Home > Learn About Photography > Cleaning Cameras by , June 1999 (updated January 2007) Remember that your camera is just a tool. always buy a new one. If you leave your camera in a closet, it will never get dirty or broken, but you won't have too many great photographs to show for yourself. Many of the best photographs can only be taken under conditions that will render your equipment wet The photo at right was the result of spending six hours at the bottom of a canyon in the Navajo Nation. For the entire six hours, sand blew down from the top of the canyon and into a $20,000 Rollei 6008 system. there a sickening grinding sound when I focussed my $3000 50mm lens for the next few months? Did I have to send the camera back to Rollei USA to be cleaned? Did the camera get stolen in Filthadelphia a couple ofSo it really didn't make sense to obsess over theWe can still enjoy this picture even if that 6008 hasIf the camera had been pampered, it would just be in that

much better shape for the crook who is using it now. Basic lens cleaning tools are a blower, a microfiber cloth, and lens cleaning fluid (my favorite: Zeiss). Try to blast dust off the lens with the blower orFinger prints can be removed with a circular wipe of the new miracle micro fiber cloth (my favorite brand is Pentax because it isPersistent dirt should be removed with lens cleaning fluid, of which the safest is probably Kodak. the fluid onto the cloth and then wipe the lens; directly onto a lens. Even if your lenses don't look dirty, every few months you should give exposed surfaces a cleaning with ResidualEven if you were able to protect your optics from all environmental sources of filth, there would still be crud condensing on your optics as camera bag plastics outgas. It is tough to verify ROR's claims, but the optics do look visibly clearer after an ROR treatment and the $4.50 price won't kill you. If you are going to use an expensive lens in a dusty or wet environment

and don't want to obsess over your equipment, keep a B+W UV filter on the lens and count on replacing the filter every year or two. Don't even think about cleaning the mirror in your SLR. maybe, you could consider using a handheld blower to move a few dust specs off, but canned air is too powerful. with some kind of special viscous fluid and will often do it for freelightweight vacuum cleaners best buy at camera clinics run by shops or conventions. vaccum cleaner prices in kenya fragile surfaces and I wouldn't dream of getting near them with avacuum cleaner price in mumbai standard lens cleaning solution or cloth.best buy lightweight vacuum cleaners

Remember: the dirt in your viewing system isn't going to show up on Modern TTL flash systems have numerous contacts and if you don't clean them every now and then with a pencil eraser or something, you can be fairly sure of getting intermittent failures. One of the things that is great about digital SLRs is that you can change the lenses as necessary for different projects. cost for dryer vent cleaning lens changes, however, there is a risk of dust falling "onto thecleaning fan toshiba laptopIn fact, the CMOS or CCD sensor is covered by a color filter or a clear glass plate, so really the dust has fallen on something that is covering the sensor. Nonetheless, you want to be careful and non-aggressive at this point, because if anything near the sensor is

scratched, the camera needs to go in for professional service. This is the time to get out the owner's manual for your camera. sure that the battery is fully charged and then follow the instructions to flip up the mirror for "sensor cleaning mode". If you can't dislodge dust using a simple hand-squeezed blower, consider visiting a cameraIf you're impatient or intrepid, you might want to try a sensor swab wetted with Eclipse fluid (instructions included with the kits). Camera and lens bodies are fairly well sealed against dust and moisture. So you don't really ever have to clean the exteriors of your equipment. On the other hand, if you don't want the dirt and crud that is on the camera body to work its way into your camera bag and from there onto an optical surface, it is probably worth wiping off the body with a softSlightly dampening the cloth with plain water certainly won't do any harm, though I imagine that this wouldn't be Canon or Nikon's

