Dust...How Cautious Should I Be?

[purpleroan]

Hi everyone! I'm curious exactly how easy it is for dust to get inside your lens/camera. I would really like to take my equipment to the barn (an inherently dusty place) and try to get some good pictures, but everything would be indoor because it is winter. I'm afraid though that the lack of weatherproofing on my camera/lens will let in a lot of dust. Thoughts? I'm working a with a t5i and 18-55/55-250mm lenses. Thanks!

 

[AKUK]

Dust is the bane of every photographer and to be honest, no matter how hard you try to avoid it, the damn stuff inevitably finds its way inside the camera at some point. The barn will likely be a dusty place but, so long as you're not kicking the stuff up so that it becomes airborne, you should be fine.

Avoid swapping lenses if possible but, if you need to, take a zip-lock bag with you and change the lenses over in that. Alternatively, go outside the barn and do it. Always switch the camera off too, when changing lenses. The charge of the sensor can be a dust magnet. Also, when changing lenses I like to keep the camera facing down, so no dust falls in due to gravity. If it's windy, keep your back to it.

 

[Designer]

And when you're finished with that shoot, go into the house (where it's not dusty), and use a "rocket" blower and soft brush to de-dust inside the camera. Check your sensor for dust after cleaning by shooting at a blank wall and search the image for dust motes on the sensor.

And while you've got the lens off, inspect the rear element and inside the mount for dust.

 

[Buckster]

Check your sensor for dust after cleaning by shooting at a blank wall and search the image for dust motes on the sensor.

What he said, but just wanted to add that for this part, shoot that wall with your aperture as tight as your lens can go, like f/28 or f/32, or whatever.

 

[KmH]

I don't think there are any weatherproof DSLRs.
All DSLRs are weather resistant.
Some DSLRs have weather sealing that makes them more weather resistant than DSLRs that don't have weather sealing.
But even weather sealed DSLRs let in dust.

A way you can somewhat protect your camera/lens from dust (or rain) is to cover it with strategic holes cut in a plastic bag or to use a rain sleeve.
OP/TECH USA Rainsleeve - Flash 14-Inch (2-Pack)

 

[Patrice]

As others have said, at some point there will be dust in your camera and your sensor will get dirty. Learn how to clean your sensor, it is very easy to do, no need to be afraid, there are no special skills needed. Watch youtube videos or ask a friend (or camera shop employee) to show you how.

 

[dennybeall]

Best not to direct "dirt in camera" questions to any of us old film guys. Film cameras were really bad but the digitals solved the worst problem since they don't have to be opened up. We had 41 head in our 20 thousand square foot Equestrian Center in WV and I would keep my camera in a plastic bag and poke the front of the lens out and put a rubber band around to hold the bag tight. Never had any dust problems and had saddlebreds pulling carts all the time.

 

[Overread]

Few thoughts;

1) Dust is a bane, but manageable. Most of the time it won't even appear in your shots until you're shooting f8 or smaller and shooting very monotone scenes (eg like a white sheet of paper or a clear blue sky). So wide open at f5.6 or f2.8 you might not ever see any dust.

2) Dust cleaning is part of DSLR life, accept it and take proper precautions (as stated above) but otherwise don't "fear" it too much

3) Spot heal tool in photoshop/lightroom is your best friend for removing annoying dust spots that do appear on your shots.

4) A lot of "barn" shots of things like horses (guessing horses from your profile pic) are oft not taken "inside" the barn itself. In fact I've seen a good few impressive setups taken outside with a backdrop and lights - because basically a horse is a really big subject and a barn/stall is typically very small in relation; doubly so when taking pictures.

 

[yellow ant]

Best advice I have ever got that seems to work is to not wrap the camera strap around your neck while moving and taking photos. It seems if you do this then the camera builds up static electricity and seems to attract more dust.

If you have to use a strap wrap it around your forearm or hand.