Cleaning View Finder - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II

06/12/2013 04:18:50 AM · #1

My recently purchased Canon 40D has quite a lot of small fibre like objects visible when viewing through the view finder - looks like lots of very small black worms. These do not appear on the photos so I assume it is just a dirty view finder. I am curious how easy this is to clean? Or if it is a relatively cheap job to get a local camera shop to do? Happy to give it a go myself if it doesn't involve taking the camera apart and risking damaging it.

Silent-Shooter

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

06/12/2013 09:47:30 AM · #2

Did a quick google search. doesn't seem too hard to clean but a lot of people complain that they just made the problem worse.
Good luck

Ja-9

Nikon D750

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

06/12/2013 10:13:36 AM · #3

sometimes the little "worms" are on your mirror that you can see when you change your lens. I start with just taking off the eye cup then using a clean, soft cloth to clean the eye piece. I clean my mirror but I'm very, very careful when I do it and I don't use any forced air. If your senor was dirty like you said it would show up in your photo's.

Recently I took all my lens apart and cleaned them really good...one of my lens was really, really dirty (more like the filters)....ish but it was bad!!!

06/12/2013 11:08:25 AM · #4

Originally posted by Silent-Shooter:

Did a quick google search. doesn't seem too hard to clean but a lot of people complain that they just made the problem worse.
Good luck

Thanks I know I should have used Google but thought the advice of one of the trusted DPC members would be better.

Yikes - I don't want to make the problem worse:)

06/12/2013 11:12:02 AM · #5

Originally posted by Ja-9:

Thanks - that is a good point about the dirt being on the mirror. Eep I don't want to touch that as the reason I bought this new one from Ebay was the mirror box on the other packed in. You sound very brave taking lenses apart.

bhuge

Canon EOS-550D Rebel T2i

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

06/12/2013 12:17:11 PM · #6

If you try to clean it, use something very soft like a lens brush. Often it's not on the mirror (lucky you if it is!) but instead on the focus screen. I'm not sure about the 40D, but some focus screens are very soft and scratch up easy. If you scratch it you could have focus problems.

I have a few dust bunnies in mine and opted to just let them be. I would rather have them than risk taking out a few focus points.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/12/2013 12:26:31 PM · #7

Originally posted by bhuge:

Thanks bhuge

Wow I am glad I asked as it sounds like it is a fairly risky cleaning operation. Is this the sort of thing a local camera shop could do for me for a few dollars?

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

06/12/2013 01:22:30 PM · #8

Originally posted by P-A-U-L:

Wow I am glad I asked as it sounds like it is a fairly risky cleaning operation. Is this the sort of thing a local camera shop could do for me for a few dollars?

If you are comfortable cleaning your sensor, cleaning out the junk above your focusing screen is just as simple. Here is a video on replacing your focusing screen. The tool used is easily replaced by a small pair of pliers or tweezers. Remove the focusing screen, lay it aside for cleaning, turn the body over and blow out the junk that has been trapped by the screen. Usually blowing is enough but sometimes stuff sticks and you need a lens brush to get stray fibers out. After you have blown out the viewfinder area, lock up the mirror and blow off the sensor to insure the junk you moved around did not settle there.
The screen itself is pretty soft and will take a thumbprint and keep it forever and is a fiber magnet. You can run it under water to clean it, but treat it as you would a soft contact. Blow it clean, but do not wipe it. For $40 you can get a new screen with the little removing tool from Canon. I suppose anything that involves getting near the mirror box has risks, but I think you could do this as well as the kid in the back of the local camera shop.

Message edited by author 2013-06-12 13:45:02.

tnun

Ricoh GR III

Pentax DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL [IF] WR DC

06/12/2013 02:05:05 PM · #9

Originally posted by Ja-9:

.......If your senor was dirty like you said ....

I thought that was our little secret.

Ja-9

Nikon D750

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

06/12/2013 09:59:51 PM · #10

Let me go into a little more detail here...

With my last camera (D80) I got to the point that I needed to have the sensor cleaned. I shopped around locally and found a place that would do it for about $75 per sensor cleaning (not really sure exactly what that included (sensor, mirrors, interior body???). So I started to read other threads/youtube/blogs about whether or not to "tackle" the job myself.

Went to a local camera shop and they gave me the confidence that I would do as good if not a better job of cleaning my camera vs "the kid/tech in the back" doing it. They recommended that I get a cleaning system by Delkin Devices called Sensor Scope. It ran about $90 and has more than paid for itself many times over. What I like best about this system is that it has a "light scope" so I can "see" (it has a magnifier) exactly what is on my sensor when I'm cleaning it.

Gentle is the key word here. There is no scraping or scratching going on...I use the cleanest, softest cloths and brushes that I can find (linen/flour cloths are best) and NOTHING is forced.

Read enough about it and you can do this as well, save yourself the $$ of having it cleaned and make sure it's done right.

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/12/2013 10:35:22 PM · #11

I second what Janine said, with one difference. No cloth. Ever. Not inside the mirror box. No matter how soft, it leaves behind fibers. A pack of Pec Pads and a bottle of Eclipse will last you years and make cleaning your lens elements and sensor and safe and simple as possible.

Message edited by author 2013-06-12 22:35:58.