what is best sensor dust cleaning tool ?

picard wrote in post #10130636
What do you guys think of firefly air blower? This thing blows ion charged air into sensor to lift charged dust particle away from the sensor.

http://www.nrdfirefly.​com/default.aspx

Gimmick... There are countless products on the market of questionable value in sensor cleaning. A good number of products are marketed to take advantage of the rampant dust paranoia perpetuated by forums like this one.

gjl711 wrote in post #10172833
The rocket is almost a necessary part of SLR photography. No matter what cleaning method you choose, the first step should be to begin with the rocket.

I'm the heretic here when I say I found the rocket blower of little use for sensor cleaning. I find it made a better cat toy... Instead, I use canned air for removing the stubborn crud followed up with a SensorKlear pen.

JWright wrote in post #10177718
I'm the heretic here when I say I found the rocket blower of little use for sensor cleaning. I find it made a better cat toy... Instead, I use canned air for removing the stubborn crud followed up with a SensorKlear pen.

So do I. So do Canon's techs.

The simple fact is any handheld blower has too little power and is too hard to point when you're blowing.

Yes, "canned air" isn't air but rather compressed gas and it can leave a deposit on your sensor if you don't use it correctly.

But even then, so what? A simple pass with any wet cleaning product will remove it.

And anyway, most new cameras develop spots on their sensors from in-camera lubricants. There's no chance in the world that you can ever blow these off with a Rocket Blower or canned air or anything short of a fire hose. Oil blobs require wet cleaning.

-js

I wet clean only. I used to blow with the red rocket, but found it just moved it around, like a leaf blower just moves leaves around. you still have to get a rake and a wheelbarrow if you want the leaves out of the yard. After I had to get the prism cleaned out after some overzealous air cleaning, I stopped using anything but the wet cleaners.
Those of you with self cleaning sensors also have an adhesive strip in there that is supposed to latch onto the dust that gets shaken onto it. I think blowing on the strip releases dust that has been annointed with adhesive- great thing to have in your box, thanks canon.

birdfromboat wrote in post #10180122
I wet clean only. I used to blow with the red rocket, but found it just moved it around,...

Keep in mind that even the wet clean folks recommend that the first step is to blow off the sensor minimizing the risk that something is on the sensor that can scratch.

gjl711 wrote in post #10180141
Keep in mind that even the wet clean folks recommend that the first step is to blow off the sensor minimizing the risk that something is on the sensor that can scratch.

I should probably say that my first step is checking to see that I really need a cleaning. I set up a neutral gray screen in photoshop, set the camera for the tightest f stop my lens will give me, and make an exposure of the screen, moving the camera around so I am not recording a picture of the fingerprints on my computer.
The image recorded will show the dust on the sensor in pretty good focus and you are right, if anything looks like a metal shaving or a grain of sand, I blow first. heck, if the camera looks pretty sanitary and theres not that much on the sensor, I still give it a very gentle puff or two and call it good.
honestly, since I gave up primes (it was fun, and you can't beat the IQ, but changing lenses in the rain, in a dusty gym, on a boat, in a crowd, in the dark etc. just plain was a hassle) I haven't experienced near the dust trouble I used to have. I only feel the need to clean the screen maybe every other month or three.

do you guys face the camera up when cleaning the sensor using the lenspen?

Ok I just got my Giottos Rocket Blower (Super Size) and did multiple cleaning on the sensor, it only took off the biggest dust on the sensor, possibly added small ones and took off other small ones.

I may need to resort to touching the sensor cleaning method should I wish to keep my sensor very clean. But its better than before though. The big dust is now gone but theres still minor specs, though may not be visible on the photos.

pinoyplaya wrote in post #10198862
... though may not be visible on the photos.

You can check quite easily if it will be noticeable.

1. Set the camera to Av and the f/stop to f/22 or higher.
   
2. Take a pic of a uniformly lit surface, like a clear blue sky, a blank wall or even a blank word document.
   
3. Make sure the lens is as unfocused as possible. If your shooting the sky, focus as close as possible.
   
4. When you take the pic, wiggle the camera as well. You want a nice blurry pic.
   
5. Now take a look at the pic. You'll see the dust pop right out. It should be easy to see.
   
6. Now repeat the process but at f/11, f/8, or the highest aperture you normally shoot at. Compare the pics. Most/all of the specs should have disappeared leaving only the ones that will be noticeable in photos. Those are the ones to make sure you get off.

gjl711 wrote in post #10198923
You can check quite easily if it will be noticeable.

1. Set the camera to Av and the f/stop to f/22 or higher.
   
2. Take a pic of a uniformly lit surface, like a clear blue sky, a blank wall or even a blank word document.
   
3. Make sure the lens is as unfocused as possible. If your shooting the sky, focus as close as possible.
   
4. When you take the pic, wiggle the camera as well. You want a nice blurry pic.
   
5. Now take a look at the pic. You'll see the dust pop right out. It should be easy to see.
   
6. Now repeat the process but at f/11, f/8, or the highest aperture you normally shoot at. Compare the pics. Most/all of the specs should have disappeared leaving only the ones that will be noticeable in photos. Those are the ones to make sure you get off.

Yea I did this on plain white surface. I just did it on the sky and its semi visible especially at small apertures. Ill upload photos later. I will use the rocket blower again after I take a shower in the bathroom so that all the dust is gone from the bathroom. Though I wont do it when there's still fog in the bathroom though.

Here's one at f/22

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