Cleaning the Sensor....

[celsiusone]

camera: Canon 20D


okay, I've cleaned and cleaned and cleaned the sensory with a hand held air
pump numerous number of times... but i still continue to get black spots on my pictures... is there another way to get rid of the black spots on the pictures? or is my camera a defect?

[lomond]

For stubborn dust you need to try something like this.............it's not as difficult as it looks.
http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning

[who me?]

Hmmm, sounds like it is time to look at cleaning methods likr The Copperhill Method. So a quick search on that and you should find plenty of info..

[robertwgross]

I would suggest to follow the same procedure that we have outlined several times within the last week. Search for "sensor" or "sensor dust" or "sensor cleaning".

1. Try to get rid of dust easily with an air blower-bulb.

2. Try to get rid of sticky dust with application of a non-aggressive sensor cleaner. I use a cotton swab and lens cleaner. Others use Copperhill.

3. Try to get rid of the worst stuff with aggressive cleaner solvents. I don't even want to think about that.

(I've never had to go past step 2.)

---Bob Gross---

[condyk]

You maybe need to refer to the cleaning sensors info located within the EOS Sticky thread.

Same question is asked several times a week (ok, a very slight exageration!) :) :)

[Dante King]

I have used Robert Gross's method of cotton swab and can attest to it simplicity and remarkable results! Thanks for the tip ROBERT!

Robert, I do have some persistant spots, what more agressive cleaners would you recommend? Thanks in advance.

[robertwgross]

Robert, I do have some persistant spots, what more agressive cleaners would you recommend? Thanks in advance.

I can't recommend any, because I have never used any. However, some various brands have been discussed here in the last month or two.

I would guess that a professional shop that does sensor cleaning (e.g. Canon repair) probably has some good solvent that will dissolve anything yet leave the top AA filter intact on the sensor.

Just so we are clear on this... these are spots that show up in exactly the same place on each captured image, and not something that you see through the viewfinder. Further, these spots are nearly always of a fairly circular shape, and they typically appear as gray blobs and not some kind of distinct black dot. Further, this is not something like a pastel colored noise (so common to high ISO shots).

---Bob Gross---

[PJ Saine]

okay, I've cleaned and cleaned and cleaned the sensor...

The solution I've found works best is described & sold at: www.visibledust.com

The newer Olympus has a 'shake-it' and 'dust trap' function. Would be a great feature in future Canon SLRs...

Keep in touch -

PJ
www.pjsaine.com

[robertwgross]

I don't know what that stuff is. It might be distilled water.

---Bob Gross---

[PJ Saine]

I don't know what that stuff is. It might be distilled water.

---Bob Gross---

Bob -

Sorry I wasn't clear. I'm referring specifically to the brushes at www.visibledust.com

Sometime the dust on my sensor has been 'sticky' (charged?) and their brushes have worked with a single 'swipe'.

They have worked for me!

PJ
www.pjsaine.com

[robertwgross]

When you used the word "solution," I assumed you meant a liquid solution.

---Bob Gross---

[felix21685]

but just to clarify.
still can't believe it is true..if it is..

there is an IR filter glass piece ontop of the sensor correct?
so you never actually blow onto the sensor or touch it..

you clean the IR filter?

[therisod]

Well, >:(

I got my first 20D and there was a black aloe/spot showing up on my pictures right from the beginning.
I sent it back, got a second one and AGAIN I got a black spot, this time in a different location and smaller, on all the test pictures I took.
This happened with the camera RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX.
In my opinion this is not acceptable and it may very well due to defects in the 20D CMOS sensors.