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Photo Forum / Digital Photography / DSLR Cameras / October 2006Canon 20D Sensor Cleaning - Comments Please
Hi All, After reading everywhere I could find about information on cleaning the CCD sensor I decided to order what I read was the best kit. It consisted of the Sensor Swabs and Eclipse Optic Cleaning solution. The instructions said to place a couple of drops on the end of the swab and run the swab over the sensor with firm pressure, turn the swab 180 degrees and rub back the other way. After doing this once I discovered that I had two new spots in a different place. I took a pic focused way in against the blue sky and the spots were visible on the camera viewer especially when I zoomed in. I then opened another swab since it said not to use one twice and repeated the procedure. Still a few spots in new places. I decided to do what was not recommended and took an almost empty can of compressed air for optic purposes and blew a few short bursts across the sensor. I practiced a few times first just to make sure no freon spray would come out. I also didn't use the thin plastic tube attached to the can, just the can only. I then checked using the same test and the dust spots were all gone. I pulled the CF card and downloaded the image to my computer to look in more detail. The spots were all indeed gone and I used my 20D this weekend with no problems. So, my purpose for this posting is to get others opinions on cleaning the sensor where you had excellent results since I followed most of what I read and didn't get good results. What sucessful methods have you used on your sensor? Thanks Joey > Hi All, > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > compressed air for optic purposes and blew a few short bursts across the > sensor. I'm surprised that worked after swabbing, and that suggests it might have been enough without swabbing. I know that if there's a bunch of dust swabbing just pushes it back & forth, so I got a sensor brush (static charged with canned air) after wasting a bunch of swabs. Eventually some gets glued on but most will come off with a brush. I just got a dime-store makeup brush, it works! > I practiced a few times first just to make sure no freon spray > would come out. I also didn't use the thin plastic tube attached to the [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Joey  SignaturePaul Furman http://www.edgehill.net/1 Bay Natives http://www.baynatives.com I normally take an out of focus shot 1st to get an idea where the major dust spots are. Then I go ahead and blow it with a rocket. Take a couple more shots and then if I need to take the eclipse and swab. 1 swipe in each direction using both sides of the swab (dont want to use the dirty side to go back over the sensor protecter). Take a couple more shots and see if I got everything. Remember that the sensor shows things 180 degrees oppposite of where you would expect to see the specs. If you see them on the left, then the dust is on the right side of the sensor. 10/9/2006 8:36:46 PM Paul Furman <paul-@-edgehill.net> wrote in message <i8BWg.14489$7I1.9868@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net> > > Hi All, > > > > After reading everywhere I could find about information on cleaning the > > CCD sensor I decided to order what I read was the best kit. It > > consisted of the Sensor Swabs and Eclipse Optic Cleaning solution. The > > instructions said to place a couple of drops on the end of the swab and > > run the swab over the sensor with firm pressure, turn the swab 180 [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > > > Joey Always try blowing FIRST ... with a clean, dry ear syringe or a Rocket Blower. I have several DSLRs and so far have only cleaned the sensors with air. Works for me. > Always try blowing FIRST ... with a clean, dry ear syringe or a Rocket > Blower. > > I have several DSLRs and so far have only cleaned the sensors with air. > Works for me. Charles, Looks like I might have wasted some money with the swabs since air looks like the best choice for cleaning. I'm just wondering why there has not been an honest discussion here about the best way to clean the sensor which apparently is with air? Joey >> Always try blowing FIRST ... with a clean, dry ear syringe or a Rocket >> Blower. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > been an honest discussion here about the best way to clean the sensor > which apparently is with air? As to "honest discussion" here re this tedious subject, there has been tons over the last six months. There's not exactly a consensus, and among the honest opinions, there'd be some that are flat out wrong, some that are facetious, and a few that are far out. Signaturejohn mcwilliams >>> Always try blowing FIRST ... with a clean, dry ear syringe or a >>> Rocket Blower. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > among the honest opinions, there'd be some that are flat out wrong, > some that are facetious, and a few that are far out. At's right Mr McWms. Joey, the best way to clean the sensor is with prophylaxis: what you don't got, you don't got to cure; howsomeever, if we want to fulfill the expectations of our dSLR bodies, we gots to change lenses. That means the body cavity is exposed to pernicious influences. A shot of air on the outside of the camera-lens interface prior to exposure, and careful dodgery of airborne partickles may be of benefit. Most of the stuff floating around won't stick to your sensor. Air will knock it off. A rocket blast with the opening faced to enjoy the effect of gravity as an aid may be all that is ever necessary. As soon as something gets stuck, you're in risky territory. Proceed with measured force: if unstaticky brushes fail, then it may be necessary to whip out the big guns: fluids and swabs. Me? I got 'em all, but in three-and-a-half camera-years of sometimes undisciplined use and lens-swapping, the prophy and dislodge Rocket blast are all that have been necessary. It's a _dry_ heat. SignatureFrank ess Left Coast, down low >> Always try blowing FIRST ... with a clean, dry ear syringe or a Rocket >> Blower. