Sensor Cleaning

[LePetomane]

Does anyone clean their own sensor? If so, what do you use and how often do you do it? How often is too often?

[Manfred M]

I only physically clean my sensor when non-contact methods do not work.

Often just running the camera's sensor cleaning mode 5 or 6 times seems to work. If that does not work, I will use a bulb-type blower as my second line of attack. If that does not work, I have an Arctic Butterfly tool. In general I only have to resort to that every two or three years. I have not needed to resort to a wet cleaning tool yet.

[rpcrowe]

A bit like Manfred I use a blower and have the camera's face pointed down, Run the self-cleaning routine a few times and gently blow the air from the bulb blower onto the sensor. This has kept my sensor pretty clean. I have a wet cleaning kit but, have not needed to resort to that method... YET!

I use a pair of cameras when I shoot with my Canon DSLR outfit so, I need to change lenses less frequently. I often go through an entire shoot using just the two cameras with two lenses. In fact, I did a trip to Europe and never changed lenses. I carried a pair of Canon 7D cameras with 17-55mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/4 lenses which were all that I needed.

I feel naked when I carry my A6500 because I only have one body and, since I use prime lenses on that camera mostly, I need to change lenses far more than I wish. I tend to be very careful when, how and where I change lenses on my A6500 since the sensor is so vulnerable.

I am looking for a second camera so I can shoot stills with a pair of cameras. At first, I thought that the new A7400 might be the ticket but, the lack of IBIS turns me off a bit. OTOH, the form factor and the price of that camera combined with the new AF features might just put it in the running (dog Eye-AF is really interesting). The fact that most of my e-mount glass for the Sony is designed for APSC cameras might just keep me on the APSC track

[Donald]

I do/did clean my own sensor. But the last time I had to admit defeat and took my Canon 5DS to a professional. After being a while in the workshop he emerged to ask if I had been trying to clean it myself. I looked suitably guilty. Unlike Manfred, I find I use the arctic butterfly all the time and then resort to a wet cleaning tool about once every one or two years.

I think I will need to drop the wet cleaning tool and just use the arctic monkey. When a wet cleaning tool is indicated, I think I'll head off to the professional.

I should also try to stop changing lenses in the middle of fields, etc, when all forms of weather are impacting me and the camera. But I don't suppose that is likely to change.

As for how often - as often as is needed. We will all have different timescales.

However, the clean tool in ACR, with the Visualise Spots box ticked, is the answer to living with a dirty sensor.

[Rufus]

I have never cleaned the sensor myself and would not even think about it for fear of damaging it. I take 10 times as many shots now compared to a couple of years ago, but still not as many as other contributors here do.

I visited a camera show locally sponsored by a small national chain of photography shops and they had specialists on hand to clean one sensor per visitor free of charge, so I took advantage of that. It was the first time the sensor had been cleaned in 10 years, but the camera had only recorded about 10,000 activations. As it happened I traded that camera in for a new one a few months later.

[DanK]

How often is too often?

First, sensor cleaning is not routine maintenance, like changing the oil in a car. There is NO reason to do it unless you have dirt on the sensor.

If you are not sure whether you do, shoot an image of a smooth surface with the aperture shut all the way down. Teh sky on a cloudless day works. So does a computer screen that is a pure light color. You'll see dirt if it is there. I am quite careful when I change lenses, and I can go a long time without any cleaning beyond what my Canon bodies do automatically, but at irregular intervals, I see dirt.

My first step is to use air. Use a blower, not canned air (which can contain propellants that will damage the sensor, with the lens opening pointing down. that is sometimes sufficient.

My next step is a static brush. I use one sold in the past by Copper Hill, which I think has gone out of business. Similar in principle to the artic butterfly, but without the lights and a lot cheaper.

Only if that fails do I do a wet cleaning. I haven't kept track, but I would guess that I end up doing this on average once every two years, but at irregular intervals. I again use Copper hill materials, but they are common: just a swabbing tool, disposable swabs, and eclipse liquid.

LensRentals recommends a silicone stamp and a sensor pen instead of the more common swab. See https://wordpress.lensrentals.com/bl...camera-sensor/. I've used a sensor pen once, but it makes me nervous because it is dry friction.

[shreds]

Have used the Artic Butterfly since it came out. It is great and works well usually without the need to resort to wet cleaning. Although they provide chemicals and swabs for that too.

However, I also have my cameras done professionally every few years particularly if its either getting bad or if I have a special shoot coming up.

For what the Artic Butterfly is, (a milk frother with anti static brush, basically), its stupidly expensive and cheaply made.

Just does the job unfortunately rather well.

[Abitconfused]

I clean my own sensor but it is no joy. First of all, benzine, that is used as a solvent is also a carcinogen and easily absorbed into the skin. Secondly, even though the benzine evaporates quickly, I bet we all use too much on a swab. Too much solvent is bad as it can damage the sensor all though the exact mechanism of that I would like to learn more about. I have a few tough spots on one sensor so , I too, go hat in hand to a pro once I find one.

[DanK]

I clean my own sensor but it is no joy. First of all, benzine, that is used as a solvent is also a carcinogen and easily absorbed into the skin. Secondly, even though the benzine evaporates quickly, I bet we all use too much on a swab. Too much solvent is bad as it can damage the sensor all though the exact mechanism of that I would like to learn more about. I have a few tough spots on one sensor so , I too, go hat in hand to a pro once I find one.

