CMOS 1ds (cleaning)

Hi,

I have a bit of a dilema, my ageing, but totally reliable 1DS has got 'dust like' marks on the cmos sensor. When I take landscape shots, especially with loads of sky, they are quite visible when the shots are blown up, and I end up spending hours retouching them in photshop. Its definatly not the usual dust, because I have had it cleaned and spent many a happy hour chasing stuff off the sensor in the past.

When I take my usual motorsport stuff its never a problem, but I'm beginning to think about getting it sorted out.

Do I :-

a) Replace the camera with a new body, could be expensive

or

b) put the body into Canon and get them to replace the cmos completely?

decisions decisions, any advice ?

Smiffyman wrote in post #4276882
Hi,

I have a bit of a dilema, my ageing, but totally reliable 1DS has got 'dust like' marks on the cmos sensor. When I take landscape shots, especially with loads of sky, they are quite visible when the shots are blown up, and I end up spending hours retouching them in photshop. Its definatly not the usual dust, because I have had it cleaned and spent many a happy hour chasing stuff off the sensor in the past.

When I take my usual motorsport stuff its never a problem, but I'm beginning to think about getting it sorted out.

Do I :-

a) Replace the camera with a new body, could be expensive

or

b) put the body into Canon and get them to replace the cmos completely?

decisions decisions, any advice ?

Try Wet cleaning of the CMOS!

Smiffyman wrote in post #4276882
Hi,

I have a bit of a dilema, my ageing, but totally reliable 1DS has got 'dust like' marks on the cmos sensor. When I take landscape shots, especially with loads of sky, they are quite visible when the shots are blown up, and I end up spending hours retouching them in photshop. Its definatly not the usual dust, because I have had it cleaned and spent many a happy hour chasing stuff off the sensor in the past.

When I take my usual motorsport stuff its never a problem, but I'm beginning to think about getting it sorted out.

Do I :-

a) Replace the camera with a new body, could be expensive

or

b) put the body into Canon and get them to replace the cmos completely?

decisions decisions, any advice ?

Why not clean your sensor?

Here are some links on how to do it yourself:

• Cleaning Camera Sensors
  
• CCD/CMOS Cleaning
  
• Image Sensor Cleaning

why not sendin the camera to canon ?

Tried the sensorklear lenspen? I had marks that wet swabbing wouldn't remove but the pen got on the first attempt.

Wow, imagine having to replace a 1Ds every time the sensor got dirty

Try dust blower first if you have not tried (use a bulb, not canned air! )
If you have, then as above, Lenspen or wet cleaning.

Yea...I have seen this problem in the past. The camera is essentially useless now. Unfortunate. But I am here to help and will gladly buy it from you for parts. $500 sound OK? I'll even pay shipping.

Wet cleaning it will make life much better....not nearly as scary as everyone seems to make it out to be.

SensorKlear by Lenspen...only takes a few seconds...the difference is amazing.

Oh yeah...just for the hell of it...you might want to try a Rocket Blower on it...many times that will remove a majority of the dust bunnies!

It sounds as if the OP has done regular cleanings on the camera, but doesn't really specify if those were just with a blower or more intensive wet or dry methods.

One thing that occurs to me is that sometimes wet or dry cleaning can leave residues still on the filter over the sensor. Some types of wet cleaning can even introduce "water spots", and need to be followed up with an additional cleaning step.

So, why not take it to a local camera repair shop and have them look at it first? It's not in warranty, is it? If not, I see little benefit shipping it off to Canon. And most camera repair techs today should be fully up to speed on sensor cleaning for just about any D-SLR. They probably have lighting and magnification tools on hand to closely inspect the sensor, too.

It may be nothing serious... Just needs a little further cleaning. Or it might require more expensive attention. I would think a decent, local repair shop can probably tell you.... Perhaps even while you wait. At least then you would know what's involved.

Don't personally know of a camera repair shop in your area? Call some local pro photographers and see if they can recommend one.

Pretty sure Canon will be able to clean these spots out...perhaps they even have a way to clean the mirror box with a little vacuum cleaner (don't try this at home). I also own a 1Ds and have found the sensor (or at least the mirror box) to be quite a dust bowl.

When I bought it 2nd hand at the beginning of the year the sensor was in terrible condition. A clean at Canon fixed it up nicely. Over the ensuing couple of months some dust spots started to appear, but not worrying by any means. In recent months there's plenty of dust on the sensor I've taken a rocket blower at it and it's merely shifted dust around. My assumption is that all the dust is accumulated in the mirror box itself and cleaning the sensor itself only helps to a limited degree.

I reckon Canon is your best bet.

Hi again,

Thanks for the input, I have tried sensor swabs with the methanol, but I genuinly believe the marks or on the sensor face. Might try the pen next just to see if it helps.

Thanks for all the help

Dave

As an aside here, I doubt that any of the people complaining about having to fix dust spots in Photoshop have ever had the joy of hand spotting an 11X14 or 16X20 black and white enlargement with a fine sable brush and Spotone...

i used invisible dust on me 20D it works a treat!

yeoness wrote in post #4285108
i used invisible dust on me 20D it works a treat!

That's what most dust is until you see it in your pictures...

GBRandy wrote in post #4279050
Yea...I have seen this problem in the past. The camera is essentially useless now. Unfortunate. But I am here to help and will gladly buy it from you for parts. $500 sound OK? I'll even pay shipping.

I'll offer $525.