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I'm sure you are all thinking by now that I am just a blonde idiot. Well you're right.

No, really, this new canon is my first DSLR and I'm kinda nervous at how to clean it with the kit I got. It has the blower thing, a brush that I'm sure I should be putting blush on with, cotton tips, etc.

Do I use the blower in the camera with the lens off? Or do I just use it to blow off dust externally etc.

While I wait for an answer, I'll go test out the brush in front of the bathroom mirror

All I've ever used the blower brush for is to get dust off the outside of my lens. I don't think I'd be sticking that inside my beloved camera. I do however sometimes take the brush off the blower and blow inside my camera in a vein effort to dislodge dust off my sensor.

You may also have got some lens cleaner fluid and some lens tissues, just put a drop on the lens and wipe it around with the tissue after getting the dust off.

Under no circumstances use the brush on the lens or sensor. The best way to use the blower is to remove the brush, then remove the lens, hold the camera body upside down and use the blower to force air into the body through the lens opening. I’m not sure how a Canon works on blowing the sensor but I’m sure someone will come to your rescue

I knew mentioning the words blonde and idiot in the one sentence, would have men coming to my rescue

This blower doesnt have a brush on the end, the brush is a seperate brush altogether. The blower just has a long thing on the end of it. Being a family site I won't say what it reminds me of.

So using the blower gently in the camera should be ok? Or should I just play it safe and only use it on the external parts.

By the way, the brush applies blusher beautifully (kidding!)

Sunnylass, you don't mention what sort of Canon you have, some have an ultrasonic cleaner so use that if yours has it. Probably worth mentioning what you have as it is hard to describe how to do something without knowing what the item is.

If you do not have an ultrasonic cleaner and the blower is big enough (bulb about the size of your fist) I would suggest blowing the dust off the sensor. Take the lens off, there should be some sort of mirror lifting program in your menus, then blow on the sensor. Take a shot and test. Try again if no better.

If that doesn't work use the wet method but probably easiest to get to a meet and have someone show you

oops sorry, I have a Canon 400D, and yes it has a sensor clean option. I have it set to do its thing every time I turn the camera on, and off.

I am planning on going to a meet here in Brisbane on the 4th of August (god help them ) and I am also planning on joining a camera club, I think it would be good for me.

sunnylass wrote:oops sorry, I have a Canon 400D, and yes it has a sensor clean option.

Disregard all of the above except for the wet clean, you will need to know how to do that for when it gets really dirty

Thanks Glen, much appreciated

yep, the ultrasonic sensor cleaning is actually pretty good.
wet cleaning requires: fluid, "sensor swab" which is basically a small spatula, and pec pads (some kind of super fine non abrasive wipe cloth).

as glen said, it should only be needed when your sensor is REALLY dirty.

-j

seeto.centric wrote:wet cleaning requires: fluid, "sensor swab" which is basically a small spatula, and pec pads (some kind of super fine non abrasive wipe cloth).

You forgot to mention that the fluid should include a bottle of bourbon, or fine red, which is essential to the cleaning processes.

 LOL that would probably work, if I drank, but I dont

gstark wrote:You forgot to mention that the fluid should include a bottle of bourbon, or fine red, which is essential to the cleaning processes.

You should see what i do with my Pentax ... dusty to the extreme but in over 30 odd thousand pics i have only needed to do a wet clean once.

the rest of the time all i needed was the Giotto rocket blower.

after a car passes and the dust stops i have to blow the dust off the lens...
it really is that bad.