Your tips for cleaning sensors - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

09/11/2007 12:54:50 PM · #1

Got any tips for cleaning a sensor? If so, they might help those faint of heart people like my self get the job done. So tip away.

Inspiration for this post comes from cleaning my Canon 5D sensor with Sensors Swabs (#3) and Eclipse E2 fluid.

My experience is:
(a) The sensor is pretty small and one cannot see the specks.
(b) In my first attempts, I probably added specks to the sensor rather than removed them.
(c) If you use Sensor Swabs and 2 drops of Eclipse fluid it is a good idea to let the swab dry off a little before applying it to the sensor. That way you can avoid smears.
(d) Cleaning the mirror chamber is, in my opinion, harder than cleaning the sensor. The mirror chamber is covered in flock and seems to be the main source of specks. I have used a Rocket Blower, and a Chamber Clean Solution Kit. None too easy a job. I have read that cleaning the mirror chamber is a good idea before cleaning the sensor.

Before - after 3 months of use from new:

After 7 double swipes (using a new Sensor Swab each time) and far from perfect. I'm off to do it one more time. The splots (circular blobs) are hard to remove:

Edited to add that this article about cleaning materials and techniques is useful:
CleaningDigitalCameras.com

Message edited by author 2007-09-11 12:58:05.

LoudDog

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

09/11/2007 01:35:25 PM · #2

3M Blue masking tape!

I heard about it from others here, tested it on a filter, and have done it a couple times now.

I just take a length of tape, fashion it into a sensor cleaning tool by leaving a flat square in the middle and then twisting the two ends so I can reach down in there. Then dab away at the sensor to get all the little buggers off.

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

09/11/2007 01:41:23 PM · #3

Nice one, LoudDog. I might have to use that method with those splots. They're very stubborn.

NstiG8tr

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

09/11/2007 02:29:14 PM · #4

How long have you had that 5D? I've had mine over a year and never cleaned it once yet. It prolly needs it.

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

09/11/2007 02:35:58 PM · #5

I'm getting ready to do the second cleaning with 3M scotch tape. Worked like a charm the first time.

Mick

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

09/11/2007 03:01:54 PM · #6

Originally posted by pineapple:

The splots (circular blobs) are hard to remove:

If you've tried several times but there are still spots that will not come off, then you may have the same problem my 10D had; namely defects in the sensor and/or high-pass filter. My 10D had several spots that looked like little bulls eyes. The smaller ones just looked like roundish spots, but the larger ones looked like a round spot with a circle around them. I tried 20-30 times to remove the spots before I finally sent it in to Canon. They replaced the whole sensor assembly. Oddly enough, when I got the camera back, the sensor had dust spots on it. However, one pass with a Pec-Pad and Eclipse removed all of the dust, and afterwards my camera worked great.

BTW, I wouldn�t touch my sensor with any kind of tape. It might work okay, but sticking something that has a sticky, glue-coated surface on my sensor is just something that I wouldn�t do.

glad2badad

DJI Mavic Air 2

Sears 55mm f/1.4 M42

09/11/2007 03:08:44 PM · #7

Originally posted by NstiG8tr:

How long have you had that 5D? I've had mine over a year and never cleaned it once yet. It prolly needs it.

Stop down to f22 and take a shot of a pretty blue sky, or a blank white wall if you have to...that will tell you if you need a cleaning or not.

I'm with you Mick on the tape thing. Gives me the heebie-jeebies even thinking about it. Cooperhill for me. :)

fotomann_forever

09/11/2007 04:11:06 PM · #8

I'm been lucky to not get eewie-gooeys on my sensor. A simple blowjob has been all I've needed.

jdannels

Nikon D300s

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM for Nikon

09/11/2007 04:13:26 PM · #9

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

A simple blowjob has been all I've needed.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

09/11/2007 04:16:17 PM · #10

My sensor cleaning tip is more of a stylistic solution than anything else.

I just always shoot wide open.

09/11/2007 04:39:47 PM · #11

Originally posted by NstiG8tr:

How long have you had that 5D? I've had mine over a year and never cleaned it once yet. It prolly needs it.

I've had it 3 months. I change lens frequently, usually turn the camera off for a minute or two before changing the lens in the belief that the sensor will be less charged to attract dust specks. The Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens I use a lot is a pump action zoom lens. If only it was sealed and did not extend when zoomed into the wide end.... But it is well enough made and I doubt much dust gets in via that method. Who knows.

Edit to add that I never cleaned my 350D sensor in the 2 years of non-stop shooting (with zooms) that I had it.

Message edited by author 2007-09-11 16:52:27.

fotomann_forever

09/11/2007 04:42:17 PM · #12

Another reason why primes "don't suck" :-D

09/11/2007 04:47:09 PM · #13

Originally posted by Gordon:

My sensor cleaning tip is more of a stylistic solution than anything else.

I just always shoot wide open.

I'm not quite as radical. But I do tend to shoot in the range of f/3.2 - f/8.0 more often than not. Very rare that I do an f/16 these days. But when you start seeing splots at f/8.0 you know it is time to clean.

Yes, Leroy, for sure Primes are more attractive in more ways than one. But city shooting tends to make zooms that much more attractive, especially the 24-70mm.

Mick, thanks for the advice. I'll look into this further. I think I did get the splots out. Perhaps humidity related after shooting in Vermont where the condensation was high...

Message edited by author 2007-09-11 16:53:31.

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

09/12/2007 12:32:37 PM · #14

I can add one more tip: clean the back of the lens. In my case, I found a little bit of dried condensation that must have come from lens changes on foggy mornings in the mountains and on humid days in Brooklyn this summer.

UNCLEBRO

Canon EOS-30D

10/09/2007 09:43:55 AM · #15

My sensor is very dirty.
i just now used compressed air on it.
it's no where near perfect, but it quite a lot of the dust off.
now i need to see if i can pluck up the courage to use painters tape!!!

here is a before and after shot:

Marjo

Canon EOS-7D

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

10/09/2007 10:13:48 AM · #16

My tips for cleaning sensors? Don't send it to Cxxxn. I cleaned my sensor before I sent my 20D to Cxxxn for shutter replacement and overhaul. The sensor was covered with dust when it came back! I complained and they sent me a label to send it back in but I've needed my camera for events. Refund (for a sensor cleaning) would be a more appropriate resolution in my opinion.

Marjo

Canon EOS-7D

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

10/09/2007 10:17:42 AM · #17

Originally posted by Mick:

Originally posted by pineapple:
The splots (circular blobs) are hard to remove:

If you've tried several times but there are still spots that will not come off, then you may have the same problem my 10D had; namely defects in the sensor and/or high-pass filter. My 10D had several spots that looked like little bulls eyes. The smaller ones just looked like roundish spots, but the larger ones looked like a round spot with a circle around them. I tried 20-30 times to remove the spots before I finally sent it in to Canon. They replaced the whole sensor assembly. Oddly enough, when I got the camera back, the sensor had dust spots on it. However, one pass with a Pec-Pad and Eclipse removed all of the dust, and afterwards my camera worked great.

BTW, I wouldn�t touch my sensor with any kind of tape. It might work okay, but sticking something that has a sticky, glue-coated surface on my sensor is just something that I wouldn�t do.

Good advice. No tape!
My camera came back from repair with a dirty sensor and one of those bullseyes visible. :(