Help, marks on pic's?

[1963bus]

Cheers guys, you're inspiring confidence with every post

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by tristanba

I'd agree the dust-reducing mechanisms do work as my 40D sensor gets much less dusty than my 20D used to

Same here - I used to have to clean my D70 much more frequently than my D300.

Dave P.

[Geoff F]

I use a Delkin Digital Duster cleaning kit which has a small vacuum cleaning brush; and if that doesn't work the kit also has swabs and fluid.

I find the advantage of the low suction brush is that you can clean around the inside of your camera and remove future problems before they occur. There is a risk that air blowers just move the dust around.

Previously I have used the suction pipe from a domestic vacuum cleaner but this has to be used with extreme care and just hovered over the camera so the suction is very low inside the camera.

The dust shakers which are part of some modern cameras do appear to considerably reduce the amount of cleaning but sooner or later a full clean still needs attention. Especially if you keep changing lenses in dusty conditions, or with pollen in the air.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by pressld2

I clean my own. Normally the Visible Dust Sensor Brush is enough but just occasionally I need to use a sensor swab with Eclipse cleaning fluid. Only had to do that once on my D300 so far.

I don't know for sure but I'm told that if you send your camera in for "professional cleaning" they will use...

A sensor swab with Eclipse cleaning fluid!

They'll just charge you a bundle for it so you might as well do it yourself.

Dave P.

true but they'll be insured so if they scratch the anti aliasing filter you will get a new camera (replacing the AA filter costs more than replacing the whole thing with most models) - if you scratch it you are up the proverbial creek without a means of propulsion.

they will also be working in a clean room so chances of grit or sand or other sharp edged paricles ending up on the filter are much less.

i'm happy to use a blower or butterfly on mine but on the rare occasion that this isnt enough i take it to filtration at vauxhall and use their while you wait service.

[1963bus]

Originally Posted by eeyore

true but they'll be insured so if they scratch the anti aliasing filter you will get a new camera (replacing the AA filter costs more than replacing the whole thing with most models) - if you scratch it you are up the proverbial creek without a means of propulsion.

they will also be working in a clean room so chances of grit or sand or other sharp edged paricles ending up on the filter are much less.

i'm happy to use a blower or butterfly on mine but on the rare occasion that this isnt enough i take it to filtration at vauxhall and use their while you wait service.

That's scared me
Just ordered this: Lenspen Sensorklear Plus DSLR Sensor cleaning kit, now not sure if I want to do it

[eeyore]

loads of people do - and its generally okay - but there are some horror stories (including the one andy rouse tells about the muppet who got marmalade on his sensor while cleaning it)

the key is to clean it in as clean an area as possible - ensure your clothes and hands are clean and arent going to shed grit / sand - and use a blower or vacuum first to shift any loose cack

oh yeah and make sure you either have a fully charged battery or preferably mains power to the camera - because if the power fails the shutter will close - and closing on the swab handle will not do the shutter curtain any good at all.

[1963bus]

Cheers for that, boosted my confidence a little

Been going through some of my pic's over the last 6 months and can see the same three marks on those as well, kit will be here in a couple of days so hopefully a clean will cure the problem [fingers crossed]

[1963bus]

Kit came and I've cleaned my sensor was scary though and still feel like I shouldn't have touched it.

Took a couple of test pics of a plain white surface and the marks have definitely gone so touch wood it won't need doing for at least another year.

Thanks for the help and advice

Brian.

[pressld2]

The first time is the scariest! Now you've broken your duck it'll be easier if you need to do it again.

Dave P.

[1963bus]

I read the camera manual again [cleaning section] before starting and it emphasized "do not touch the sensor, take to Nikon main agent" that was a little unnerving, still done now.

I grew up in Belvedere