I just spent a few hours over the weekend performing auto-focus micro-adjustments for three of my lenses. Not the MOST fun I’ve ever had with my camera, but a necessary activity for achieving correctly focused images.

Auto-focus micro-adjustments are sometimes necessary to calibrate the focus points of the lens/camera combination. Some lens/camera combinations tend to focus slightly in front of the focal point of the subject (“front-focus”), while others tend to focus more to the rear of the focal point of a subject (“back-focus”). When using auto-focus, the focus point should be tack-sharp exactly where it is placed. So if you determine that your lens/camera combination is consistently front- or back-focusing, perform an auto-focus micro-adjustment to correct this issue.

I used a Datacolor SpyderLensCal Lens Calibration System (hereafter referred to as the “target”), which I highly recommend for its ease of use and accurate results. I spent the most amount of time ensuring that the camera and target were lined up properly, which is very important to ensure accurate results. Here’s the setup that I recommend:

1. Put the camera on a tripod.

2. Place the target on its own stand or tripod, or on a flat level surface.

3. Separate the camera and target at a distance that is about mid-way along the lens’ focal range, or at about the distance you would normally shoot a subject when using the lens. Ensure the camera and the target are lined up horizontally and vertically.

4. Ensure the target is well-lit (as in bright sunlight or bright office lighting).

5. Set the camera on one-shot auto-focus and the drive to single shooting. Set the auto-focus point to single point AF and position the AF point directly in the center of the frame. When looking through the viewfinder, the auto-focus point should be positioned directly over the target’s focal point (on the LensCal, it’s the small square directly to the left of the ruler).

6. Use Program mode and set the ISO to 100.

7. Use a remote shutter release (or tethered shooting using the program’s shutter release). Mirror lockup is helpful as well, to ensure there is absolutely no vibration when the photo is taken.

It is extremely helpful to use tethered shooting while calibrating your lenses. Doing so will allow you to see the image results immediately on your computer and perform the necessary AF micro-adjustments on the camera without having to remove the memory card from the camera, download the photo onto your computer, open it in a photo editing program, check the focus alignment, put the memory card back in the camera, double-check the camera-to-target alignment to make sure nothing moved around, change the auto focus micro-adjustment setting, take another picture, and repeat that entire process for as many shots it takes to complete the calibration.

To ensure the target was level, I used the bubble level provided on the LensCal system. To ensure the camera was level, I used the bubble levels on the tripod, and I also used the very awesome, very cool electronic level built into my Canon EOS 7D (displayed when you press the “Info” button twice).

Once everything was all lined up and ready to go, I took the first shot with the micro-adjustment settings set to “0″ (as-is) to determine the extent of the focus issue. I was using the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM, and this is the result of that first shot (zoomed in 100%):

Click for full size

As you can see (and as I suspected), this lens has a significant front-focusing issue. Front-focusing requires that I move the micro-adjustment value to the positive side of the +/- 20 scale (for rear-focusing you would use a negative adjustment). On the Canon 7D, access the Custom Function III-05 AF Microadjustments menu, then choose “Adjust by Lens”. A screen appears with the name of the lens currently being used, and the +/- 20 scale. Here is a comparison at the -5, 0, +5 and +10 adjustment points to give you an idea of how the adjustments effect the focus:

Click to enlarge

Top right = -5
Top left = +5
Bottom right = 0
Bottom left = +10

It might be a little difficult to tell with this screen shot, but the “0″ point was most in focus somewhere between the +5 and +10 calibration. I ended up setting the calibration at +7 for this lens. I performed the same process and set my Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM, which was severely front-focusing, at +11. The Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM kit lens that came with the 7D was properly calibrated at 0. The Canon 7D has the ability to save the specific micro-adjustment settings for up to twenty different lenses. This process works similarly for other D-SLR’s which have auto-focus micro-adjustment capabilities (not an all-inclusive list, check your camera’s user manual):

Canon: 1DsMkIII, 1DMkIII, 1DMkIV, 5DMkII, 7D, 50D
Nikon: D3, D3x, D3s, D300, D300s, D700, D7000
Sony: A900, A850
Olympus: E-30, E-620
Pentax: K20D, K7D

I hope you find this article to be helpful in your own lens calibration efforts. Feel free to leave any questions, feedback or advice in the comments!

