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Archive 2012 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?

  
 
workerdrone
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


Did some real estate shooting yesterday and noticed a blob showing up in same spot on all the photos - checked the lens, wiped a chunk of something off my front element, another shot - still there. A peek at the sensor and oh, hey, there's a speck on it. Blowing wouldn't dislodge it, touched it ever so gently with a qtip, and it smeared.

Got home and cleaned it up in 30 secs with a DX swab (don't have an FX kit yet, will order) and some solution. Easy as pie, three strokes to the edge. How annoying would that be to send it in for cleaning when it's that simple.

My D700 never needed cleaning the whole time I owned it, lots of lens changes but I'm pretty clean and careful. D7000 I cleaned it when I got it (was filthy from previous owner), didn't need to do again. D800 has just over 2k on it right now. I have the cleaning set to power on and off generally.

Unfortunate to hear about the D600 dirt issues; how are everyone's D800's running?



Nov 23, 2012 at 08:25 AM
trenchmonkey
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


~6K and haven't cleaned mine...have a D3 with 80K and haven't had to do anything but an occasional
pass or two with the 'rocket'. I don't know how people shoot but I never change lenses in the field,
isn't that what multiple bodys are for



Nov 23, 2012 at 08:34 AM
workerdrone
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


If you got the cash and the muscle to carry 'em, yep I guess so. Lots of times I'm just walking around trying to stay light and not be Mr. Enormous Camera Guy :-) so it's a lot lighter and stealthier to carry an extra lens than body + lens.

I don't know what people think either, I see people take a lens off and then just leave the camera sitting, guts exposed to the dirt and dust, while they fiddle around and pick another lens or fuss in their bag. I pulled a dog hair out of the D7k with tweezers. But oil spots, not operator error.



Nov 23, 2012 at 08:47 AM
CanonGolfGuy
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


I've taken about 1400 shots with mine, and I just took a picture of a white wall at f22. There was one piece of dust in the bottom corner that I was able to blow out with a rocket blower. I don't change lenses outside often fwiw.


Nov 23, 2012 at 08:50 AM
ckcarr
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


It builds up, but I'll say it is better than my old D700. I live in a dusty area, and yes I have to change lenses out in the field. I don't change lenses in wind (unless its too good to miss), but I think there's just suspended dust floating in the air in general. I've even caught a gnat or two in my old D700. None yet in the D800e, but they were mlld this year.

So, I've had since early May and cleaned about once per month. Not always 100% necessary, but I try and take care of all my gear anyway, so I follow the Moose Peterson advice to keep it clean. Can't imagine sending in a camera for cleaning, but some people just aren't comfortable doing it. So, it makes sense for them.

I am also generally shooting at f/8 up to f/22 so it's obviously more noticable than f/2.8 etc.

Edited on Nov 23, 2012 at 09:53 AM · View previous versions



Nov 23, 2012 at 09:31 AM
workerdrone
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


^ nice landscapes in your smugmug man :-) I must find time to spend out West!

hm. ok, to be clear, when I say cleaning I'm talking about touching the sensor kind of cleaning. Do you swab your sensor monthly? I consider blowing just part of regular equipment handling - I keep a rocket in the bag always and frequently blow off lenses, filters, cap interiors, the whole camera body, and the lens/body joint. And I pretty much always look at the rear element area when attaching a lens and make sure it's spotless



Nov 23, 2012 at 09:52 AM
Chris Dees
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


I have mine now for 6 months (a little over 7k images). After a few weeks I had some oil on the sensor which need to be cleaned at the service centre. I tried it my self but only managed to smear it all over the sensor/filter. No need for a wet clean after that.
My cleaning workflow is; inspection, blower, static brush and wet clean. I use a loupe for inspection. I always take this with me on trips/holidays. I do an inspection after every shoot or after a few days during trips. Takes only a minute or so.



Nov 23, 2012 at 10:30 AM
ckcarr
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


Well yes, what Chris said..

My cleaning always ends with a wet cleaning with Eclipse solution. I'm actually hesitant with rocket blowers, they sometimes seem to puff even more dust into the camera. I've learned to take those apart and clean in a very mild solution of dish soap and then air dry. Then the dust goes away for a while.

But, I start with rocket blower (to blow out any possible scratchers), then the Arctic Butterfly, then finally sensor swab or pec pads with Eclipse... If you believe what's on the internet... the sensor (low pass filter), even without noticable spots, starts building up a slight film which can degrade image quality anyway... True or not, I don't know. Sometimes when I'm done wet cleaning, there are still a few spots but just touching with the charged Arctic Butterfly then removes them.. Of course, the little band aid in Capture NX2 works well too.



Nov 23, 2012 at 10:35 AM
James R
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


trenchmonkey wrote:
~6K and haven't cleaned mine...have a D3 with 80K and haven't had to do anything but an occasional
pass or two with the 'rocket'. I don't know how people shoot but I never change lenses in the field,
isn't that what multiple bodys are for


Monkey,

Do you shoot that D3 wide open? There has to be something stuck on that sensor or you don't change lenses. As you can tell, I'm jealous. I spent many a night cleaning my D3.



Nov 23, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Mark_L
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


Mine is filthy. After 2 weeks of studio only shooting the sensor was absolutely covered, sent it in to nikon who tried to charge me, argued got the camera back cleaner but still not totally clean.


Nov 23, 2012 at 12:38 PM
trenchmonkey
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


trenchmonkey wrote:
~6K and haven't cleaned mine...have a D3 with 80K and haven't had to do anything but an occasional
pass or two with the 'rocket'. I don't know how people shoot but I never change lenses in the field,
isn't that what multiple bodys are for

James R wrote:
Monkey,

Do you shoot that D3 wide open? There has to be something stuck on that sensor or you don't change lenses. As you can tell, I'm jealous. I spent many a night cleaning my D3.


