Im a Witt's End

YoungPic · Apr 2, 2007

I've had 3 attempts at a sensor cleaning both dry and wet, I've used a cue tip wrapped in lens tissue with a small bit of lens cleaner, not much and it leaves streaks. I've tried using a lens cloth and it leaves fibers, the sensor right now isn't scratched or damaged but its streaky and theres fibers showing up on my prints, am i doing something wrong? what should i be doing to clean the sensor please help for the last time.

j_mcquillen · Apr 3, 2007

Check out the links below for a few guides to cleaning sensors - note that I'm a film user, so haven't done this myself and therefore refuse to be held responsible for any damage that occurs as a result!

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/sensor-cleaning.shtml

http://www.bythom.com/cleaning.htm

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/prophoto/sensorcleaning.mspx

Olympus8MP · Apr 5, 2007

take it to a professional. I'm scared to even open the shutter with the lens off...

EOS_JD · Apr 9, 2007

Wow you may have damaged the filter doing that!!! Copperhill Method works very well. You need to be careful although itr's really not very difficult.

Eclipse fluid and pecpads the right size for your sensor will sort this out.

Olympus - it really is easy

Although to do as YoungPic is doing is a bit crazy.... this is still sensitive equipment. You need to purchase the proper tools for the job.

Funky · Apr 9, 2007

you touched your sensor!?!? wow, thank jeebus i have a self cleaning sensor, if i didnt and it got dirty, i would take it to be cleaned. its like the 1st rule i learnt when i got my camera, never touch the mirror, and never touch the sensor.

RedDevilUK · Apr 9, 2007

i dont know how much a pro charges for cleaning... but i think i would feel happier letting someone else do it

xfloggingkylex · Apr 9, 2007

Funky said:
you touched your sensor!?!? wow, thank jeebus i have a self cleaning sensor, if i didnt and it got dirty, i would take it to be cleaned. its like the 1st rule i learnt when i got my camera, never touch the mirror, and never touch the sensor.

then you'll be pretty sad to find out that only the olympus system is actually effective for sensor cleaning.

It's a bummer for all of us with self "cleaning" sensors.

Olympus8MP · Apr 9, 2007

xfloggingkylex said:
then you'll be pretty sad to find out that only the olympus system is actually effective for sensor cleaning.

It's a bummer for all of us with self "cleaning" sensors.

hehe

I'm happy then!! The Olympus cleaning system has sticky traps to catch the dust it vibrates off of the sensor!

xfloggingkylex · Apr 9, 2007

Olympus8MP said:
hehe I'm happy then!! The Olympus cleaning system has sticky traps to catch the dust it vibrates off of the sensor!

so does my pentax, but only the Olympus system is actually effective at removing dust from the sensor. no point in sticky traps if it never falls of the sensor!

EDIT: http://pixinfo.com/en/articles/ccd-dust-removal/

Olympus8MP · Apr 9, 2007

thanks.. that was a very informative article.

Sorry If we've hijacked the thread...

I still recommend a professional cleaning. They are relatively cheap and should be of good quality

xfloggingkylex · Apr 9, 2007

If you have a streak on your sensor, you need to either do a correct wet clean (using materials from the links above, or take it to a pro, shouldn't cost a fortune and you know you'll get it right (shoot at a low aperture to be certain).

Also, as you can see in that article, a bulb blower is the number 1 defense against dust, as it removed most of the dust from the experiment.

And, as shown by the article, you aren't really protecting the sensor by having a dust removal system in your camera, Olympus does the best, removing what looks to be almost 50% of the dust eventually. Still, nothing beats the blower (besides chemical cleaning)

RacePhoto · Apr 10, 2007

YoungPic said:
I've had 3 attempts at a sensor cleaning both dry and wet, I've used a cue tip wrapped in lens tissue with a small bit of lens cleaner, not much and it leaves streaks. I've tried using a lens cloth and it leaves fibers, the sensor right now isn't scratched or damaged but its streaky and theres fibers showing up on my prints, am i doing something wrong? what should i be doing to clean the sensor please help for the last time.

Is Witt's End near Frustration Point? :lmao:

This is going to be a little harsh, but what you did was make three attempts to ruin your camera.

A two minute search on the web, or asking here, would have told you never use a lens tissue or lens cloth, because it will leave more crap behind than you had when you started.

Now for the good news. I clean my own 10Ds, I know others who clean their Nikons and Canons every morning in the press room. None of this has ever scratched or ruined a camera sensor.

First. Get an air bulb. Don't touch that lens! Blow the dust off...

You need pecpads, a cleaning solution which is nothing more than very pure alcohol, residue free, and a rubber spatula the right size for your sensor. This means, the identical size for your sensor.

The way it works is, you put about one drop, maybe two of cleaning solution on a new pecpad, mounted on the soft rubber tip. Wipe once across the sensor, in one direction, angle the holder, then once the other direction, while never letting the same side of the pad touch the sensor. Then throw it away.

If you have to do it again, you get out a fresh pad, and do the same. You NEVER touch the surface of the sensor filter twice with the same pad or pad surface. You never muck about with swabs or swirls or anything but once across.

What you will pay for the kit, with the chemicals, pads, spatula and blower, is about the same as you can pay for one cleaning. Maybe less. If you send it in to the maker, you'll pay five times more than the kit and won't have your camera while it's waiting to be cleaned.

This isn't rocket science or brain surgery. But it needs to be as close as you can get to being very, very, dust free and clean.

The only way you can scratch a sensor is by dragging the same dust and crud, over the sensor, with more than one smooth wipe, one direction only. Using a lens cloth or q-tip with lens tissue for example. :grumpy:

Buy the kit, only if you can read and follow directions, TO THE LETTER, if not, take it in, and be free of worries.

Hope everything works out for you. The stage you are at now, is that you have deposited more and more junk on the lens with each improper cleaning, and possible scratched the sensor as well.

BabyBlue · Apr 10, 2007

I used to have the same problem until I learned how to clean lens properly.

_________________________
Rick
Pontiac Torrent 2006 Catalog

EOS_JD · Apr 10, 2007

just a point - you can't damage the sensor by cleaning. There's a filter on top of the sensor that protects it. What you are cleaning is the filter

RacePhoto's post is basically the same as mine with regards the cleaning option.

It's very easy and quick. A quick swipe across the filter and done.

Warehouse Express sell the Eclipse Fluid and PecPads.

YoungPic · Apr 10, 2007

well i tried one last time and i did a dry and wet cleaning and i took about 30 min to do so and was reeally careful then shot some at a ehole range op apetures, shutter speeds, and quality's (JPEG and RAW) and there was no sign of any damge or dirt, streakes or residue on the sensor

, finally normal camera life is resotres, i was freaking for aobut a month casue i couldnt fix it, i wont make the same mistake(s) again, thanks for all the replies also