I had a very interesting experience in New Zealand after smashing a UV filter on my Nikon 28AF lens. Here are some photos that I wouldn't have gotten if I'd been prissy If you got the picture but lost the camera in the process, you may need to visit one of the photo.net recommendedClevo Brand Notebook Hardware GuideClevo is a large Taiwanese computer company specializing in laptops. While the Clevo brand name is perhaps not widely known, their products are re-branded and sold by known boutique brand OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) like AVADirect. They are also considered (by whoever knows about notebooks) to design and manufacturer the best of the best notebooks in terms of superior build quality and innovative designs.Established in 1983, as an ODM (Original Design Manufacturer), they sell barebones ranging from laptop to portable computing solutions for both AMD and Intel processors. Clevo is one of the world's most preferred ODM partners and markets their products in more than 50 countries, and have established service centers in the USA, Germany, Britain, China, and Taiwan.

Their main notebook range includes:* PortaNote (denoted with an D*** in the model number) - Desktop Replacement and Multimedia systems, with features like support for desktop CPUs and multiple hard drives.* MobiNote (denoted with an M*** in the model number) - Thin and Lightweight systems with superior build quality and performance.* TabletNote (denoted with a T*** in the model number) - Tablet computer systems.What has Clevo done to distinguish itself?1994 - First Pentium notebook PC producer in Taiwan1997 - World's 1st 15.1" notebook2003 - World's 1st 17" WXGA notebook2004 - World's 1st Intel Dual-Core notebook (M570 debuted) 2005 - World's 1st AMD X2 Dual-Core notebook (D900K and X2 released late 2005)2006 - World's 1st notebook with SLI technology (M590K... 19")2007 - World's 1st Intel Core 2 Quad-core notebook with SLI technology and RAID 5 (D900C already out, G0-step Q6600/Q6700 was released)2008 - World's 1st DDR3 notebook (M860TU... 15.4" w/ 8800M at release time) Deciphering the Model Number: Why buy a Clevo notebook?1.)

Price (Bang for the Buck): Since Clevo notebooks are sold by so many vendors, they are usually very price competitve (along with competitive service/support) as opposed to notebook models that are exclusive to only one vendor (whom can charge whatever they want) 2.) Quality (Hard as a Rock): If you ever have a chance to try out a Clevo notebook (especially the high-end models), you will find that they have superior build quality and design as compared to mainstream notebooks. 3.) Software (No Crap/Bloat-ware): When you purchase your custom systems, you can choose whichever OS you want to install (or have installed for you) and the OS is clean installed w/o extra trial/un-needed/useless software installed along with the system. 4.) Uniqueness ("It Ain't a Dell"): Subjective to personal preference. But having a custom high-end notebook that the masses cannot identify is pretty 1337.  Clevo Design Differences:Within the previous years' models, the majority of Clevo notebooks have a few distinct things in common… ...the metallic circle on the top-center, above the LCD where a built-in camera is....

(for 17"+ notebooks) the keyboard with the unique layout and NumPad. /product_details_configurator.asp?PRID=10051 D900C Specs (Blue Chassis) / D901C Specs (Black Chassis) Key Features: World's First Quad-Core Notebook World's Fastest Notebook Screen: 17" Glossy/Matte LCDs up to WUXGA 1920x1200 CPU: supports LGA775 Core 2 Duo/Quad/Extreme (65nm/45nm) RAM: support up to 8GB DDR2-800 (2 slots) Videocard: up to dual MXM-IV cards SLI-Mode (up to 8800M GTX... for now) HDD: up to triple SATA-300 Hard Drives (RAID 0,1,5 or none) Extras Standard Optical Drive (ready for Blu-Ray) Built-in 4 speakers Built-in TV-Tuner w/ Remote Bluetooth, WebCam, etc... /product_details_configurator.asp?PRID=10050 M570RU Specs (Orange Trim & Black Back) / M571RU Specs (Silver Trim & Back) Key Features: Screen: 17" Glossy/Matte LCDs up to WUXGA 1920x1200 CPU: supports Santa Rosa - Core 2 Duo/Extreme (65nm/45nm) RAM: support up to 4GB DDR2-667 (2 slots) Videocard: single MXM-IV card (up to 8800M GTX... for now) HDD: single SATA-300 Hard Drive Extras Standard Optical Drive (ready for Blu-Ray) Built-in TV-Tuner w/ Remote Bluetooth

