Sensor Cleaning

[Basjoo]

Hi,

I have a 30d. Up to now I have been able to remove dust with a blower.
However now have a few stubborn spots and would be interested to hear any advice as to what's best to purchase. There is a lot of things on the market and have generally read quite mixed reviews.
Any advice would be greatly recieved.

Thanks

[Nathaniel]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Hi,

I have a 30d. Up to now I have been able to remove dust with a blower.
However now have a few stubborn spots and would be interested to hear any advice as to what's best to purchase. There is a lot of things on the market and have generally read quite mixed reviews.
Any advice would be greatly recieved.

Thanks

Hello!

My advice is to get your camera to your nearest dealer and get it cleaned. Cost approx £30. I know that the more experienced members in the field of digital photography will do it themselves. But for new comers like me, it is a delicate business. The Canon dealer I go to is H.Lehamann in Stoke on trent., Excellent people and know their cameras and theirs jobs inside out.

[NigelL]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Hi Basjoo, welcome to the forum

Having owned a 30D, I know all about dust bunnies, and the regular cleaning that goes with ownership and the fact I like to change lenses in sometimes less than ideal conditions!

Apart from the ubiquitous rocket blower, I have a couple of cleaning methods on the go; with limited success I tend to use Dust Aid dry cleaning pads as a first line of attack. If that doesn't work, I go for wet wipes along the lines of Visible Dust's swabs and Cleaning solution. Once over the trepidation of the first time clean, it really is quite a straight forward process

Of course, cleaning duties have been reduced somewhat with the purchase of a 40D

Nigel

[Ron Lander]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Biggest problem with my 5D is dirt getting on the sensor. Definitely second Nigels recommendations. Its also worth investing in an Arctic Butterfly, which is another Visible Dust product.

[EOS_Jim]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

This is really a VERY SIMPLE task and no way would I pay £30 for a 2 minute job! So long as you take reasonable care and follow the instructions, the copperfield method works very well. PecPads for your sensor and Eclipse Fluid is all you need. remember the first time I did this. Took my camera into a bathroom (having run the hot bath for 5 minutes to remove dust particles in the air. Had camera on a tripd upside down and was very very careful when running the pad over the filter (you are not cleaning the sensor by the way - it's the filter over the sensor you are cleaning).

Now I don't really worry so much and for the 2 minutes it takes to cleaneach camera it's just a couple of drops of fuid on the pad and swipe one way and the other and pretty much done.

I can see why people might be nervous but it's not a difficult job - so long as you give it reasonable care and attention.

[colin C]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

I echo Jim's view.

The only difficulty in cleaning a sensor, is the fear of doing it for the first time.

First line of defence would be an Arctic Butterfly ............... stupid name, brilliant device. Just follow the instructions and there is no more difficulty than that.

Second line of defence are the sensor swabs and cleaning fluid, again follow the instructions, it's so easy! I prefer Pec pads and Eclipse fluid, but make sure you buy Eclipse 2 fluid, as there have been a few problems with Eclipse (1) supposedly attacking the tin oxide coating on 5D and later sensors. Although as Jim said, you are not cleaning the sensor, but the protective screen above the sensor.

Unless you have a sensor loupe ( to magnify the sensor and see the dust bunnies), best way to see the results of your efforts is to take a picture of a well lit piece of white paper at the smallest aperture, say f22. View the result in photoshop and adjust levels and curves so that the background is white and the dust bunnies are black. Clean the sensor with Arctic Butterfly and shoot the white paper again and compare the results against your start shot. If there are still some persistent bunnies, do the wet clean, shoot the paper again and compare the results. On a particularly grubby sensor, I have had to do a wet clean three times to get it spotless, but from then on, it only ever needed a pass over with the Arctic Butterfly. Be aware that not all dust bunnies are dust. Some may be tiny oil splats, which come from the mirror mechanism, but they tend to happen when the camera is fairly new. You can only remove these with a wet clean, but when they are gone they tend not to re-appear.

My previous cameras seemed to need cleaning monthly, but on my 1D MKIII, it only ever needed one clean and my new camera hasn't been touched yet ........ the miracle of self cleaning sensors!

Colin

[MX5]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

... if you are a CPS member ... you get (at least) one free sensor clean. So next time there's an event with the technical chaps from CPS pop along ... got my 40D done when the Open Golf was on.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Apologies if this is a silly question but where does all the "dust particles" go when the self cleaning sensors are activated i.e when the camera is switched on and switched off? I am sure the dust must be collecting in the bottom of the camera, and would require a professional clean sometime or the other.

[MX5]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

As an aside trying viewing this Dust Delete Data.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

MX5 -thanks for the info. Still doesn't answer my question as to what happens to the dust particles that are removed by the automatic sensor cleaning process.

[eeyore]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

MX5 -thanks for the info. Still doesn't answer my question as to what happens to the dust particles that are removed by the automatic sensor cleaning process.

There is a 'sticky pad' at the bottom that the dust particles fall onto during the 'shake' of the sensor during its cleaning routine. I don't know how good it is though, although reviews say it does its job!

I use the Visible Dust Sensor Brush, that is 'activiated' by blowing air onto the brush (using the rocket blower for example, or an air can). This 'charges' the bristles, so that it attracts the dust. I have used this on the 350D, with no problems and works really well! You have to be careful though to keep the brush clean!

Another way to check for dust is to simply take a photo of your computer screen, i.e. in photoshop open up a new blank document and follow as mentioned above. Saves looking for something white!

[colin C]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Apologies if this is a silly question but where does all the "dust particles" go when the self cleaning sensors are activated i.e when the camera is switched on and switched off? I am sure the dust must be collecting in the bottom of the camera, and would require a professional clean sometime or the other.

Special area at the bottom the mirror housing which is slightly tacky.

Colin

[Nathaniel]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Special area at the bottom the mirror housing which is slightly tacky.

Colin

OK Colin, I understand that, but then what happens after the tacky area gets "filled up"! If these dust particles in the tacky area gets "filled up" or nearly "full" shouldn't some attempt be made to remove all the gunge? If this is not removed, what happens? "Sine die" till the camera is sold?

[Canon-Fodder!]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

Hi Nathaniel;

These really are minute particles we're talking about here; and provided you take reasonable care when changing lenses, you can keep dust/particle intrusion down to a minimum...

As an aside - on that score; I always turn the camera OFF before changing lenses - to reduce static; make sure that I have the new lens ready to go before taking the old one off; hold the body at a 60-70 degree down angle - to stop stuff getting in; and always shield it from the wind as much as is humanly possible... Overboard? maybe; but my dust problems are kept to an absolute minimum in doing so... And, I always clean my kit after a day's use...

If the 'tacky' strip at the bottom of the sensor really did fill-up, then dust would simply float around... A rocket-blower takes care of most loose stuff in that case... and; yes, ultimately, if the tacky-strip ever did completely fill; it would need a service-clean and replacement...

[jhdee]

Re: Sensor Cleaning

As an aside - on that score; I always turn the camera OFF before changing lenses - to reduce static; make sure that I have the new lens ready to go before taking the old one off; hold the body at a 60-70 degree down angle - to stop stuff getting in; and always shield it from the wind as much as is humanly possible... Overboard? maybe; but my dust problems are kept to an absolute minimum in doing so... And, I always clean my kit after a day's use...

Very good advice from C-F ...... I use a similar process too.

jhdee