A FAQ on starting/buying a digital camera
d) Equipment cleaning, maintenance and storage
It is always good to invest in a set of cleaning kit for your camera. Dirt, dust and dirty fingers are unavoidable. Anti-static cloth, dust blower with brush and lens tissue are common kits sufficient to most users. Avoid using too much alcoholic solution or it may spoil your lens.
Also advisable to store equipment in cool dry places – having a dry cabinet, you not only can keep prevent moisture from spoiling your camera, but you can also keep documents and other precious stuffs away from decay.
If a dry cabinet is too expensive, consider getting a dry box or air-tight box costing only a fraction. Furthermore, getting a bottle of silica gel cost only a few dollars.
Never overlook the importance of cleaning, storage and maintenance issues – you would not want your cam to be sent for repairs unnecessarily, right?!
A personal recommendation
For dry cabinet, check out the ones at Carrefour, quite cheap and good enough for most DC. Otherwise, most cam shops have standard good ones.
For dry box, the cost depends on the size. A recommendation is the brand "Unique" Dry Pack Case, available in most cam shops, even photo-developing shops. The smallest cost about $15 only, and the good thing is that it comes with a camera holding function such that your camera is not tossed about it the box when you have to shift the box about. For silica gel, you can get a big bottle of it for only $4 at Carrefour, enough to last for a few years.