Related posts:

1. The Finer Points of Focus
2. Three Simple Tips to INSTANTLY Improve Your Photography
3. Love the Lens You’re With

Recently, I found myself fed-up with the inconvenience of my own (nonexistent) gear storage – the shelf in my closet, awkwardly positioned behind the hanging clothes, and a couple of camera bags whose location kept shifting around the bedroom. I had camera bodies, batteries, lenses, cleaning accouterments, straps, memory cards, and a bunch of miscellaneous mish-mash just kind of strewn about and very disorganized.

Worse, given the desert climate that I live in, dust was intruding everywhere. It’s very hard to keep an Arizona household free of dust, and it seemed to be particularly attracted to my camera gear.

My husband was in the market for a gun safe, and during his selection process it occurred to me that such a safe would be the perfect solution for my own gear storage needs. Of course, I would need different types of shelving and had no need at all for mounting brackets, and a combination safe seemed a little over the top for my requirements, but the idea started taking shape.

I finally decided upon the Stack-On Convertible 18 Gun Cabinet (Model # GCB-18C), which I purchased for under $200.00. Its dimensions are 21″ W (53cm), 18″ D (45.7cm), 55″ H (140cm), and the shelving is able to be installed in several different ways depending on your preference. I went with a long shelf across the top, one shelf on the left hand side near the top, and three shelves along the right hand side, leaving a tall open space on the left hand side under the shelf for storing camera bags and tripods. Each shelf comes with a foam liner to provide a soft surface upon which to lay your gear. The door is secured with a key lock.

I wouldn’t say assembly was a breeze – it’s certainly a job for two people (and some beer) – but it only took my husband and I about forty-five minutes to put together. And then I spent a happy hour tracking down all of my camera gear and putting it into its new home. As you can see from the photo above, the cabinet can store quite a bit of stuff comfortably. I still have plenty of room for more gear if (when!) I make any purchases.

The safe on the right is the one my husband decided upon for his guns. So they sit, side by side in our bedroom, each a storage solution for two very different types of shooting.

What is your gear storage solution? Give us some of your great ideas in the comments!

Related posts:

1. Traveling with your Camera Gear
2. Tips for Keeping Your Camera Clean
3. Stepping Up Your Gear

Objects in mirror are crazier than they appear.

I’m about to get a song stuck in your head.

“If you can’t be with the lens you love (honey), love the lens you’re with.” I’m paraphrasing, of course.

(If you’re not sure which song I’m talking about, a kind YouTube patron posted it here.)

Steve wrote a recent article about first-party vs. third-party lenses which garnered a lot of commentary and feedback. In the article Steve poses a well-articulated argument on his opinion about purchasing the highest quality lenses you can afford.

Most of us have a lens wish-list a mile long, and an income that doesn’t support the frequent purchase of lenses that cost a thousand dollars and more. So what do you do when you only have a small selection of lenses, or even just a single lens?

You make the most that you possibly can of that lens. Remember, friends, high-end cameras and whizzbang lenses HELP your photography, but it is first and ALWAYS the person wielding the camera, not the camera or lens itself, that creates quality photographs.

How To Make the Most of Your Lens

Clean it. It pretty much goes without saying that you can’t take a good picture with a dirty lens. I never leave home without my LensPEN Lens Cleaning System. You can also take your lens to a local camera shop for professional cleaning, or you can buy a simple lens cleaning kit like this one from Zeikos. Really all you need is a microfiber cloth, some rubbing alcohol, some swabs, and a dust blower.

Calibrate it. There are two things to consider when calibrating your lens. First, make sure what your eyes are seeing through the viewfinder is aligned with what the lens is seeing. To do this, make sure your dipotric adjustment is focused for your vision. Second, make sure that your auto-focus is functioning properly. The Datacolor SpyderLensCal Lens Calibration System (and other similar products) helps you determine if your camera is front-focusing or back-focusing. Most current digital SLR’s have microfocus adjustment capabilities which will allow you to save adjustments for each lens that you own. (A review of the SpyderLensCal, and step-by-step instructions for how to perform microfocus adjustments, will be posted soon).

Learn its limits. Every lens has its boundaries – areas in which it performs well, and areas in which it performs poorly. Most lenses perform best at, or within a stop or two above, the stated aperture range. For example, I know that my (old!) Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III performs best at its minimum zoom at around f/5.6, and at its maximum zoom at about f/8.0. It really stinks (I mean REALLY stinks) in hand-held shots in any light level below bright sunlight. There is no image stabilization whatsoever, and the aperture range is very slow. So if I happen to use it, it’s almost always with a tripod. I also know that my 50mm f/1.4 works very, very well at extremely high ISO’s (with less noise than you’d expect). So I don’t hesitate to crank it right up when I’m shooting indoors in mood-lit surroundings. The only way to learn your lens’ limits is to shoot, shoot, shoot. Analyze the results from every photographic scenario you can think of, and you’ll learn your lens’ personality.

