Sensor Cleaning - Product Review

Trever1t · Mar 17, 2011

I received the following product yesterday.

Amazon.com: LensPen SensorKlear Loupe Kit w/SensorKlear II: Everything Else

When I got home I took my body into the bathroom as it's most likely the least dust infested room in my house, layed the Sensorloupe over the lens openeing and peered in, mirror raised (after using a Giotto Rocket to blow out the Mirror Box).

I could see a few dust specks.

Here's my procedure:

Blow out the sensor area with the Giotto rocket
Inspect with loupe
carefully use sensor pen to dislodge stuck specks.
blow out the sensor box
repeat

Now after all that I've got it maybe 80% cleaner. When I take a picture stopped down and lens set to infinity while photographing a bright white pices of paper and then loading into PS and using auto levels can I see the specks...like 2 or 3 of them.

I called a Nikon service center to ask about their pricing and was told ~$54 for the cleaning plus $25 to ship (they're a couple hours away). They told me they'd receive and ship in one day.

I'm considering giving the swabs a shot. I'd much rather learn to do this myself than be dependant on another.

Just how tough are the filters that cover the sensor?
What about the coating?

I'd like to hear from those of you that clean your own sensors and I'd like to hear from those of you that have accidently screwed one up.

Trever1t · Mar 17, 2011

nobody?

mortovismo · Mar 17, 2011

FWIW, I once paid $60 to have my camera "professionally" cleaned - never again. I have a Canon and if half the people on this site seen my attempts to clean it they'd cry. I have what is now a beat up "old" camera but it keeps trucking on along....despite the manhandling it gets when I try cleaning the sensor etc

There are video's on YouTube that do step by step cleaning instructions....you might be better at following the instructions than me lol.

PASM · Mar 18, 2011

I had a 450D..I used to gently wipe-clean the sensor with Windolene and a machine-washable, Pentax lens cloth, wrapped around my lttle finger

Worked fine - honestly, never had any problems.

Trever1t · Mar 18, 2011

thank you both.

Using the kit I bought I am unsuccessful removing all the specks and will be looking to buy a "wet" cleaning kit.

Any recommendations? Links please?

Any first hand horror stories to warn me with?

Forkie · Mar 18, 2011

I only ever clean mine with a Rocket Blower. I'm not brave enought to try cleaning it by touching. The rocket blower removes pretty much everything. There is one speck that is stuck in the corner of my sensor, but it rarely intrudes on my shots and can easily be cloned out in PS.

Trever1t · Mar 18, 2011

The Rocket blower seems to push the dust specks around on my sensor. I've repeatedly blown it out. Granted I'm the kind of guy that doesn't sleep if I know there's a speck on my sensor

Patrice · Mar 18, 2011

With reasonable care you will not damage the filters in front of your sensor with a wet cleaning.

Get a package of Pec pads from your camera supply store, you'll find them with the lens cleaning supplies. Get a few sensor swabs sized for the sensor you have. You can get these with a wetted pad on them or just the piece of plastic. If you get the wet one, keep the swab and remove the cloth from it after you have used it. I made my own from some yellow birch scraps I had in the shop and carefully cut and sanded them to get the correct size and flexibility. Fold and wrap a Pec pad around the end of the swab, wet with a drop or two of sensor cleaning fluid and proceed to wipe your sensor. Do it in one continuous sweep. Turn your swab around and wipe once more. Do it as many times as you need until your sensor is clean but use a fresh cloth for each repetition. Sensor cleaning fluid comes in tiny little bottles and gets very expensive if you consider a litre of it. It is nothing more than denatured alcohol sometimes sold as methel alcohol. Drugs stores, paint supply stores and farm supply stores sell by the litre for just a few dollars.

Cleaning your sensor is not difficult and for the price of one professional cleaning you can get a lifetime supply of the needed materials. Enough to clean every sensor you'll ever have at lest once a month for a very long time.

Garbz · Mar 18, 2011

Trever1t said:
Just how tough are the filters that cover the sensor?
What about the coating?

The filters are made of silica, same as your lens. They don't scratch easily.

The coating? I thought they were fragile, that is until I had to remove one. I stared trying to dissolve it in every chemical I know that doesn't damage glass, no luck. I started scraping at it with a knife edge and after 10 min I've only just made a scratch in the coating. Finally I hit it with an cutting compound bought from an industrial paint supplier. It still took me 30 min to get it off.

You'll be just fine. Many people take a photo after cleaning their sensor and think they made a scratch when in fact they just left some residue on there.

benhasajeep · Mar 18, 2011

This is where I bought my wet cleaning items in the past. Informative site. If you do buy cleaning fluid make sure it is compatable for the sensor filter. I have read with Nikons newer sensors you need to be careful of the solutions used because of a coating on the filter (electrostatic reducing coating). Eclipse 2 is said to be ok for D300's D3's.

Copper Hill Images - D-SLR CCD/CMOS Cleaning Supplies & Camera Accessories

Have to tried a bright light and more magnification to try and see the spots? Might be able to use a flash light and a 5x or 10x magnifier?

Trever1t · Mar 18, 2011

thanks both.

The loupe is supposedly 6x and the lights are very bright. It's just that that darn sensor and filter are extrememly reflective makes it difficult to see with a bright light bouncing back.

Trever1t · Mar 19, 2011

well.....I had this stubborn spot so I took it into a reputable shop and it turns out it's something that either won't come off with wet cleaning and/or may be sandwiched between the IR filter and sensor. It's not enough to warrant sending in to Nikon, not at this point. Anyone ever hear of that?

PASM · Mar 19, 2011

I have no idea

benhasajeep · Mar 21, 2011

Is it actually a dead pixel, not a hot pixel but a dead pixel (or is it something you can actually see? If it can be seen but not removed. Maybe its under the filter and was done at the factory?

Trever1t · Mar 21, 2011

It can be seen and it does appear to be sandwiched between the filter and sensor. I have to give Nikon a call but I doubt they'll warranty it and it's not a $300 issue at this point.