Sensor Cleaning ...

[Digital Prophet]

I am sorry if this is an old topic. But I did a search and didn't really see anything on it.

I have had my 300D in some pretty dirty and dusty apron shot lately. And today I was taking off my lens and I noticed it was getting kind of grimey in there. So I guess it is time to clean my sensor and camera interior. But the problem is that I have never ever cleaned a sensor or SLR interior and I'm concerned I could screw something up with my big knobby fingers.

I sure could use some advice on how to do this and what products to order.

- Digital Prophet -

[robertwgross]

Did you search under "sensor cleaning"?

---Bob Gross---

[Jesper]

http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning

[martcol]

Had 10D for a year - Canon have cleaned 3 times and always left dirt in there. I have tried several times and end up chasing those dust-bunnies round the camera like a dust-whippet! Last week-end cot a rubber spatula thing, hacked it about with a razor blade, and went in with the copperhill method.

At last! :lol:

Martin

[J. Cobble]

I usually take a pencil eraser to mine, scrub it real good then wipe it off with mr clean. seems to work just fine :D :D :D

[J. Cobble]

Actually thanks for the link, I have issues with this also.

[Jesper]

I usually take a pencil eraser to mine, scrub it real good then wipe it off with mr clean. seems to work just fine :D :D :D
Be careful with comments like this, someone who really doesn't know how to clean the sensor might take them seriously.... even though you've added some smilies.... :roll:

I've ordered the SensorSwipe from Copperhill. There's also a link on one of those pages to online shops that sell PecPads and Eclipse cleaning fluid. I bought those in an online shop in Germany, but later I discovered that there's a local shop (here in Rotterdam) that sells it too.

You can also buy prepared cotton swabs specifically made for sensor cleaning, but these are outrageously expensive ($50 or so for 12 cotton swabs?!). The SensorSwipe, one pack of PecPads and one bottle of Eclipse costs less than $50 in total and is enough to clean your sensor hundreds of times.

I have my 10D six months now and only cleaned it once, and I'm changing lenses quite often.

[robertwgross]

Outrageous prices!

For one cleaning, I use a Q-tip cotton swap with a fraction of a drop of lens cleaning solution. That costs me about one cent, and it takes about one minute of my time.

---Bob Gross---

[ombra]

cotton swabs are not lint-free, they are not scratchless, and they are not free of residues.
they are meant for your ears, do not use them to clean sensitive optics

buy some pecpads and eclipse fluid and make or buy a tiny spatula.

you can get 100 pecpads for $6.33, and a bottle of eclipse (with 10 more pecpads) for $15.51, from www.2filters.com.

here is the link:
http://www.2filter.com/prices/products/eclipse.html

this is enough to last a very, very long time.

[robertwgross]

I don't use cotton swabs to clean sensitive optics!

I use them to clean dust off the sensor. No residue. No debris left.

---Bob Gross---

[Tom W]

cotton swabs are not lint-free, they are not scratchless, and they are not free of residues.
they are meant for your ears, do not use them to clean sensitive optics



Well, if one would have listened to my mother, you couldn't even use Q-tips (cotton swabs) for that - nothing in the ear smaller than the elbow!!

So far, I've been able to clean everything off the sensor with the blower bulb!

[martcol]

cotton swabs are not lint-free, they are not scratchless, and they are not free of residues.
they are meant for your ears, do not use them to clean sensitive optics



My Doctor told me never, never to put them in your ears! So, if they're not meant for ears, and not meant for sensors then what can you use them for? :twisted:

[robertwgross]

I think Tom is going to try cleaning his camera's sensor with his elbow.

---Bob Gross---

[Tom W]

I think Tom is going to try cleaning his camera's sensor with his elbow.

---Bob Gross---

and elbow grease! ;)

[robertwgross]

What is the B&H catalog number for a pro-pack of elbow grease?

---Bob Gross---

[Tom W]

My Doctor told me never, never to put them in your ears! So, if they're not meant for ears, and not meant for sensors then what can you use them for? :twisted:

Well, before we go there, keep in mind that you probably don't want to put them where you might lose sight of them.

[Tom W]

What is the B&H catalog number for a pro-pack of elbow grease?

---Bob Gross---

I use my own - its cheaper. Though I hear that Canon is coming out with some new L-bow grease soon - supposed to be aspheric grease.

