Some of the points are touched on in my article, I've got the camera, now what?, but others are new. If you've a good tip you think should be added, please e-mail me.- Check your camera settings before you start a shoot. I have preferred settings, so I check ISO, exposure compensation, metering mode, focus point, flash compensation, file format, custom settings (mirror lock-up). Some of these, you may have changed last time out on purpose, others, like focus point, can easily be changed by mistake.
- Check the lens settings: AF or manual, image stabilisation and focusing distance (if your lens has switches for these).
- Keep your batteries fully charged - you can't hurt them by keeping them topped up - at least, not the Li-ion ones in the D30/60/10D. If you have more than one set of batteries, rotate them to spread usage.
- If you are going to be using an external flash, are the batteries charged? Do you have a spare set? Are the settings set to your preferred defaults?
- Is there a CF card in the camera? Have you downloaded all the images from the last shoot? Do you have extra CF cards, if necessary?
- Keep a jumbo blower handy for when you take the lens cap off. Don't use the brush on the lens, use it on the inside of the cap: dust can collect there and transfer itself to the lens when you replace the cap.
- If you're carrying the camera, use a strap - round the neck or wrap it around your wrist.
- If you're using a tripod, hang on to the camera while you move it. If you're moving some distance, don't hang the camera end over your shoulder; turn the tripod upside down to dangle the legs over your shoulder instead - making sure not to poke anyone's eye out.
- When you're changing lenses, take care not to drop anything and try to keep dust from getting into the camera and on to the sensor.
- Turning off the camera when changing lenses decreases its static attraction for dust. *
- On a trip, take the camera (and flash) manual, cleaning kit, and anything else you might need. Have you got all the gear you might want? Ask yourself, "Do I really need to take all this stuff?".
- If your gear is in a bag, make sure it's properly closed before you pick it up.
- At the end of the day, download all your images files to PC (and back them, if they're really important), put all the settings back to normal, check whether anything needs cleaning, stick the batteries in the charger.
The contributors to Noel's original post are acknowledged (according to their forum handle): Noel Carboni, Roger Cavanagh, Walter Kimmel, John Boyes, gorham, Bill Franklin, Richard Smith, Christian von Toerne, GJSchulze, Gary Sell, Bob D.
* Thanks to Roger Jordan who passed this on from Canon Technical Support.
7 August 2009