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > been an honest discussion here about the best way to clean the sensor > which apparently is with air? Some dust motes apparently adhere to the surface (based on posts that I have read). I have not experienced that yet. I purchased an artist's brush that I intend to use if I run across this problem. I am reticent to swab my sensors. >> Always try blowing FIRST ... with a clean, dry ear syringe or a Rocket >> Blower. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >> >Charles, >Looks like I might have wasted some money with the swabs since air looks >like the best choice for cleaning. I'm just wondering why there has not >been an honest discussion here about the best way to clean the sensor >which apparently is with air? It has an interesting history. I believe that Canon (and possibly Nikon) has always recommended an air blower. But we camera fiends always know better, so folks decided that swabbing was better -- probably because that is how we clean lens surfaces. so for quite a while swabbing was king. But the high price of swab kits started folks thinking again about air blowers. So now the pendulum is swinging to air blowers. My advice, worth what you paid for it, is to start with an air blower. I doubt it will do any harm and if it fixes things, great. You can always go to swabs later. Just be careful about compressed air, canned or from a tank. ---- Paul J. Gans SNIP >>Looks like I might have wasted some money with the swabs since >>air looks like the best choice for cleaning. I'm just wondering why [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > It has an interesting history. I believe that Canon (and > possibly Nikon) has always recommended an air blower. See <http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0610/tech-tips.html> last topic, for a comment from Chuck Westfall. SignatureBart > SNIP > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > See <http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0610/tech-tips.html> last > topic, for a comment from Chuck Westfall. Thanks Bart, this was a very useful site. Joey >SNIP >>>Looks like I might have wasted some money with the swabs since [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >> It has an interesting history. I believe that Canon (and >> possibly Nikon) has always recommended an air blower. >See <http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0610/tech-tips.html> last >topic, for a comment from Chuck Westfall. The sites he recommends all seem to go with the equivalent of pec pads and solvents... ---- Paul J. Gans >> SNIP >>>> Looks like I might have wasted some money with the swabs since [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > The sites he recommends all seem to go with the equivalent > of pec pads and solvents... I use the Visible Dust products on my 20D. Works good. Uses air but only on the brush, not into the camera. Phil SNIP >>> See <http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0610/tech-tips.html> >>> last topic, for a comment from Chuck Westfall. >> >> The sites he recommends all seem to go with the equivalent >> of pec pads and solvents... And Sensor brushes. > I use the Visible Dust products on my 20D. Works good. Uses air > but only on the brush, not into the camera. Having read many reports on the subject, I decided to get brushes and the Copperhill swipe, even before my first DSLR arrived several years ago. The Visible Dust brushes get most of the dust with minimal pressure on the AA-filter assembly. The more sticky/fused kind of debris needs slightly more friction/pressure and 2 drops of solvent, after which the brushes are great again for intermediate interventions. SignatureBart OK, the ear syringe I figured out, what is the Rocket Blower ???? > Always try blowing FIRST ... with a clean, dry ear syringe or a Rocket > Blower. > > I have several DSLRs and so far have only cleaned the sensors with air. > Works for me. > OK, the ear syringe I figured out, what is the Rocket Blower ???? http://www.geocities.com/ritaberk2006/sensor.htm Rita > OK, the ear syringe I figured out, what is the Rocket Blower ???? > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > I have several DSLRs and so far have only cleaned the sensors with air. > > Works for me. Rita is kidding... of course. It's more like this "Giotto": http://www.2filter.com/prices/products/rocket.html I'm told there is one with a filter. I haven't seen it yet. Marcel > So, my purpose for this posting is to get others opinions on cleaning > the sensor where you had excellent results since I followed most of what > I read and didn't get good results. What sucessful methods have you > used on your sensor? Thanks So far I just use a blower bulb with the straw from a can of compressed air to direct the pressure at small areas. I hold the camera up with the lens opening down (in the hope that more dust will fall out than fall in). It usually takes 3 - 4 tries to get all the dust. If I'm down to 1 or 2 small dust motes (in oof test images at f/22) then I let it be 'til next time. I've built a device using a tupperware pot with a hole for the lensmount of the camera in the lid and a plastic tube from outside the pot poking through into the pot and up into the camera. I attach a vacuum to the pot. This evacuates the pot and causes air to be drawn into the tube and directs a blast at the sensor. Dust comes out of the camera, falls into the pot and gets drawn into the vaccum. Extra holes in the pot act to reduce the pressure differential. I haven't tested it on the camera yet, just on a "mockup" (a glass with some debris in it). Works very well. Anyone got an obsolete DSLR to donate for testing? (I really don't want to screw up my one DSLR during tests). I will also replace the plastic tubing with copper in order to be sure that I'm not directing static charged air at the sensor. Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch. |
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