I just successfully cleaned both sensors :o)

[4hero]

My sensors have been doing my head in recently, dirty wasn't the word.

Called a local camera store today to see about getting sensors cleaned and was quoted £30+vat each, not too bad I thought. Then popped into Jessops for a couple of bits and bobs and had a look at the "Lenspen SensorKlean Pro CCD Sensor Cleaning Kit". After speaking to Graham (first name terms in there ), he completely talked me out of paying £60 to get them done.

After reading many horror stories on the interweb, I've always been a bit reluctant to clean them, but though what the hell. Tried it first on the 350D (wasn't overly keen on using the 40D as a guinea pig), and it's spotless, not a mark! My viewfinder is filthy in the inside, but that's another task for later. Went onto the 40D. Now, I use the MP-E65 on this a lot and at 5:1 there must have been over 100 dust spots previous to the clean (used to take forever to photoshop them), after the clean there is not one spot!

Tried various test shots, sky at f22 etc, and cannot believe the difference. As long as you take it easy doing it, blowing the dust out first before using the pen, you cannot go wrong.

A little test shot from the 40D and 100mmf2.8, clicky for full size shot.



Happy bunny,

Neil

[Bernie-the-bolt]

I've always used a sensor cleaning pen and as long as you are careful it's nothing to worry about.

Good job, well done!

[nick_bbb]

I've just done my 300D and 5D with one of these and a rocket blower, highly recommended

[EdJ]

Good to read this - my sensor has a number of spots on it and it's driving me nuts. Any shot including a skyline feels sub standard! Every time I try and clean it, I seem to just shift the marks elsewhere.

On some of the newer Nikons I've read about "self cleaning" sensors - do these work very well? Or do they just keep dust at bay?

Saying that, how do the sensor spots get there in the first place? I always have a nagging doubt that I put them there by cleaning the sensor myself...

[andy-xr]

EdJ said:

Good to read this - my sensor has a number of spots on it and it's driving me nuts. Any shot including a skyline feels sub standard! Every time I try and clean it, I seem to just shift the marks elsewhere.

On some of the newer Nikons I've read about "self cleaning" sensors - do these work very well? Or do they just keep dust at bay?

Saying that, how do the sensor spots get there in the first place? I always have a nagging doubt that I put them there by cleaning the sensor myself...

The D300 has a self cleaning mode, it's OK - no worse than a rocket blower as neither could shift a particular piece of dust I'd got. I took mine for a cleanup at Lehmanns last week as I've a couple of decent shoots coming up and the dust was just around hair/top of head when in portrait orientation.

I've had a 24-70 more or less permanantly on the camera for the last 6 weeks so I doubt the dust got there from swapping lenses, however I do use the zoom a lot and whip the CF card and battery out after each use so I guess dust gets in through there

[The Tea Boy]

as mentionered above, ive tried the self clean mode, personally i found its been pointless on the Sony A200.

Matt

[4hero]

My 40D has self clean too, no good for the spots I had (neither was a rocket blower).

[Bernie-the-bolt]

As I mentioned, a sensor pen does the job just fine and you'd have to be really heavy handed to cause any damage to the camera.

[stigmundfreud]

sensor pen

and another

[Bernie-the-bolt]

stigmundfreud said:

sensor pen

and another

No problem.....

I've cleaned my 400D sensors for a couple of years with no adverse effects.

I now have a 50D and would also do the same without a problem - it goes without saying I always take care, but it's not difficult.

How do the professionals do it?

[stigmundfreud]

e2 and a decent swap! dry wiping is not a good idea!

[Bernie-the-bolt]

stigmundfreud said:

e2 and a decent swap! dry wiping is not a good idea!

why?

[stigmundfreud]

Bernie-the-bolt said:

stigmundfreud said:

e2 and a decent swap! dry wiping is not a good idea!

why?

e2 is a wet clean, it shifts more than just the dust spots it cleans. Not only that once you've used the swab you bin it. Never to be used again. Sensorpen? Returning to the scene of a crime and touching everything twice? All the contaminants you pick up just magically disappear? How do you clean a sensor pen without ruining it? Would you clean your glasses with antireflective coating by rubbing anything hard and dry over it?

[4hero]

stigmundfreud said:

Bernie-the-bolt said:

stigmundfreud said:

e2 and a decent swap! dry wiping is not a good idea!

why?

e2 is a wet clean, it shifts more than just the dust spots it cleans. Not only that once you've used the swab you bin it. Never to be used again. Sensorpen? Returning to the scene of a crime and touching everything twice? All the contaminants you pick up just magically disappear? How do you clean a sensor pen without ruining it? Would you clean your glasses with antireflective coating by rubbing anything hard and dry over it?

You remove the end pen part and toss it in the bin. The kit comes with replacements.

[Bernie-the-bolt]

4hero said:

stigmundfreud said:

Bernie-the-bolt said:

stigmundfreud said:

e2 and a decent swap! dry wiping is not a good idea!

why?

e2 is a wet clean, it shifts more than just the dust spots it cleans. Not only that once you've used the swab you bin it. Never to be used again. Sensorpen? Returning to the scene of a crime and touching everything twice? All the contaminants you pick up just magically disappear? How do you clean a sensor pen without ruining it? Would you clean your glasses with antireflective coating by rubbing anything hard and dry over it?

You remove the end pen part and toss it in the bin. The kit comes with replacements.

Like the man says - the pen comes with a number of replacement ends and you chuck them away.

To be honest, I'm critical of st on my photo's and it seems to work for me.

[tim-b]

never tried the pen but the swabs & eclipse fluid work for me. it can get a bit expensive to use swabs (something like £36 for 12) but you can re-use the plastic swab with a new bit of pec-pad (as that's all it seems to be) if you're careful. Not ideal, but works fine if you're patient and careful not to get any dust, grease etc on the pad as you fit it.