Sensor cleaning

[tigger795]

I am curious if anyone cleans their sensor on a regular basis and what method do you use? I know of Copperhill and Visibledust and have a blower bulb but am more interested in the prevailing method used by DIS members to get the stuff off that won't blow off with the bulb. I would have done a poll but don't want to take the time to figure out how to do one.

Thanks In Advance!

--
Randy

 

[boBQuincy]

I use Visible Dust regularly and Copperhill if there appears to be something the first method won't remove (only happened once).

Neither method is for the weak of heart but if you change lenses frequently cleaning will be necessary at some point. Dust happens...


boB

 

[Anewman]

I use a blower for regular maintenance every month or so. Blow gently and ABSORB aggresivly out side the shutter first, and then repeat inside(without getting too close to sensor.

And about once a year(if needed) i use the following.

a_Brush_Your_Sensor

I consider my methods "dusting" and not cleaning. Copperhill is actually cleaning(using methanol) the sensor, which maybe required after a given time. But I would not use it as regualar maintenance. Once I determine any of my cameras would actually require it, I would drop my camera off in IRVINE(canon) and get a full service.

 

[geetey]

Yikes! Is this something new I need to learn for my Rebel XT?

If so, where can I find the most basic, user-friendly instructions?

 

[tigger795]

Hi Terry,

I wouldn't worry about it at all until the amount of dust is impacting the quality of your photos past the point of being tolerable. Most of the time it is not even noticeable in your photos unless you have a bright background and a very small aperture(large f-stop #).

I have a Digital Rebel(300D) and a 30D. I have never had ANY problems with the Rebel but the 30D had A LOT of dust on the sensor right out of the box when I got it. Most blew off, some did not. I am just trying to get my new camera in shape for my WDW visit at the end of the week.


Enjoy your XT! I wish I had one!

--
Randy

 

[tigger795]

Hi ANEWMAN,

You are right about dusting, not cleaning and thanx for the link. I actually found that page yesterday while researching methods. I just came back from purchasing a couple of brushes based on the info presented there and am getting ready to try them out.

Can you explain what you mean by ABSORB agressively? What do you absorb with and what technique do you use?

Thanks,
--
Randy

 

[geetey]

Hi Terry,

I wouldn't worry about it at all until the amount of dust is impacting the quality of your photos past the point of being tolerable. Most of the time it is not even noticeable in your photos unless you have a bright background and a very small aperture(large f-stop #).

I have a Digital Rebel(300D) and a 30D. I have never had ANY problems with the Rebel but the 30D had A LOT of dust on the sensor right out of the box when I got it. Most blew off, some did not. I am just trying to get my new camera in shape for my WDW visit at the end of the week.


Enjoy your XT! I wish I had one!

--
Randy

Thanks for the info, Randy! I will be back if I notice any problems!

If you see a short lady with blonde hair looking confused while trying to change the settings on a Rebel XT starting on Friday at WDW, come over and say HI!

 

[tigger795]

Will Do! I won't be there til Saturday though. Going to see the Flower & Garden festival!

--
Randy

 

[Yellow_Stitch]

One simple thing that helps keep the dust down is to always change lenses with the camera pointing down. It seems obvious, but you always see people with the mount facing up when they switch lenses!

 

[Anewman]

Can you explain what you mean by ABSORB agressively? What do you absorb with and what technique do you use?

Just a blower(made for babies I believe).

1. hold the camera upside down and GENTLY loosen dust with blower. I feel blowing TOO hard can actually LODGE/PUSH dust into all sorts of places.
2. Remove blower from inside/near camera and sqeeze it to remove all dust and air from inside blower.
3. REinsert blower into camera and absorb/suck out air, hopefully any loose dust floating around in/near camera is absorbed.

I do this with lens off and shutter closed a couple times. And I repeat with shutter open(sensor clean mode).

I have only once needed to do the brush method I linked b4. And this is taking into account shooting tens of thousands of shots on DUSTY baseball/softball fields. This is on my 20D(pair) that I have been using since Nov 2004.

 

[tigger795]

I try to keep the body facing down as well as keep my back to the wind but I wonder how effective it really is. Maybe someone should submit this to the Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel to see if it really makes any difference.

--
Randy

 

[Anewman]

I try to keep the body facing down as well as keep my back to the wind but I wonder how effective it really is. Maybe someone should submit this to the Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel to see if it really makes any difference.

--
Randy

Gravity is real.

But Dust can be microscopic so the difference would be just as microscopic.

Zoom Lenses(that extend) suck air in and out of the camera all day, that air obviously is not dust free.

 

[tigger795]

I am not discounting the effect that gravity has on all things but rather the fact that dust can be affected much more by imperceptible and unpredictable wind currents and that might make camera orientation a moot point. Then again, maybe it helps immensely. I just haven't ever read or heard anyone say "I get much less dust in my camera now that I hold it upside down while I change lenses", thats all. I do it anyway, just to be safe but was just wondering about it.

Good point about zooms too. I never thought about that but I bet that is better than continuouly exposing the chamber by swapping primes.