Caring For Your Digital Camera: An Important Process

Cameras have become an essential part of daily life. Almost every family, if not every person lugs around a digital camera to take snapshots on the go. However, not many people give much thought into maintaining their camera. Your camera is just like any other appliance: ignore its needs and it will disappoint you with a shorter life span. Cameras don’t come very cheap, so it’s crucial to take care of it so that it stays a worthwhile investment. Here are some simple things to do to show your camera some love.

Love its bodyAs X-rated as that sounds, that’s exactly what you have to do. Your camera’s body quickly accumulates dust, dirt, lint and other impurities over constant use (especially outdoors). Be sure to clean it often as debris may intrude inside your camera and cause damage to the electronics inside if left for long periods of time. Cleaning the body is quite easy; dampen a microfiber cloth (like the ones used to clean laptop screens) and gently wipe your camera. Make sure the cloth is not dripping with water! Then dry it with another microfiber cloth or any cloth that won’t stick dust to your camera. Other than that, always handle your camera like a fragile piece of equipment. Drop your camera a few times and it’ll be on its way to the grave. Avoid any physical damage to the body (or any other part of the camera at that).

Adore its lensThe lens of your digital camera is a very important part of its working mechanism. Damage it, and you will be emptying your wallet to replace it. Treat the lens like a baby. Don’t shake your digital camera too much and definitely do not drop it or this will damage your lens. Keep your lens clean by making sure your fingers don’t leave prints all over them, or if in the case that happens, clean using a microfiber cloth with some lens cleaning solution. If you want to take extra effort, get a blower brush to remove those tiny particles of dust that can get annoying when you are taking a picture.

Take care of its batteryThe battery gives life to your camera, so make sure you give it the right amount of attention. The manufacturer’s instructions usually contain a guide on conditioning your digital camera’s battery. A simple step you can take is by cleaning the battery contacts, both on the camera as well as the battery. This will ensure there is a proper flow of power during use of the camera, which otherwise might result in malfunction should there be a continuous lack of power. Keep your battery fully charged from time to time.

Other general stuffYour camera is a piece of electronic equipment, and as with most electronic equipment, moisture and condensation can cause serious damage to it. Avoid it whenever you can. Dry your camera if you bring it from a cold area to a warm area before using it again, as the lenses will get fogged up and over time tiny bits of moisture may leak into the inside of the camera. A hair dryer would work quite fine, but use a low heat. Also, just because your digital camera can take pictures underwater, don’t assume that this applies for salt water as well, because salt water will damage your camera regardless of whether it can be used underwater or not. Lastly, don’t forget to keep your camera case/bag clean; if these are dirty, it’s most likely your digital camera will be too.

With these simple maintenance tips, you can elongate your precious digital camera’s life, and take many pictures to your heart’s content without spending money to repair your camera if it malfunctions. Love your camera and it will serve you well.