I recall shooting at f8....once.



Nov 23, 2012 at 03:29 PM
woos
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


Mine spewed out tons of oil over and over again at first, it was shockingly bad, never saw anything like it in the Canon world. Oil everywhere. There'd be dozens of spots on every image. Yes, I'm positive it was oil. It'd show up at f4 and 5.6, some of the larger spots, in any solid color area like sky. Ugly "rings". I usually shoot between f/5.6 and f/13 so it was a massive problem for me.

*insert the: "oh noez! you shouldn't use f/13, you loser, y u get d800 to shoot f/13!" arguments here*.

Anyway I wet cleaned it. Had to do this many times. After probably about 1,000-2,000 shots or so it is just fine, doesn't have issues. Might get some dust specks sometimes but dust is no biggie, blows right off who cares. Now that the oil is gone it's no worse than my canon 7d, 60d, rebel xsi, my gf's 5d3, etc.

If that poor QC was the price I had to pay to get this awesome camera for $3,000...meh, I'll take it! Wet cleaning is quick 'n easy. However, that is just my point of view. Others may think "for $3,000 I should NOT be cleaning oil off the sensor". And that point of view is totally valid.

My only real complaint is Nikon's lack of communication regarding the issue. Canon had an issue like this with oil and they apologized and communicated.

Edit: The oil issue will show up regardless of whether or not you change lenses out in the field. I change lenses out hiking all the time (in windy dirty pacific northwest) and have no problems now that the oil stuff is gone. The even bigger issue with oil is that it also prevents the blower from blowing dust particles and such off the sensor. The oil sticks 'em on their like glue!



Nov 23, 2012 at 04:48 PM
workerdrone
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


I was wondering if there might be any correlation between high fps shooters and oil spatter, or different temperature usage or something. Modern manufacturing is so consistent and repeatable it would suprise me that more oil would end up on one unit than another, although I guess a manufacturing misadjustment could affect a batch.

And we all hear far more horror stories than satisfaction stories, and they're more memorable of course. I'm guessing most of us won't experience anything unusual over the time our D800's spend with us, but Nikon really seems to be cranking out the great tech and then putting zero effort into satisfying customer issues.



Nov 23, 2012 at 05:33 PM
Lance B
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


My D800 had quite a number of small spots that has needed cleaning after about 15,000 images. Took it to a professional cleaner and it is now fine.


Nov 23, 2012 at 08:22 PM
jhinkey
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


My D700 was way way worse than my D800 for attracting dust. It seemed that it collected every dust mote and micro-hair that came close. I was fearing the same with the D800, but I've been very very happy with how "immune" it's been to dust. It's had a few specs, but generally they've cleared themselves with an extended sensor self cleaning - and I've had my D800 in some pretty dusty places this summer and fall.


Nov 23, 2012 at 10:04 PM
JaKo
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


Do you have any dust specks on focusing screen/mirror that are visible in a viewfinder?


Nov 24, 2012 at 09:52 AM
ckcarr
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


Dust specs or oil?

Oil doesn't transmit to the focusing screen or mirror.

Dust, hairs, anything like that can easily end up on the focusing screen or mirror since these parts are 100% exposed each time you change a lens, unlike the sensor area. That's been true with every Nikon DSLR I've owned since the D50. It has nothing to do with the body model. It's a simple matter to blow these specs off using a Giotto Rocket blower, especially since they are normally "dry" type particles.

It's also normal cleaning procedure to clean the mirror box area out with air before sensor cleaning.

Note - NEVER touch or clean the mirror physically. Only puff air.

Note also, as you probably know, these have no affect on the image capture.




Nov 24, 2012 at 10:18 AM
JaKo
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


ckcarr wrote:
Dust specs or oil?


Thank you.
Small dust specs. It appears that the matte side of a Fresnel focusing screen acts like Velcro; some dust particles are hard to get rid of even with a blower. On my older Nikon FE2, which allows for really quick removal of a screen, I often use Zerostat gun and blower or give the screen a rinse in distilled water followed by a quick Giottos blow. However, it's more PITA to remove a screen on DSLR. Luckily DSLR screens are fairly inexpensive so they can be changed once in a while.
I guess I just have to learn to accept occasional dust in a viewfinder.



Nov 24, 2012 at 10:47 AM
ckcarr
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


I have the best luck removing dust specs from the focusing screen with a charged Arctic Butterfly brush. They make an attachment designed just for focusing screens.

Problem with the Arctic Butterfly IMO is that its a pretty expensive cleaning tool for what it is...

But you are right, the little dust specs seem to jump back onto the focusing screen...



Nov 24, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Mark_L
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · D800 cleaning / how clean does your D800/e run?


woos wrote:
Mine spewed out tons of oil over and over again at first, it was shockingly bad, never saw anything like it in the Canon world. Oil everywhere. There'd be dozens of spots on every image. Yes, I'm positive it was oil. It'd show up at f4 and 5.6, some of the larger spots, in any solid color area like sky. Ugly "rings". I usually shoot between f/5.6 and f/13 so it was a massive problem for me.


Mine had some spots so big you could see them on the LCD. I read somewhere a lot of video use exacerbates the oil issue - something to do with the extra heat. When mine got bad I had done a lot of messing about with video and one fashion shoot.

I never had to clean my D700 in 4 years of use on beaches and on location.



Nov 24, 2012 at 11:18 AM
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