Jacobs Digital Camera Cleaning kit Cleaning Equipment Review

With most cameras coming out with sensor cleaning systems built-in it's easy to think that it covers all bases and leave it at that. But what about the mirror or lenses?

Jacobs Digital Camera Cleaning kit: Equipment

• Hurricane blower
• Solution (455cc)
• Lens paper (70 sheets)
• Lens cleaner (15x18cm)
• Cotton swabs (5 pieces)

Jacobs Digital Camera Cleaning kit: Features
All I own in my camera bag is a cleaning cloth and I've never really given a kit much thought even though I get irritated by the small bits of dust and seeds that lodge themselves in the tight areas of the camera, especially during the summer months.

I've also seen plenty of people cleaning the lens of their expensive camera on their shirt or using a normal tissue. These types of material contain Lint which is a fibre that can scratch the surface of the glass or mirror. An optical cloth and tissues such as the ones in this pack don't contain this material.

The cloth is good for getting rid of grease marks on the lens as you can use it to apply some pressure and create some friction to get the mark off. If it's more stubborn then using a small amount of solution will 'soak' the mark to make it easier to remove.

Solutions such as the one included in this pack are usually a diluted alcohol based formula designed to cut into grease then evaporate before it penetrates the equipment.

The solution can be dripped onto the cloth so it doesn't run all over the lens.

Applying to the lens, the solution evaporates quickly.

Cotton buds are a ten a penny in anyone's bathroom cabinet so really look as though they only serve as something to pad out the pack. However, they're definitely useful to get into the nooks and crannys of the equipment.

The largest piece of equipment in the kit is the hurricane blower. It's an oversized blower with a smaller opening at the end to increase the pressure of the escaping air.

Jacobs Digital Camera Cleaning kit: Performance
The cloth is smooth and velvety feeling nice in the hands. It cleans lens glass nicely and adding some solution for a harder dirt spot sorts the problem. Using the solution, I'm happy to see it evaporated in about half a second and a simple buff gets rid of any residue markings.

Jacobs Digital Camera Cleaning kit: Verdict
A cleaning kit is a must have in any kit bag because dirty glass means a dirty picture. Usually dirt or dust is too close to focus on but will show up as a paler area in the shot and looks just as unattractive so there's no point in ignoring it.

All the products in this pack are available separately but will cost you more, the Hurricane Blower is £7.99 on its own. You could make your own solution but the pack at least gives you a nice bottle to put any in that you make yourself later.

I think I'd get one of these kits just for the piece of mind that I've got something in my bag if I need it.

Jacobs Digital Camera Cleaning kit: Plus points
Everything you need in one
Good cleaning cloth
Tissues are a decent back up

Jacobs Digital Camera Cleaning kit: Minus points
Nothing that can't be bought or made individually

FEATURES

PERFORMANCE

OVERALL


The Digital Camera Cleaning Kit costs around £7 is available from Jacobs here:

Jacobs Digital Camera Cleaning kit