How to clean your film camera?

It’s recommended to clean your camera regularly whether you use it a lot or not. Here’s a few steps to keep your camera in good working condition:

1. Start off by grabbing a soft brush and dusting off the exterior of your camera, making sure to get into nooks and crannies where dust could settle. Take note that you should clean the body of your camera without detaching the lens in order to avoid dust contamination between the lens and the mirror. Dip a cotton pad in pure alcohol and start wiping the surface of your camera, getting into corners where dirt could accumulate such as the shutter speed lever and between the rewind knob.

2. To clean the viewfinder or any glass material in your camera, you will have to use a specific cleaning product for lenses which is available in opticians and photography stores. You can use a cotton swab for cleaning.

3. Start cleaning the back of your camera by opening the rear door and wiping off the first layer of dust. Then switch to cotton swabs again to really get into the sealing lines, the film spool, and the pressure plate.

For a more in-depth instruction, you may also check out our tipster on cleaning your film camera.