Go towards the light. Pretty much every lens performs at its best in bright light. Dim lighting can tend to confuse auto-focus, and slower lenses (such as, typically, your kit lens) are happiest in the sunlight. Experiment with adding more light to your photographs – use lamps, reflectors, position your subjects near windows, anything to bring more light into the shot.

Experiment with post-processing. Get artistic! Just because a photograph doesn’t look all that great straight out of the camera doesn’t mean that it’s without merit. Take, for instance, the photograph above. It was taken back in 2007, with my Canon Digital Rebel XTi (which has since been replaced by the Rebel T1i) and the kit lens it came with. Obviously, that lens wasn’t very fast, and Jimmy Mak’s in Portland, Oregon, discourages the use of flash. So rather than just give up and put my camera away, I shot as best I could, only wanting to capture the moment. The SOOC shot was blurry, of course. But with some judicious post-processing, I came up with an image that recalled the mood and atmosphere that I experienced in that moment.

Rent it. Renting a lens is far and away less expensive than buying a lens. If you find yourself with a photographic opportunity that really requires a specific lens, there are any number of lens rental services available on-line. I personally use and recommend Pro Photo Rental for those of you who own a Canon, Nikon, or Olympus DSLR.

Above all, DON’T stop shooting. Don’t think to yourself, “If only I had that 70-200mm f/2.8L, THEN I could take some really great pictures!” You CAN take fantastic pictures no matter what camera or lens you possess. Just get back to basics, refresh your education on composition, exposure, and the various photography “rules”, and keep practicing. Then, when you CAN afford the lens of your dreams, you’ll have the skills and knowledge to wield it effectively.

Photo credits (all): Tiffany Joyce

Related posts:

1. How To Clean Your Lens
2. Should You Buy A Better Lens or Better Camera?
3. Lens Hood

Have you ever experienced the sense that your skills don’t seem to be achieving the level of quality that you feel you’re capable of in your photographs? Have you ever been frustrated to open photo after photo in your editor, only to discover that what looked tack sharp on the camera’s display was, in reality, in soft focus? Have you ever felt that something was just not quite right about the way your camera was taking photographs?

Sometimes, it isn’t you. Sometimes, it’s the camera.

I struggled with this sensation for several months, after purchasing my Canon EOS 7D. I figured the fault was my own – a product of the learning curve that most people experience when purchasing an advanced camera system. Many photos that I took were very softly focused, unless the photo was taken in very bright light. The dim-lighting capabilities, one of the very reasons that I purchased the 7D, were not giving me the desired results even at the highest ISO, even on a tripod with a remote shutter release, even with my fastest lens. The camera seemed to have a hard time finding the point of focus regardless of light levels, cycling back and forth and locking focus points on random areas of the image.

One day I finally convinced myself that the problem wasn’t with the photographer (me), it was with the camera. It was a morning when I was just messing around in my office, and took this picture of my cat:

There was light coming in from the window AND a lamp on in the corner, it was the middle of the day, I had my 50mm f/1.4 lens on my camera, the ISO up to 800, was sitting perfectly still AND I wasn’t the least bit drunk (ha), and still the focus came out this soft. The camera struggled for several seconds with the auto-focus before finally settling on a shot. Sometimes the epiphany just hits you at a random moment, and this was my moment. My gut had been telling me what my mind still wanted to blame on my skills. There was something wrong with the camera.

As my 7D was still under warranty, I decided to send it to a Canon Repair Center for assessment. I logged into Canon’s support center for my region, and chose my product family, series, and model (which took me to here). Under the “Service and Support” section I chose “Arrange A Repair”, entered in my camera’s serial number (found on the bottom of my camera) and the date of purchase. From this information it was determined that my model was still under warranty. I provided some information on the issues I was experiencing, and received a repair number and a list of available service centers to ship my camera.

