Sensor cleaning on the cheap

Leif

8

27 Nov 2005 - 1:30 AM

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The following link might be of interest:

http://www.prime-junta.net/pont/How_to/a_Brush_Your_Sensor/a_Brush_Your_Sensor.h...

It describes how to clean a sensor using a cheap nylon brush and a blower. I tried this with a 3/8" artists brush (~4), washed in isopropyl alcohol and then soapy water. I used a Giotto rocket air blower to charge the brush (canned air is wasteful) and then gave the sensor a light brush It worked a treat.

Why waste money on overpriced products?

Also, if you need to use fluid based cleaning (due to stuck on dirt) then check out Copperhill's cleaning products which are cheaper than many.

Leif

Mitzi

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27 Nov 2005 - 3:32 AM

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Leif - an excellent site and a good article! I must admit that dust in the camera is one of my fears with interchangeable lenses. One must not be obsessional but a good safe job is what is needed and I don't think very expensive equipment is required.

ARI

10

27 Nov 2005 - 9:47 AM

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For info, I have used the Gioto bulb to blow off dust on a 20D sensor, holding the camera body, throat facing down at campsites in Africa and worked well. Of course mking sure that within the tent, the air was still as can be with the flaps zipped up.

Mitzi

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28 Nov 2005 - 12:12 PM

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I do find the idea of sensor dust quite worrying. Is it just obsessionals who are bothered or is there a real problem? The costs of constantly removing dust seem punitive!

elowes

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28 Nov 2005 - 12:29 PM

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Minor dust is often only visible in plain areas of the image when stopping down to F11-22. Marks can easily removed in PS and cleaning may not be worth while.

Larger debris can be removed with care using several different kits and I leave you to chose. I keep pointing out that one is recommended in a review on this site and has proven effective when I have used it.

I would not recommend using any fluid to clean a sensor unless the product is warrented to do the job. Isopol Alcohol can (will) leave drying marks if used direcly on sensors and on lenses, even in small qualtities.

Cheap blower brushes will more than likely inject dust into the camera cavity.

Leif

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29 Nov 2005 - 4:09 AM

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Mitzi: "I quite like the idea of an electrostatic brush but they seem to be very pricey."

Then make your own using an artists brush (which is in fact what Visible Dust et al sell) or if you lack confidence, try Copperhill. He sells them for not unreasonable prices and I think he includes a convenient case. It's not unreasonable to sell ready cleaned brushes for a small markup, but some companies such as Visible Dust are taking the Mickey. They use pseudo-scientific bull to persuade us that their brush is made from special materials rather than ordinary nylon. Snake oil anyone?

Although cleaning an artists brush is tedious, once its done the cleaning of the sensor really is easy. The link I gave explains how to clean the brush and how to make absolutely sure that it is clean. However, you need an an old filter, which you then clean, which isn't so hard to do with lens cleaning tissues and lens cleaning fluid (or isopropyl alcohol from Maplins). I suspect a microscope slide would do just as well.

Leif

conrad (e2 Member)

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29 Nov 2005 - 4:12 AM

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The electrostatic brushes are not that expensive at all, it just depends on where you buy them. See example on eBay.

Conrad

Mitzi

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29 Nov 2005 - 1:15 PM

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Excellent posts! eBay looks good and the price is right.