Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: dwood on April 06, 2009, 08:26:54 pm
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To date, the only method I've used to clear dust of my camera's sensor is the old bulb blower method. The last batch of images I uploaded from a recent shoot had so much sensor dust on them that I was almost tempted to chuck the whole lot. I settled down a bit and just dug in there with the dust removal tools in LR but you get the picture. So, what works best for you folks in the battle against 'dust bunnies'?
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Take a look at:
http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com/ (http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com/)
http://www.copperhillimages.com/index.php?pr=Tutorials (http://www.copperhillimages.com/index.php?pr=Tutorials)
I have a Canon 1D Mk2 and 1Ds Mk2.
For everyday cleaning I use Visible Dust's Arctic Butterfly and a Giotto Rocket bulb blower.
For really dusty sensor or oil spots I use Copperhill method: Eclipse or E2 (depending on camera sensor), PecPads and appropriate sensor swab.
Paul
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Take a look at:
http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com/ (http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com/)
http://www.copperhillimages.com/index.php?pr=Tutorials (http://www.copperhillimages.com/index.php?pr=Tutorials)
I have a Canon 1D Mk2 and 1Ds Mk2.
For everyday cleaning I use Visible Dust's Arctic Butterfly and a Giotto Rocket bulb blower.
For really dusty sensor or oil spots I use Copperhill method: Eclipse or E2 (depending on camera sensor), PecPads and appropriate sensor swab.
Paul
Thanks Paul. I'll check out those links.
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For everyday cleaning I use Visible Dust's Arctic Butterfly
Another vote for the Arctic Butterfly.
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1. Rocket Blower
2. Eclipse fluid
3. Visible dust;
a. sensor swabs
b. Arctic butterfly
c. Sensor loupe
4. Scotch Magic Tape (green)
Hope this helps
Marc
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On my 5D I've tried Eclipse swabs and fluid, but have had the best results (and the easiest time cleaning the sensor) with a LensPen (http://www.lenspen.com/) and large Giotto rocket blower (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/259157-REG/Giottos_AA1900_Rocket_Air_Blower_.html).
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I may just be lucky, but with my 300d (DRebel) I didn't need any "wet" cleaning method, so far.
I just use the Pixel Sweeper (http://www.prime-junta.net/pont/How_to/a_Brush_Your_Sensor/a_Brush_Your_Sensor.html) method with great convenience and success.
Of course you can use an Arctic Butterfly for that if price is no issue.
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On my 5D I've tried Eclipse swabs and fluid, but have had the best results (and the easiest time cleaning the sensor) with a LensPen (http://www.lenspen.com/) and large Giotto rocket blower (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/259157-REG/Giottos_AA1900_Rocket_Air_Blower_.html).
Another vote for this setup. It's all I've ever needed for my M8.
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For 3 years with my first DSLR (Canon D60) and 4 years with a 1DMKII I have had great success with a cutdown rubber spatula covered with Pec Pads and moistened with Eclipse Fluid. I start with a picture of white paper well-lit on my desk top. I have found that the most convenient way of evaluating the dirt situation is not looking at the images on the computer display, but zoomed in on the camera's display. It saves time and simplifies the process.I usually use my 28-135mm lens, f/22, at 135mm, with the focus set at infinity.
I swipe the spatula from left to right, flip it, and swipe back from right to left. I then take another picture of the paper and re-exmine. The first set of swipes sometimes does the job. If not, I change the Pec Pad and repeat. So far, I have not damaged the AA filter, and it doesn't take long to determine the minimum amount of pressure to apply. My only mistake, which I try not to succumb to, is trying to get the last bit of dirt off the sensor. Invariably that results in new spots and great frustration. Don't forget that one or two tiny specks that show up at f/22 usually are not visible at most shooting apertures.
I have tried using the sensor brush, but apparently both the D60 and my copy of the 1DMKII have so much lubricant in the shutter box that the brush easily becomes contaminated and makes things much worse.
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Thanks for all the great input folks. Hopefully, I'll soon be on my way to a more consistently clean sensor.
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2 Drops of E2 on Swab
Swipe
Shoot defocused image of blank sky or wall at f22 and check
Repeat
I have only been able to use the rocket blower for very large dust--it does not touch most dust. When a camera is new and hasn't been cleaned before it can take a lot of swipes to get it clean (20x?), but once you have it under control it seems much easier.
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I've used a Photographic Solutions, Inc kit with good success over the past couple of years. photosol.com
Kit includes:
Swipes (sized to the sensor), I use #3 for my Sony a900
Light and loupe
Brush Off - sensor brush
Eclipse E2 solution
Pads, etc.