I once received a great piece of advice from a photographer friend of mine – always keep the original boxes and packaging that your photography equipment comes in. You never know when you’re going to need it again – to store it, to pack it for moving, or as in my case, to ship it back to the manufacturer. As the issue was with the camera body itself, I removed the battery, memory card, and lens from the camera in order to ship back only the camera body. I packed it carefully in the box, filling the empty spaces with crumpled newspaper. I put the printed warranty repair confirmation in the box (which was sent to my e-mail), and took it to my local UPS office. I paid for a shipping box and insured the shipment for the full purchase price of the camera. The nearest Canon Factory Service Center was in California, so total cost to ship from my home town in Arizona, plus the shipping box and insurance, came to about $42.00.

I shipped the camera out on a Thursday. On Monday afternoon I received confirmation that the service center had received my camera and was assessing the problem. On Wednesday afternoon I received an e-mail that the problem had been discovered and fixed, and that the camera was being shipped back to me. I received it back on my doorstep on Friday afternoon, a week and a day after shipping it out.

I received a repair assessment in the box with the camera, which read, “Your product has been examined and it was found that the adjustment of the AF assembly was incorrect. The auto focus did not operate properly. Electrical adjustments were carried out on the AF assembly and product functions were confirmed. Other electrical adjustments and inspection and cleaning were carried out.”

I tested the camera on a few quick shots around my house and found, upon first impression, that the camera was functioning much better. The AF points were positioning correctly and auto-focus was instant, with none of the cycling I saw before the repair. The real assessment came several weeks later when my husband and I went on an overnight trip to Flagstaff. I took a few hundred photos and was much happier with the performance of the camera.

All in all, I still have every bit as much faith in Canon products, and my 7D, as I ever did. Sometimes, with gear as technical as a D-SLR, adjustments need to be made. I was extremely pleased with Canon’s responsiveness and their Customer Service. Bottom line, if you are concerned that your equipment isn’t functioning properly, especially if it’s still under warranty, don’t hesitate to ship it back to the manufacturer for an assessment.

Photo credits: Tiffany Joyce

Related posts:

1. Lens Review: Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS
2. Comparing Two Canon Lenses
3. Review – First Gen Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS

1. First thing’s first. I promptly went out and bought her Scott Kelby’s Digital Photography Boxed Set, Volumes 1, 2, and 3. These books were utterly invaluable to me when I was coming up to speed on DSLR photography. I’m completely confident that she’ll find them as helpful as I did. I would have loaned her my copies but, well, I still use them all the time. That’s the mark of a truly great reference book or guide – that it remains useful months, and even years, after its initial purchase.

Here’s the review I wrote a while back about Volume 3.

2. Next I recommend buying a battery grip. this is the one she’d need for her Nikon D90, and this is the one that I still need to get, myself, for my Canon 7D. Keep in mind that if you want to be able to charge both batteries at once, you’ll need to pick up an extra charger. They’re cheap, though.

3. My next suggestion is to add a wireless remote shutter release to your gear. This one comes highly recommended for most Nikon models, while this is the one that I used for my Canon Digital Rebel. Come to think of it, I haven’t tried it out to see if it’s compatible with my 7D, yet.

4. The next recommendation would be to pick up a quality tripod. In my humble opinion, you really can’t go wrong with any kind of Manfrotto, and their line of joystick ball heads are really cool.

5. Then of course, there’s the extra memory cards. Both SanDisk and Lexar are very reliable suppliers – get 16GB or 32GB and you can shoot for hours – days, even. Check your camera’s specifications for the specific type of memory card required.

6. Get a LensPEN Lens Cleaning System (here’s the review I wrote a while back), a Rocket Air Blaster , and a few extra Microfiber Lens Cloths. Clean gear is EVERYTHING.

So! There are my top recommendations for the new DSLR owner’s wish list. What would you add to it? Feel free to leave recommendations in the comments!

Photo credits (all): Tiffany Joyce.

Related posts:

1. Black Friday Deals on Digital Photography Gifts
2. DSLR, or Point and Shoot?
3. Tethered Shooting With A Canon DSLR

Have you ever taken a photograph, looked at it on your computer or camera’s viewfinder, and find that the colors are off? The reds look more orange, or the blues look more green? There are four culprits you can look at when trying to discern the problem.

One – Problems with the camera. Worst case scenario, there is an issue with your camera’s sensor that will need to be addressed by a professional. Many times, though, the camera’s vibrancy or white balance settings are not appropriate for the scene. Simply changing the white balance settings makes an enormous impact upon the resulting photograph.

Two – The quality of light. The kind of lighting used in the photograph has an immense impact on the colors that are captured. Natural light tends to capture true colors more faithfully than artificial light. In tandem with this is the photograph’s exposure time. If you are using a shutter speed that is too short or too long, colors within the photograph can be skewed.

