camera sensor

canon23 · Feb 3, 2011

Stupid question but what is the camera sensor, is it the mirror on the body when u take of the lens?

nahtanoj · Feb 3, 2011

the sensor is behind the mirror. the mirror allows you to see through the lens at what you are going to shoot. the sound the camera makes when it takes the picture is mostly the mirror popping up to allow the sensor to be exposed and grap the image, then it (the mirror) slamming back into place.
take your lens off and look inside as you take a picture, you'll see what i'm talking about. don't stick your finger, or anything else in the way of the mirror or it'll break as it swings.

canon23 · Feb 3, 2011

Oh, i see. It's cause I saw about 8 spots on the bottom of the photo. You think I need to clean it? Or is it still negligible.

Big Mike · Feb 3, 2011

The Sensor is in exactly the same place that the film would be, if it were a film camera.

As mentioned, it's behind the mirror and the shutter (when looking into the front of the camera).

Yes, DSLR sensors will need to be cleaned from time to time...and if you aren't 'all thumbs', it's not too difficult to do yourself.

To see how much dust you have, put your camera into aperture priority mode and set an aperture of F22 (give or take). Then take a photo of a smooth uniform surface like a wall. Dust on the sensor will show up as grey specks or blobs.

Search the forum (or Google) for 'sensor cleaning' to find more info.

xjoewhitex · Feb 3, 2011

Just warning before you attempt this yourself with out actually researching. DO NOT touch the sensor with anything. Its a pretty easy procedure to do, ive cleaned mine out a few times now since ive had it removing all the spots.

Canon AE-1 · Feb 3, 2011

Do not attempt to clean it yourself unless you know Exactly what you are doing. You can easily damage it.

Patrice · Feb 3, 2011

xjoewhitex said:
Just warning before you attempt this yourself with out actually researching. DO NOT touch the sensor with anything. Its a pretty easy procedure to do, ive cleaned mine out a few times now since ive had it removing all the spots.

Canon AE-1 said:
Do not attempt to clean it yourself unless you know Exactly what you are doing. You can easily damage it.

In my opinion these two guys are going a bit too far with their tales of woe.

Your owner's manual describes the procedure to use for cleaning the image sensor. If you follow the instructions and use some common sense your sensor will 'survive' many cleanings.

First use a gentle stream of air to clean the loose dust. If there are dust bunnies actually stuck to the sensor then you will have to 'touch' it to clean it. The trick is to wipe it with the right stuff and in the right way. Look at purchasing sensor cleaning supplies and follow the packet instructions.

There are many millions of interchangeable lens digital cameras in use. Nearly all of them will likely need more than just a few sensor cleanings. Now, how many corner mom and pop shops have you seen offering 'expert manufacturer trained sensor cleaning services', ... very few.

Don't be afraid to clean your camera sensor. It's something that needs to be done on a semi regular basis so you might as well figure out how to do it.

So, come on guys, stop with the fear tactics and just advise beginners that the sensors can be safely cleaned by the owner if the correct products and techniques are used. It's not rocket science or witchcraft.

Sonoma · Feb 3, 2011

Here is a link to a little more information on camera sensors..........

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-photo-gallery/219125-dslr-sensors-guide.html

My camera(Canon 350d) has built in sensor cleaning. It's in the menu. I don't know how well it works compared to other methods, but it's worth looking into.