What to use to clean exterior of Cam?

[Nick Medrano]

Hi all,
My camera is accumulating alot of dust and sand from the local environment. Can anyone suggest a good cleaning tool that I can use for the DVX100? What can I use to easily and carefully get rid of the particles on the exterior (and soon to be interior!) of the camera? I'm looking for something a little stronger than a brush, perhaps a can of pressurized air? What about those keyboard air cans?

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

[Ken Tanaka]

Nick,
My recommendations are not specifically for the DVX100 but rather for all cameras.

Don't use any harsh cleaning solvents or even household cleaning products. Get yourself some new ScotchBrite dusting cloths (made by 3M and available widely). Dampen -slightly- with water if necessary and use to clean the exterior surfaces. These ScotchBrite cloths are really very effective, but non-abrasive, cloths. They're really designed to be used dry or nearly dry. I actually carry one in my camera bag to gently clean lens filters and viewfinders.

I really do not recommend using compressed air at all. At its high exit pressures it's liable to blow dust into the camera. Get a photographic brush to clean crevices. Better yet, get a LensPen which features a brush at one end and a special lens-safe cleaning pad at the other.

[Jeff Donald]

I use a tooth brush, tooth picks and Q-tips to clean the crevices, nooks and crannies on cameras. I agree with Ken, about the compressed air. It can cause as many troubles as it cures.