Three – Issues with your monitor. In many instances, your monitor’s calibration and settings may need to be adjusted. Here is an excellent (and technical!) article on how to correctly adjust your monitor.

Four – Your post-processing program. In most of today’s programs, the software needs to be calibrated with the monitor upon using the program for the first time. For example, Adobe Gamma installs when you load Adobe Photoshop. Gamma leads you through a step-by-step process in order to correctly calibrate your monitor. Here is a good article from Adobe to step you through the process.

I hope I’ve helped point you in the right direction for your color troubleshooting. If you have further advice to share, please do so in the comments!

Photo credit: “Color Your Life” by uaeincredible on Flickr Creative Commons.

Related posts:

1. Correcting White Balance
2. Color Management – Printer Calibration
3. Intermediate Tips for Better Photography

You have GOT to get you one of these babies.

This is a LensPEN Lens Cleaning System, and it is probably one of the handiest photography tools I have purchased in a long, long time. Certainly it’s the best ten bucks I’ve spend on gear.

The LensPen is the size of a small magic marker. One end is covered with a cap, which when removed reveals a circular, felt-like cleaning tip. The other end contains a brush which is revealed when the slider along the side of the LensPen is moved.

To clean your lens, brush away any dust with the brush end, then use the felt end in a circular motion to remove any smudges and fingerprints. I’ve gotta tell you guys, this thing works like MAGIC and is infinitely better than keeping track of a microfiber cloth or, heaven forbid, using your breath and the corner of your t-shirt to clean your lens. You can tuck it in your gear bag, purse, backpack, or pocket and always have a fantastic lens cleaning system at your fingertips.

I highly recommend it! For more information, here is a demo video produced by the LensPen creators.

And check out this article for more tips about keeping your camera clean.

Related posts:

1. How to Clean Your Lenses Properly
2. How To Clean Your Lens
3. Tips for Keeping Your Camera Clean

1. Stability is key. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If you want to take a picture that is perfectly focused at every size and magnification, you’ll need to keep the camera stable. This means using a sturdy tripod (one that has a head strong enough to support your heaviest camera/lens combination), and a cable release or wireless remote shutter release. If you are using a lens with image stability capabilities, turn the IS feature off – the motor that activates the IS generates small vibrations which can throw off the focus of your image.

2. Learn how to use focus lock. Often times when trying to compose a picture, the camera’s auto-focus feature will focus on the center of the frame, which may not necessarily be the intended subject. While some of the more advanced digital camera systems have multiple points of focus visible through the viewfinder that the photographer can cycle through and choose at will, there is an easy way to use the focus lock if you’re short on time, or have a camera that does not have this feature. Look through the viewfinder and center the subject in the middle of the frame to use it as the focus point. Press the shutter halfway down to focus on the subject and “lock” the focus (you will typically see red lights flashing in the focus point boxes (refer to the below image), visible through the viewfinder when you press the shutter release halfway, which will tell you which point the camera is focusing on). Keep holding the shutter halfway down and recompose the shot to position the subject wherever you desire within the frame. Then press the shutter all the way down to take the picture.

3. Sometimes manual focus is better. Often times are own eyeballs are more trustworthy than the camera’s auto-focus feature. So don’t be afraid to switch to manual focus. If working in low light conditions, temporarily illuminate your subject with a flashlight so that you can see well enough to set the focus, before taking the picture. A tripod and remote shutter release or timer is particularly essential for sharp photographs when operating in dim lighting.

4. Use a fast shutter speed. Typically lenses focus best if you shoot at a shutter speed whose denominator is larger than the lens’ greatest focal length. So, for instance, if you are using a 50mm prime lens, shoot at speeds of 1/60 or faster. If you are using a 70-200mm zoom lens, shoot at 1/250 or faster. This is a great “rule of thumb”, though it doesn’t always apply in every circumstance. Also, remember to adjust your aperture to compensate for the shutter speed (the faster the shutter speed is, the larger the aperture needs to be in order to let as much light in as possible in the short amount of time the shutter is open). It may be helpful to shoot in aperture priority mode to dictate the desired depth of field you’re going for, and let the camera compensate for the required shutter speed.

5. Use the lowest ISO number possible for the circumstances. An ISO of 100 will generate less “noise” (or a grainy appearance) into the photograph than an ISO number of 800.

