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Archive 2015 · Sensor Cleaning Function

  
 
billsamuels
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Sensor Cleaning Function


I have a Rebel SL1 and I had the camera produce an ERROR yesterday as soon as I turned it on. After several attempts to turn it on only leading to an ERROR that could only be seen in the viewfinder eyepiece (the LCD monitor was completely black), I pulled the battery out and put it back and it restarted normally. I didn't know there was a possible error number so I never noticed if there was one or not.

I called Canon and they told me that it could be one of two things, either the Sensor cleaning function failed or the motherboard that "pushes" the memory card to wake up as he described it, may be failing.

I ran it the rest of the day yesterday and took 60+ shots and it's running now, but I was told to turn off the Sensor Cleaning function as it's not needed.

What makes it tricky no matter what is that while the camera is less than a year old (warranty), it's also my IR converted camera, so if something does blow on it, I would have to pay half price to swap out the filters and then pay again to swap out the IR filter again. I've had it since August.

I'm wondering why the guy at Canon is telling me that we shouldn't be using the Sensor Cleaning function more than once every few months in the first place, and would you do if you were in the same situation and it was something else? We're talking about $125 to remove the sensor before I can send to Canon to avoid warranty invalidation, and then another $350 when I get it back from Canon to put the filter back in. That's a bit odd because I already own the filter now that I bought it, but maybe they'd give me a discount, though I don't know how much the filter actually cost me by itself.

Thanks for your input.
Bill



Mar 09, 2015 at 10:41 PM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Sensor Cleaning Function


That advice about turning off the sensor cleaning function "because its not needed" sounds quite suspect to me. Normally we set up cameras to automatically run the sensor cleaning cycle with we power on and power off the camera.

I have no advice for you on how the IR conversion will affect your warranty.

Dan



Mar 09, 2015 at 11:47 PM
EB-1
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Sensor Cleaning Function


What did Canon say about the IR conversion?
IR conversion may be "misuse" and void the warranty.

EBH



Mar 10, 2015 at 12:28 AM
billsamuels
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Sensor Cleaning Function


I never told CANON about the IR conversion because you're right, it does void the warranty. If I need to have the camera fixed, I have to send it to LifePixel and have them remove the IR filter before I can send it into Canon.

On the other hand, both LifePixel and Canon told me that Canon's sensor cleaner is not needed and should be turned off and not used but very rarely. Quite the opposite of what I thought it should be used for considering that I have it on all the time.

That would be an interesting poll to check out further since I'm getting that right out of Canon, the manufacturer. I'm wondering if Nikon cameras have a sensor cleaner and they recommend that you turn it off as well?



Mar 10, 2015 at 12:36 AM
EB-1
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Sensor Cleaning Function


The sensor cleaning is not needed, but why does the IR conversion interfere? It may be a coincidence or perhaps the conversion caused damage that is manifesting now.

In a normally functioning camera the sensor vibrator actuates by default every time the camera is power cycled. I'd bet that 95% of users leave it in that mode. If there were any problem with durability Canon would have changed the default function by now, so I think the tech support guy is full of it.

EBH



Mar 10, 2015 at 12:46 AM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Sensor Cleaning Function


The sensor cleaning is not literally "needed." If it were, you would not have an option to configure the camera to turn it off, turn it on only at start up or shutdown, or have it run at both times. You could choose to forego regular, automatic dust-reduction with the sensor vibration system, but the cameras are clearly designed with the expectation that users will want to have the process run automatically and frequently — so the system should work with it enabled, and it is nonsense to suggest that not using the feature is the "proper" way to use the camera.

Canon could just as well have said that using AF is "not needed," and that you should turn it off if your camera has an AF problem... ;-)

Edited on Mar 11, 2015 at 12:07 AM · View previous versions



Mar 10, 2015 at 01:35 PM
Ferrophot
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Sensor Cleaning Function


Surely if what the tech said is true then Canon would not sell it's cameras with it enabled each time the power is turned on. They could easily make it so it did this every 5, 10, 20 or so times the power is turned on. It looks as if your error was a glitch that has been corrected by the reset. Why not live with it and see what happens. It may never happen again. I would guess that converting to IR requires some handling of the sensor and this would naturally invalidate any warranty.


Mar 10, 2015 at 05:35 PM
billsamuels
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Sensor Cleaning Function


I'll just see if the error happens again and then deal with it if it does. I've been turning if on and off again and again to see if I can do it again so that I can see if I can get an error code number, but no error at all. SO for now, I'm considering it a freak incident, let's hope!!!

Thanks all.
Bill




Mar 10, 2015 at 11:46 PM
Andrew J
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Sensor Cleaning Function


I would manually clean the sensor. I do that on my 1D and 20D, not a biggy. I use a sensor pen same as Canon techs. https://surl.im/KROJ


Mar 11, 2015 at 07:45 AM





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