Care And Maintenance Of A Digital Camera

1. Give your camera TLC (tender loving care)!
2. Always carry it using wrist or neck strap. (Be ESPECIALLY careful NOT to drop or bump on the concrete!!!)
3. Never use force to adjust anything on the camera. Handle all moving parts - buttons, switches, levers, lenses, etc. - with care.
4. Turn off the camera before disconnecting the power source or a cable, or (for your own camera) removing the battery or memory card. NEVER remove school memory card or battery!
5. Beware of the stairs! When photographing, your awareness is divided so you are more susceptible to accidents. PLEASE be very careful near our very tall concrete stairs!!! Attention skaters/daredevils: No acrobatics near or on the stairs!
6. “NEVER hand the camera YOU checked out to another student” Each time you sign out a camera for on-campus use, YOU are responsible. When you sign a camera out, the camera is signed out ONLY to you or your partner, not to anybody else at school.
7. “drowning in a drop of water …” Never allow any liquids (water, soda …) or chemicals such as sunscreen, to contact camera surfaces.  If you suspect water has gotten inside the camera, remove the battery and memory card and allow all components to air-dry for at least 24 hours before using the camera.
8. “blinded by a speck of dust in the camera ‘eye’ …” Never allow dust of ANY kind (… dirt, sand … etc. etc.) to touch the camera surface. To avoid, NEVER put a camera directly on the ground or any surface, even cloth, that has dust or sand on it.
9. “beware of the beach! …” (water & sand, oh my!) (Eventually, we’ll check out cameras overnight) Cameras get sun (& sand) burned too! Keep your camera out of direct sunlight. Never set a camera or camera bag on a beach towel since it almost always has some sand on it. Even small amounts of sand or dirt can scratch or damage a camera.
10. photographing in the rain … only under cover … If it suddenly rains or drizzles while carrying your camera, slip it under a jacket, sweater or, if small enough, put it in a pocket. You may be tempted to use it, but don’t unless you have protection overhead.
11. bagging it NEVER put in a backpack, even in its own camera bag! This is WAY too risky. Backpacks are usually filled with other things like candy, soda, bags of chips or nuts, all of which could contribute dust or liquid that could easily “kill” a camera.
12. cleaning NEVER clean school cameras, we’ll take care of that!  Cleaning your own camera: Blow very lightly (no spit!) on the lens or LCD to get rid of dirt and dust. Regularly clean including the lens and LCD but be careful to follow these instructions: Always wipe softly with a lint-free and soft cloth or lens cleaning tissue. Never use clothing or solutions unless they are made particularly for digital camera lenses and LCDs. Cleaning incorrectly can actually do more harm than good to a camera; for example, if you use the wrong cloth or solution you can permanently scratch or damage the lens or LCD.
13. batteries You are NEVER allowed to remove the school camera battery since they are very susceptible to loss and damage. For your own digital camera: battery care is vital. Do NOT allow batteries to touch metal objects, including coins. Otherwise a battery may short-circuit, discharge energy, become hot, or leak. Always remove the battery when the product is stored for an extended period of time.
14. memory card  You are NEVER allowed to remove the school memory card, or swap it for your own memory card!  If you were to touch the metal stripes on a memory card it can easily be destroyed. Memory cards are very susceptible to loss and damage and are never to be removed by any student unless they are in the room working as a T.A. with specific instructions from the teacher.