Help for my friend...she is very worried about her brand new camera and I do not know how to help...

[peety3]

I think this is a good time to also recommend insurance on the camera goodies, especially with little ones in the house. I have my camera gear covered through a "Valuable Personal Property" rider, and it's a no-deductible, replacement-cost policy. It costs me annually about 1.5% of the value of my gear. I highly, highly recommend it. It'd be worth reading the policy to see what exclusions exist (i.e. whether child damage or operator error is covered), but it's at least a very smart direction to take. When my Minolta was stolen, they asked for links to the current model, and I showed them the Sony, and that's how much I got paid.

[District_History_Fan]

Stories like this are why I'm afraid of buying used digital cameras...

[Colin]

I'd recommend the Giottos Rocket Air Blower. It is what I use, and have never had problems. ([url="http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Giottos-Rocket-Air-Blower-Review.aspx]http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Giottos-Rocket-Air-Blower-Review.aspx[/url])
<div style="CLEAR: both"]</div>

Great tool, I may get one for myself...if the " blowing operation" on her camera proves successful. I am more leery of touching anything inside on my own. Cleaning included, but I guess, it is bound to happen with frequent lens changes, etc....one day I may find MY camera with some kind of spots....oh, please, no, let this not happen...ever[img]/emoticons/emotion-6.gif[/img]



<div style="CLEAR: both"]</div>

I love my rocket blower. I use it to clean off dust particles from the lense elements, as well as occasionally clearing the sensor. Prevents me from doing some real damage. I used to try to clean out for the viewfinder. I eventually got frustrated and just worry about what pictures the camera takes. Dust gets in there. It'sa pain to get out, and it will get in there again.


But get yourself a rocket blower, regardless of how well it works for her. Great for getting particles off the lens with no smudging of grease from wipes (then you begin a whole process to leave the thing clean). Aside from lens paper, Lens Pen is handy too, for the real stubborn crap that just seems to cling.