It's one of the least fun parts of being a photographer, but it's something we all have to do occasionally. Cleaning your camera is a must unless you want to remove spots from all the photos you take or shorten the lifespan of your camera. Invariably, your camera will get contaminated with dust particles or other kinds of bad stuff you don't want in there.
The false myth that says not changing the lens will keep your camera dust free is nonsense. If you don't believe me, just use one lens on your camera for a few months. You might not get as many dust spots as you would by changing often, but they're still going to be there.
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With that said, the cleaning process has to be done regularly. For that, I recommend getting a dedicated cleaning kit, or at least an air blower.
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Let's start with what you should never do when cleaning your camera. Do not, under any circumstances, put your finger on the sensor. In fact, try to keep your hands out of the camera. Try to imagine you're a watchmaker. You may not have the same dexterity, but you should be as careful as you can not to damage the internal mechanisms.
Do not use alcohol in the cleaning process. Not even the purest one. If you absolutely must use a fluid, make sure you get something designed for cleaning camera sensors.
However, most of the times, blowing dust with a blower regularly should do the job. It's better to clean the camera more often and keep the process simple than to leave it dirty for a longer period and make things harder.
Here's a detailed video on how to clean your camera sensor and mirror.
Check out our recommended cleaning kits:
- Professional Cleaning Kit for DSLR Cameras and Sensitive Electronics
- CamKix Professional Camera Cleaning Kit for DSLR and GoPro Cameras