Where can I clean my sensor

Sw1tchFX · Dec 28, 2006

Do I have to do it myself or do I need to take my D70 into Nikon to have them clean it, becuase it's starting to get nasty and I don't want to blow it out with some canned air.

The_Traveler · Dec 28, 2006

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/sensor-cleaning.shtml

ksmattfish · Dec 28, 2006

I bought a foot pump designed to inflate mattresses and beach toys for $13. I keep it sealed and clean in a plastic bag, and only bring it out to blow out the DSLRs about once a month. I did a wet clean over a year ago following these guys advice.

http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com

Since then the once a month blow out has kept them clean.

The_Traveler · Dec 28, 2006

I use a little squeeze bulb blower I bought at Ritz.
With due respect to ksmattfish, I wouldn't use anything stronger than a gentle puff on the innards of a dslr. I particularly wouldn't use anything that was powered by anything electrical or mechanical that might potentially projecting oil or grit into the sensor area.

Sw1tchFX · Dec 29, 2006

my little blower brush isn't strong enough. I did a few puffs from a can of office depot canned air from about a foot away or so and that didn't knock them out either.

I know there's a thing in front of the sensor to protect it, but how durable is it? can I just brush it off with the little blower brush that i've got?

ksmattfish · Dec 29, 2006

The_Traveler said:
I wouldn't use anything stronger than a gentle puff on the innards of a dslr. I particularly wouldn't use anything that was powered by anything electrical or mechanical that might potentially projecting oil or grit into the sensor area.

Foot pumps are not powered by anything other than my foot. The experts seem to think it's okay. According to sources I've found if you send a camera to Canon for cleaning, the first thing they do is use a blower. It's their prefered in-house method for cleaning sensors.

ksmattfish · Dec 29, 2006

Sw1tchFX said:
I know there's a thing in front of the sensor to protect it, but how durable is it? can I just brush it off with the little blower brush that i've got?

It's fairly durable. The issue really isn't about scratching the filter over the sensor, it's that you may end up making it dirtier. You would have to be very heavy handed or be using the wrong tools to damage the filter. Go to the links provided, search for some different ones even, but just read up on the entire procedure. It's not hard, but if you do it wrong you'll end up with a dirtier sensor. The little blower brush you have may leave more dust than it removes.

The first time I wet cleaned a DSLR sensor I skimmed the articles, and then went at it. I tried to cut corners; using lens cleaning supplies I already had instead of ordering Pec Pads (which seem to be universally recommended as the cleaning pad of choice). I put cleaner residue streaks on my sensor that were worse than the dust specks. So I sat down, read the articles completely, ordered the recommended cleaning supplies (about $30 worth), and when they arrived I did it the right way with no problems.

ksmattfish · Dec 29, 2006

If you really want to see how horribly dirty your sensor is put a pinhole body cap on your DSLR, and take a few shots. Very scary. It's what inspired my first cleaning.

The_Traveler · Dec 29, 2006

ksmattfish said:
Foot pumps are not powered by anything other than my foot.

Sorry, didn't notice your foot. (That was meant to be a joke)

My wife has this little electric pump to blow up mattresses etc. and it chugs along spitting air mixed with intermittent blobs of indefinable crap - that's what I pictured. No offense meant.

Sw1tchFX · Dec 29, 2006

ksmattfish said:
It's fairly durable. The issue really isn't about scratching the filter over the sensor, it's that you may end up making it dirtier. You would have to be very heavy handed or be using the wrong tools to damage the filter. Go to the links provided, search for some different ones even, but just read up on the entire procedure. It's not hard, but if you do it wrong you'll end up with a dirtier sensor. The little blower brush you have may leave more dust than it removes.

OK, that makes me feel MUCH better.

i'll purchase a new brush (they're so cheap anyway) and i'll brush it off.

Alex_B · Dec 29, 2006

as said, a standard brush will make the sensor even more dirty. even if you spent a lot of time cleaning it ( as i once did .. i had some trouble getting all that extra dirt off my sensor then)

some general advice: if you don't live in a relatively dust-free humid climate, do the cleaning in your bathroom. let the shower run for a while, not steaming hot water though, but not ice cold either. that reduces the amount of dust in your bathroom (it it is not too large). but don't get theiair way too humid, not "steaming" as you don't want condensation in your cam! just produce some nice carribean climate, that is the best to clean your sensor with whatever method

for the removel itself I personally use a speckgrabber, as I refuse to wipe on my sensor