dSLR sensor cleaner
- Thread starter Handruin
- Start date
e_dawg
Storage Freak
It's one of those things you do so infrequently (unless you're a pro or take your camera "off-road" so to speak) that I would probably just take it to a shop (a real camera shop, not an electronics retailer) and have their techs clean it. That way, you can curse at them and start learning voodoo if they mess it up 
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
Infrequently? Hoolie doolie! Regularly needed ... but then maybe I'm always going off-road. I use the wet swab method. It works fine, provided you approach the task in a careful. methodical way and keep your workspace and tools really clean.
Note that my 400D has never, ever needed cleaning: the dust shaker system works brilliantly. My 20Ds, on the other hand, need cleaning about once a month or so. I doubt that I would ever buy another camera that doesn't have a dust shaker system.
Note that my 400D has never, ever needed cleaning: the dust shaker system works brilliantly. My 20Ds, on the other hand, need cleaning about once a month or so. I doubt that I would ever buy another camera that doesn't have a dust shaker system.
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
Used to do this a lot with the 1DsMkIIs.
Ended up getting one of those sensor clean brushes, fluffed it with canned air first to get it clean and charged.
Ended up getting one of those sensor clean brushes, fluffed it with canned air first to get it clean and charged.
e_dawg
Storage Freak
Well one thing you would not want to do is use the canned air to spray the sensor directly. I've used the canned air on other things before, and sometimes it leaves a bit of residue or ends up freezing whatever your're spraying unless you hold the can strictly vertically... that would be disastrous if it did that to your sensor.
Using canned air to electrostatically charge your brush sounds like a neat idea, Pradeep. Do you find that the charge "transfers" or is imparted to the sensor/filter at all such that it attracts more dust afterwards?
Using canned air to electrostatically charge your brush sounds like a neat idea, Pradeep. Do you find that the charge "transfers" or is imparted to the sensor/filter at all such that it attracts more dust afterwards?
I have a "blower" to use on the sensor, but I'd never use canned air on it either. I guess I'm at this cross road to decide if I take the camera some where to have them do it, or do it myself. I'm sure in the year and a half I've had it that there has to be some dust on it. I've yet to do the recommended tests (fixed background using F/22 or higher).
Sensor swabs are what I'm reading about, but most say I need to be extra careful when using them (which I understand). I change my lenses often, so I'm sure it needs to be cleaned by now.
Sensor swabs are what I'm reading about, but most say I need to be extra careful when using them (which I understand). I change my lenses often, so I'm sure it needs to be cleaned by now.
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
Well these cameras were very rarely without their lens on. The problem we had was twofold, firstly the sensors got dirty during the first few days of use (as the shutter wore in, or perhaps dirty straight from the factory), and secondly as the shutter wears at the end of its life, we would get some more assorted debris at that time. Shortly after that its tits up with error 99, and off to Canon for repair. Had one notable one where I removed the lens and the mirror assembly fell out
Mostly it was the shutter mechanism/leaves going south.There were times when a stubborn spot required a medical grade q-tip and some lens cleaning fluid. Keep in mind the shutter failures usually happened after ~300,000 cycles, most users wouldn't have that kind of duty cycle. The canned air would also allow the brush to lose its debris from the previous clean.
mubs
Storage? I am Storage!
Is there a chance of static in the brush killing the sensor?
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
At least on this camera, there is a layer over the sensor itself, so what you are touching isn't the sensor, but a plate that sits over it. Hopefully the next gen has a self-clean function.
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
I use the wet swabs. The key is to have the covering material absolutely clean and pass it over the surface of the sensor once only - change the pad for a second pass, if needed.
Stereodude
Not really a
There's an IR filter over the sensor, that's most likely glass. It shouldn't be that easily damaged...
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
Tannin
Storage? I am Storage!
Oh, I forgot to say - that damn Eclipse evaporates like nobody's business. Even when you seal the bottle up carefully and don't use any, it is all gone pretty fast. I've taken to just using the stick thingie and a clean pad without any wetting agent. So far, it's worked just fine.
BTW, I see, from a visit to their site, that the makers of the Pecpads now say you should use a different and (of course) more expensive) pad instead of the pecpads that people have been using successfully for years. Hmmmm ......
BTW, I see, from a visit to their site, that the makers of the Pecpads now say you should use a different and (of course) more expensive) pad instead of the pecpads that people have been using successfully for years. Hmmmm ......
Stereodude
Not really a
A cu-tip and isopropyl alcohol work just fine.
Stereodude
Not really a
Sure have...
paugie
Storage is cool
I enjoy reading this stuff. Makes me remember when I had two Nikon FE2's and a few lenses back in the first half of the 1990's. Turned out I couldn't afford them so the equipment was sold piecemeal to finance more important needs.
I had always been afraid to go around Manila with a bulky bag apparently containing equipment costing a few thousand pesos. Just a well placed bonk on the head and the cameras would be history to me.
That's mainly the reason why I keep reminding myself to be content with the Olympus 750UZ even if it never snaps at exactly the time I press the shutter button. If ever somebody came up to me and asked for it, I'd part with it and be able to forget the incident in 3 days. Something which I won't be able to do if I had to give up a DSLR to a thug. I'd be kicking myself in my dreams for years.
I had always been afraid to go around Manila with a bulky bag apparently containing equipment costing a few thousand pesos. Just a well placed bonk on the head and the cameras would be history to me.
That's mainly the reason why I keep reminding myself to be content with the Olympus 750UZ even if it never snaps at exactly the time I press the shutter button. If ever somebody came up to me and asked for it, I'd part with it and be able to forget the incident in 3 days. Something which I won't be able to do if I had to give up a DSLR to a thug. I'd be kicking myself in my dreams for years.
ddrueding
Fixture
Some recent pictures @ f22 caused me to finally take a test picture (f22@100ISO with closest focus onto a white computer monitor, moving the camera during the long exposure). After that I upped the levels and wow! I really need to clean this thing!
This seems to be a great site for info. I'll be doing this later today and will report my results.
This seems to be a great site for info. I'll be doing this later today and will report my results.
ddrueding
Fixture
I got a dry lens brush and used a can of air to clean/charge it. It took perhaps 15 passes to get it completely clean, but the result is excellent.
I can appreciate the technical superiority of the "wet method", but it wasn't necessary for me, and mine was pretty bad!
I can appreciate the technical superiority of the "wet method", but it wasn't necessary for me, and mine was pretty bad!
Stereodude
Not really a
The can of air is a very bad idea. You want to use a squeeze bulb blower.
ddrueding
Fixture
I used the can of air on the brush; strong enough to clean it and statically charge it. I never blew it into the camera.