Camera sensor cleaning set

[kris]

Hy,

probably this topic has already been discussed, but I would like to clean the sensor of my camera. The sensor of my D800 gets dirty quite easily, this is the third time I have to clean it. Up to now I used an official Nikon center. The main problem with the Nikon center is that it is not so close and you have go there, leave the camera, and come back the next day. So I was thinking to clean the sensor by myself. If you search on the net you will find different products, but since I have no experience I cannot evaluate the pro and cons of one or the other. Nor if it better to spend time and continue to use the Nikon center, or learn how to clean the sensor.

Any suggestion or comment are welcome.

Cheers
A.

[Shadowman]

Hy,

probably this topic has already been discussed, but I would like to clean the sensor of my camera. The sensor of my D800 gets dirty quite easily, this is the third time I have to clean it. Up to now I used an official Nikon center. The main problem with the Nikon center is that it is not so close and you have go there, leave the camera, and come back the next day. So I was thinking to clean the sensor by myself. If you search on the net you will find different products, but since I have no experience I cannot evaluate the pro and cons of one or the other. Nor if it better to spend time and continue to use the Nikon center, or learn how to clean the sensor.

Any suggestion or comment are welcome.

Cheers
A.

What do the kits contain that you found online? Instructions seem to involve using air without actually touching the sensor.

[tclune]

I presume you've got an air bulb that you can blow dust off the sensor with. The only other things that I use are all contained in this starter kit -- you can just get the swabs in the future. You should get the full frame size of swabs for your camera, of course. Some folks like to also have an illuminated magnifying glass, but I can never see the dirt anyway -- I have to just clean it and take a photo of a blank wall to see if I've gotten the smudges. The kit comes with basic instructions, but the procedure is pretty obvious -- first blow, then use the blower on the brush to build up a small static charge, and run the brush over the sensor (be careful not to hit the edges, where there may be some oil that could be dragged onto the sensor.) Then, wet a swab with a drop or two of the cleaning liquid -- don't over-wet the swab. Run the swab once reasonably firmly over the sensor, turn to the other side of the swab, and run it once in the opposite direction over the sensor (again, avoiding the edges. That's it. Take a photo of a blank wall and, if you still have smudges, use another swab and repeat the wet work. Repeat the last step as necessary.

[inkista]

If you'd prefer dry cleaning techniques to wet ones, you may want to see the lensrentals video on sensor cleaning. They use three different dry methods: the arctic butterfly brush, sticky stamp (DustAid), and lenspen (dry graphite cleaning compound).

[kris]

Thanks for your replies and comments.
I tried with air bulb, but it did not solved the problem. The D800 are known to have problem with oil drops from shutter. Even if I cannot have any confirmation from the Nikon center, for them the problem does not exist..., nor from the Nikon support, they asked me to send the camera to the support center. I think the spots are really small oil drops. A friend of mine had the same problem with a D600, also known to have problem with oil. http://nikonrumors.com/2013/02/22/ni...il-issue.aspx/

On the net you can find several sensor cleaning kits, air, dry, solvent-based, and mix of them. Each one saying it is the best. But they have to sell their products. The question is if you have experience with one or the other, and with sensor cleaning. Probably for oil drops I need a solvent based cleaning kit.

Cheers
A.

[Colin Southern]

I've got pretty much all the sensor cleaning tools. Mostly, I start with a blower - then inspect with a loupe - next I try the arctic butterfly - then sensor pen for troublesome spots and a sensor stamp to "clean up".

I have wipes too, but usually they're more hassle than they're worth (leaving streaks).

My 1Ds3 was known to have issues with silicone grease from the mirror mechanism getting on the sensor, but the sensor pen took care of those - so would probably be OK for any oil spots too.

[kris]

Dear Collin,

I finally got the arctic butterfly and cleaned the sensor with the blower and the butterfly. It worked. There are one or two spots that stills resists. I have to get a pen and/or a sensor stamp. But as it is it is already largely acceptable. Thanks again for the tips.

Cheers
A.

[pnodrog]

I know it is referred to as a blower but I always squeeze the bulb first before starting to clean and try and vacuum the dust off. Squeezing the blower when brushing the sensor just moves the dust to another part of the mirror cavity and it will come back with the mirror movement. Not sure where I read to do this but it seems to work.

[kris]

I know it is referred to as a blower but I always squeeze the bulb first before starting to clean and try and vacuum the dust off. Squeezing the blower when brushing the sensor just moves the dust to another part of the mirror cavity and it will come back with the mirror movement. Not sure where I read to do this but it seems to work.

Thanks Paul,

this is indeed what I did. I was a bit perplex about blowing the dust inside the camera. So I tried to use it as a vacuum cleaner. I do not know if this really worked or not. But after this procedure and the use of the butterfly the sensor was clean.

Cheers
A.

[nimitzbenedicto]

For simple dusting of sensors/lens/body, try out the ladies' make-up brushes.

Affordable and doesn't scratch lens/sensor.
Been using them for several decades.

HTH