So I did the blowing thing, and some of the spots are gone, but both my cameras each have one good size one that shows up at smaller apertures.
I'm thinking of trying a synthetic brush next. I've heard you can buy one, not necessarily the one packaged for DSLR's and costing a fortune.
I've also heard you can make your own "kit" inexpensively for a little wet swabbing.
Please let me know what has worked for you.
TIA
What worked for me: qtips and generic lens cleaning fluid.
My background is in Materials science and engineering, so I'm confident enough to go in with tippys. I just make sure that the swabs don't get any chance of getting polluted with dust, moisture, goo, sand or other unwanted stuff.
Giotto Air rocket blower first, and if that doesn't help, a few drops of lens cleaning fluid on one tip, wipe the sensor (always starting from the same side, single direction) and then use the dry tip to wipe away any dried up residue. I tend to move in with the qtip selectively. If I know where the dust spot is, I'll flip it's location (bottom left in the image is top right on the sensor) I'll just clean that area only, at first.
I was just down at the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar and talked to both Canon and Nikon. They both said about the same thing. First if you clean your sensors more often (like right when you get them dirty) there's a better chance of keeping them clean. Using a swab or anything that touches the sensor you always risk pushing the dirt into the sensor. I've always heard that they don't suggest using canned air but all their techs were using it. So for me it's the rocket blowers and compressed air. If that doesn't do it send it in.
Sensor cleaning depends to some extent on the type of camera. Here's the scoop for Canon DSLRs:
The Canon 5D's sensor seems to be particularly vulnerable. It doesn't have the protective glass cover on the front, and the exposed coating is not as strong as it might be (at least on some units). I've seen maybe a dozen reports of sensor damage from cleaning the 5D sensor with contact methods (wet cleaning, adhesive cleaning, etc.). For this reason, if I had a 5D I would only use a cleaning system that guarantees that they'll cover the cost of repairing any damage—as far as I know, Photographic Solutions is the only provider currently making such a guarantee.
The Canon DSLRs with dust-shakers also don't have the protective cover and have exposed coatings, but the coatings seem to be made of tougher stuff. I'd still be careful to follow manufacturers directions—for example, Photographic Solutions specifies E2 rather than normal Eclipse fluid for those cameras.
The non-shaker Canon DSLRs other than the 5D have protective glass covers on the front and are easily cleaned with little risk.
DO NOT EVER use a rocket blower please! Or Q tips..heres why:
First off, rocket blowers while alot of the times work good, they are generally bad to use. Reason being is they can blow dust into the wrong areas and you will end up getting dust up in the viewfinder and such where its pretty much unreachable.
Second, Qtips will leave small fibers all through the area. Use a qtip and im sure you will see fibers eventually show up.
I bit the bullet and ordered an arctic butterfly and couldnt be happier.
You guys worry about hurting your 2-7K Canon's and Nikon's , really funny reading . I have owned a Leaf Aptus and now a P-30+ both costing over 20K each and BOTH Phase and Leaf send sensor cleaning kits . They tell you how to do it , they are not greedy like Canon and Nikon in wanting your 25-50 bucks for a cleaning . Even if you do cause a scratch you did not scratch your sensor , you scratched the plate covering it .
All the places you send your cameras to be cleaned use the same things which are lint free clean room swabs and lab grade pure methanol .
Tentacle wrote:
What worked for me: qtips and generic lens cleaning fluid.
My background is in Materials science and engineering, so I'm confident enough to go in with tippys. I just make sure that the swabs don't get any chance of getting polluted with dust, moisture, goo, sand or other unwanted stuff.
Giotto Air rocket blower first, and if that doesn't help, a few drops of lens cleaning fluid on one tip, wipe the sensor (always starting from the same side, single direction) and then use the dry tip to wipe away any dried up residue. I tend to move in with the qtip selectively. If I know where the dust spot is, I'll flip it's location (bottom left in the image is top right on the sensor) I'll just clean that area only, at first....Show more →
Now this is not great advice . Use methanol that is pure and clean room lint free wipes . Lens cleaning fluid is not a good idea at all as a lot of it leaves a residue on lenses and will do the same on sensors . Q-tips is absolutely the worst thing as they shed fibers .