, Fingerprint Reader, WebCam, etc... /product_details_configurator.asp?PRID=11138 M72R Specs (Intel Chipset) / M72SR Specs (SiS Chipset) Key Features: Inexpensive 12.1" ultraportable notebook. Screen: 12.1" Glossy LCD WXGA 1280x800 CPU: supports Socket P - Core 2 Duo (65nm/45nm) RAM (M72R) : support up to 4GB DDR2-667 (2 slots) RAM (M72SR) : support up to 2GB DDR2-667 (2 slots) HDD: single SATA-300 Hard Drive Extras DVD Burner Bluetooth, Card Reader, WebCam, etc... /product_details_configurator.asp?PRID=11149 TN120R Specs (White) / TN121R Specs (Black) Key Features: Inexpensive 12.1" tablet notebook PC. Screen: 12.1" Glossy LCD WXGA 1280x800 CPU: supports Socket P - Core 2 Duo (65nm/45nm) RAM: support up to 4GB DDR2-667 (2 slots) HDD: single SATA-300 Hard Drive Extras DVD Burner Bluetooth, Fingerprint Reader, WebCam, etc... M76xJU Specs (white or black)Release date: Q3 2008Key Features: New AMD Puma platform notebook Using new & ATI HD 3470 Hybrid X2 videocard Screen: 15.4" Glossy/Matte LCDs up to WSXGA+ 1680x1050 CPU: supports Puma platform - AMD Turion X2 Ultra RAM: support up to 8GB DDR3-1333 (2 slots) Videocard: HDD: single SATA-300 Hard Drive Extras Standard Optical Drive (ready for Blu-Ray) HDMI & e-SATA Bluetooth

How To Take Care Of A Clevo NotebookGaming/performance notebooks are a new thing, you must realize that you have to take some extra care of them over typical mainstream notebooks:1.) Battery: to maintain the longevity of any rechargeable battery- you must NEVER overcharge it [especially for long durations of time] by keeping it plugged into AC- when it reaches 100% you should unplug it and let it discharge to at least under 50%, then plug it back to power- OR you can just charge it to 50%+ and remove the battery and store in cool place.. not the fridge [remember to use it occasionally 3-4 time a year to charge and discharge it].2.) Heat: to prevent a healthy notebook from overheating*- ALWAYS use the notebook on a clean, hard & flat surface- RECOMMENDED to be used on a notebook cooler... namely the Zalman ZM-NC1000 or ZM-NC2000- check your fans underneath occasionally (at least once a month or two) for any dust clogs [clean them out with Q-tips and air cans/compressors]- ALWAYS monitor the temps (CPU

, GPU, HDD, etc..) to watch for fluctuations, which would indicate overheating by dust usually(for Clevo notebooks) use the Fan Toggle to switch all fans to Max Speed when gaming and such.* 3.) Overheating (time to clean out the dust):If you are overheating... usually any temp over 90C degrees is bad.when was the last time that you cleaned out the fans and vents thoroughly...?if never, then thats why.1) remove battery2) remove/unscrew the panels on the bottom of the notebook to get to fans and vents (if possible) 3) use flashlight to look through vents for the dust (if you cant see the light on the other end, then the vents are clogged up)4) go outside, get some compressed air (cans or compressor @ ~ 50 PSI) and give the vents a good airing out all directions (concentrating on the vents).... you might want to brace the fan blade(s) when airing it out (with anything to prevent it from spinning out too much).... or use short bursts (1-2 secs) of air instead of bracing the fans.5) go get some Q-tips (cotton swabs) and swab the fan blades and the area around it6) then go do a second airing with compressed air (all directions again focusing on the fans and vents) to push out the dust that was dislodged from the Q-tips7**) Now go use