there is a small portion of the layer you are taking off on each passage. Clean always in circular passages, starting from center.

[Netr]

Borge.  I am intrigued by the circular Lego piece you have attached to the front command dial of your Df.  What is its purpose?