On FM and lots of other photo forums you'll never lose money betting that there's at least one active thread about sensor cleaning gear.
The hottest new entry to this VERY crowded scene is the Artic Butterfly. I swear that the people at Visible Dust must have some kind of office pool going based on who can come up with the most expensive sensor cleaning product.
So my question is whether anyone has ever attempted to objectively compare or test these different products. In the past I've always just tried buying and trying the different products but nothing I've ever bought was all that good (which I'm defining as as a single pass after which there was no dust visible at f/11, which is the smallest aperture I typically shoot at). But trying and buying is getting too expensive with so many different products on the market and getting up into the price range as the Arctic Butterfly.
All I've seen on these forums is personal testimonials, which are almost worthless because there are so many variations in technique, environments, patience, and people's standards for "clean". Not to mention that dust particles that would be too small to show up on lower-res cameras like the D100 can now cause problems on higher res cameras like the D300. (something to keep in mind if you're wishing for a 24 MP camera and you like to shoot landscapes at f/16!)
Nope. I refuse to pay the ridiculous prices VD demands. Talk about greed & taking advantage of people's fears. The Copperhill kit is much less expensive & works well for me. I see no reason to spend more.
I have used VD's orange swabs and also the Sensor Sweep brush but in the end found a simple Giotto Rocket Blower easiest to use and very effective and efficient, a couple of puffs with this sure beats all the fancy stuff especially when out on the field in the wilds.
The charged brush method, however you get it to work or whatever brand it is, is probably the least invasive and best method. I prefer this over blowers (which I found to be less effective) and less invasive and more effective for dust than the wet methods.
Sure the Visible Dust cleaning gear is expensive but then again, for me at least, it makes cleaning a quick and simple operation. The Artic Butterfly and the Sensor Loupe are the best products I have used and this is coming from someone who has used the Visible Dust products for years. It ain't cheap but then again I don't put remoulds onto my sports car, just par for the course as far as I see it.
