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CCD Cleaning
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Hello,Anyone got any advise on cleaning the sensor,have aways thought blowing with air was ok,am i wrong with this.Have bought this kit with swabs but i dont like using that fluid as have had smear marks left on previous sensors. Cheers
Ben 8)To date I’ve only used a manual blower (gently) on the sensor.
I’ve heard that the Visible Dust cleaner is meant to be the best.
You can get a brush size specifically for your sensor.
One of their products works by charging the brush with air from a canister or something.
The charged brush then attracts the dust when it comes in contact with the sensor.I had a quick look on their site, seems like they now have several different types of product
just to confuse us :)Mark
ive been using the copper hill kit on my 20d for the last yearish without any problems. Now that my 30D needs cleaning, it’ll be getting the same treatment. Never had any problems with it. It takes a bit of getting used to but once you get the knack you’ll be flying.
If however it’s small particles of dust that isnt well stuck to the sensor, a good going over with a decent blower should sort it.
7 years in college studying electronics and working in microelectronics for the last 12 years and I’m still WAY TOO SCARED to go near the sensor :? It’s probably too far for you Ben, but I drop it into Conns Cameras (http://www.connscameras.ie) and they clean it there. As I’ve bought pretty much all my equipment in there over the tears and hence must own shares in the company at this stage, they clean it for free. I usually drop it down during my lunch hour, but I’m sure for a nominal fee they’ll clean anyones.
ciaran wrote:
but I’m sure for a nominal fee they’ll clean anyones.
Got mine cleaned for free at the Photovision show. Although I haven’t used them I believe Conn’s charge ?50 for cleaning sensors on camera’s not purchased from them. Give them a call at 01 676 2891 or http://www.connscameras.ie
I’ve been using digital SLR’s for the last 4 years or so and I’ve only ever cleaned my sensor with an air blower. I also clean the mirror box and rear lens element the same way during almost every lens change. I have the kit required to do the Copper Hill method but haven’t used it since I first bought it! Since then a number of other solutions have arrived on the market, each with it’s supporters and detractors. I’ll stick with the blast of air for the moment. Although the air flowing across the sensor can build a static charge on it which might result in dust being attracted to it, as I said, I’ve had no problem doing it this way.
Cheers for that guys,was trawling through the net last nite and they seem to be very conflicting ways of cleaning,although i reckon i’m just going to leave it to the pro’s. Thanks again!.
Ben 8)Here is a nice read on cleaning your sensor:
http://www.prime-junta.net/pont/How_to/a_Brush_Your_Sensor/a_Brush_Your_Sensor.html
My own method is the following:
First of all I set my lens to manual focus and turn the lens to infinity. Set the camera to M and set the aperture to f22 and shutter speed to maybe 1 second. I open a blank white page on my favourite word processor and shoot the page out-of focus. Looking at this image afterwards I can see every little dust bunny that exists on my sensor.
I use a q-tip wraped in lens tissue soaked in a lens cleaning solution to wipe away the dirt that appears on the sensor. I then turn around the q-tip wraped in DRY lens tissue to wipe away any smudges or smears. Sometimes this takes two goes but works every time for me. By the way I offer no guarantees with this method.I’ve used the wet cleaning method, they sell a starter kit in Bermingham cameras. Had to take a few deep breaths before going ahead with it but it worked perfect, the sensor really isn’t as delicate as its made out. One you make a clean sweep with the swab it’s unlikley you’ll damage anything, if you leave some fluid behind its supposed to evaporate pretty much instantly. I had to do it with my D200 as it had some dust on the sensor when I bought it.
Regarding Conns cameras, I thought they only blew compressed air into the sensor, will remove most of the dust but any welded on gunk needs some sort of contact cleaning I would think. Do they do this also? I got my D70 cleaned there ages ago and it looked like they just used the same spray I normally do, but they didn’t charge me.
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