Have you DIY-cleaned your DSLR sensor lately?

[cottonbuds2005]

I had some dust specks on my images (I use a D90) so I decided to buy a sensor cleaning kit from Orient Photo. I spent almost 2 hours cleaning the sensor with swabs.

I was scared at first to apply too much pressure on the sensor but after a while my confidence increased. The swab handle is flexible afterall and is made of plastic so away I went and swabbed the sensor up-and-down, left-and-right.

After 5 swabs and numerouse white-paper tests, all the specks are now gone from my images. I'm a bit worried that I might have damaged my sensor from the repeated scrubbing but I take comfort in Thom Hogan's article on sensor cleaning.

He mentioned that "First, don’t be put off by Nikon’s disclaimers (both Fujifilm and Kodak endorsed user cleaning that touches the sensor if done properly). The Lithium Niobate filter over the Nikon sensors is somewhat difficult to scratch if you use the right tools (on the MHOS Scale of Hardness table that ranges from talc at 0 to diamond at 10, Lithium Niobate is a 5, the same as Apatite, and a bit lower than Orthoclase and Quartz; Fujifilm and Kodak don't identify the material they use [nor does Nikon on the latest cameras], but it seems just as durable). While it's possible to scratch the filter surface, it's also not at all easy to do if you're using the right tools".

I just want to share this to others having dust problems on their DSLR cameras. Scary as it may seem, cleaning your sensor becomes easy once you're confident enough and know what you're doing. If not, send it over to the service center for a fee.

 

[allenleonhart]

hmm. i just used rocket blower thats all. blow and eos they got the vibrating thingy

use both together then clear the dust liao

 

[smile_gerard]

Actually the thing that we see is a filter, its not the sensor...

 

[night86mare]

this is what i've been saying for the past 3 years...........

 

[Leong23]

I actually still scare to DIY it, so i spent $$$ to get it clean.

The most eye-openning sensor cleaning is how night86mare clean his camera sensor......:sweat:

 

[night86mare]

I actually still scare to DIY it, so i spent $$$ to get it clean.

The most eye-openning sensor cleaning is how night86mare clean his camera sensor......:sweat:

:bsmilie::bsmilie:

yeah, no one believes me when i tell them, must show.

anyways, van's photos turn out ok still, my photos ok for 3 years plus...... so should be ok la, hor? :bsmilie:

 

[Bryson]

I actually still scare to DIY it, so i spent $$$ to get it clean.

The most eye-openning sensor cleaning is how night86mare clean his camera sensor......:sweat:

Would love to see it. Haha. :bigeyes:

 

[smile_gerard]

When i tried to convert my old D70 into IR, i literally had an airbrush in the camera blowing air to clear the dust and fibers from a lousy micro fiber cloth. Basically like i mentioned earlier, what we see isn't the sensor, it is actually just an IR Cut filter. The sensor is below it. But in most cases like for dust, just use a rocket blower and it should do the trick.

 

[cottonbuds2005]

:bsmilie::bsmilie:

yeah, no one believes me when i tell them, must show.

anyways, van's photos turn out ok still, my photos ok for 3 years plus...... so should be ok la, hor? :bsmilie:

Hi,

Glad to know that your pics still ok after 3 years of self-cleaning the sensor (or is it the filter?).

 

[night86mare]

Hi,

Glad to know that your pics still ok after 3 years of self-cleaning the sensor (or is it the filter?).

technically, it's the filter.

everyone calls it sensor cleaning though.

and just fyi, what leong is referring to, is the fact that i use your namesake to clean camera sensors. of course not the garden variety type la, higher quality ones.

 

[9V-Orion Images]

Hi, Glad to know that your pics still ok after 3 years of self-cleaning the sensor (or is it the filter?).

As evident through the following diagram and images, the replaceable IR cut-off and optical anti-aliasing or low-pass filters are positioned directly forward of the CCD/CMOS sensor.

Fig 1.1

Canon IR cut-off and optical anti-aliasing or low-pass filters cross section
Image Source/Credit

Fig 1.2

Canon EOS 30D DSLR IR cut-off and optical anti-aliasing or low-pass filters cross section
Image Source/Credit

Fig 1.3

Canon EOS 5D DSLR IR cut-off and optical anti-aliasing or low-pass filters cross section
Image Source/Credit​

 

[9V-Orion Images]

Just to add...

DIY IR cut-off and optical anti-aliasing or low-pass filters assembly replacement on the Canon EOS 20Da.

 

[jopel]

Scotch® Magic™ Tape is still the best.

 

[grumpy]

I had some dust specks on my images (I use a D90) so I decided to buy a sensor cleaning kit from Orient Photo. I spent almost 2 hours cleaning the sensor with swabs.

2 hours???!!!???

how come such a long time?

 

[9V-Orion Images]

Scotch® Magic™ Tape is still the best.

Ah, the good ol' tape ready to be used on almost anything...

... and perfectly legal too. :thumbsup:

 

[Clown]

Ah, the good ol' tape ready to be used on almost anything...

... and perfectly legal too. :thumbsup:

lol along with the old saying "duct tape is like the force. it has a light side and dark side and holds the universe together." :bsmilie:

 

[kriegsketten]

lol along with the old saying "duct tape is like the force. it has a light side and dark side and holds the universe together." :bsmilie:

With a ride like that, I'll be seating at the edge of my seat! :bsmilie::bsmilie: And btw, I just recently cleaned my (non-D)SLR mirrors... with lint-free polishing cloth (similiar to those for eye glasses)... Less specky now, I may attempt to take out the focus screen myself to get it cleaned better...

 

[9V-Orion Images]

With a ride like that, I'll be seating at the edge of my seat! :bsmilie::bsmilie:

Not to worry, those are popularly known as aluminium aerospace "speed tape" most commonly use to temporary seal up superficial composite delamination, cracks and dents etc. etc. in the skin of an airframe.

All structural repairs have to be approve by the appropriate aviation regulatory authority and done in strict compliance with the aircraft manufacturer's Structural Repair Manual (SRM).

[vid]N3srEUzISC0[/vid]
Ignorance is bliss, knowledge is power. :bsmilie:

 

[cottonbuds2005]

2 hours???!!!???

how come such a long time?

It took me 5 or 6 times to expose the filter and do cleaning, testing, etc etc until I finally got rid of all the dust bunnies. Every one of those times I took a deep breathe and pondered if I shd continue or let the Nikon guys do it. I went on anyway and...voila! No more dust

Thats why it took two hours to finish...

 

[kriegsketten]

Not to worry, those are popularly known as aluminium aerospace "speed tape" most commonly use to temporary seal up superficial composite delamination, cracks and dents etc. etc. in the skin of an airframe.

All structural repairs have to be approve by the appropriate aviation regulatory authority and done in strict compliance with the aircraft manufacturer's Structural Repair Manual (SRM).

[vid]N3srEUzISC0[/vid]
Ignorance is bliss, knowledge is power. :bsmilie:

Well, have you thought about this: "It is not the tape that matters, but the person behind the tape..." Sounds familiar?? :bsmilie:

Think of what the technician could have for lunch earlier: a delicious, drippingly juicy and greasy burger... ;p "Oh, breaktime's up! I better go fix that broken wing panel..."

Scary isn't it?