Cleaning dust out of lenses, etc

[fishinchicks]

I know there is probably a post or two about this somewhere, but I'll repeat the question and ask if the answer would be worthy of the "tutorial" thread.

If you look at my last star photo, you will see how much dust needs to be cleaned out. What is the best method for cleaning a camera and lenses? I will have to purchase the stuff to do it, so recommendations would be helpful for that as well.

Is it better to take it to a professional the first time, or is it so easy that a caveman can do it?

[Steve Foss]

Cleaning dust out of the inside of a lens is beyond most photographers, and demands professional attention. For getting dust off the outside of the front and rear element, I just use air in a can. Works great for that. If there are more serious gobs of stuff, I put some dawn dishsoap in warm water and take a very fine, soft cloth, wet it, and gently clean the glass. Then I take dry soft cloth and dry it. Then I hit it with the air in a can.

Dust on the front lens element rarely shows up in a photograph because it is so far from the sensor. Dust on the rear element can and does impact image quality.

Most often, those dust bunnies that show up as circular semitransparent blotches or as more solid little black motes on the image are from dust on the sensor. And the more stopped down you have the lens, the greater the depth of focus and the more dust you're going to see.

There are a number of systems for sensor cleaning. I've used the Copper Hill method all along, and it really IS so easy a caveman can do it. Kinda puts your heart in your throat the first time you press the cleaning spatula down on the sensor, but it'll be second nature after the first few times.

[fishinchicks]

Thanks, Steve! I'll look for the Copper Hill method, and see what happens.

[MN Shutterbug]

Carolyn, all I've ever used is a blower. I'm not saying this will work in your case, but the dust on my sensor wasn't welded on that bad. Your camera manual explains how to clean the sensor with a blower. If that doesn't work, you'll have to resort to Steve's method. There is a blower made specifically for this, called a Rocket Blower. All I've used is these bulbs that are used to suck the snot out of a baby's nostrils.