This article summarizes the answers to many our most commonly asked questions.
Q: What kind of cameras do you service?
A: We service all makes and models of cameras. Whether your camera is a DSLR, mirrorless, or point and shoot, it is a good idea to have your camera serviced regularly.
Q: What should I bring when I drop off my camera for servicing?
A: Aside from the equipment you are having serviced, there are some things that are important to bring with you. Make sure your camera has a fully charged battery. Without a fully charged battery, our technicians will not be able to access the sensor, and can’t service your camera. It is preferred if you can provide a camera body cap, and both lens caps as well.
Q: What Covid-19 protocols do you have in place?
A: We have procedures in place in order to keep everyone safe and to follow covid-19 protocols. You will be given specific drop off and pick up times (20 minute windows). This is to ensure social distancing between customers and to allow us time to sanitize camera bins, clipboards, and anything else you may be touching. When you arrive to your appointment, you can text us from your vehicle that you have arrived and we will meet you at your vehicle to collect your equipment in a sanitized camera bin. When you come to pick up your equipment, text us from your vehicle and your equipment will be brought back out to your vehicle in sealed bags.
Q: How often should I get my camera sensor cleaned?
A: If you are a full-time photographer or videographer who uses your camera almost every day and are constantly changing lenses, it is suggested to get your camera sensor cleaned once every month or so. If you find that you are using your camera once a week or less, you can maintain your picture quality by cleaning the sensor every 3-6 months. If you do landscape or animal photography, you will have more dust and particles land on your sensor over someone who does indoor studio photography.
Q: How do I know if my sensor needs cleaning?
A: To test and see if your sensor needs to be cleaned, follow these steps:
- Set your camera to aperture priority.
- Set your ISO to 200.
- Set your f-stop between 16-22.
- In a well lit room, take a photo of a white piece of paper.
- (optional) In Lightroom, increase your clarity and texture to 100
Now you can see the dirt, dust, hair, etc that is sitting on your sensor. These are the best settings for these blemishes to appear, but they actually appear in every one of your photos as shadows or a slight change in colour/tone.
Q: How often should I get my lens calibrated?
A: Calibrate your lens if it is new to you or if you purchase a new camera body. If you are a full-time photographer that uses your camera every day, calibrating your most-used lenses once a month or so is recommended. If you shoot with your camera once a week or less, you can let it go longer in between. Some photographers only get their lenses calibrated once or twice a year or when they start to notice a problem.
Q: How do I know if my lens needs calibrating?
A: If you notice that your photos are not focusing precisely on your subject, or that your subject often comes out slightly out of focus, you should consider having your lens calibrated.
Q: What professional equipment do you use for servicing cameras?
A: We use several pieces of equipment to clean and service your gear. Some of our most typical tools are rocket air blowers (not compressed air), microfibre cleaning cloths, microfibre lens cloths, sensor wipes, sensor cleaner, lens cleaner, lens autofocus calibration systems, as well as many other tools.
Do you have any questions that were not covered in the above article? Click here to send us a message.