Cleaning My Sensor on My 20D

I've had my 20D for about... 5 years now. I've never cleaned the sensor and I've heard mixed things over the past several years about how dust is probably caked on, beyond repair, don't do it yourself, etc.
My issue with my sensor is that whenever I shoot anything with an f/10 or smaller (f/12, f/14, etc) I get dust spots on my images. It's been this way for about 4 years now... suggestions?

I have a 30D, which is more or less the same, and just cleaned the sensor. I was surprised that it wasn't as difficult or intimidating as I had thought it would be. Give it a shot with pec pads and Eclipse.

Sarotchka wrote in post #11804828
I have a 30D, which is more or less the same, and just cleaned the sensor. I was surprised that it wasn't as difficult or intimidating as I had thought it would be. Give it a shot with pec pads and Eclipse.

+1

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any sort of home remedy or anything? I have another possible shoot Thursday and I want it ASAP

i wouldn't try any home remedy on my camera's sensor unless i have Eclipse, pec pad, sensor wand, and giottos rockt blower some where hidden in my attic.

dont try to blow air with your mouth, or use cotton bud, or something else to wipe the sensor, as they all will head for disaster.

if you try to do it your self, get the proper tools, see some of the sensor cleaning tutorials in youtube. if you are not feeling confident take it to canon or local camera shops to be cleaned by experts.

DanielLikesCars wrote in post #11806773
any sort of home remedy or anything? I have another possible shoot Thursday and I want it ASAP

You wait 5 years and now you want to do it ASAP? Better to get the proper cleaning gear and do it correctly and safely.

DanielLikesCars wrote in post #11806773
any sort of home remedy or anything? I have another possible shoot Thursday and I want it ASAP

Daniel,
The only thing I would recommend doing until you can get a valid cleaning kit is blowing off the surface with canned-air. This will remove all of the loose specks and maybe a few of the stuck-on specks. But you must follow these guidelines soas not to cause any problems:

•Don't shake the can beforehand; there's nothing to "mix.
•When spraying with it, keep it perfectly upright and move the object you're blowing NOT the can.
•Always let a little air out before spraying an optic. Propellant has a tendency to build up towards the valve and will come right out if the can has been sitting for a while
•Don't let the jet-straw get any closer to the sensor than 1" or 1½" or just inside the lens mount.
•Use very short bursts, no more than a one second shot; "freezing" will only occur when you use a prolonged stream of air.

Also, do not get carried away, IOW, give it 4 to 6 staccato blasts, then take a test shot and see the results. Repeat this process just one more time, if you've followed the tips above, this is about as good as you will do. BTW, Canon technicians use canned-air as part of their sensor cleaning regimen.

Nicholas
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I wouldn't waste time with rocket blowers. I've been cleaning the sensor on my 20D for the past 3 years with the same order of pec pads and eclipse. Just order it to have for the future. I now use the same stuff on my 5D. It lasts a long time.

If you're really impatient (after 5 years?) use compressed air like Nicholas mentioned, just be careful.

As a 30D owner that has cleaned my camera's sensor many times over the years I would agree you should wait until you get the correct materials. Sensor brush, canned air (to create a static charge on the brush. NOT TO USE INSIDE THE CAMERA!), blub blower, cleaning pads, and Eclipse cleaning solution. It isn't rocket science to clean a sensor and I am sure your sensor can be cleaned... just use the right tools.

John

When I used to own a 20D, I wouldn't travel anyware without my eclipse and pads. Must have cleaned the sensor at least 50 times. With landscape photography, there was no way around it.
By comparison, I owned a 40D for 3 years and cleaned it only once and only dry for one specific speckle.

I don't blow air and possibly even more dust into my camera but I use Eclipse fluid and Digi-Pads. Follow the instructions and you won't go wrong.

David

I'm going ahead and order the pads everything tonight.

DanielLikesCars wrote in post #11820877
I'm going ahead and order the pads everything tonight.

That's good - I hope it goes well. Please let us know how you get on.

After you've used the Eclipse fluiid, be sure to seal it well, as it evaporates very quickly and you'll want some left for next time.

David

And don't be a maniac. There's always some dust on the sensor. The ones you don't see in the pictures, don't bother.