Sensor Cleaning

What are these dark patches in the sky? One of the most common questions I get about the sensor from dust and cleaning. Some people know they have dust sensor, while others only know that there are places in your pictures. Some even blame the stains on your goal. Although no logic initially dusty important piece on / in a lens to be represented as an important point in an image - especially when in front of the lens.

To see if the sensor is dirty, knowing that the sensor dust looks like an image, you must - see below for a culture of photo sample of over 100%. Note the frowny face? This is what my face looks like when I see a picture like that.

To verify dust, mounting a 50mm lens or longer on your DSLR - choose 50 mm or more, if a zoom is used. Find a uniformly bright background evenly illuminated by a test shot - a blue sky (works great), a white wall, a piece of paper ... many themes to work. Ask. Lens to manual focus and set the focus for the selected motif as OOF (Out of Focus) Not the object - - We see the dust image. Adding blur to the image of the test is all-the-best. I use infinity usually focus and often use a cabinet white kitchen like me. You can turn off is when your lens equipped, which will not hurt to leave it on. Set to the camera, exposure in Av, ISO 100 and fashion - most importantly - the panel to end - at least f / 22 probably will not even see dust pieces when shooting at very wide apertures, so make sure you choose an end. Take the test image.

If the sensor is dirty, reading spots in the test image. They are particularly easy to see if it loads the test run in the team and increase the contrast. I think that the review of the test plan in my LCD is faster and works great. Zoom on 2 or 3 levels of zoom max short LCD and always get the picture looking for points. Remember the position of the dust on the sensor is exactly the opposite to that shown in the image on the LCD screen (the lens inverts the image, the camera-eye swings). If the camera 180 degree look at the room lighting, the place now tilts up / down only.

I'm not worried about a little dust on the sensor or two (or maybe three ...), but nothing major push me to action.

Canon has a sensor cleaning service for you (this is the only "official" recommendation I can give), or you can do it yourself. The last sensor of Canon I cleaned returned dirtier than before I sent it to them. And I can not wait for a camera to / from Canon every time I have to be sent cleaned my sensor, like most other photographers have adopted the alternative - self made. Sensor Cleaning Before I continue, I have a warning: I do not have any method recommended Canon do-it-yourself cleaning your sensor is seen Giotto Rocket Air Blower contactless method (§ Photography Workshop Canon). You assume full responsibility for the damage caused by one of the methods described herein. My opinion and my experience shows that the fear is not necessary - but a little patience and prudence are important. And if we "Sensor Cleaning", will be the cleaning of the low-pass filter is located on the upper side of the sensor. You should this entire page before continuing to read.

There are many methods for the purification of the sensor - and it seems that many different needs at different times. I begin with the method of the easiest and most intrusive and cleaning my list until you have a clean sensor.

At this point, you need a fully charged battery into the camera - are when the battery is empty damaged when accessing the sensor, shutter and / or mirror. The camera is not likely to allow, when the battery is not sufficiently charged to allow access of the probe. You should also have a well-lit work area clean find. Since the camera sensor is completely exposed, it is necessary to prevent dust floated. I usually use the counters in my kitchen or bathroom - no open windows.

To clean the sensor, you need access to the probe - shown under the photo above. Your manual will give you instructions to do this, but let me give you some of the ...

Usually there is a menu option entitled "Clean Sensor" on camera. Search, choices and respond positively message asking if you really want. When you hear the mirror lock, the device is ready - if the device requires the trigger to push now to get access to the sensor. Your sensor is now exposed behind the target.

We will remove the next target, although he could have easily done this first. I take the lens before opening the sensor for cleaning, if I want to clean up the mirror. I rarely have the area with a temperate greenhouse clean Giotto Rocket Air Blower . Blowing dust in this area can grow in the / area of the viewfinder screen - watch this.

A body angle of the camera and the lens rapidly in order to prevent the rear element of the lens dust therefrom landing. I'm just a cap on the rear lens dust. The tilted lens camera less down, unless actively to clean the sensor. The downward angle uses gravity to our advantage - it prevents additional dust landing on the inside.

My first step of cleaning the contact sensor is a - highly recommended Canon - air blowing on the sensor of a Giotto Rocket Air Blower . The risk of damage caused by this process is easy - but the cleaning performance is also light. The potential of the fan a piece of dust, the sensor during a cleaning process can scrape contact later, makes this milestone to remove. Hold the camera in my hand - getting down, I firmly denies air blower is carefully placed near the camera sensor. The air blower fills its base and distributes air from the nozzle - not directly breathing the dirty air in the probe. Make sure that the sensor is not in the vicinity or other fragile parts (such as the diaphragm) to touch the tip of the blower. I usually use eight or ten good breath.

