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Photo Forum / Digital Photography / DSLR Cameras / July 2006Yet another sensor cleaning thread
I'd like to update the group on my first experience using the "Copper Hill" method. I have owned a Canon 300D for about 1.5 years. I started noticing a couple of specs in f/11 and higher images recently so I decided it was time to clean the sensor. I took a test shot at f/22 of white wall and did an auto level adjustment in Photoshop to see how many pesky spots I had. I was quite surprised. There were too many to count, but I can say with some level of confidence that is was over 100. My first attempt with a Pec-Pad and Eclipse yielded great results. I counted about 30 spots. My second attempt took the number down to 10. The big offenders that showed up in f/11 are gone. At this point I was satisfied with the results and called it quits. The method was actually pretty easy. I was very careful not to contaminate the Pec-Pad. I found that if you lay one pad on your work area it can be used as a contanimate free place to rest an additional pad that will eventually go on the sensor swipe. Otherwise, it would have been difficult getting the pad on the sensor swipe without coming into contact with a contaminated object. Brian > I > started noticing a couple of specs in f/11 and higher images recently > so I decided it was time to clean the sensor. No it wasn't time to clean it, I'm the only person on this group who thinks dSLR sensors ever need to be cleaned or that dust can be a problem. Everyone knows sensor dust isn't something to be concerned with, except me?  SignatureStacey >No it wasn't time to clean it, I'm the only person on this group who thinks >dSLR sensors ever need to be cleaned or that dust can be a problem. >Everyone knows sensor dust isn't something to be concerned with, except me? Nonsense. Most people hate sensor dust. We just don't think of it as the ultimate deal-breaker. You want us all to bow down before Olympus and worship their self-cleaning sensor; but I can't bow, because my Canon works better in low light, and a few dark spots are better than an image filled with darkness to maintain a useable shutter speed. Besides, I don't get any dark spots in low light, because the lens is open too much for it to happen. In fact, most situations in which dust is a problem are situations in which the small aperture was totally unnecessary. A more intelligent auto-exposure/ISO mode could avoid those pesky pinhole apertures. Most of my "speck" images occur when I am in Tv mode and/or high ISO because of low light, and suddenly have to shoot in bright light (like an unexpected raptor above a clearing in the woods). Signature<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<> John P Sheehy <JPS@no.komm> ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<> <>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< > Canon works better in low light... Besides, I don't get any dark spots in > low light, because the lens is > open too much for it to happen. Yes, wide open - all the way to f/5.6 :( Those awesomely fast Canon lenses! Or do you have one of their f/6.3 models? No wonder Canon puts so much value on ISO ratings. HaHaHa Rob >>No it wasn't time to clean it, I'm the only person on this group who >>thinks [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > as > the ultimate deal-breaker. I agree. If it adds too much time in postprocessing, it's time for a cleaning session. I've only once 'had' to do a 'wet' cleaning session in several years, and it indeed also got rid of some of the spots that have been there since day one. I use VisibleDust brushes for regular cleaning, and I keep the brushes clean with alcohol and a PecPad. Since I rarely shoot at f/11 or smaller, the sky is one of the few areas that need checking for blobs. Photoshop CS2's Spot Healing brush tool works very fast there. Bart >I'm the only person on this group who thinks dSLR sensors ever need to be >cleaned or that dust can be a problem. Rubbish. Many, myself included, have experienced dirty sensors. You *are* the only person who treats it as A Big Thing, however. >Everyone knows sensor dust isn't something to be concerned with, except me? It's only "a problem" if you let it affect your images and/or your sanity. Most of us give a 10s blast with a Rocket or similar now and again and have few "problems". Brian has had his camera for 18 months and "the dust problem" was only noticed recently. Jeez, I had to clean crap out of my OMs more often than that! Al Signature[This space left intentionally blank] > It's only "a problem" if you let it affect your images and/or your > sanity. Most of us give a 10s blast with a Rocket or similar now and [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > noticed recently. Jeez, I had to clean crap out of my OMs more often > than that! Exactly. There were only two big offenders at f/11 and they weren't in sharp focus so they were barely noticeable. I don't even have that many shots at f/11 anyway. And like you said I've had the camera for a long time. I'd hardly call it a problem. I would have been content letting it go longer, but I had heard cleaning is simple if done correctly so I decided to give it try. Also, notice how I didn't bother getting 100% removal. It just wasn't that important to me. I don't plan on cleaning it again anytime soon. SNIP > I found that if you lay one pad on your work area it can be > used as a contanimate free place to rest an additional pad > that will eventually go on the sensor swipe. Otherwise, it > would have been difficult getting the pad on the sensor > swipe without coming into contact with a contaminated > object. I pull a PecPad out of the package, just holding it by the edge, and without laying it down I wrap it as suggested on the swipe. It's perfectly okay to touch the pad anywhere except for near the edge that'll get into contact with the sensor. Two drops of Eclipse and that's all, very fast. Bart > SNIP >> I found that if you lay one pad on your work area it can be [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Bart I've also reached a point where I can wrap a PecPad without putting the thing down, and the results, after some practice, are great. I can now get a sensor 100% clean on the first try. Often, using a blower just adds more spots, so I use the blower first to clean out the mirror and prism, and then attack the sensor with a swab after trying the blower. Never had much luck with those brushes. They just seem to move things around, and I have followed the directions. |
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