Question # 2 Cleaning your camera

[digabella]

I have noticed that a bunch of my shots are showing up "dirt" or something on them. It doesn't matter what lens I use, they are still there. Oddly, they are not in every shot but if they are in the shot-they always look the same. All the dirt is in the same place. Is this something that I can clean myself or do I have to carry it somewhere to have it cleaned.

 

[bjornante]

Use some lens liquid! and blower to get deep, also a brush! and toothbrush.

Check out my blog if interested: bjornante

 

[Robin Usagani]

most of the time you dont need wet cleaning. All you have to do is take the lens off, raise your mirror by going to the cleaning mode. Blow the sensor with air squishy thing. The bigger the better.

 

[tirediron]

Use some lens liquid! and blower to get deep, also a brush! and toothbrush.

Check out my blog if interested: bjornante

I really hope that post is meant as a joke; if not is about the worst advice I've ever heard for cleaning a camera!

It sounds like the OP has a classic case of sensor dust... easy to clean as long as you're moderately careful:

Contrary to popular belief, cleaning your own sensor is easy, and difficult to screw up. You should have a few tools though. My preference is for the VisibleDust line of products, in particular the Arctic Butterfly; it's a little pricey, but worth it.

Get a Giottos rocket, DO NOT use one of those cheap blower bulbs with a built in brush. They're dust/lint traps. Remove the lens, and holding hte camera at a 45 angle with the lens opening pointing down, thoroughly blow out the mirror chamber. Now, lock up the mirror and clean off the sensor. Once you've blown off the "big chunks" use the Arctic Butterfly to clean off the small stuff following the instructions provided.

If that doesn't work, then you'll need to go to a wet cleaning system, which is a still easy to do. In ten years of digital photography, I've never had to use a wet cleaning system on any sensor.

Remember that you're not actually cleaning the sensor, you're cleaning the low-pass filter in front of the sensor which is usually made of mineral glass or other very tough material. It's actually quite difficult to scratch or damage. It is easy to get streaky if you **** up with a wet-cleaning system, but that's not permanent.
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[digabella]

Blow the sensor with air squishy thing. The bigger the better.

LOL! My mind sort of went all over on that one. What is the air squishy thing? Not computer air, right?

 

[Robin Usagani]

google Giottos rocket. It is cheap.. maybe like $9 on amazon.

 

[Josh66]

Take the body cap off, raise the mirror, dishwasher on the low heat option.



I always used the Copper Hill method - google it.

 

[digabella]

Thanks Tirediron. Very detailed (Which I definitely need). I will definitely check out the Arctic Butterfly and apparently, I need several things for cleaning. All I got with my camera is some liquid, qtips and a couple of cloths. I've never had to clean anything other than the lenses so that's always been sufficient. But definitely, thank you for the help. I don't have any camera shops around me and my d40x for dummies book says to not try to clean it yourself so I was a little freaked as to what to do. I thought this would happen, I finally get into shooting in manual and this horrible thing happens to my camera, Lol! Doesn't sound too horrible after all

 

[digabella]

Take the body cap off, raise the mirror, dishwasher on the low heat option.



I always used the Copper Hill method - google it.

:lmao:

 

[Josh66]

Seriously though - if a quick blow with a Giottos Rocket Blower doesn't do it, I go straight to a wet cleaning.

The wet cleaning is not something to be feared. Done properly, you will not have any issues. If you can follow directions, it should be pretty easy for you.

 

[jritz]

Use some lens liquid! and blower to get deep, also a brush! and toothbrush.

Check out my blog if interested: bjornante

This is probably the best blog i've ever seen ever!

 

[manaheim]

Sandblaster?

 

[imagemaker46]

One little mistake cleaning the sensor and you'll have more than a few little dust spots to worry about.

 

[Josh66]

One little mistake cleaning the sensor and you'll have more than a few little dust spots to worry about.

It's not that hard.

If you are able to follow very basic instructions (video tutorials are even available), you shouldn't have any problems.

If you don't trust yourself to do it, you could always pay someone else to do it for you. Just know that what it costs for someone else to do it is more than it would cost you to do it yourself for the next 10 years (or more).

Hell, I'll even clean your lenses for you, for a modest fee.

 

[Ginu]

I use a more conventional method... whenever the pressure washer comes out I use it on my sensors and lens. Does a pretty good job so far...