Camera Care Tipsby Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 28 Sep 2007 11:58 PM My 3-year-old daughter is a self-described "big girl" now and consequently she doesn't like me to push her on the swings at the park. Instead, she feels it is her job to push me. Frankly, I enjoy the ride, and the other day it gave me the opportunity to witness an unfortunate scene. To placate her screaming toddler one of the moms at the park handed her son what looked to be a very expensive camera. Within seconds of getting his hands on the device he tossed it into a nearby sandbox. (Surprise, surprise.) I winced and wondered what might cause more damage to the camera the blunt force trauma or the powder fine pieces of sand being imbedded in parts unknown. Either way the incident inspired me to write a blog about camera maintenance. Rule No.1---Never give a child your expensive camera in the hopes he will stop throwing a tantrum in public. Okay, that's a given. Now let's cover some other basics: Protect Your Camera. Be very careful when using your camera strap. Many people tend to hang their cameras around their necks and forget they are there. (I'm as guilty as the next guy of doing this.) You have your camera dangling from your neck and bend down to tie your shoe and BAM your camera smashes into a rock or the concrete. You are better off carrying your camera in a protective case and placing it over your shoulder or around your waist. I recently invested in a portable camera case that doubles as a "purse." It is fashionable (relatively speaking), easy to carry and has pockets for extra batteries, memory cards, film, additional lenses, camera cleaning supplies and my wallet. A Clean Camera Is A Happy Camera. (Or, at the very least a well functioning camera.) You don't want to expose the device you just dropped $300 on to dirt, sand, or sticky fingers. Take it from someone who grew up in Hawaii; nothing wrecks more damage on a camera than sand. Sand that has the consistency of sugar can get into the lens cover mechanism and the flash card portal and once it is there it is very hard to remove. If you are taking your camera to the beach or near a sandbox, I recommend washing or wiping your hands before reaching for it. Camera Cleaning Tips. I always carry a mini can of condensed air (Wal-Mart carries them on the shelf opposite the cash registers) to blast out sand and other dust particles from my camera. I also carry a lens cloth and some cleaning fluid. Note: spray the cleaning fluid on the cloth before wiping your lens-never spray it directly on your camera. Also, never attempt to clean your digital camera's sensor. Because the part is it highly sensitive and very delicate you should leave the cleaning to the professionals. Related Articles: Protecting Your Camera From Mother Nature Cutting Edge Cameras and Accessories More Common Sense Tips To Capturing A Frame-Worthy Picture Experimenting With Your New Camera Cameras: Knowing When To Upgrade Tips For Taking Pictures With Your Camera Phone Digital Photography 101: The Pros and Cons of Ultracompact Cameras Digital Photography 101: Ready, Set, Shoot Digital Photography 101: Picking The Perfect Camera Digital Photography 101: Getting To Know Your Camera Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevantphotography tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags camera, photography tips, photography, pictures, picture tips Discuss this article
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