Never heard of Eric's solution, but it sounds like it would work great. I would be cautious with Tentacle's suggestion, as well.
For me: I use a the Rocket Blower (camera face down to the ground), and will usually use the Lens Pen for any extra grime I think may be on there, and then repeat the Rocket Blower face down to finish it up.
Generally just a few puffs of the Rocket Blower and that'll do it, but occassionally I'll have to use the lens pen as outlined above. The Rocket Blower is cheap, easy and safe!
Now this is not great advice . Use methanol that is pure and clean room lint free wipes . Lens cleaning fluid is not a good idea at all as a lot of it leaves a residue on lenses and will do the same on sensors . Q-tips is absolutely the worst thing as they shed fibers .
I don't know about the quality of the q-tips you have, but mine very rarely shed fibers. If they do (it happened maybe once or twice sofar) they're very easily spotted because those fibers are long, white and therefor very visible.
I do have add that I keep the box of tippys carefully stored and will never use one that has been dropped on the floor. The lens fluid I use does leave a residue, true enough, but, as I said, that's wiped off easily with a dry tippy a.k.a. the other side of the tippy I just used. Very convenient really.
If you don't feel confident enough to use these simple generic tools then, by all means, don't. Go the expensive route, get individually packed swabs and special fluid. It's your money, it's your sense of safety.
Bottom line: I've forgot the number of times I've cleaned my sensor. I've done it often enough, air only and air and qtips, and I have never had a problem.
I use the Visible Dust Sensor Brush but will soon be switching to the Arctic Butterfly. The Sensor Brush is great, charge the minute hairs with compressed air and then run across the sensor a few times, does the job perfectly. I don't particularly like the idea of wet cleans....
Alistair Watson wrote:
[...] I don't particularly like the idea of wet cleans....
It's not like you'd be soaking the damn thing It's only a moist swab, with liquid that evaporates very quickly. Done properly, there isn't enough liquid soaked into the swab to squeeze out a separate droplet while swabbing at the gentlest of pressure.
You may or may not get away with dry methods only, that depends on the type of dust you've got on the sensor. If you happen to get sticky pollen on your sensor then you can blow and dry swipe as much as you want but that kind of dust isnt likely to be removed that easily.
Good source for wipes http://www.dallaswiping.com/ . Good source for methanol http://vwrlabshop.com/product.asp?pn=0065202&bhcd2=1197236633 make sure it is lab grade . You can also look for chemical supply houses in your area . You can take a piece of soft plastic with a slightly rounded edge and cut it to the width of your sensor and wrap it with a full sized wipe . Apply the methanol to the edge of the wipe that is covering the plastic piece . Get some small bottles to put the methanol in so you are not carrying a liter of it or more , just a couple ounces will cover you for a long trip .
ericevans wrote:
Good source for wipes http://www.dallaswiping.com/ . Good source for methanol http://vwrlabshop.com/product.asp?pn=0065202&bhcd2=1197236633 make sure it is lab grade . You can also look for chemical supply houses in your area . You can take a piece of soft plastic with a slightly rounded edge and cut it to the width of your sensor and wrap it with a full sized wipe . Apply the methanol to the edge of the wipe that is covering the plastic piece . Get some small bottles to put the methanol in so you are not carrying a liter of it or more , just a couple ounces will cover you for a long trip . ...Show more →
Thanks, Eric.
And thank you everybody that shared their experience.
Rob Keaton wrote:
Curious, Alistair...if the Sensor Brush "does the job perfectly" why are you planning to switch to the Arctic Butterfly?
With the Sensor Brush, to give a positive charge to the brush hairs you need compressed air. The Arctic Butterfly charges to brush hairs using AA batteries so there much easier when I am travelling.
It's only a moist swab, with liquid that evaporates very quickly. Done properly, there isn't enough liquid soaked into the swab to squeeze out a separate droplet while swabbing at the gentlest of pressure.