Clean the Mirror
- Thread Starter Dylan
- Start date
There are swab kits out there designed for cleaning which are kind of a spatula, paper cloths and some solvent. Air blowers are quite effective, but can make the matter worse by blowing the problem round the mirror onto the sensor.
Personally, what I do is lie on my back, hold the camera above my face and use a bulb blower gently... You'll get the dust all over you, but it should get it out the camera.
Generally, compressed air is not to be recommended due to the propellant having nasty properties and there usually being gunk in the tin.
Rob
Personally, what I do is lie on my back, hold the camera above my face and use a bulb blower gently... You'll get the dust all over you, but it should get it out the camera.
Generally, compressed air is not to be recommended due to the propellant having nasty properties and there usually being gunk in the tin.
Rob
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- Moderator 🛠️
- #7
Marks on the mirror will not affect the image at all, so unless the spot is so bad that you can't see through the viewfinder...it may be better to just leave it. That's the most typical advice. The mirror mechanism is fragile and you don't want to knock it out of alignment.
jacull
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Dylan,
My experience is more related to getting dust off of the sensor in digital cameras, but it could help if you absolutely feel it necessary to get the dust off of your mirror.
I have tried nearly every gadget and doodad on the market for dust removal. My goal was to find something that would take the dust off with little or no touching of the acutal elements needing cleaned. The very best product I have used isn't the cheapest thing out there, but I now consider it an essential part of my photo kit. It's called the Sensor Brush.
The Sensor Brush uses static energy built up in the bristles to literally pull the dust off as it is gently passed over your lens/sensor/mirror, etc. I could sit here and describe it, but I might as well point you to their website: http://www.visibledust.com/index.php
They have several products, but the Sensor Brush is the main item that does the trick. After trying so many methods of dust removal, this thing was like magic when I tried it. I couldn't believe the results.
Good luck!
JC
My experience is more related to getting dust off of the sensor in digital cameras, but it could help if you absolutely feel it necessary to get the dust off of your mirror.
I have tried nearly every gadget and doodad on the market for dust removal. My goal was to find something that would take the dust off with little or no touching of the acutal elements needing cleaned. The very best product I have used isn't the cheapest thing out there, but I now consider it an essential part of my photo kit. It's called the Sensor Brush.
The Sensor Brush uses static energy built up in the bristles to literally pull the dust off as it is gently passed over your lens/sensor/mirror, etc. I could sit here and describe it, but I might as well point you to their website: http://www.visibledust.com/index.php
They have several products, but the Sensor Brush is the main item that does the trick. After trying so many methods of dust removal, this thing was like magic when I tried it. I couldn't believe the results.
Good luck!
JC
- Thread Starter 🔹
- #9
Well I already cleaned it. The lens cleaning fluid.. alcohol. I applied a drop onto a lens cleaning cloth and gently wiped it out. It was filthy. I can still see some stuff in there but I'll leave well enough alone. I took three rolls of film today so if I can see the dirt in the pictures I'll turn it in to a pro to have it cleaned.
zx3guy2000
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I'm just curious on how the cleaning turned out? Did you have to bring it to a pro??? I've got some stuff on the inside of my Pentax ZX-30 that I can see when looking through the viewfinder.
This happened while I was away on vacation so half of the pics might have these 2 little black dots everywhere! *doh*
This happened while I was away on vacation so half of the pics might have these 2 little black dots everywhere! *doh*
Irminsul
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I've never tried to clean the sensor in my XT myself; I'll leave that to the professionals when the time comes. But one thing that works for me (for the mirror of my film camera and on the lenses of both the digital and film cameras) is a battery-driven InnoDesk air blower. It's inexpensive. I found it in a supermarket, of all places. It looks like one of those little hand-held vacuum cleaners, only smaller. The jet is not harsh or overblown; it comes out in broad but effective stream. It can be turned on/off by pressing gently on the power button, so you can control it almost like a bulb blower, except that you don't have to worry about it sucking in the dust and then blowing it back into the camera or lens. Works for me.
- Thread Starter 🔹
- #12
Well Big Mike was right, the dirt did not affect the picture. I was very gentle when cleaning the mirror and it seems no harm was done. It's still dirty but I guess I'll have to live with it. If I screwed up this camera</shudder> I don't think I could live with myself. It's amazing how stupid that was, oh I'll just stick this thingy in here and mess with the mirror. Ummm DOH. I'm a danger to myself sometimes.
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