Scrrrrd noob needs help cleaning.....

[BuZzZeRkEr]

I swear, I only have the lens caps off for a seconds when I'm changing lenses, so I can't believe there is dust collecting my my camera body! My manual says to take my camera to a specialty shop for cleaning the mirror/sensor etc. but how many of you actually take it to the shop rather than clean it yourself? I've shot about slightly over 1,000 exposures and noticing that dust has built up in the camera body. Not much, but enough to notice when I was trying out a "noobs light box". here is what I saw....

Notice the most obvious dust spot in the top left corner on the end of the toe of the blue heel? :x

So I decided to take a shot of basically something completely white not worrying about focus etc...just to see how much dust is in the body. (yes my lens was cleaned of any dust particles prior to the following picture). Here is the shot....notice all the dust?

So it's time for me to get in there and clean the guts of my D40 for the fist time. So.....what cleaning equipment should I have and do you have any advice for a first timer. Thanks in advance.

 

[akazoly]

The same problem happen for me with D40X. I order some products and I have some suggestions (but keep in mind the CCD is very fragile!)

Watch this :

IF DUST DON'T LEAVE THE SENSOR (BLOWER METHOD) DO THIS:

1. Your camera has an Indium Tin Dioxid coat, is very fragile. Read this: http://www.bythom.com/cleaning.htm

2. I think you need a good quality brush (Photosol brushoff or VisibleDust Artic Butterfly). Don't touch the sensor with any other brush !!!

3. For wet clening use a special fluid for Indium Tin Dioxide, for example: Eclipse E2 and Swab Type 2.

4. Don't put more than two eclipse E2 fluid DROP on Swab ! Two drop is enough! More drop is fatal!

5. Touch the sensor like a pen on paper, without force. Much force and your filter scratch!

6. Charge your battery before cleaning. If battery fail, the mirror scratch. Your Nikon D40 tell you if battery not has enough power to keep the mirror up. The camera beep and the lamp is ON. Finish your cleaning! Don't wait more.. After 2 minute the mirror go back.

Visit and watch all video tutorials : http://www.photosol.com/

Try this cleaning order:

1. Blower
2. Brush method
3. Eclipse E2 fluid and Swab Type 2 (the last resort)

I think your dust is not sticky, the blower do the whole thing. Don't use Eclipse E2 if not need!
Keep in mind the low-pass filter is very fragile, I need to do the same thing this week. And I scare a bit

 

[GC Jr]

Hmm... Interesting. I haven't brought my camera to the specialty shop yet but that's because I only have one lens, lol. My birthday's coming up and I'm getting a 40mm-150mm lens so I'm sort of excited. :-D

 

[BuZzZeRkEr]

The same problem happen for me with D40X. I order some products and I have some suggestions (but keep in mind the CCD is very fragile!)

Watch this : http://youtube.com/watch?v=huOdzpl534k

IF DUST DON'T LEAVE THE SENSOR (BLOWER METHOD) DO THIS:

1. Your camera has an Indium Tin Dioxid coat, is very fragile. Read this: http://www.bythom.com/cleaning.htm

2. I think you need a good quality brush (Photosol brushoff or VisibleDust Artic Butterfly). Don't touch the sensor with any other brush !!!

3. For wet clening use a special fluid for Indium Tin Dioxide, for example: Eclipse E2 and Swab Type 2.

4. Don't put more than two eclipse E2 fluid DROP on Swab ! Two drop is enough! More drop is fatal!

5. Touch the sensor like a pen on paper, without force. Much force and your filter scratch!

6. Charge your battery before cleaning. If battery fail, the mirror scratch. Your Nikon D40 tell you if battery not has enough power to keep the mirror up. The camera beep and the lamp is ON. Finish your cleaning! Don't wait more.. After 2 minute the mirror go back.

Visit and watch all video tutorials : http://www.photosol.com/

Try this cleaning order:

1. Blower
2. Brush method
3. Eclipse E2 fluid and Swab Type 2 (the last resort)

I think your dust is not sticky, the blower do the whole thing. Don't use Eclipse E2 if not need!
Keep in mind the low-pass filter is very fragile, I need to do the same thing this week. And I scare a bit

thanks for the time you took to put together that excellent reply. Very helpfull! You just made my decision easy, I'm going to take it to the shop and watch 'em clean it for the first time and ask them to explain to me what they are doing . Hope they don't charge me too much! Thanks again!
-buzzz