clean sensor... how often? (annually, 6 months,...)

[piku]

assume, nothing is wrong w/ the images... just a time for pretty much sensor maintanance...

TIA

[snorton]

if there is nothing wrong with the sensor, ie: no dust, the why mess with it?

-Steve

[Ikinaa]

assume, nothing is wrong w/ the images... just a time for pretty much sensor maintanance...

TIA


why would you want to clean the sensor when nothing's wrong?
I cleaned the sensor of my 20D once three months ago because I actually saw some spots in the picture and it disturbed me.
Since, I regularly shoot the blue skyy why a small aperture, do auto-levels to see if there are any spots, then I try to find the spots in the actual pics. Until now, I haven't seen any, there fore I don't clean the sensor until the spots disturb me.

IMO the less you touch the sensor, the better...

[napolar]

If it ain't broke don't try to fix it....

[Trumper]

assume, nothing is wrong w/ the images... just a time for pretty much sensor maintanance...

TIA
Blimey,you are brave,nothing wrong and you want to risk making something wrong,as the others said leave it.I'll swap you my dirty D30 for your camera if you want to have a go at cleaning something [insert smillie here,i cant find them]

[Marshall]

If it ain't broke don't try to fix it....

Seconded ! It will give you the opportunity soon enough !

[dpanicc1]

My two cents:

Cleaning the sensor is (in my opinion) way over-played. That is, if you take a picture of the sky, blow it up in Photoshop and crank up the levels, you'll always see crap on the sensor. My guage is when I happen to see something on a normal image I clean the sensor. I clean it by raising the mirror and using a baby mucus sucker a couple of quick bursts does it. I have a Mark II, 20D and Rebel XT and am always changing lenses. So far I have only cleaned the Mark twice using the above procedure; never the others. Couldn't imagine the need for PEC pads and all that stuff.

Dan

[neil_r]

Really simple answer, when it needs it. I had a D60 for a couple of years and hardly ever cleaned the sensor, I am having to give my 1D MkII a good blow (with a rocket) pretty regularly. I am contantly changing lenses and just accept that there is going to be dust problems.

N

[piku]

"just a time for pretty much sensor maintanance..." ...if there's anything like it

if there is nothing wrong with the sensor, ie: no dust, the why mess with it?

-Steve


and thanks for posting more than once w/ the same message haha. cmon folks, be efficient, you guys sound like a "broken" record :D anyways, i get the point and so does others. topic closed.

[johndm]

Blown off my 300D just twice in a year...(with a Giotto Rocket).

Worst place for picking up dust, (well for me anyway) is Death Valley..:D

My last two visits there have plastered my sensor with dust, and yes, I have changed lenses there on both occaisions.
Its been windy on both visits, and I've tried to change glass sheltering the camera in the boot (trunk) of the car.

I took several shots with my 18-55, then swapped to my 100-400L.

So, was it just the blowing dust, or is someone gonna suggest my 100-400 was trying to vaccum up Death Valley...;)

[ghocking]

In my case (300D, 350D and 20D) I have never cleaned, and won't until absolutly necessary. I can see dust spots on certain shots, blue skies etc., but the spot healing bush removes them

[CyberPet]

I blew mine clean the other day since I noticed it was a lot of dust that did appear even in lower apertures. I was forced to change lenses a lot one day outdoors (had a photoshoot for 9 hours) and that probably made the sensor dusty. Now most of it is gone, not all, but good enough to last me a while longer.

[Feihung08]

If you never ever change your lens, can dust still get in there?

[johndm]

If you never ever change your lens, can dust still get in there?

Some may suggest the 100-400L will suck in dust..I've yet to see for myself.

Hey...I was in Huntington Beach last week..:D

[neil_r]

If you never ever change your lens, can dust still get in there?

If you never change your lens, you miss a load of photo opportunities ;)

N

[lancea]

I might blow it out before a trip or something important, but only if I could see dust there. Otherwise wouldn't bother unless I noticed dust on a shot.

[ed2day]

If you never ever change your lens, can dust still get in there?

Mine came new with visible dust, as have many others.

[CyberPet]

Yeah, you get some factory installed dust. It's part of the joy. :D

[tim]

Clean it when it needs to be cleaned, it's that simple. I check my sensor before every big shoot.

[Feihung08]

Some may suggest the 100-400L will suck in dust..I've yet to see for myself.

Hey...I was in Huntington Beach last week..:DHmmm....interesting. Can't fathom how it must suck in dust. Everything seems so air tight. But I don't have that lens to test with either.........I'd be happy to test one out if someone wants to give me one!!!:lol:

**EDIT**
What were you doing all the way over here in HB???
You can PM me if you'd like.

[tim]

Hmmm....interesting. Can't fathom how it must suck in dust. Everything seems so air tight. But I don't have that lens to test with either.........I'd be happy to test one out if someone wants to give me one!!!:lol:

It's a push/pull lens design, so the interior volume of the lens changes, which means air needs to be sucked in and out of the lens.

