sensor cleaning

T

tikigod19

Well-known member
Hi all, I had a professional sensor clean a few months ago due to dust on the sensor. A couple of weeks later there was more dust so the company offered me a complimentary clean but said this can happen with video as the shutter is always open. Now, a couple of weeks later I have another huge blob of dirt right in the center of the frame!!

I can't keep paying to have it cleaned every time and it's really starting to cause a problem.

Could anyone recommend how to clean the sensor yourself? I've heard about the air blowers and I do have one but not sure how to use it. Should I just take the lens off and blow inside or do I need to push the live view button so the shutter opens and then blow inside?

Any help much appreciated.
 
tikigod19 said:
Could anyone recommend how to clean the sensor yourself?
Click to expand...

That's not a UFO in the upper right corner of the frame in photo 1.
I've been using this 60D everyday for 3 years and this was the first dirt I ever got on the sensor. Needless to say I broke out in a cold sweat. O M F G! "*+@!$##!!
A cleaning professional and or cleaning kit was a 100 miles away and $50 bucks. I was warned don't try this at home, but I couldn't resist. I was very careful and used this lint free cloth wrapped around a bamboo skewer. I wouldn't really recommend it, but the sensor is clean and undamaged. The way I feel is somebody else may just as easily damage a sensor and they had to learn how to do it with other peoples cameras in the beginning. I don't know who they are and I'm sure they didn't graduate from medical school.
I've been cleaning expensive lenses with delicate coatings all my life and and even in the film days cleaned film negs that are gel and far more easily damaged that a glass covered sensor. I'm sure there is a glass cover because the spot I found on the surface created a shadow on the actual sensor quite far from the spot.
The liquids commonly use to clean sensors ("by professionals") as with all lens solutions also create smears and spots if you aren't good at removing all the liquid before it dries. Dragging dampened sensor squeegee rags across a sensor followed by dragging a dry one to mop up the liquid also has an element of risk. I would learn the best way to clean and maintain you own sensor.
On the other hand I took a Zeiss Sonar apart once to clean it. Big mistake, all the aperture blades just fell out. It cost me a $30 bottle of wine to get the lens tech at Keslow Camera in La to put them back. I was lucky.
Bottom line, better decide your own destiny and be prepared to live with it.
 

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thanks guys I feel a lot more confident having a go myself now. I have bought one of the cleaning kits mentioned in the lens rentals video to keep on the shelf but im hoping the blower will do the job..
 
tikigod19 said:
thanks guys I feel a lot more confident having a go myself now. I have bought one of the cleaning kits mentioned in the lens rentals video to keep on the shelf but im hoping the blower will do the job..
Click to expand...

Great move, but be careful with the blower. They have to be stored so they can't get anything inside them like moisture that can be blown in this your camera and lenses. Never use compressed air in a can!
Also I heard to avoid any natural brushes cor cleaning. Although soft to the touch natural brush fibers are hollow and can trap other contaminants and deposit them on your sensor.
I would test out your cleaning kit on another test surface first and examine closely if you are removing all the liquid so when it dries it's spotless. it's more difficult to see inside the camera body and you don't really want to have to clean the sensor more than once at a time.
Good luck, I plan to do the same.
 
ROCKMORE said:
Great move, but be careful with the blower. They have to be stored so they can't get anything inside them like moisture that can be blown in this your camera and lenses. Never use compressed air in a can!
Also I heard to avoid any natural brushes cor cleaning. Although soft to the touch natural brush fibers are hollow and can trap other contaminants and deposit them on your sensor.
I would test out your cleaning kit on another test surface first and examine closely if you are removing all the liquid so when it dries it's spotless. it's more difficult to see inside the camera body and you don't really want to have to clean the sensor more than once at a time.
Good luck, I plan to do the same.
Click to expand...

thanks very much. good idea to test the cleaing kit first..

The blower appears to have done the job on this occasion but Ill make sure I keep it in an air tight bag or something based on your advice.
 
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