You’ve invested a lot when it comes to building out your catalog of video production equipment, and this investment is absolutely worth protecting. Like a car, your videography equipment requires routine maintenance in order to ensure it continues functioning at the highest level.
If need be, add a recurring reminder to your calendar so that you can keep up with a routine maintenance schedule. Not sure what to do during those routine maintenance check-ups? We’ve got you covered. Read on to find out our top tips for cleaning and maintaining your video production equipment.
Avoid Moisture
When it comes to maintaining your camera equipment, prevention is key. You should keep your equipment away from moisture as much as possible. Whether you’re typically shooting indoors or outdoors, moisture is everywhere and can really damage your equipment if not properly addressed. While avoiding moisture completely isn’t possible, it’s important to know how to prevent it and what to do if your equipment comes in contact with moisture.
If your camera encounters water, the next steps are very dependent on how wet it got. If it is submerged in water, then you may not be able to salvage it. However, the more common scenario is that you’re either in a humid environment or a small amount of moisture gets on your camera. If that’s the case, be sure to wipe off as much moisture as possible. Remove the battery and memory card, and leave the ports open if possible. Leave your camera to dry (preferably with a desiccant) for at least 24 hours to allow the moisture to dry completely.
Remove Dust
In addition to moisture, dust is another enemy of your video production equipment. It is another unavoidable evil, but with the right maintenance and care, you can prevent dust from damaging your camera. Using a brush, microfiber cloth, or bulb blower, clean the outside of your camera, paying special attention to nooks and crannies where dust and dirt can build up. When it comes to your camera sensor, be extremely careful. Read on to find out how to clean this extremely sensitive (and expensive) component of your camera.
Clean Your Sensor
As mentioned above, your sensor is one of the most important components of your camera. It is also a very delicate part, making it risky to clean your sensor yourself. If you do notice specs of dust in your images and you’ve confirmed that it’s not on your lens, it’s likely that your sensor is the culprit. We recommend taking your camera to a professional to have them clean your sensor. If you do want to clean it yourself, do so delicately. A bulb blower will allow you to clean with a light, but effective amount of air.
Maintain Your Lenses
Lenses are another element of your camera that require routine cleaning. Using a lens cloth and some lens cleaner, gently wipe your lenses. Add the cleaner to the cloth rather than applying it directly to the lens itself.
When it comes to maintaining your lenses, be sure to always add your lens caps whenever they are not in use. If you’re changing lenses on a shoot, take that extra couple of seconds to make sure that the lenses not in use are stored correctly. The last thing you want is to scratch your lens mid-shoot because you didn’t put it back in your camera bag properly.
Utilize Dry Storage
The last element of good video production equipment maintenance is storage. When your equipment is stored, preventing moisture and dust is more important than ever. If you live in a very humid or wet environment, you may want to invest in a dry storage cabinet. This type of cabinet allows you to store your equipment in a controlled environment free from excessive moisture and dust. It certainly doesn’t come cheap, but if it means protecting your equipment, then it may be worth the additional investment.
Now that you have a handle on how to maintain and clean your video production equipment, you can move forward with routine maintenance to ensure your equipment lasts as long as possible. If you’re in the market for video production services, then our team would be happy to help! Send us a message or give us a call at 831-824-9660 today!