[Feihung08]

If you never change your lens, you miss a load of photo opportunities ;) LOL!!
I hear ya! It was just hypothetical! But I wish I had more than two lens to actually choose from d@mn it!

[Feihung08]

It's a push/pull lens design, so the interior volume of the lens changes, which means air needs to be sucked in and out of the lens.Ahh...imagine that! I gotta study up on my physics!! So will they work in space? ;)

[Jon]

It's a push/pull lens design, so the interior volume of the lens changes, which means air needs to be sucked in and out of the lens.

Every lens has moving elements, so by that logic even primes will suck in dust. Still no reason to single out the 100-400.

[MarkH]

Every lens has moving elements, so by that logic even primes will suck in dust. Still no reason to single out the 100-400.

ANY lens that changes volume as it zooms or focuses will have to draw in or expel air, therefore dust.

A lens that has internal focusing or internal zooming (like the 70-200) does not need to suck in air, therefore there will be little or no tendancy to get dust inside the lens.

The 100-400 is a reasonably big lens that changes volume quite considerably while zooming, therefore it is a particularly good example of an air pump.

[TonyFerguson.Net]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and looking forward to picking up good information from you pros.

I've been reading and haven't found any definitive answers yet, so any help would be appreciated.

What is the best way for me to clean my image sensor on my canon digitla rebel? Any help would be appreciated.

Tony Ferguson

[malla1962]

Blown off my 300D just twice in a year...(with a Giotto Rocket).

Worst place for picking up dust, (well for me anyway) is Death Valley..:D

My last two visits there have plastered my sensor with dust, and yes, I have changed lenses there on both occaisions.
Its been windy on both visits, and I've tried to change glass sheltering the camera in the boot (trunk) of the car.

I took several shots with my 18-55, then swapped to my 100-400L.

So, was it just the blowing dust, or is someone gonna suggest my 100-400 was trying to vaccum up Death Valley...;)yes your 100-400 will vacume death valley.never cleaned my sensor till i got my 100-400.:(

[S Taylor]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and looking forward to picking up good information from you pros.

I've been reading and haven't found any definitive answers yet, so any help would be appreciated.

What is the best way for me to clean my image sensor on my canon digitla rebel? Any help would be appreciated.

Tony Ferguson

While I don't have a digital rebel, I do own a 20D and cleaned the sensor for the first time this past weekend. (had the camera since early December 2004) I simply followed the instructions in the camera manual. I would assume your rebel's manual covers this also.

I used a Giottos rocket air blower to clean the sensor.

[blue_max]

I poked a rag in there and moved my finger about a bit. It may have missed the rag and got my finger a little. No ill effects. I think the whole thing is overplayed.

It obviously isn't the delicate butterfly wing that seems to be discussed.

Whilst I wouldn't for one minute suggest anyone do the same, it can take some stick - and rather more than people might imagine.

Rest easy in your beds fellow shooters.

Graham

[wibbly]

If you never ever change your lens, can dust still get in there?

Yes, bodies are not airtight.

I've found it's surprising how well a good hand blower (eg Rocket) works. I'm now considering using that (non-contact) method more frequently/routinely on the basis it should reduce the need to use a wet method to get 'dried on crud' off. So far, I cleaned it 2 or 3 times (Copperhill method) in 9 months. The last time was the most successful for me.

J

[britain]

Static and dust is the cameras best friend. I live near Borrego desert and dust isis just another animal here. CMOS must like dust, it keeps charging for it.

[Minky]

Ive just started to notice big dark spots on my photos, particularly noticable on light pictures. I assume I have dust on the cmos sensor. I tried to use a blower with the brush removed to blow the sensor and it hasn't made a difference.

Should I take the camera (300D) to a authrised dealer to have a cleanout? how much would that cost?

[malla1962]

Ive just started to notice big dark spots on my photos, particularly noticable on light pictures. I assume I have dust on the cmos sensor. I tried to use a blower with the brush removed to blow the sensor and it hasn't made a difference.

Should I take the camera (300D) to a authrised dealer to have a cleanout? how much would that cost?you can do it yourself.

[theflyingkiwi]

ANY lens that changes volume as it zooms or focuses will have to draw in or expel air, therefore dust.

A lens that has internal focusing or internal zooming (like the 70-200) does not need to suck in air, therefore there will be little or no tendancy to get dust inside the lens.

The 100-400 is a reasonably big lens that changes volume quite considerably while zooming, therefore it is a particularly good example of an air pump.

Despite what some people say about that lens sucking in dust, I think you will find that just a tad misleading. The number of people complaining about a dust issue after using this lens is small, compared the number of people who have never said anything about this problem. I know there are a number of people on this fourm that have used this lens for a number of years who never had a problem.

And since the pros uses this lens one would also think that canon would make a change to the design by now if there was a real problem.

As for cleaning the sensor, do it when it needs it. The sensor is not like a car that needs an oil change every 6 months.

[93octane]

I have noticed that my 300D used it for over 1 year never had one spec of dirt/dust on the sensor yet I bought a 10D used and the lenses got changed alot and it does have dust on it which I need to clean...