How to Clean a 35mm Film Camera and Lens

Keeping your camera clean and free of dust extends its life and gives you better looking pictures.

Steps

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    Break the camera down into its separate parts. This will probably include taking off the lens, straps, eyepiece, flashes, and battery packs.
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    Wipe down the exterior all the parts with the lint free cloth. Make sure to get all the corners and hard to reach places. Wipe gently and change the cloth if dirt, sand, or grime builds up. For areas that can't be reached with the cloth, use the cotton swabs.
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    Put a drop of cleaning fluid on a cotton swab, and gently wipe the camera mirror.
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    As long as no grime has built up on the cotton swab, use the same one to wipe down the lens mount on the camera. (Fig 3)
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    Put a drop of cleaning fluid on the other side of the cotton swab, and clean the view finder. (Fig 4)
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    If no grime has built up on the cotton swab, you can use it to clean the battery terminals. (Fig 5). If you're using a battery pack, clean the terminals inside the battery pack and inside the camera. Also wipe down the flash contacts.
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    Use a fresh cotton swab with a drop of cleaning fluid to clean the eyepiece. (Fig 6)
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    Using the blower brush, gently blow out any loose dust and grime inside the camera. (Fig 7)
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    Use a fresh cotton swab with a drop of cleaning fluid on it, and wipe down the filter threads on the lens, and the lens mount on the other end. (Fig 8)
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    Wrap a piece of lens tissue around a cotton swab and wipe down the front camera lens and the rear lens. (Fig 9)
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    Wipe down the flash terminal with a cleaning fluid soaked cotton swab. (Fig 10). Also wipe down the battery terminals inside the flash.
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    Wash the camera strap in a dishwasher, or in a washing machine. Hang out to dry.

Tips

  • Extend the lens when wiping the outside with the lint free cloth. Also rotate and bend the flash head in all directions when wiping down the outside.

Warnings

  • SLR mirrors are extremely delicate. It is not advisable to clean them yourself, however should you decide to do it, DO NOT apply any pressure on the mirror.
  • Some older coatings on lenses may react badly to being cleaned with alcohol.
  • Never use canned air to clean your camera's shutter. The strong pressure can cause damage.

Things You'll Need

  • A couple cotton swabs
  • Lens tissue
  • Lens cleaning solution or alcohol
  • A blower brush
  • A lint free soft cloth
  • Generally these items can be bought in a complete camera cleaning kit.

Article Info

Categories: Film Cameras and Film Photography