Can I use compressed air on the part of the lens that connects to the camera and can I use it on the sensor/mirror area of the camera? If I can or cannot, what is the PSI that I could use from a compressor to clean the dust out of those areas?
I wouldn't recommend it. Compressed air will usually bring some moisture with it...which you really don't want on your lens...and you certainly don't want on your sensor. Also, it would be fairly easy to damage your mirror or shutter with too much PSI. In fact, it's not even recommended that you use that compressed air in a can when cleaning inside your camera.
You have to keep the can at an angle that water dosent come out and move your camera around to get the dust out. My teacher this semester showed me how to do it with out fing up my sensor. Works good but you can mess up your sensor if you do it wrong. You should get the swabs and liquid cleaner.
Yeah I figured as much, thats why I never saw a thread about it anywhere, makes sense. I'm going to go in to buy a cleaning kit today and take my camera in to see what they can do for the sensor and how long it will take.
You can safely use something like this, however... Giottos Rocket (large) completely safe air blower for lenses & sensors (clicky) I have one and it really sends out a good blast of air.
You can use compressed air to clean your lenses. There is no moisture in it. It is compressed tetrafluoroethane.
Though there is no water in the tetrafluoroethane (R-134a, eg Sara Lee Endust, Dust-Off Special Applications and many others) or difluoroethane (R-152a, "Dymel", eg standard Dust-Off), it does come out cold because it is evaporating and expanding (exactly how it works as a refrigerant) and it can, therefore, cause condensation in certain circumstances - though that may not matter. It could also cause local thermal stress.The usual reason for the warnings may be more to do with the speed, and hence the force, of the jet. Neither of these things are problems if the nozzle is kept sufficiently far from a delicate surface, but you don't need the force of 'canned air' for delicate surfaces, so why not just stick with an eco-friendly, airline-safe bulb like the Giottos Rocket already mentioned? Best, Helen
I think that the Compressed air in question, is actually air, from a shop type air compressor for running tools and filling tiers, which will contain moisture most of the time (just from humidity), But you are correct about the can type electronics spray.
Shop type air compressors are bad for condensation--that's why they have drain plugs on the bottom of the tank . . . to drain the water out. I use my shop compressor to dust off negatives and around my enlarger, however. For the negatives, I adjust the regulator down to around 30psi and don't hold the nozzle right up close to the negatives or enlarger. Jeff
I'd like to think that anyone who's used the stuff once or twice has the sense to avoid "certain circumstances." Who knows, perhaps I should just stick to being a cynic.
Shop compressors? Not only do they contain moisture, but often oil. I would not suggest that at all. I bought the Giotto rocket blaster and if you cannot get it off with that and are someone of limited experience with this, its time to send in the camera for a cleaning. Better to pay for a cleaning than a new sensor.
