If you're as afraid as I am...

[ktuli]

I know my Canon XSi (450D) has an automatic sensor cleaning cycle when I turn the camera on and again when I turn it off. I can force this cycle whenever I think it is required. I have never felt it was necessary to manually clean the sensor, and I change lenses frequently - albeit not on a dusty trail. Do all cameras have this automatic cleaning cycle, or must other people clean their sensors manually?

Steve,

As Ian points out, the automatic cleaning cycles are an ultra-sonic cleaning. This simply means that the sensor vibrates at a very high rate of speed in an attempt to dislodge any particles on the sensor (ok, again, I'm saying sensor out of convenience here, it is really the low pass filter in front of the sensor, but you get the idea). So get something a little more serious than a fleck of dust or such, and you sometimes do have to wet clean. And to answer your question - most modern cameras do have an auto-clean cycle these days... but my older Rebel XT (not much older than your XSi) does not.

This also can be a question of how you're shooting - you may just not be seeing the dirt. In my case, I started working with the Canon MP-E65mm macro lens that goes up to 5x magnification. At high focal lengths and or very small apertures (ie: f/16 and higher), the dirt on a sensor becomes more apparent. In the case of the MP-E65, I only really noticed the dirt at higher magnification - at 5x magnification, that lens can be stopped down to the equivalent of f/96, so any dirt becomes very visible. Additionally, depending on your subject, you may simply be missing the dirt in your photos - in my case, I was shooting tiny bugs on a white background, so it was easy to spot... but if you're shooting wide-angle landscapes, where you have a low focal length plus a very busy scene, it is easy to miss any dirt.

All in all, it is up to you and the results you're getting with your photos as to whether you feel you need to clean your sensor.

If you're interested, check out the blog post I made when I did my first sensor cleanings - http://www.ktuli.com/photography/node/353.

Also, my technique for testing my sensors is to use my longest lens, zoomed to the longest focal length, stopped down to the smallest aperture (highest f/#), set to manual focus so you can intentionally defocus the shot, then point at some fairly bright uniform surface, then as you are taking the shot (hopefully your shutterspeed will be sufficiently high) move the camera intentionally to ensure that anything in the frame is blurred (the dirt on the sensor is not affected by this movement, and therefor will stand out), then review the photo at 100%.

Hope this helps!

- Bill

[Mike Buckley]

Newer models have the capability to electronically clean the sensor but older models don't. When changing lenses, I'm very careful about hovering my body over the camera, holding one hand over the camera mount until the last possible minute and facing away from the wind. Even so, dust gets on the sensor occasionally that the electronic cleaning process does not remove.

I recently spent a week in rural Iceland, often in strong wind and usually on hiking trails. I changed lenses probably 10 to 15 times each day. When I returned home (after having forgotten to pack my sensor cleaning kit), I was thrilled to find only one tiny speck of dust on the sensor that I used most often. It was so close to the edge that so far it has affected only one image, which was simple to fix. I used my wife's camera for just two days when my primary camera stopped functioning and it had a big blob that fortunately has also caused no issues.

[srubelmann]

I agree; be careful how and where you change lenses. Preferrably in a clean area in a building. I am thinking the blobs in a blue sky are UFOs. So far, I have not felt the need to physically clean my sensor. I hope I never do because it sounds a bit scary.

[evan47]

when changing lenses it is obviously best to do it in a dust free, non-breezy environment. also, make sure that the conditions do not cause condensation to form on the camera sensor as this can cause dust to almost weld itself to the low pass filter making it impossible to blow off.
it is a good idea to use a blower on the mirror chamber now and then. first with the camera facing down with the mirror in place, then again with the mirror up and shutter open. do not use a blower on closed shutter blades, or allow the nozzle of the blower to enter the mirror chamber.
i use sensor swabs and eclipse fluid, (very sparingly), then a very light wipe with a dry swab to ensure there is no residue left on the low pass filter. easy, effective, no problems!
further to this, i have the on-board cleaning function set to work at start up and shut down, i make sure to switch the camera off and on a number of times during a long session. particularly if i am using a long to medium zoom, as these lenses can draw dust into the system.

[Donald]

Oh well, the Arctic Butterfly arrived today. Haven't been brave enough to try it yet, but will do so tomorrow. Hopefully the swabs and the VDust Plus fluid will arrive tomorrow as well.

Here goes!!

[ktuli]

Oh well, the Arctic Butterfly arrived today. Haven't been brave enough to try it yet, but will do so tomorrow. Hopefully the swabs and the VDust Plus fluid will arrive tomorrow as well.

I would wait till you have everything before trying any of it. I had some issues with smearing the lubricant onto the sensor with the Arctic Butterfly - without the swabs, it would have been a mess.

- Bill

[Donald]

I would wait till you have everything before trying any of it. I had some issues with smearing the lubricant onto the sensor with the Arctic Butterfly - without the swabs, it would have been a mess.

What very good advice.

I've done it ............. and I've survived. Just finished two minutes ago and it looks wonderful, even though I say it myself.

But in terms of Bill's advice - Yep, I did smear it with the brush. I put it down to being a first timer!

[Daisy Mae]

Donald...tsk!

I was hoping to catch you before you made the leap and get you to make a 'how to' video.

[ktuli]

I was hoping to catch you before you made the leap and get you to make a 'how to' video.

There are plenty of really good how-to videos out on the net already. Just search for 'camera sensor cleaning' on Youtube.

[Daisy Mae]

Thanks Bill...it's just that Donald and I both have a canon 40D and I really need someone to blame when it goes 'orribly wrong.

Kidding.

[ktuli]

Thanks Bill...it's just that Donald and I both have a canon 40D and I really need someone to blame when it goes 'orribly wrong.

Kidding.

HAHA! I think there have been plenty of folks (myself included) on here advocating doing the cleaning yourself... so you have no shortage of folks to blame...

[Mike Buckley]

it's just that Donald and I both have a canon 40D and I really need someone to blame when it goes 'orribly wrong.

Considering that I started this thread, I'm more than happy to say better him than me.

[cliveanne]

I found this site contains a lot of very useful info. http://www.copperhillimages.com/index.php?pr=tutorials

I used their products and followed their instructions and all went well.

Thank you for the link I did not know just where my sensor was. If nothing else, I have learned one very important lesson

[Kyle]

I was determined not to pay for $75-$100 cleaning on my T3, especially since they only cost $200-$300. I bought a web brush kit and honestly wasn't that gentle with it. The sensor is still great but I've never been a me to get all the dust. I did clean it up but there's always something. Now that I have my 70D I'll practice on my T3 before trying any new kit on my 70.