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Chapter 2 Camera Handling, Care, and Support
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
A large plastic bag can also serve as
emergency protection for your camera. If
you are caught in the open when a rainstorm
comes up, or are on a boat or a beach where
wind-whipped spray becomes a problem, you
can quickly slip the camera into the bag for
protection.
If you are caught in a wet situation without
protection, shelter the camera as well as you can
inside a jacket or other article of clothing. As soon
as you are in a dry area, carefully wipe off all
visible moisture with a dry cloth or paper towels.
If possible, use a hair dryer to evaporate any
water that remains in crevices of the camera body
and lens.
Dust Protection
Like water, dust is a major enemy of your
camera. Fine particles of dirt or sand can lodge
between moving parts and cause costly wear.
Particles on the glass surface of a lens, if ground
in by improper cleaning methods, leave scratches
that diminish optical performance. Dust inside
an SLR camera body can settle on the sensor,
resulting in unsightly spots that appear on every
image, Figure 2-23. Newer camera models use
ultrasonic vibration or other methods to shake
loose particles off the sensor every time the
camera is turned on.
To keep dust out of the camera body, always
turn off the camera before changing lenses. If the
lens is removed with the camera still switched
on, the electrical charge on the sensor will attract
dust particles.
Jack Klasey/Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Figure 2-23. This S-shaped black object, probably a
piece of lint, settled on the camera’s sensor. Dust spots
are typically not visible on the camera’s LCD screen
and are detected only when the image is displayed on
the larger screen of a computer. Proper lens-changing
techniques and regular sensor cleaning will help prevent
dust spots.
Dust or lint
Procedure
Changing Lenses
1. Turn off the camera’s power switch.
2. Hold the camera body with the lens facing
downward. This allows any loose dust to fall
away when the lens is dismounted. Grasp the
lens firmly.
3. Press the release button on the camera body,
then rotate and remove the lens from the
mount.
4. Place a rear cap on the lens to keep out dust.
Often, you will just switch the rear cap from the
new lens to the one just dismounted.
5. Insert the new lens into the mount, and rotate
it until it is firmly in place.
6. Turn on the camera’s power again.
When changing a lens in a windy
environment, protect the equipment from flying
particles by making the change under some
form of cover. If possible, move into a building, a
vehicle, or other protected area. If such an area is
not available, work beneath the cover of a jacket,
shirt, or towel draped over your hands. If no other
method is available, turn your back to the wind
and shelter the operation with your body as much
as possible.