Dirty sensor doesn't bother me. Should it?

[MrGibbage]

I know that there must a 100+ lens/sensor cleaning threads on this forum, but I have another angle:
I have had my 300D for about 9 months, and I have learned a lot over that time period--mostly from reading this forum. I have not cleaned anything on my camera since I got it. I have not noticed anything specific in any of my pictures, so I guess part of me thinks that if it's not affecting my pictures, then why bother cleaning it? But I did the f/22 sky shot and sure as heck, I have goobers (I think that's the actual technical term, isn't it?). With each of my lenses, the goobers are in the same spot, so I guess that means it's on the sensor. But when I look at pictures that I have taken, I really don't see them at all (I *never* shoot at f/22, so I guess that would be why.) I feel like I've been quite careful with the camera, and when I change lenses, I try to do it carefully and quickly. So, if I send the camera somewhere to be cleaned, it's just going to need cleaning again soon. And for what actual effect? Not much by my point of view. I haven't counted the goobers, so I don't know if maybe all CCD's have them and they are more or less ust a fact of life, or if I have an inordinate number of them. I've seen the web page (http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning) about cleaning it myself, and I think I'd be comfortable with it, but is it worth the risk of damaging it? So, this is a long-winded post to see if maybe I should be a little more concerned about my CCD cleansliness. Or are there other serious photographers out there that don't clean their sensors at all because they don't see the reason to do so?

Skip

[Curtis N]

I don't know if I qualify as a "serious" photographer, but my attitude toward goobers is pretty much the same. I did the f/22 sky test, found goobers, used a bulb blower on it, goobers remain.

But like you, I don't have much need for small apertures and frankly there are bigger issues affecting the quality of my images (like operator incompetence). So it's like dust balls under my bed. I know they're there, but since I can't see them unless I look for them, they don't bother me.

[michapma]

Thanks for the tip. I've had my 20D nearly five months and no problems yet. Whether I let someone clean it when I start noticing stuff (and only then) or do it myself will probably depend on the price. How much do shops charge for that stuff, or are you supposed to send it in to Canon?

[myth337]

A few days after I got my 300D, I did a landscape shot, with lots of blue sky, and I needed the biggest depth of field that I could get, so I cranked it up. The Goobers appeared all over the sky. I almost had a fit!! a brand new camera with such stuff on it!!
At first, I thought the sensor was broken. Then, after reading thru this wonderful forum for an hour or three... I too found the reference to the goobers... and subsequently found a few good sites about cleaning.
I had no cleaning stuff.. so I made my way to the friendly neighborhood profi photo shop, where they offered to do a cleaning service for me, for the standard charge of 39.95...
Sounds good, I said, and off to the back room my camera went. 1.8 minutes later, it was back in my hands, and 40 euro was gone from my pocket.
Said thanks, went outside, promptly did the F22 sky shot, drove home, and sure enuff.. the goobers were all right where I left them.

Knowing the dust bunnies are under your bed doesn't make you sneeze, it is just when you try to find the missing sock that you stir up all the trouble.

.. Lee

[Curtis N]

40 euro was gone from my pocket. Said thanks, went outside, promptly did the F22 sky shot, drove home, and sure enuff.. the goobers were all right where I left them.I'm sure this happens a lot. I think if I ever take my camera anywhere for cleaning, I'll ask for a gaurantee and prove they did the job right before I leave the store.

[jfrancho]

A few days after I got my 300D, I did a landscape shot, with lots of blue sky, and I needed the biggest depth of field that I could get, so I cranked it up. The Goobers appeared all over the sky. I almost had a fit!! a brand new camera with such stuff on it!!
At first, I thought the sensor was broken. Then, after reading thru this wonderful forum for an hour or three... I too found the reference to the goobers... and subsequently found a few good sites about cleaning.
I had no cleaning stuff.. so I made my way to the friendly neighborhood profi photo shop, where they offered to do a cleaning service for me, for the standard charge of 39.95...
Sounds good, I said, and off to the back room my camera went. 1.8 minutes later, it was back in my hands, and 40 euro was gone from my pocket.
Said thanks, went outside, promptly did the F22 sky shot, drove home, and sure enuff.. the goobers were all right where I left them.

Knowing the dust bunnies are under your bed doesn't make you sneeze, it is just when you try to find the missing sock that you stir up all the trouble.

.. LeeDid you use a DOF calculator to determine your aperture setting? I think most people go way overboard with their settings. For instance, using the kit lens at 18mm and f/4, with a subject 20 feet away, the DOF extends from 8.25 feet to infinity. All that stopping down to f/22 will do is give you a mere 3 feet in the foreground and move the hyperfocal distance from 14 feet to 2.5 feet. Oh yeah, and you'll get crap all over your image. I think that these issues stem from a lack of understanding how your aperture settings affect DOF. Just because it stops down to f/22 doesn't mean that you'll actually need it. Have a look at Dofmaster (http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html). I guarantee that using a DOF calculator for shots that need a specific DOF will improve your photography.

[myth337]

Curtis.. I think I'll go back with the exif info on the test shots.. the before and after pics, and ask them what they think. and next time, I'll take my powerbook with me, and test it on the spot. I hadn't planned on having it cleaned.. it was a spontaneous thing. but next time!!

JF.. yes.. the DOF thing.. With my other lenses on my film camera, I always got what I wanted. Most of the shots were with longer focal ranges, and very few were with my wide angle, but there were definite differences between a landscape shot with F4 and one with F22. Since I've gone digital, I have been adjusting my way of shooting, and have also been referenced to the Dofmaster, which says that with my film camera, a subject 69ft away, aperature of F4 on a 50mm lens would go to infinity. I actually didn't know that then, but it fits. Interesting, to say the least.

That is one of the reasons I like bouncing text back and forth here.. you get to learn stuff while admiring cool pics.

.. Lee

[Sathi]

The problem is, in a sky image I see these spots even at f8 which I use allot. The way I look at it I can spend 1 minute cleaning my sensor....or I can spend 1 minute X 1000 pictures photoshopping them out.

[jfrancho]

The problem is, in a sky image I see these spots even at f8 which I use allot. The way I look at it I can spend 1 minute cleaning my sensor....or I can spend 1 minute X 1000 pictures photoshopping them out.If you can see them at f/8, then you must clean the sensor. I personally can't get rid of all the stuff, but cleaning greatly reduces the junk.

[Big_B]

If it's causing you trouble then clean it. If not, don't bother.


That's my attitude (to most things).

[Big_B]

If it's causing you trouble then clean it. If not, don't bother.


That's my attitude (to most things).

Actually, it's that attitude that drives my fiancee crazy - she's a neat freak. Always good fun ;) :lol: