XL2 Sensor cleaning

[MikeMike]

I want to purchase a cleaning kit for my Canon XL2 but don't want to spring for another Visible Dust 724 which got lost a while back. Is the size of the sensor smaller than that of a 1.6x size of my 20D? because on the visible dust website that seems to be the smallest size for the cleaning swabs. Anyhoo.. if anybody's able to lend me a hand please drop a post  

Mike

[smthopr]

I want to purchase a cleaning kit for my Canon XL2 but don't want to spring for another Visible Dust 724 which got lost a while back. Is the size of the sensor smaller than that of a 1.6x size of my 20D? because on the visible dust website that seems to be the smallest size for the cleaning swabs. Anyhoo.. if anybody's able to lend me a hand please drop a post   

Mike
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132437\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Mike,

I don't know much about cleaning kits, but I do know that the XL2 is a 3 chip camera. This means that the chips are behind a prism block and that the surface of the prism block is usually protected by some IR filter glass. Since the dust is not on the chip itself, it will not be in sharp focus, which is a good thing if you miss a spec.

You won't be cleaning the chips themselves (They are glued to the prism), just the IR filter. My guess is a cleaning technique will be found in the camera manual. I clean the lens port on my HD camera with a lens cleaning cloth and treat the filter glass as I would a very expensive lens surface. I like the microfiber lens cloths, and keep one clean in a baggie for the lens surfaces and the IR filter in the camera.

BTW, your chips are about 8mm measured diagonally. Quite a bit smaller than a 20D, but there are three chips instead of one.

happy shooting,
-bruce

[MikeMike]

Thanks Smthopr,

Thanks for the information! is this the IR filter? [attachment=2973:attachment] I know for a fact that dust is causing well, dust problems in my video. Would this be cleaned with an 8mm sensor brush?

Thanks again

[smthopr]

Thanks Smthopr,

Thanks for the information! is this the IR filter? [attachment=2973:attachment] I know for a fact that dust is causing well, dust problems in my video. Would this be cleaned with an 8mm sensor brush?

Thanks again
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132548\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Yup, that's the glass you'll be able to clean.

I've never used or seen a sensor brush, but I'll guess it should be safe for the glass as long as it's not contaminated with grit.

Does the glass look dirty to your eye? You could try blowing air on it with an ear syringe (you know those rubber bulbs that blow when you squeeze em), but I would be very cautious using canned air so that you don't blow the coolant onto the glass or have the nozzle fly out and scratch and damage it.

If the glass doesn't look dirty you may have another issue. Of course the lens should be clean!

-bruce

[MikeMike]

Hey thanks a lot there,

You've been very helpful!

Have a good one!,
Mike