Tipster: How To Clean Your Film Camera

It’s time for some spring cleaning! Whether you have left your camera to gather dust during winter, or you are coming back from a long journey, your camera might be in a sorry state and in need of a good clean up.

Today we are here to give our gear a nice deep clean. It is important to build a healthy habit of cleaning your gear as this will ensure a longer lifespan for your camera, and it will also keep the value of your gear high.

Plus, keeping your camera clean will save time during post production as well as it will avoid you wasting time editing the dust away from your negatives.

Step 1:

We start by cleaning the camera body without detaching the lens. This way we avoid dust contamination between the lens and the mirror. Start cleaning with a small duster to remove the first layer of dust.

Then dip a cotton pad in a solution of pure alcohol. The alcohol will evaporate immediately leaving no residue on the surface of the camera. The camera is left clean without worries about water stains or humidity.

Make sure you clean around every tight corner of your device and use the cotton swab to get into all the most hidden parts where dirt has accumulated. Do not leave any corner untouched. Move the lever of the shutter speed, go between the rewind knob, and carefully work your way around the whole perimeter of the camera.

Step 2:

To clean the viewfinder and any other glass surface from your camera we switch to use a specific cleaning product for glass lenses. The solution is available in any photography store or optician.

Spray the cleaning tissue and gently make sure to get to the corners of the viewfinder with the aid of the cotton swab.

Step 3:

Clean the back of your camera. Open the rear door and, as you did for the front, wipe the first layer of dust with a duster. Then proceed to clean the laminas, go between the sealing lines, the film rails, and the pressure plate.

Wipe the film holder and clean the dust that could accidentally end up in your film and leave a mark on the images. Make sure to do so on the other side where the take up spool is. Using alcohol for the plastic components is fine and won't leave any marks.

Do you have cleaning routine for your equipment? Share your tips with us in the comments below.

written by eparrino on 2023-07-11 #gear #tutorials #videos #trip #camera-cleaning #cleaning-lens-product