How should I clean the dust and pollen acquired at the faire off my DSLR?
Do you mean off of the outside of the camera body and lens - or did the dust and pollen get inside of them?
The outside can be dry brushed with one of those light lens brushes, or blown off with an "Air in a Can". If that doesn't clean it all off, they can probably be gently wiped with a slightly damp lent-free cloth.
For dust and pollen inside the camera or lens, you'll probably need to take, or send, them to an authorized Service Center.
Take Care,
David Baldock
Mmk. I just need to clean the outside off.
I like the set of 4 videos that Moose Peterson posted on his blog. They show how he cleans his gear (inside and out). Since he's a wildlife/outdoor shooter his gear gets a lot of environmental abuse, it's good to see how he keeps it humming along.
Scarborough can get really dusty and I am swapping lenses all day so they've been useful for me.
Links to his videos...
Cleaning da Gear pt1
http://moosepeterson.com/blog/?p=4324 (http://moosepeterson.com/blog/?p=4324)
Part 2
http://moosepeterson.com/blog/?p=4331 (http://moosepeterson.com/blog/?p=4331)
Hope that's helpful.
Part 3
http://moosepeterson.com/blog/?p=4344 (http://moosepeterson.com/blog/?p=4344)
Part 4
http://moosepeterson.com/blog/?p=4389 (http://moosepeterson.com/blog/?p=4389)
Thanks for posting the video links!
Thanks for the video links. I've seem Moose's work so The video should be interesting. I'll watch after I get some sleep.
If you decided to clean your own sensor, BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL! Regardless of the technique you try, it is very easy to scratch the surface of the sensor. Once that happens, there's no recourse (other than replacing your camera or getting a repair that costs nearly the same as a new camera.) I take in more repairs where people have attempted to clean their own sensor and failed. If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, have it done professionally. It's way cheaper in the end vs. a new camera. :)