Sensor Cleaning ...

I am sorry if this is an old topic. But I did a search and didn't really see anything on it.

I have had my 300D in some pretty dirty and dusty apron shot lately. And today I was taking off my lens and I noticed it was getting kind of grimey in there. So I guess it is time to clean my sensor and camera interior. But the problem is that I have never ever cleaned a sensor or SLR interior and I'm concerned I could screw something up with my big knobby fingers.

I sure could use some advice on how to do this and what products to order.

- Digital Prophet -

Did you search under "sensor cleaning"?

---Bob Gross---

http://www.pbase.com/c​opperhill/ccd_cleaning

Had 10D for a year - Canon have cleaned 3 times and always left dirt in there. I have tried several times and end up chasing those dust-bunnies round the camera like a dust-whippet! Last week-end cot a rubber spatula thing, hacked it about with a razor blade, and went in with the copperhill method.

At last!

Martin

I usually take a pencil eraser to mine, scrub it real good then wipe it off with mr clean. seems to work just fine

Actually thanks for the link, I have issues with this also.

J. Cobble wrote:
I usually take a pencil eraser to mine, scrub it real good then wipe it off with mr clean. seems to work just fine

Be careful with comments like this, someone who really doesn't know how to clean the sensor might take them seriously.... even though you've added some smilies....

I've ordered the SensorSwipe from Copperhill. There's also a link on one of those pages to online shops that sell PecPads and Eclipse cleaning fluid. I bought those in an online shop in Germany, but later I discovered that there's a local shop (here in Rotterdam) that sells it too.

You can also buy prepared cotton swabs specifically made for sensor cleaning, but these are outrageously expensive ($50 or so for 12 cotton swabs?!). The SensorSwipe, one pack of PecPads and one bottle of Eclipse costs less than $50 in total and is enough to clean your sensor hundreds of times.

I have my 10D six months now and only cleaned it once, and I'm changing lenses quite often.

Outrageous prices!

For one cleaning, I use a Q-tip cotton swap with a fraction of a drop of lens cleaning solution. That costs me about one cent, and it takes about one minute of my time.

---Bob Gross---

don't use cotton swabs

cotton swabs are not lint-free, they are not scratchless, and they are not free of residues.
they are meant for your ears, do not use them to clean sensitive optics

buy some pecpads and eclipse fluid and make or buy a tiny spatula.

you can get 100 pecpads for $6.33, and a bottle of eclipse (with 10 more pecpads) for $15.51, from www.2filters.com.

here is the link:
http://www.2filter.com​/prices/products/eclip​se.html

this is enough to last a very, very long time.

I don't use cotton swabs to clean sensitive optics!

I use them to clean dust off the sensor. No residue. No debris left.

---Bob Gross---

Well, if one would have listened to my mother, you couldn't even use Q-tips (cotton swabs) for that - nothing in the ear smaller than the elbow!!

So far, I've been able to clean everything off the sensor with the blower bulb!

My Doctor told me never, never to put them in your ears! So, if they're not meant for ears, and not meant for sensors then what can you use them for?

I think Tom is going to try cleaning his camera's sensor with his elbow.

---Bob Gross---

and elbow grease!

What is the B&H catalog number for a pro-pack of elbow grease?

---Bob Gross---