Cleaning Digital Sensors

[otooleg]

I have a Canon D10 currently and am fed up of having to send it away to have the sensor cleaned every now and then at £50.00 a time.

Best advice please for self cleaning!

Regards

George

[StagePhotography.co.uk]

Yup me too....

Stage and Theatres are VERY bad for hemp dust
and rubbish in the air......

I'm finding I'm having to AIR BLOW my insides
almost every couple of weeks... :(

[Dotty.c]

Glad I found this thread, we have a D10 and have just spent several hours cleaning prints, new to digital what should we be doing to clean sensor.

[StagePhotography.co.uk]

I just use a can of compressed air at the moment...

Turn the camera onto a 15 seconds exp to keep the shutter up...

Take off the lens...

Hold camera upside down at 45 degrees...

Aiming 45 degrees up fire some compressed air into the air
to get rid of any water in the can or nozzle...

Hold the compressed air can with nozzle to the mouth of the lens fitting,
and click the shutter open...

3 or 4 short bursts of air directly towards the ccd to get rid of any dust...
(make sure it's less than 10 seconds if the shutter is set to 15 seconds.. This is how I broke my S2 Pro.... forget i had it on 5 seconds and had the nozzle in too far.... broke the shutter.... :( )

Once finished, turn the camera off to shut the shutter (keeping camera pointing down at 45 degrees)...

Blow a quick burst over the lens before putting in back on...

Try and do it in a dust free area... Like the kitchen..
Some where where thre's no carpets and stuff..

It does the job, but only for a short while..

There are "ccd cleaning" cotton bud sticks kinda things out there but I'd be VERY careful of sticking anything past the shutter...

:)

[Stemmy]

George doesnt your camera have a "Clean CCD" setting. The canon has a custom function that locks the shutter open for cleaning.

I have seen these cotton wipes for cleaning but I can say that I havent had a problem with dust at all. Never had to clean the sensor after 130 weddings.

Maybe Im not looking hard enough. I do have a can of air just in cas though.

I would do the same a george go somwhere with little or no dust.

[StagePhotography.co.uk]

Can't find one.... It's called Blub or something isn't it???

The longest I think I can hold the shuuter up for is 30 secs with a S3Pro.. If anyone else knows better.. gives a shout...

[BarryM]

I know my 350d has a function that lets me lock the mirror up so that cleaning can take place, it wasnt by pretending to take a photo type thing, was a dedicated option ive not used it yet but need to but at the moment have no cleaning kit.

[Stemmy]

Yes almost right George. The setting you are after is "BULB". My 10ds have a custom function specially designed for sensor cleaning so the mirror stays up in permanently.


If your camera doesnt have this you want to set you camera to manual. Wind the dial through the shutter speeds. After mine goes to 30 seconds the next setting is BULB. Yours might show Bulb or B or something. This means that for as long as your finger is on the button the mirror and shutter stay open, as soon as you remove your finger the shutter will close.

Hope this helps

Just been looking on the internet. You have to go to your custom setting and go to Custom Setting 6. This will allow you to turn on the BULB feature. Then go to manual and wind past 30 seconds you should then get BULB.

[DennisB]

To anyone considering cleaning the sensor of their DSLR, I would suggest spending some time considering the advice and methods proposed in the following sites.

http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning

http://www.visibledust.com/

Most IMPORTANT....I would strongly advise against the use of canned air directed at the sensor. It does leave deposits.....take my word for it. :mad: :eek:

Also, it is best to use the special "cleaning mode" on the camera. In bulb mode, the sensor is powered up and there may be issues with using wet cleaners, or brushes that rely on static charges to attract the dust.

[StagePhotography.co.uk]

ohhhhhh

*gulp*

And Static in a camera is a GOOD thing???

Hmmmm

[BarryM]

when the sensor is charged i imagine the static willl attract mega dust if u have the lens off, the issue ive heard of with compressed air is sometimes a little moisture can be given off with the cans leaving marks on the sensor.

[Choogster]

sensor cleaning kit - 32 quid or so. cant remember the name but works well.

[england1965]

It's expensive (four quid a "clean") and it rarely cleans properly on the first go - so it could cost me 20 quid a "clean".

Dust is most obviously visible at smaller apertures. I shoot half a dozen frames of blue sky and then view them using Breezebrowser which displays each frame exactly over the last.

I usually find that dust is easily visble using this method. I clean the sensor using the methods mentioned in earlier posts (my camera has a clean function which locks up the mirror). Then reshoot the sky frames and see if I've managed to clean it - or just rearrange the dust into new places.

I ended up buying a zoom lens that lives on the camera - turning a DSLR into an expensive point and shoot. I saw a review somewhere that said the Canon 1D Mk2 N has some inbuilt cleaning device - but I am not sure what that is. Easier to leave the lens on all the time.

Cheers

Mark

[Arca-dog]

>>>sometimes a little moisture can be given off with the cans <<<

Yep... first time I attempted to clean a speck of dust from a chip I forgot to hold the can vertical and blew ice all over it!!! :o

Made it 100 times worse, dashed off to Peter at Morco in Mansfield (shoot the next day) and spent forty odd quid on sterile swabs which cleared the new film like deposit.

Thing is, now cleaned it seems to pick up contamination a lot quicker now, wanna buy a used S2Pro? :D

[Matt Needham]

I also recommend the links posted by DennisB. They talk about the tools and techniques to use, how to prep your environment to remove dust, etc...

