I've wanted to get one of these, but I've read that what ever is being cleaned in the camera can get on the sensor when using them. Any thoughts to this?
that is exactly what a bulb does that they don't do. use them according to instructions and they work on anything loose. they can't remove anything sticky. for that, you need a liquid cleaner and swabs.
Herb...
monochrome wrote:
I've wanted to get one of these, but I've read that what ever is being cleaned in the camera can get on the sensor when using them. Any thoughts to this?
I have been using these for more than two years, on my 10D and my 5D. That always worked except once, namely when a liquid grease thing was on my 10D sensor (exactly as Herb just stated). That one had to be removed by the Canon tech (not sure what he used).
I have the Visible Dust kit that includes the Arctic Butterfly and the swabs. I use the Arctic Butterfly on my Rebel XT and 5D and it works extremely well. I haven't had to use the swabs yet.
Don't use an air bulb as it will just move dust and other debris around, possbily lodging it in places you can't access it and will not remove it.
DIS Ottawa wrote:
I have the Visible Dust kit that includes the Arctic Butterfly and the swabs. I use the Arctic Butterfly on my Rebel XT and 5D and it works extremely well. I haven't had to use the swabs yet.
Don't use an air bulb as it will just move dust and other debris around, possbily lodging it in places you can't access it and will not remove it.
If you point your camera down when you blow, it's also possible that all that dust will blow right out of there.
I've not had great luck with the blowers. All depends on the environment in which you blow it out. For me, I get some of the dust out but then seem to reintroduce enough that I can never get it all out. Too, using the blower has also driven junk up into the viewfinder. Result: I don't use blowers any more. they don't work well.
There are other brush alternatives - Copperhill offers one now too at lower cost.
That said, I'm not going just stick any brush in there on my sensor. AB expensive? Yes it is. But it does work extremely well and I don't want to take the time to figure out what a good brush is and what a bad one is, then get all the sizing off and then to have made a mistake etc... So, I'd rather spend the money and get it done and get on with shooting. I'm much more time constrained right now than anything.
Even using a brush, you still need to have another system to get rid of junk on the sensor - like lube and sticky pollen. So you still need a wet method to get the whole thing clean if you have some of that on there too.
Bottom line: Brushes are just about the best combination of least invasive/most effective out there. You still need a wet method cleaning on occasion. Blowers are marginally effective depending on environment.
Absolutely right. There is an upfront cost to the AB system but once you've bought it, you can clean the camera yourself. Given the cost of sending the body back to Canon or taking a chance on a tech at a local store to do it (local cost: $100 per cleaning) it pays for itself quite quickly.
I've had a bad experience with the Arctic Butterfly. Story:
It worked fine the first time. But after cleaning again, it gunked up my sensor because the brush picked up the residue/oil from the sides of the sensor. I've heard that you can clean the bristles by soaking it in alcohol. I said forget it and bought sensor swabs and eclipse solution and I couldn't be happier. I should probably sell the Arctic Butterfly, since it just sits around.
VisibleDust says that it only happens on Canon cameras for good reason. the cameras i have tried it on (various models of Nikon, Pentax, and KM) don't have residue on the sides of the sensor to be picked up.
Aziz wrote:
I've had a bad experience with the Arctic Butterfly. Story:
It worked fine the first time. But after cleaning again, it gunked up my sensor because the brush picked up the residue/oil from the sides of the sensor. I've heard that you can clean the bristles by soaking it in alcohol. I said forget it and bought sensor swabs and eclipse solution and I couldn't be happier. I should probably sell the Arctic Butterfly, since it just sits around.
I've had lube get on the sensor twice now. It gets on the brush if I didn't see it first (I now know what to look for). Cleaning the brush is no big deal - just wash it between your fingers under the tap with some Joy dishwashing liquid. Rinse thoroughly and make the last rinse a bit of distilled water. All good.
You can tell when you get none dust on the sensor pretty much by looking at the shape of it. If it is sort of a glob or drip, then it is not dust and you need to wet clean or use a sensorklear lens pen.
That said, none of my cameras from Canon have the residue/oil on the sensor that you describe. I'd take this back to canon - or have them clean it.
EIther way, I don't want to do routine cleaning with a wet system unless I absolutely have to. It is much easier, and safer, to do the brush method and only if required do the wet clean method after that. Cleaning the brush is so fast and easy that if you do get some junk on it, you can have it clean in less than a minute and then proceed to wet clean.
I ordered one last night. I didnt see the post about the sensor residue : / I hope mine doesnt have anything like that ill check it though before I clean the sensor. Thank you guys for all of the input
Had the same experience with the Arctic Butterfly as Aziz, even though I used the Chamber Cleaner first and tried to be very careful. Had to send camera with gunked-up sensor to Canon for cleaning. It may be that some people are more adept than others at using it.
If there is that kind of junk around the sensor, have Canon clean it off. It should not be there. If you don't you will just have a problem with it later.
Ill be ordering mine soon.