Cleaning Sensor...when/how?

I vote use the Rocket Blower first ...

Daniel, that is undoubtedly a dirty sensor. Whether you need to clean it depends on the answer to one question. Do you see the dust in the photos you take? If the answer is yes, clean otherwise don't bother. There is no point in cleaning for the sake of it.

If you decide to clean then first try the blower technique. If that doesn't give you satisfactory results then go for one of the swabbing methods.

I think I remember reading somewhere that the blowing technique was bad because it would just blow the dust around inside the camera and possibly under the AA?

-daniel

If you read enough, you will eventually know nothing for certain, having read both everything and its contradiction.

For what it's worth, the Canon 10D manual says "Use a rubber blower to blow away any dust, etc., on the surface of the image sensor".

The AA filter is sort of "bonded" on top of the sensor, it's the surface of the AA filter that you're really cleaning. I have heard of anecdotal reports of dirt getting between the AA filter and the sensor, but I suspect this came from the factory this way, there isn't really supposed to be "space" between the two.

Not that I have half a clue of what I'm talking about...
-harry

LazyPhotographer wrote:
Lens Changing & Blowing 101 - always turn the camera upside down and let gravity take the dust bunnies away.

Everybody says that, and I do it religiously, but, really, when was the last time you took a lens off a camera and saw a bunch of dust _fall_ out of it? I suppose if the lens was off for a long time, dust could "settle" on the sensor, but dust really floats around in busy air.

But I do it any way.
-harry

Alright, I've decided to order the swab stuff and the pecpads and eclipse.... I think I will blow it first though. Is the rocket the best or are other little blowers pretty comparable. I have to go into town (Best Buy, Circuit City, etc) today. Any chance they might sell a blower similar to the Rocket, anyone?

-daniel