I tried using a new nylon brush that I thought I had cleaned thoroughly. I don't know if it was crud on the brush when I bought it, or if I got it on it trying to wash it (maybe it was soap residue?), but I put streaks across my sensor.

I ordered the Pec Pads and Eclipse cleaner, and made my own cleaning tool from a kitchen spatula. My first wet clean was long, tedious, and stressful. I'd remove old dust, but find new dust. Finally I got it clean. I bought an air pump that I keep for cleaning the camera only to use instead of canned air. Now I usually only have to blow out the dust, and do a wet clean every 6 months or so.

If you really want to see how dirty your sensor is use a pinhole bodycap. I made one to do some pinhole shots, and was appalled at how dirty my sensor was. Definately not for the weak hearted. ;)

[geoffhym]

There's an article in Feb's edition of Practical Photography on the cleaning etc.
Geoff.

[Steve P]

I have had plenty of problems with dirt on the CCD. My best advice is keep your lens on the camera at all times. If you change the lens hold the camera down and ensure the lens is clean and dust free.
Not a cure but it can give you long periods of dust free shooting.

[Brad]

To anyone considering cleaning the sensor of their DSLR, I would suggest spending some time considering the advice and methods proposed in the following sites.

http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning

http://www.visibledust.com/

Most IMPORTANT....I would strongly advise against the use of canned air directed at the sensor. It does leave deposits.....take my word for it. :mad: :eek:

Also, it is best to use the special "cleaning mode" on the camera. In bulb mode, the sensor is powered up and there may be issues with using wet cleaners, or brushes that rely on static charges to attract the dust.
Yuo're absolutely right Dennis,
Do not use compressed air near the shutter which id usually made of tiny titanium leaves. Use a blow brush without the brush, but when this doesn't work you'll have to clean it with one of the recognised cleaning swabs and solvents supplied specifically for that purpose.
I only have experience with the D100,D70,D70S and D2X, which need a power supply adaptor connected to go into the cleaning mode.
Guess what the adaptor for the D100/D70 is not the same as the D2x, thanks for thar nikon!.I use "Sensor swabs" and eclipse liquid (purified methanol).
They work great at a price!.
I get a clean piece of A4 and draw a + in the middle and photograph it under even illumination before I clean, then I open it in Photoshop and boost the contrast to see all the gubbins and save as a jpg. Same after Ive cleaned so that I can tell what is still dust on the sensor instead of any slight imperfections that truly exist on the paper.
I even bought the Geek head-torch to see what I'm doing with both hands free.
Yuo can do it on "BULB" but I don't know how safe that is seeing as the CCD is "active" and may lead to hot or burnt out pixels.
I'm sure that's cheered you up no end!.
Anyone worried can ask me on brad@bradleycobb.com
Cheers,
Brad

[Stemmy]

:banana: Ive always been looking for an excuse to buy one of those head torch thingys !!!:banana:

[mfynes]

My advice on cleaning, is do not use air at all, I use the Fuji S2 & S3, connect the camera to the external power supply and follow instructions. Using the swabs is a very easy 2 minute job. Wipe one way only with each swab.

Air and brushes will damage the sensor and film covering, blowing with the hand puff will probably move it off the sensor but leave it in the chamber. not long before the rascals re-appear.

Just my view.

Mike

[DennisB]

I too have S2 and S3 cameras. My way of cleaning is to first try a hand blower, with the camera held upside down so that anything dislodged is more likely to drop out of the mirror chamber. Anything that involves touching the sensor has some degree of risk, but even more so if you drag a piece of grit across it while swabbing. I would rather blow any grit away before brushing or swabbing.

After blowing, if there is still anthing there, I will use a sensor brush. This is quite good at picking off more stubborn bits, usually very small fibres.

If that still leaves marks, then I finish off with a swab. These more stubborn marks tend to be like evaporation marks. I have always wondered of these are caused by the camera being moved between warm and cold areas. Anyone else have any theories about this? Of course, needless to say, I try to avoid sneezing when changing lenses:getmecoat:

[pjcaver]

I have to agree that using canned air invites disaster. I learned earlier this summer at the Maine Photographic Workshop that a good device to work with is a hand bulb normally used for removing snot from a baby's nose!! Look for the largest sized bulb you can find since you want to move as much air as possible to clean off the sensor. As everyone else has suggested, lock the shutter open, hold the camera so the sensor faces down and carefully blow with the bulb into open camera front. Be extremely careful not to poke the sensor or you might just as well buy a new camera. Anyway, it has worked for me the couple of times I've had to use it. Costs about $5 US at any chain drug store.

pjcaver

[mark-dubya]

Got a PEC cleaning kit for my Fuji S2 & S3. Piece of piddle to do, cant see what all the fuss is about. Kit cost £30ish and does the job well. There is a new brush out that attracts the particles using static from your body....saw it at Focus, not a great lover of brushes though I hasten to add. :stop: I wouldnt use compressed air either, these can emit water particles....not good

[lostmysnorkel]

I have used one of those 'Rocket' thingies - but here's what I do.

Taking the approach of 'The less risky technique first and see if it works' I squeeze the rocket bulb as tight as I can BEFORE inserting it into the chamber.

Releasing the pressure when the nozzle is close to but NOT touching the sensor turns it into a mini hoover - which often sucks off the loose particles.

It's surprising how often this does the trick without having to resort to swabbing!

[tibet]

I use the Rocket air blower too! Fantastic tool. No need to use anything else. It's actually recommended by Canon in my manual! ;)