300D Sensor Clean?

[GIrven]

I'm just coming up to 8,000 clicks on the camera and feel it could do with a good clean. Should I attempt this or get this done professionally?

I've cleaned the sensor through the camera options, and cleaned the mirror and eye piece very carefully. Just want to keep it good condition.

Any advise or experience? :D

[tim]

I think you should read your manual more carefully: the "clean sensor" menu option just raises the mirror so you can clean it manually.

You should only clean the sensor when it needs to be done. Set the camera on F32 (or as close as you can get) and take a photo of a solid blue or white sky. Any spots that show up are dirt. Take a shot at F8 as well, if the dirt doesn't show up it's probably not worth doing.

If you're not confident doing a real clean yourself, get it done by a professional. It's pretty delicate inside the camera, and you have to read and follow the cleaning instructions (http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning) very carefully. For you i'd probably recommend getting Canon to clean it.

[aam1234]

This is being discussed here (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=68884), check it out.

[paulhillion]

I'm just coming up to 8,000 clicks on the camera and feel it could do with a good clean. Should I attempt this or get this done professionally?

I've cleaned the sensor through the camera options, and cleaned the mirror and eye piece very carefully. Just want to keep it good condition.

Any advise or experience? :DHave done it many times, if you need a hand just give us a shout. I've all the gear you need to clean it with so don't go forking out any cash!

Paul.

[GIrven]

Hey Paul, that sig of yours looks sweet with the 1D MkII & 20D. That's plain showing off :D

Took it in the camera shop today and they said it would have to go away? He said that you can't do it yourself, err yeah right. Said that the sensor can bugger up real easy. SO they had a quick squizz at it and said that it look ok. Will need to take some more test shots and see if I can replicate the problem. Thanks for the offer Paul will take you up on that. I have a wedding to do for a mate and just want to make sure everything is tip top.

Need to have a chat with you anyways Paul I have a little idea you might be interested in ;)

[paulhillion]

Hey Paul, that sig of yours looks sweet with the 1D MkII & 20D. That's plain showing off :D

Took it in the camera shop today and they said it would have to go away? He said that you can't do it yourself, err yeah right. Said that the sensor can bugger up real easy. SO they had a quick squizz at it and said that it look ok. Will need to take some more test shots and see if I can replicate the problem. Thanks for the offer Paul will take you up on that. I have a wedding to do for a mate and just want to make sure everything is tip top.

Need to have a chat with you anyways Paul I have a little idea you might be interested in ;)
Hmmm sounds intriguing! I wouldn't let any retail camera shop on this island near my camera! Set to f/22 and aim it towards a nice blue sky (gives nice weather tomorrow :)) and then open the image up in Photoshop or whatever you use and take a look for any dust spots, you can also use 'auto levels' to see the spots easier. Lot's of spots? then bring it round & we'll give it a clean, sorted!

[gpi]

http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/sensor-cleaning.shtml