6. Clean your equipment. Though many digital SLR’s today have automatic sensor cleaning features, they are usually not enough to ensure the sensor is REALLY clean. The insides of a camera also have lots of reflective surfaces and mirrors that acquire dust and grime no matter how careful you are when you’re switching between lenses. Finally, lens components themselves can acquire dirt and smudges that can be hard to remove completely. Invest in some good cleaning kits for your camera, sensor, and lenses. Or if you prefer to let the professionals handle it (as I do), track down your local camera shop and, for a usually nominal fee, they will handle all of the cleaning for you. You would be amazed at how much your photographs will improve once you remove the dirt that you may not have even known was there.

Photo Credits (in order of appearance):
- “Gorillapod” by Stephen Mitchell on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “FS-3 Grid Focusing Screen” by cbmd on Flickr.
- “Focused” by KoshyK on Flickr Creative Commons.

Related posts:

1. Auto Focus Microadjustments
2. How To Photograph Fireworks
3. Focus

It also wreaks havoc on my camera and lenses. I’ve learned to use a handful of simple tips to keep my photography gear as dust-free as I can manage without hermetically sealing them (which would really make them difficult to use).

Tip #1 – Keep your camera and lenses bagged when not in use. It’s kind of an obvious tip, but if you’re like me and you’re swapping out lenses a lot, and pulling out memory cards to download pictures a lot, and running to grab the camera because the cat is doing something especially cute a lot, well, you’ll tend to leave the lenses and camera laying out. Invest in a few soft lens cases or pouches (something like a Zing Drawstring Lens Pouch), which are inexpensive and a handy way to keep your lenses clean. Also, of course, keep your lens caps on the front and back of your lenses whenever not in use, and keep the body cap on the camera when a lens isn’t attached.

Tip #2 - It’s hard to actually USE your camera and keep it absolutely clean, but there are ways to mitigate the amount of dust you accumulate. Try not to use your camera in windy situations, or if you do protect it as much as possible. I’ve been known to use a clear plastic shower cap, which has a stretchy rubber band around the opening. I’ve wrapped it around the body of the camera, leaving the lens opening and the viewfinder exposed, and received quite a few odd looks while shooting. Some camera models have a waterproof casing available for purchase – if it can keep out water, it can keep out dust!

Tip #3 – DON’T attempt to clean your camera’s internal mechanisms, ESPECIALLY the sensor, yourself. Just leave it entirely alone. I know there are a lot of articles out there that have tutorials on how to clean your camera’s innards yourself, but I’m telling you, it’s not worth the potential damage. Just send it to your local camera shop for a professional cleaning, or contact your camera’s manufacturer to receive the name of a recommended camera repair/cleaning shop. I send out my cameras and lenses for a professional cleaning once a year.

Tip #4 – For cosmetic cleaning and to get the dust off of the outside of your camera and lens, use a light, static-free microfiber cloth. You can buy one individually or as part of a kit (something like this) that includes other implements to get into the nooks and crannies. Pay special attention to the focus ring as grit gets in there and you can feel it grinding away when you turn it. Resist using the edge of your t-shirt or a napkin to polish off the lens surface, as it could become scratched.

Tip #5 - When changing lenses, try to pick a still environment. If you absolutely must change a camera lens while outside in the breeze, a large pillowcase (or an old-school film Changing Bag) works well to protect the camera during a lens change – hold the camera inside the pillowcase while you’re changing out the lenses. With a little practice, you can learn how to do it by feel.

Photo Credits (in order of appearance):
- “My Camera” by Big Tall Guy on Flickr Creative commons.
- “Macro lens meets tele converter” by rtarga on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “My budget SLR gear” by Claudio Matsuoka on Flickr Creative Commons.

Related posts:

1. How to Clean Your Lenses Properly
2. How To Clean Your Lens
3. How To Clean Your Camera’s Sensor

“There are three things that I keep handy in order to keep my lenses clean. A good microfiber cloth, a Giottos Rocket Blower, and a LensPen. I do not use any cleaning process that uses chemicals since even the best will leave some residue. Preferably I don’t want to touch the glass at all so the first step is going to be to use the Rocket Blower to get as much off the glass as possible. If something isn’t coming off easily I turn to the brush side of the Lenspen. If the issue is something different like fingerprints (my personal biggest issue) then the best way to clean that is with the felt tip of the Lenspen. The carbon dust will clean and polish the lens to perfection….”

Click here to go through the full post and watch the video.

Related posts:

1. How To Clean Your Lens
2. How To Clean Your Camera’s Sensor
3. Tips for Keeping Your Camera Clean