Self clean or repair shop?

Who uses a local camera repair shop to have their sensor filter cleaned? What's your experience with that?

I've been studying up on sensor filter cleaning. I received my kit from copper hill, brush and wet clean system. The more I read the less I feel confident in doing this myself. The Xti has only gathered a couple of spots in 10 months of use thanks to the self cleaning system, I guess. I don't have a dust free room in my house to do the cleaning.

I could see using the brush, but the wet system I'm a little concerned of doing damage.

I called two camera repair shops in Seattle. They both clean sensor filters. One charges 98.00 and the other charges 47.00. The higher priced shop also cleans the focus screen/box? and maybe that's why they charge more?

Anyway, I might try the lower priced shop. Both were refered to me by a reputable photography shop, Dick's/ Rainier Photography who after 40 years is going out of business.

My feeling is that after 10 months of use and only a couple of specs, it may be a good investment to have a pro clean my camera. I can drop it off and pick it up the next day.

The copperhill site recommends using the brush daily and pec pads every two weeks? Does anyone really do it this often?

Cleaning the sensor really is not that hard and once you go through it the first time many of your fears will be assuaged. Also, wet cleaning is a bit of a misnomer. It’s more like damp cleaning. Try the Copperhill method, follow the directions and pay attention to the warnings. But really the spots that can get you in trouble is; not blowing off the sensor first, using too much fluid, and pressing too hard. Don’t get discouraged if it requires more than one cleaning. Better to go gentle and get some of the stuff than to scrub hard, get everything but leaving a scratch behind.
As to how often, I clean my work 5D almost every other week as it works in a dusty location and that huge sensor gives lots of surface area for the dust to settle on. My home camera gets a cleaning about every month an a half.

Not a big deal. As described above, it's pretty easy to do - but, it does take some patience, care and steady hands.

Mark

Just Be wrote in post #3928616
I called two camera repair shops in Seattle. They both clean sensor filters. One charges 98.00 and the other charges 47.00. The higher priced shop also cleans the focus screen/box? and maybe that's why they charge more?

Yes, almost certainly. Cleaning the focus screen is a lot more difficult than cleaning the sensor, especially on the Digital Rebel series (300D/350D/400D) where you have to be really careful not to clean off the reflective dots for the red AF indicator lights. I don't recommend self-cleaning the focus screen unless you have a spare one available in case something goes wrong (spare focus screens are dirt cheap).

Are the specks causing you any trouble? Having just a few specks that aren't getting in your way is not usually enough reason to have the sensor cleaned.

That's pretty extreme. Also, Photographic Solutions requires that you use Sensor Swabs rather than Pec*Pads if you want their guarantee… and by the way the approved Eclipse fluid for the XTi/400D is E2, not ordinary Eclipse. If I had an XTi/400D with its exposed coatings on the sensor assembly, I would want the guarantee. I'm not so particular with my XT/350D which—like most older model DSLRs—has a glass cover on the sensor assembly.

I saw two spots that were very noticeable on blue sky at f16 and above.
I used my Rocket blower and it helped. I only see the spots at f22 and above.

I'm actually pretty happy with the sensor cleaning device in the Xti. I've changed lenses nearly 100 times and I only see a couple of spots.

To be clear these are not black pin size specks but rather larger than pin point dots that you can see through but are slightly darker than the blue sky which makes them visible.

Thanks for the help.

The sensor is NOT nearly as delicate these days as those that make money from the cleaning would have you believe. You are NOT actually cleaning the sensor itself, but a protective coating OVER the sensor. Yes, it's somewhat delicate and care SHOULD be taken, but don't be afraid of it. Just use approved tools and methods and you'll be fine.

Just Be wrote in post #3929379
I saw two spots that were very noticeable on blue sky at f16 and above...I'm actually pretty happy with the sensor cleaning device in the Xti. I've changed lenses nearly 100 times and I only see a couple of spots.....

Want to shock your self a bit? Take the blue sky pic at f/22, load the picture into photoshop and use the “Auto Levels” function in the Image and Adjustments menu. It will look pretty crappy, but it will also highlight very clearly every single speck on your sensor. You only have to be really worried about the big ones.

bobrock111565 wrote in post #3929416
... You are NOT actually cleaning the sensor itself, but a protective coating OVER the sensor....

It’s actually a separate piece of glass, the low pass filter, but it’s all one unit anyway. Still, you don’t want to scratch the filter and a gentle hand is really necessary.

bobrock111565 wrote in post #3929416
You are NOT actually cleaning the sensor itself, but a protective coating OVER the sensor.

I'm never sure what to make of statements like this. The sensor itself can probably withstand cleaning a lot better than the chemical coating can. The coating is the most delicate part of the sensor assembly, and on the XTi/400D the coating is what you're cleaning.

That said, I've never seen a report of coating damage due to cleaning the dust-shaker on a Canon DSLR. Given the number of XTi/400D units out there, and the length of time that they've been out there, I wouldn't have many qualms about cleaning one. Given the choice, though, I'd want to have Photographic Solutions' warranty to back me up.

On the other hand, I have seen maybe a dozen reported cases of coating destruction on the 5D sensor from wet-cleaning and adhesive-cleaning. If I owned a 5D I'd definitely avoid adhesive cleaners and only use a warranteed wet-cleaning product according to directions. Sensor replacement is said to be about $500 US on that camera.

Fro Mark III, it is $1,400 repair bill if you damage your sensor.