Photo How To

Dirty camera sensors are a common source of degraded image quality, resulting in tedious post-processing work to clean up the photograph. This problem is the bane of those who shoot outdoors in dusty conditions, and is particularly acute when using small aperture settings that tend to exaggerate imperfections.

Rather than spending time and money sending your camera to a technician, you can do the job yourself by following the safe-and-simple steps below from San Francisco sports/fitness photographer Alexis Cuarezma. All you’ll need is an inexpensive cleaning kit and about 10 minutes to do the job.

The cleaning supplies Cuarezma recommends include an LED sensor loupe, a simple rubber rocket blower, a reusable static brush, and a few disposable-cleaning swabs. So watch the six-minute video and clean up your act.

You can find more helpful tips on Cuarezma’s YouTube channel, and be sure to watch an earlier tutorial of his we posted demonstrating a $5 solution for better outdoor portraits with a quick trip to the hardware store. And if your lenses are also in need of a deep cleaning, read our tips on how to clean a camera lens.