Apologies in advance - need opinion(s) on dust ...

[Maxima]

Sorry, I know this has been discussed to death, but I just need some opinions or suggestions ...

Here's a pic I took of the blue sky to reveal any dust on the sensor, I noticed a few darker specs, does it look like regular dust on the sensor, or something more stubborn? I'll have to run down to the local camera shop and see if I can locate a hand blower, the bigger the better??

http://www.hunt101.com/img/278869.JPG

[Maxima]

This may be a better pic ...

this is just 2 of probably 15-20 on the image ... Thanks!

http://www.hunt101.com/img/278870.JPG

[Jim_T]

That's nothing.. I can show you more dust than that.. Your options are: i) send it to be professionally cleaned for you, or ii) clean it yourself.

If you check Google, you'll see there are dozens of effective ways to to clean your own sensor.. Here's a site that explains most of them..

http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com/

[robertwgross]

I may be branded as a heretic for this, but there is something better than using an air blower. If you use a standard air blower-brush, you may push the loose dust off the sensor, but then where is it going? It may be forced into some delicate corner of the camera.

Another alternative is to get one of these little battery-powered vacuum cleaners that are intended for computer keyboards and computer innards. With this, the dust is sucked out of the camera to the outside.

---Bob Gross---

[Maxima]

Have a little bulb syringe which doesn't have very much pressure, anyone try using a bicycle pump or ball pump??

[pcasciola]

That's probably less dust than many cameras have out of the box. Did you shoot that at f/22 as well? If so, you probably won't notice those in any regular shots.

I like Bob's idea of a battery-powered vacuum. Has anyone actually tried this?

[robertwgross]

I like Bob's idea of a battery-powered vacuum. Has anyone actually tried this?

Did you think that I just dreamed this up?

The little battery-powered jobs have enough suction to pick up dust particles, but not enough that pieces and parts will go flying out of your camera.

---Bob Gross---

[Maxima]

Yeah, it was straight out of the box. I shot that one at f/28 I believe, however there were a few spots quite noticeable at f/16, I'll have to give her another try tomorrow. I took a ball pump to her tonight, air pressure was still fairly low, I'll see how she turns out tomorrow.

Would a vacuum that small have enough juice to suck out the dust? I can't imagine getting that close to the sensor and risk touching it.

[pcasciola]

Did you think that I just dreamed this up?Well, yeah, you never know. There are some bright people on POTN. :lol:

First time I've seen it suggested, that's all. I think it's an excellent idea.

[defordphoto]

I can imagine someone "hacking" their Hoover to make it less sucky. (!?) And then sucking all the innards out of their camera.

[sixshot]

I think the battery-powered vacuum would work.

[defordphoto]

I think the battery-powered vacuum would work.

Ya think?

pcasciola said
Originally Posted by pcasciola
I like Bob's idea of a battery-powered vacuum. Has anyone actually tried this?

Bob said:
Did you think that I just dreamed this up?

The little battery-powered jobs have enough suction to pick up dust particles, but not enough that pieces and parts will go flying out of your camera.

---Bob Gross---

[lancea]

I think the battery-powered vacuum would work.
A quick trip out into the night to check the boxes in my garage, and lo and behold I found my MINI SUPER CLEANER. Right next to my Super 8 splicer and some ABBA tapes. I kid you not. The Duracells in in it were labelled "Use by Jan 1998" and were leaking, but you know what - they still ran the mini cleaner. Energizer Bunny - put that in your pipe and smoke it :p

Anyway, on with the "proof of concept": I installed new batteries (Energizers, got to keep the bunny happy). Not willing to get the sucker too near my sensor, I tried it on the LCD screen of my laptop. It struggled to suck up even the loosest of dust particles and then only when the head was held really close. Using the blow action was much more effective - but the whole point of this exercise was to suck, not blow. Round one, not a success.

On to the real thing. Unfortunately I cannot see any dust on the sensor of my 20D, and to be honest I'm not at all happy about putting the vacuum tube close to the sensor. It is hard plastic. It also comes with a little brush - but a very firm brush. After turning off the camera I noticed a couple of points of dust on the mirror. Since the mirror's more accessible it is easier to control the position of the vacuum tube. Unfortunately - it didn't budge the dust even when held very close.

I remember now why this little vacuum cleaner is in my garage (it looks really good, and comes with as many fittings as my house cleaner). According to the box, it is intended for cleaning cassette/record player, phonograph records, computer terminal, disk drive, keyboard, telephone and - yes - camera, lens and movie projector. It never did live up to the advertising.

But sorry - IT JUST HASN'T GOT ENOUGH SUCK :cry: . I guess something like the smallest Black & Decker Dust Busters would have sufficient suck, but even if you could find a small enough attachment there's no way I'd get it into the depths of my camera. At the least you'd need a soft head (and I understand you're not even meant to touch the sensor with the soft brushes than come with photograpic blower-brushes).

[pjd83]

But if your sucking air from the sensor you'll be pulling in air to that area because of the slight vacuum you'll be creating. This may have more chance of introducing dust. Perhaps its better to blow dust free air in to the chamber so its positive pressure and would force the dusty air out?

[defordphoto]

As an aside, there is no way I am ever going to stick anything with suction power into my camera. I'll use the blowers, the (real) pads and solutions and the brushes, but no freaking hoovers are coming close to my equipment.