Other test probe is required between each experiment, cleaning processes to see if the process is interrupted at this point, - or by using an additional cleaning process. Turn off the machine until the end of the cleaning of the sensor, replace the lens and another test. The example above shows an example of an image of an EOS 30D with a dirt sensor. Move view reaches the mouse over the photo in the results of the fan. If you are satisfied, you're done. Otherwise, read on ...

<Updated 27/03/2010>

At this stage of the cleaning process, I now use swabs sensor cleaning dust visible .

Another caveat: I have not seen, visible dust or recommend someone else describe the method of lubrication - if you are on your own if you try.

What works for me very well for the purification of natural light (no oil or stuck in the ground), is a dry sensor cleaning swab. Adding a cleaning solution for cleaning rod sensor dust is visible, what is recommended, but I find it very difficult to get all the lint sensor to the wet process. If there is dirt on the grave of the sensor, in any case with the wet process - which attached the addition of a small amount of cleaning solution, the tip of the sensor bar contains, and go with the dry method described here.

In a relatively dust-free environment, I want the camera with the lens facing down, so that mounting gravity is all dust to be done to naturally fall. Carefully in the swab into the sensor chamber (be careful not to touch the walls of the room) in a slightly acute angle, so that it touches the side and the tip of the probe. As swipe in one direction while light pressure in order to reduce the angle of the rod until it is completely applied vertically to the other end of the probe.

Consider getting away from you with a broom and sweep. If the sheet is, is at an acute angle. If the blade is at your feet, the vertical is (at right angles). This will tend to dust instead of pushing you to increase the sensor coverage area.

If the sensor cleaning pads completed a full pass along one edge of the probe, the Rocket Blower wall blow (although you should probably have a second bar), and returns it. Converge downwardly in the direction of the rod on the other side of the same as the first sensor.

Now there is the possibility that the dust on the next slide you deposited. So the slide and spreading blow the corner of the slide in the potentially contaminated sensor and disconnect it from the next corner. Discard the buffer at the time - as contaminated.

I follow this method of cleaning the sensor with more bursts from the Rocket Blower.

I have used this method with one year to clean the sensors success rate of about 95%. Time (with deliveries in front of you) cleaning a few minutes at this point.

If the sensor is still dirty, I often repeat with another dry cleaning - or perhaps wet cleaning, followed by a further wash for dry cleaning.

<END UPDATE 27/03/2010>

What I did before the visible dust Sensor Swab method is ...

If I have a sensor satisfactorily clean after using the blower, I usually suggest a Sensor Brush The sensor, which is the cleaning of ventilation alone, but still has a relatively low risk of damage to the sensor -., If you keep a clean brush. Currently I use a powder brush visible sensor but I understand some of the other sensors brushes also work well. The Copperhill Sensor Sweep II images looks good to me too - and much cheaper.

Visible Dust recommends static hair - with compressed air to the model I have. I just use a series of rapid bursts of air through the hair on my fan - it looks very clean and load the brush right, but I am sure that compressed air would work even better. Visible Dust allows many variations, some with their spinners battery sensor (gas) in the Arctic for cleaning / loading the brush. Happy to use the blower, I want it, the cleaning brush angle lens mount - with gravity. Good lighting support this operation.

Start with one side of the sensor and smooth on the other side - make sure that the brush to draw against a part of the camera. I own / upload the brush after each pass and make 6 or 8 assists for trying to clean. I brush cleaning with bursts of air from the air blower - as in the previous step. Turn the power off until the end of the cleaning of the sensor and replace the lens as soon as possible to prevent the ingress of dust camera. On a / brush clean protective pouch case. These first two cleaning methods (blower and brush) particles can also scratch the sensor for cleaning methods heavier touch later.

A dust-proof comes after each cleaning attempt. And as always, when the sensor, the project is completed satisfactorily clean. Sometimes it is not sometimes. The picture above shows the before and after (the mouse pointer over the image) patterns of powder samples sensor. The test shows that I at least one residue (bottom left) instead - and no more are not like in this picture Downsized visible.

Whenever is not clean, then use a pen to SensorKlear LensPen (or any other brand that is being made). It is a small, inexpensive and easy to use stylus device with a cleaning head that is not wet or dry form. The SensorKlear a brush, but not recommended for the sensor (why not brush sensor clean, I know ...) I rub the tip back and forth cleaning pattern on the sensor. You may need some time to do. I usually have the camera lens in a safe area with a clean, non-marking good light while mounted with SensorKlear. Sometimes I can see the dirt on the sensor, so I can attack directly with SensorKlear. As usual, I use the air blower after cleaning with SensorKlear then quickly away from the camera near the mirror and shutter. Install the lens and try again. Another image replacement - it looks clean to me.

