Cleaning the sensor...

Well, I think I need to "go big or go home" and figure out how to really clean my sensor. I have a rocket air and it works quite well for all th ebig nasty gremlins, but whenever I stop WAY down (f/32) to get a long exposure I get thousands of little tiny spots all over my images. Beyond the rocket air, what's the next step to cleaning a sensor?

I've been reading about the copperhill meathod, is that the best way?
http://www.pbase.com/c​opperhill/ccd_cleaning
Looks like I need to get the sensor swipe though. I have the pec pads and eclipse solutuion, just not the swipe. Also is the sensor sweep worth getting? Looks like it works like a "magnet" and it a dry solution instead of the "wet" meathod found in the swipe with pads and eclipse?

Can anyone recomend this or something better? The rocket air just can't cut it anymore.

Thanks,
Ben

I was worried about using the copperhill method, but after following the instructions carefully, it is really quite easy to do, and the results are very good. I reccommend it.

jacobsen1 wrote:
Well, I think I need to "go big or go home" and figure out how to really clean my sensor. I have a rocket air and it works quite well for all th ebig nasty gremlins, but whenever I stop WAY down (f/32) to get a long exposure I get thousands of little tiny spots all over my images. Beyond the rocket air, what's the next step to cleaning a sensor?

I've been reading about the copperhill meathod, is that the best way?
http://www.pbase.com/c​opperhill/ccd_cleaning
Looks like I need to get the sensor swipe though. I have the pec pads and eclipse solutuion, just not the swipe. Also is the sensor sweep worth getting? Looks like it works like a "magnet" and it a dry solution instead of the "wet" meathod found in the swipe with pads and eclipse?

Can anyone recomend this or something better? The rocket air just can't cut it anymore.

Thanks,
Ben

I'm looking at getting the 'Visible Dust ' bundle
at £200 it aint cheap but it should last

Seems to be the best on the market AFAIK but am open to others opinions and experiences

IMHO. there is NO better method of getting ALL the dust than the Copper Hill method. If you are mechanically inclined at all, you can clean your sensor 500 times for what the canon repair facility charges for one cleaning.

Another vote for the Copper Hill method. Good results and relatively inexpensive.

Mark

Canon sells sensor cleaning kits acutally.
I dont know if htey do outside of Japan though.

I presume then that you have tried the Visible Dust system?

What didn't you like about it?, I was looking at which to get myself

thanks

I have not personally tried the VDS, but I have read many reviews (pros and cons). Essentially they are the same thing, just use different swabs and fluids (assuming you go with the wet sensor method). I like the CH method due to the value and I like to use Eclipse to clean with.

I dropped a bundle on a bunch of Visible Dust stuff. The only thing I don't like about it is that I've never used it. The blower has worked fine so far. That's a good thing, right?

But I'm ready (I guess) if I need something more. The Visible Dust stuff looks really good. And it does a treat using their non-sensor cleaning gear to get cr*p off the mirror and focus screen. I expect their sensor cleaning stuff would do an equally good job.

...Mike

Can you please direct me to any reviews that are show the cons for the VDS?

Are they the same thing? The VDS claim to have patented the idea of 'charging the bristles to lift the dust - kinbds makes sense to me, but I need to do more research before dropping my wad on it

Cetainly the CH method looks cheaper and that has to be good right?

Certianly with the 20D and 30D all I ever needed was a blower, but that sure aint enough with the 5D! I was thinking of taking it to the car wash it's so dusty, but as it's not weather proofed maybe I shouldn't risk it!

You have all you will ever need I guess for when you DO need it

agreed _ works great for me. Just follow the instructions.

I'll direct you to a couple, but have you ever heard of Google?

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/​visible-dust.shtml
https://photography-on-the.net …ve/index.php/t-67758.html (Read the last post)

Benandbobbi wrote:
I'll direct you to a couple, but have you ever heard of Google?

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/​visible-dust.shtml
https://photography-on-the.net …ve/index.php/t-67758.html (Read the last post)

Yes my dear fellow, but the only reviews I have seen have been positive ones, I have not been able to find any unpositive ones

THe ONLY mark against the VDS is the price, even on the links you have added

When you previously menbtioned that there were unfavourable reviews

I was interested to look in case they meant the product itself was not up to scratch ( opps shouldn't mention scrathes! )

Simon King wrote:
Yes my dear fellow, but the only reviews I have seen have been positive ones, I have not been able to find any unpositive ones

THe ONLY mark against the VDS is the price, even on the links you have added

When you previously menbtioned that there were unfavourable reviews I was interested to look in case they meant the product itself was not up to scratch ( opps shouldn't mention scrathes! )

OK Simon, do you work for VD? -- No pun intended. I never said there were unfavorable reviews. You read that into my statement. When I said I had read reviews (pros and cons), the "pros and cons" part was meant to define my use of the word "review". That said, I couldn't give less of a damn what sensor cleaning system you use.