Sensor Cleaning

[Pik Dawg]

I have recently purchased a 20D, my first D-SLR. I am extremely pleased with it but after a hundred or so pictures I noticed some marks on the images. Having conducted some tests I have determined that it is foriegn objects on the sensor. I followed the manual instructions for cleaning but this has just introduced more rubbish to the sensor. I don't want to go to the bother of using a Canon service centre every time a bit of dust gets inside. Has anyone else had the same problems? I would welcome any advice.

[tim]

This has been discussed many time, the recommended method is here: http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning

[Pik Dawg]

OOH Tim I'm sooo sooorrreee to have bothered you! :o

[tim]

I was just in a hurry at the time, don't take it the wrong way. The search button comes in handy some times though.

[donlavange]

That is a great link to save for the inevevitable time when needed! Thanks for the post!

[gramps]

Tim, do you have a rubber bulb air blower? The Rocket Blower seems to be the one to get.

[tim]

Tim, do you have a rubber bulb air blower? The Rocket Blower seems to be the one to get.

I have a tiny blower thing I can squeeze air out of at the sensor, but so far I haven't needed to clean it. I've not read good things about firing compressed air at the CCD (it just moves dirt around rather than removing it), so i'd be careful and do more research before I did it. I'm not in any way an authority on this, I just read a lot of stuff.

[steven]

OOH Tim I'm sooo sooorrreee to have bothered you! :o
Don't know what you are upset about you were given the link to answer your question. As well as some good advice about finding answers in a more timely manner.
A thanks for the link would be more appropriate or a couple of smiles to let everyone know your joking. :wink:

[Pik Dawg]

Steven, you are right. I apologise unreservedly to Tim for my rudeness. :D :D

[tim]

Steven, you are right. I apologise unreservedly to Tim for my rudeness. :D :D

Thanks, and i'll try not to be so short with newbies.

In case anyone's wondering, i've been around a little while but i've changed user names recently, so this username has a low post count.

[gillyworld]

This has been discussed many time, the recommended method is here: http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning

There is another method which is getting good reviews at the moment from Rob Galbraith and Luminous Landscape (see testimonials)

http://www.visibledust.com/index.htm

Alan

[dhbailey]

I have found that the rocket blower has solved that problem for me, the couple of times I found it in my pictures.

Now (after a month with the camera) I occasionally shoot a picture of a pure blue sky, since that shows the spots really nicely if they are there.

I have purchased the copperhill cleaning kit for an emergency, but I haven't tried it yet since the rocket blower has solved the crisis the two times it has arisen so far.

I noticed in my local camera shop that there are two sizes of the rocket blower -- I purchased the smaller one since I knew it would fit into my camera bag, and so far it has done the trick, but I plan on buying the larger one for more power to avoid as long as possible actually using the copperhill cleaning kit.

I bought it for the same reason I bring an umbrella with me on cloudy days -- as an appeasement to the gods so they hold off actually making me use it. :D

[Pik Dawg]

I have now had an oppurtunity to read both the websites suggested and I have decided to purchase the much more expensive Visible Dust products as they seem to have less potential for ham fisted damage. Certainly a bulb blower has done nothing but re arrange the dust.

[robertwgross]

I guess I am lucky enough to not be ham fisted. For over two years now I have been cleaning my D60's sensor with a cotton swab wetted with lens cleaner solution, so one cleaning probably costs me one cent.

---Bob Gross---

[Pik Dawg]

My Visible Dust products arrived within a week - travelling from Canada to the UK - I have used the brush and the Sensor Clean successfully.