| OK you have bought the camera here are some | | | | bill.Batteries.Like anything, you pay for what you |
| simple tips to help keep taking those pictures. Try | | | | get. Batteries are no different some good some |
| to keep your camera in a camera bag when | | | | bad. A batteries life is dependant on a number of |
| it’s not in use as the bag will help protect | | | | things brands, the length of use i.e. age of the |
| the camera from knocks, falls moisture and dust. | | | | battery, conditions the battery has been used in. |
| Keep a silicon gel bag in the there to help reduce | | | | Hot or very cold conditions can alter the battery |
| moisture, you may have got one or two with the | | | | life try to use your batteries at room |
| camera if not they can be bought relatively | | | | temperature. Batteries for digital cameras are |
| cheaply from a camera shop or sometimes they | | | | very demanding meaning that they use short |
| may come with other high street purchases.Keep | | | | bursts of high energy unlike convention batteries |
| it clean.Like your car you want to keep it clean so | | | | which are used for radios and torches. If you can |
| it looks good it’s the same with your | | | | try to by the manufactures battery as these are |
| camera. Don’t use solvents to clean it, use | | | | normally better than those rechargeable ones you |
| a soft lint free cloth. If your camera has a LCD | | | | can buy in the local supermarket. Now a days the |
| screen at the back to view your images breathe | | | | manufactures produce a more expensive Ni-MH |
| on it gently and then wipe with your lint free cloth | | | | (nickel-metal hydride) rechargeable battery this |
| or lens tissue. Lenses are a different matter use | | | | type of battery is ideal as it’s best suited |
| canned air to blow the dust off the lens surface | | | | for use in digital cameras. If you need to store |
| or if not available us a bulb brush available for a | | | | batteries store them in a dry cool place. If not |
| few pounds/dollars from a camera shop. Here | | | | using your camera for a while don’t leave |
| again you can breathe on the lens and wipe with | | | | the batteries in the camera as the battery could |
| a lens tissue it not advisable to wipe a dry lens as | | | | leak. When storing your batteries use a sealable |
| this could cause scratching. The beach is always a | | | | bag to keep the batteries in so that condensation |
| good place to get some good shots but | | | | can’t attack and should the worst happen |
| it’s also a sandy place. Sand seems to get | | | | and the battery leaks it should not harm much. |
| everywhere if you’re not too keen on | | | | Fully drain a rechargeable battery once in a while |
| taking your expensive camera to the beach buy a | | | | as this will help with the battery life, you can use |
| cheap disposable one. Also while at the beach you | | | | the LCD screen to do this as this uses quite a bit |
| have sun creams and insect repellents these could | | | | of power up quickly.This article can always be |
| contain oils or chemicals so limit places of contact | | | | found Hutchison has been a professional |
| i.e. hands keep them clean. Don’t what | | | | photographer on and off since 1981, he gained an |
| every you do fall into the trap of putting your sun | | | | LBIPP in 1990 from the British Institute of |
| cream or insect relent into your camera bag | | | | Professional Photographers so he has first hand |
| more than likely they will leak and you’ll | | | | experience! He worked for a newspaper for over |
| have an expensive repair bill or an expensive | | | | 12 years dealing with flat copy and digital images. |
| paper weight if you can’t afford the repair | | | | |