Bad dust... Shooting a wedding later today.

[RMThompson]

Ok, so maybe "shooting a wedding" is a bit dramatic, I'm shooting for a friend whose 63 year old mother in law is getting married at their home. Still, sensor dust is killing me, and they deserve the best photos I can take.

Yesterday during my normal shoot I noticed it was worse than normal. I've only had it cleaned once, because normally at low F-stops I never notice it. I am sure at the wedding in the house I'll have the f-stop stuck between 1.8-3.5, but STILL if anyone knows any methods to get this off of my D50, I'd love it. I'd much rather use this camera than my backup.

If anyone knows of any quick methods that don't require a bunch of drying time or something, let me know!

Here is a sensor test at f22 against the sky:

 

[Overread]

gah that is bad!
ok best method I use is the following:

1) set the camera up on a tripod - that way you have both hands free - the the tripod so that the camera his held with the lens opening downwards.

2) Take of the lens opening cover and also use the cameras manual cleaning mode (that will flip the mirror up and expose the sensor. Note that you must have well charged batteries in otherwise it won't let you)

3) Take a blower - NOT compressed air - I use a Giottos rocket blower - blow it a good few times in any direction away from the camera to just clean it out and make sure it won't blow dust into the camera.

4) use the blower to blow into the camera opening - make sure that you use one hand to hold the nozzle end so that it does not touch the sides and don't push it so far in that you end up touching the sensor. Make sure to pause and remove the blower every so often to allow dislodged particles to fall out of the case.
Spend some time over this and then see the results you get - anything not moved by that will need a more contact based cleaning kit

 

[dxqcanada]

This sensor cleaning kit from Photographic Solutions has had positive comments.

A blower would be handy also [as mentioned above].

 

[RMThompson]

Thanks guys. Im going to see if a local shop can handle it. If not, I can deal with it for today, because Ill be opened up most of the way and it doesn't show as much. Thank God for Photoshop!

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Just use a rocket blower, it will at elast get the squiggly ones out.

 

[RMThompson]

Well the local Ritz Camera is going out of business and had hardly anything... but they DID have one of those cheap blower things with the brush at the end. I dissasembled it and took the brush out, and used it as a blower. Here are my second tests. It seems the BIG piece moved.. we'll see if that's a good thing or a bad thing:

 

[captainkimo]

That was a big improvement, RMThompson. Did you find any dust particles in your viewfinder? Sometimes, when you use a blower, the dust in the sensor tends to transfer to the viewfinder (if that's the case, well at least, those particles won't be seen in the photos).

This website is a good reference for cleaning digital cameras.

Cheers!

Captain Kimo

 

[blash]

@RMThompson - what's that big bright spot in the middle of your picture?

 

[RMThompson]

@RMThompson - what's that big bright spot in the middle of your picture?

Not sure. I think its just a refraction from shooting in the full day. Reflection or something... but I didnt take any test shots after that at F22 to check!

 

[RMThompson]

That was a big improvement, RMThompson. Did you find any dust particles in your viewfinder? Sometimes, when you use a blower, the dust in the sensor tends to transfer to the viewfinder (if that's the case, well at least, those particles won't be seen in the photos).

This website is a good reference for cleaning digital cameras.

Cheers!

Captain Kimo

Yah in fact ive had dust in the viewfinder for a LONG time. I guess I should look into that too!

 

[Josh66]

Man, that's some bad dust.

I have to say - I never expected to see a 'sensor dust' thread from you. I guess I kind of expected you to already be on top of this. Get yourself a good sensor cleaning kit. There are many out there (though I like the Copper Hill kit).

Your second results look better, but not optimal. You need a wet cleaning - blowing on it can only get you so far.

After a properly done wet cleaning, it will be spotless.

 

[Josh66]

Yah in fact ive had dust in the viewfinder for a LONG time. I guess I should look into that too!

Not really a big deal. If you can see it through the viewfinder, it won't show in the pictures. It *might* find it's way onto the sensor some day, but other than that - I would just ignore it.

 

[RMThompson]

Man, that's some bad dust.

I have to say - I never expected to see a 'sensor dust' thread from you. I guess I kind of expected you to already be on top of this. Get yourself a good sensor cleaning kit. There are many out there (though I like the Copper Hill kit).

Your second results look better, but not optimal. You need a wet cleaning - blowing on it can only get you so far.

After a properly done wet cleaning, it will be spotless.

LOL Yeah Its one of those little things that I just never worried about, until it was too late. I keep telling myself that I am gonna buy a D90 soon, but until I book a few more paid clients it's not happening.

I'm getting a wet cleaning done soon, but the local camera store charges 65 bucks for it. I'm still debating on whether to do it with them, or to do it myself. I'm USUALLY a do it yourselfer, but I'm not sure yet.

If anything, this thread should be a lesson - I have a feeling a blowing after every other shoot would've been a good thing!

 

[Sw1tchFX]

I recomend finding a local camera repair shop and getting a really deluxe clean of your camera, viewfinder, sensor, and all.

 

[Moe]

Wow. *winces* Good luck. Considering your work, I, like O|||||||O, would have bet money that you would have a blower already.