[martcol]

Oh, those pen tops off the cheap biros are great for the ears... they really scoop it up. No good for the sensor though. :twisted:

Seriously now, I had a go with a rubber spatula (£2.50) cut to shape with a razor (like the copperhill model). I had the best results ever. The first time this happened to me I was soooo upset (read: pi*$£$d). I have tried all kinds of things and then finally the rubber thing, the lens cloth and Eclipse. Perfect!

Martin

[ombra]

robertwgross, are you really that dimwitted, or are you trying to be funny?

the number one item at the top of the list of "sensitive optics" in your camera rig is the sensor. (or more correctly, the aliasing filter in front of it, which is what we are really talking about cleaning here)

you may do whatever you like with your camera, but please do not mislead others on this forum into thinking that cotton swabs are appropriate for cleaning their camera sensors.

they are most definitely not. cotton is abrasive. the paperboard the stem is made from is abrasive. the cotton is not perfectly clean, and may contain abrasive dust particles or oils. in addition, cotton leaves lint behind, and you will very likely end up with a dirtier sensor than when you started.

[robertwgross]

robertwgross, are you really that dimwitted, or are you trying to be funny?

the number one item at the top of the list of "sensitive optics" in your camera rig is the sensor. (or more correctly, the aliasing filter in front of it, which is what we are really talking about cleaning here)

you may do whatever you like with your camera, but please do not mislead others on this forum into thinking that cotton swabs are appropriate for cleaning their camera sensors.

they are most definitely not. cotton is abrasive. the paperboard the stem is made from is abrasive. the cotton is not perfectly clean, and may contain abrasive dust particles or oils. in addition, cotton leaves lint behind, and you will very likely end up with a dirtier sensor than when you started.

No, I'm not dimwitted, although others seem to believe the scares by the vendors of some of these cleaning materials.

No, the sensor qualifies as sensitive electronics. The optics are in the lens.

If I left a film of residue on the AA filter, then that would show up as a colorful pattern when I hold it at the right angle to the light. It doesn't.

No, your dry cotton may be abrasive, but when it is wetted with lens cleaner solution, it surely is not. Your cotton may be unclean, but that is why I purchase sterile cotton swabs. I'm not putting the paper stem onto the sensor. Sure, it might be possible that something leaves lint behind, but I've generally checked my sensor afterward (shots of the white wall at stopped down aperture, etc.) and so far there has been zero that I can detect. If I can't detect it afterwards in the image, then there isn't anything there.

Next time, you might ask a simple question instead of trying to alienate us. Thanks for playing. Who elected you as High Lord, anyway?

---Bob Gross---

[ombra]

"No, the sensor qualifies as sensitive electronics. The optics are in the lens. "

You do not clean anything remotely electronic when you clean your sensor. You clean the piece of glass in front of it. A piece of glass in your camera that your image goes through isn't optics to you? If thats how you feel, then you are far too pedantic to have a useful conversation with.

I don't know why I bothered to post. I won't again. Have fun and clean your cameras with spit and your shirt sleeve. I prefer to spend a couple dollars to correctly clean my thousand dollar camera. I also have a nice camera bag. Do you use a paper sack?

Bye

[robertwgross]

I don't know why I bothered to post. I won't again.


You are entitled to your own opinions.

---Bob Gross---

[Belmondo]

There's nothing like a lively discussion of opposing points of view between friends to keep things interesting around here. :shock: :? :lol:

[RichardtheSane]

And I know whose opinion I am far more likley to respect.

It is certainly not the opinion of a twerp who feels it is a requirement of their forst few posts to call a knowledgable and well respected member dim-witted.

I really wonder if people like that would be so bold face to face, and usually I doubt they would.

[robertwgross]

First of all, I am lucky that I have good finger dexterity, and I have worked on sensitive things all of my adult life. I'm sure one of these days my eyesight will fail, but it hasn't for the time being.

If I had followed some bad sensor cleaning procedure, and then something odd happened to my sensor, then I would inquire. If I had "scrubbed it" hard to eliminate what I thought was a spot, and then if something odd happened to it, I could understand.

However, I have carefully cleaned the sensor the same way probably fifty times since October 2002, and I have yet to see any problem. Maybe in another five years a problem will grow. By then, the camera is likely to be obsolete anyway.

---Bob Gross---