If the sensor is still dirty, my last method of attack is the wet process - which means that I use a liquid cleaner on the sensor. Wet wiper sensor is intrusive method of purification, but it is also the strongest. At this point in my sensor cleaning career, I have small spatula changed kitchen to the size of the sensor fit with a neighborhood clean (see photo below) Photographic Solutions Pec Pad clean be beaten (commonly known as the method of Copper Hill ). What works best are willing sensor cleaning rod Media Storage and use visible powder . These pills are very expensive, but worth the price for me.

I doubt you'll find many recommend that the Pec-Pad can be cut into 4, but I think that the smallest amount of material is easier to enter and exit the camera sensor. And I have no problem with the cuts that lead to loose fibers. In fact, using less material causes less fiber to the sensor chamber, which is less likely to catch the sides of the space separating pad. You really need to avoid touching the sides of the camera sensor with part of the pages of slides, no gross evidence brightness are loose fibers. To save money is not a problem because the carpet Pec are cheap to begin.

I simply wrap Pec Pad quarter at the end of the tip of the rod and wrap the sides that extend over the sides of the bar - by ensuring that the end of the rod has a smooth surface scanning. Well, I wrap some thin ribbon around the pad to keep it in position. I usually put 2-4 configuration in preparation for the cleaning and the clean end so that it floats in the air (such as on the edge of a counter hang). I make sure that the right end of the buffer not touch anything, except the cleaning solution and the sensor.

The "wet" part of this method is, Photographic Solutions Eclipse E2 solution CCD / CMOS sensor cleaning or Photographic Solutions Eclipse optical lens cleaning solution (methanol) . See reviews of various products in order to determine the desired sensor. I wonder about two drops of Eclipse on site - one at each end of the top of the plate.

Apply too much solution and a series of relying on the sensor (the SensorKlear be removed). It helps the solution into the carpet Eclipse-Pec to let swab for 10 to 15 seconds to soak, but do not let it evaporate too quickly how it works.

As with the SensorKlear method, I have the camera mounted in a safe clean surface without leaving a trace in a very good light - in an environment free of dust, as always. Carefully in the swab into the detection chamber at a slightly acute angle until it touches one side and the tip of the probe. As swipe in one direction while light pressure in order to reduce the angle of the rod until it is completely applied vertically to the other end of the probe.

Consider getting away from you with a broom and sweep. If the sheet is, is at an acute angle. If the blade is at your feet, the vertical is (at right angles). A vertically to the other end of the tube when the rod over the sensor, without the slide pad. Then lift the swabs produced at an acute angle in the other direction and the change in the position of the rod is lifted from the other side of the sensor - further reduction of the angle to the axis perpendicular to the other end of the probe.

The idea behind changing the angle of the rod is to have a new permanent part of the plate, and touch the sensor. This rotation they can to help out dust from the sensor surface - and to prevent a piece of corn, to cause a scratch. I take this opportunity Pec pad after each series of scans - they are so cheap (especially if cut in 4) it's stupid to risk damaging the sensor with a soiled pad. I usually play at least two rows of dots for each cleaning attempt.

As always, I blow the room air blower and retest. If the sensor is still dirty, I usually repeated wet cleaning until you are satisfied. I can use the new and SensorKlear.

If the sensor cleaning is finished, clean and reset the unit to the usual adjustments. Be sure to focus the AF.

Be careful, relaxed and patient, while the sensor, it is cleaned to do a better job. Relaxation it will be easier if you familiarize yourself with the cleaning of the sensor probe. Many additional online resources for online sensor cleaning. What we presented you what works for me.

So how can we keep the dust from the sensor in the first place? Well, you can not stop in the location - digital SLRs often have sensors dirty right out of the box. But other than that, a little care a sensor cleaning to extend necessary. I can change the lens a lot and usually I have to clean every 5-10 weeks my sensor.

Probably the most important protection against dust you can do is fast (but still cautious) to change lenses in a dust free environment. On the day of the external wind, the amount of dust in the air is extremely high. Also, keep the rear lens element clean - use your rocket air blower before installing a target, if necessary. Hold the camera body and so much down the exposed lens element as possible when their lids are not. Be shaved covers and missing body cause a small amount of material - closely matched.

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