Lens maintenance..
I was wondering if after a while, do we need to give any kind of maintenance to our lenses and camera? If we do what is the best way to do it, ourselves or take them to a professional shop?
gualbertoa wrote:
I was wondering if after a while, do we need to give any kind of maintenance to our lenses and camera? If we do what is the best way to do it, ourselves or take them to a professional shop?
Other than cleaning, the lenses should not need attention, unless they quit working properly.
For cameras, charging the battery is about it, except for sensor cleaning. I use the sensor cleaning function in the menu of my camera, then use a 'rocket blower' to gently puff any dust/dirt out of the shutter box.
This is all I've done to my equipment and it seems sufficient.
I would like to hear what everyone is doing for maintenance their camera.
The slide on my 75-150 e Nikon zoom is sticky, should I try to oil it?
cjc2
Loc: Hellertown PA
I think this is a clear case of leave it alone if everything is working. I check my sensors once in a while and clean them as Bruce mentioned above. I use a light brushing on my lenses front (I use clear filters on every one) before I mount them. Once per year I send my bodies to Nikon for a clean and check, because I use them very hard. Everything else is as needed. In this case I believe less is more. Been doing this 30 years, and it works well for me. Best of luck.
I do have 2 D7000 and try no to change lenses, one has a wide angle and the other one has my 70-300mm and both has a UV filter since day one, so I was just worry about how often they need maintenance, still reading your comments, thanks a lot my friends.
Silly answer but appropriate, clean them only when they are dirty. If dirt, oil, dust, fingerprints, saliva from blowing on a lens, etc is noticeable on your photos, it's time to clean. Be sure to clean your camera bag throughly, it collects a lot of dirt and dust that then gets on your clean equipment.
ELNikkor wrote:
The slide on my 75-150 e Nikon zoom is sticky, should I try to oil it?
No. Take the lens to a reputable repair shop or back to Nikon. Oil might damage your lens. I think they might use graphite, which is a dry product, to lubricate.
What ever they use find out from Nikon on what to do. They might be able to refer you to an approved shop.
ELNikkor wrote:
The slide on my 75-150 e Nikon zoom is sticky, should I try to oil it?
Putting oil on the lens barrel is a very risky thing and ultimately it could make things worse, I wouldn't do it. Have the lens serviced professionally if the problem is bad and the lens is worth servicing.
cjc2
Loc: Hellertown PA
Unless you are a professional CAMERA/LENS technician, I'd leave thing alone. Probably will do more harm than good. Best of luck.
If you don't use lenses for a long time, they get petulant and produce out of focus images. :-)
Oil near optical glass is dangerous but with careful application a synthetic whale oil called Moebius can be used for uses where migration is unhealthy. I would be inclined to have this application performed by a professional technician.
Best, Fred
gualbertoa wrote:
I was wondering if after a while, do we need to give any kind of maintenance to our lenses and camera? If we do what is the best way to do it, ourselves or take them to a professional shop?
I have a related question. I don't think that modern cameras need routine maintenance, but what about vintage cameras, the old mechanical ones? I have a Nikon FTn that I no longer use, but I don't want it to rot to hell. I might decide to relive my younger days someday.
Back in the day, pros would send these cameras back to Nikon or Essex Camera in New Jersey for tune ups and what they called CLA (Clean, Lube and Adjust.) (Essex was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy and never reopened.) Any thoughts on routine maintenance on older cameras?
gualbertoa wrote:
I was wondering if after a while, do we need to give any kind of maintenance to our lenses and camera? If we do what is the best way to do it, ourselves or take them to a professional shop?
I've never had a lens that needed a repair shop. I just keep them clean.
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
If you want to reply, then
register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.