5D Sensor cleaning

Scarecrow · Oct 23, 2011

Anyone here ever clean their own sensor? I have a 5D and there is a piece of dust or hair on the sensor. Not all my photos but most of them you can make it out like a hairline crack or something. I hear it is a tad bit difficult to do and was told take it to a camera shop. How long does it take for this procedure to be done and what is the cost. Currious because I'm not any place I can drop it off at right now.

MLeeK · Oct 23, 2011

There are a ton of tutorials on the web for cleaning your own sensor. If you prepare, buy the proper tools for doing it? it's not that bad to do. I'd flip the mirror up and open the shutter for cleaning and see first if there is something (hair) you can actually see and blow out with a blower... if you have one. If not you can buy a bulb syringe in the drug store. DO NOT use canned air.
To send off for cleaning will probably put you 2 weeks or so without a camera. Time to ship there, clean and ship back. Count on 3 weeks. Be happy when it comes back in about 2 weeks time.
If you can get into a camera shop? THey'll do it while you wait.

Scarecrow · Oct 23, 2011

awesome thanks Leek there are tons of shops here in Tokyo and I will be hitting Hong kong soon as well. " Taking orders who wants what "and where are some good places to go shooting at in Hong kong? I'm looking at night shots and scenic pics of the city and historical sites.

MLeeK · Oct 23, 2011

I just want to be there instead of here! Very jealous! LOL!

Big Mike · Oct 24, 2011

Cleaning the sensor is something that needs to be done with every DSLR camera, sooner or later. It's not hard to do, so I'd suggest doing it yourself rather than paying someone else to do it.

There are three basic levels of cleaning. First is with air. As mentioned, don't used compressed or canned air...get yourself a bulb blower. The best ones are the 'rocket' type blowers that have the intake at the bottom. Activate the camera's cleaning mode (mirror up, shutter open) and blow the dust out while holding the front of the camera downward.

The next level (if that doesn't work), is a physical dry cleaning with a brush. You can buy sensor brushes like the Arctic Butterfly, from a company called Visible Dust. They aren't cheap, but you can use them over and over again. Pretty easy to use, just charge them up (they spin to generate static electricity), then brush the sensor to remove dust.

If that doesn't get it off, then you'll need to do a wet cleaning. You can buy 'sensor swabs' and cleaning fluid. You put a drop of fluid on the swab, the swipe it across the sensor, flip it and swipe again.

It's actually pretty easy. People think that the sensor is really delicate, but really, you are just cleaning the window/filter that sits in front of the sensor...so it's not really all that delicate.

Scarecrow · Oct 24, 2011

damn some idiot told me to just take the lens off and spray air inside the body. Unfortunately I have done that before. I don't think I messed anything up as my shots are still crisp and clear. So being as Im on a ship in the middle of the ocean right now. Would a surange work just as well for bulb blower?

Big Mike · Oct 24, 2011

The problem with sprayed air is that it's not just air. Canned air often has a propellant in it and any sort of compressed air can have condensation. You don't want that stuff in your camera. Also, while the high pressure air may blow dust off of your sensor...it will also kick up all sorts of dust...some of which might find it's way onto your sensor.

I guess that a syringe might work in place of a blower blub. You'll have to make sure your 'nozzle' is not too small and not too big, so you get a nice blast of air that could remove some dust.