Re the solvents: Eclipse is based on methanol, not benzene. I use thin rubber gloves regardless to avoid transferring grease to anything else.

At least on my cameras, the sensor itself is behind a glass screen. (I don't know if that is true of cameras that don't have an AA filter.) I can't see how a solvent could damage that, unless it has a vulnerable coating on the lens side. Anyone know more about this?

One issue with wet cleaning that I have read about and which I think would be made worse by using too much solvent, is that it is possible to pick up lubricant if there is any on surfaces near the sensor.

One aspect of this that I find annoying is that it is hard to see whether you have actually removed the debris. To deal with this, I recently bought a much better illuminated loupe (a Carson), but I haven't had to clean my sensors since, so I can't say how much it will help.

[LePetomane]

For what the Artic Butterfly is, (a milk frother with anti static brush, basically), its stupidly expensive and cheaply made.

I just picked one up. The case is a lot better made than the tool is.

[loosecanon]

I clean my own sensor. One does have to identify what is on the sensor. If it is oil splatter from the shutter then a wet clean is needed. Pollen can stick had to the sensor, made worse by static charge on the sensor.
I always start with a blower brush, then start with a damp cleaning pad. Essential, damp and clean. Use more than one pad if needed, not reuse a pad. Never wet the pad, excess fluid can get into the sensor/filter/microlens layers.
Only one sensor was difficult to clean, and was more a problem of specks inside the camera body attracted by static.
I recently bought a sticky pad which you place on the sensor to lift off debris, but have yet to need to use it.

When you take camera to be cleaned they use same methods as you, but charge more. With mirror less the problem of static attraction on sensor is worse, so expect to be cleaning more.

[rpcrowe]

I just (while holding my breath in fear) have completed my first wet clean of the sensor of my Sony A6500. It worked! The sensor is clean and no apparent damage has been done...

Having no mirror to get in the way of cleaning, it is easier to clean the sensor of a mirrorless camera...

OTOH... Having no mirror to protect the sensor, it may get dirty quicker than a standard DSLR sensor...

I have never needed to clean the sensors of any of my DSLR cameras since I started using a two camera setup which frees me from much lens changing in the field. However, I only have one mirrorless camera (A6500) and have opted to use prime lenses most of the time. That means that the sensor will be exposed to the elements more often than I wish.

I am in the market for a second mirrorless camera and think that I will stick with APSC sensor size since many of my prime lenses are designed for APSC sensors.

I used a sensor cleaning kit which included APSC size swabs and sensor cleaning fluid. I don't know what this fluid contains but, I have been warned against using alcohol or water to clean any smudge off the sensor. There are some camera cleaning kits that include swabs for the sensor but only have lens cleaning fluid. I would avoid using that fluid to clean my sensor...

[DanK]

I’ve read in numerous places that mirrorless camera are more prone to collecting dirt on the sensor.

The mirror in a dslr doe not interfere with cleaning. You lock it up before starting the process.


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[odds]

...The mirror in a dslr doe not interfere with cleaning. You lock it up before starting the process.

And IBIS cameras require locking the sensor before touching it?

It is my understanding that Sony IBIS cameras lock the sensor at the end of the camera's own sensor cleaning operation (bleeds off static charge and shakes the sensor), and that the sensor stays non-static and locked until the camera is switched off.

--
Odd S.

[Donald]

Just done a first clean of the IR converted Canon 5DMkIV. Of course it is not the sensor your cleaning but the conversion filter. Used a Arctic Butterfly and it seems to have been very successful.

[Meandmypup403]

I think I will need to drop the wet cleaning tool and just use the arctic monkey. When a wet cleaning tool is indicated, I think I'll head off to the professional.

Uh oh... I'm just getting my nerve up to do a wet cleaning of my own sensor for the first time. This is not boosting my confidence...

[Meandmypup403]

So far, in the 8 months of owning my current camera, I have only used the "sensor clean" function and a blower to get dust off the sensor. Now I'm seeing a few more resilient spots, so I'll have to resort to doing a wet cleaning. I guess how often that needs to be done depends on how often one changes lenses, and the type of climate. My last trip to a warm dusty climate seems to have been the biggest factor in needing a thorough sensor cleaning

[inkista]

Like everyone else, I only clean my sensors when using a bulb blower or built-in cleaning doesn't work, and something's stuck on there good. I've never needed to do it with my Canon dSLRs. I've had to do it more than a handful of times on my Panasonic GX-7 because there's no mirrorbox protecting the sensor and I switch lenses a lot.

I pretty much got brainwashed by the lensrentals sensor cleaning video. After the rocketblower pass, I'll typically grab a lenspen that's designed for sensor cleaning. I'll use the rocketblower afterwards to get rid of as much of the lenspen carbon cleaning compound as possible, and then use a Dust-Aid stamp to pick up anything that's still clinging to the filter glass. I've never used swabs, liquid cleaner, or an arctic butterfly.

[loosecanon]

I see the tech for the blowers is changing. Most originally marketed were developed for lens cleaning.
Now its realised that rubber blowers can age and bits of rubber fall off inside and be blown onto the sensor.
One solution is a silicon rubber bulb. Another are filters on the air in and out of the bulb, though the latter must affect the strength of the blow, but needed if particles are from the bulb itself.

[DanK]

I see the tech for the blowers is changing. Most originally marketed were developed for lens cleaning.
Now its realised that rubber blowers can age and bits of rubber fall off inside and be blown onto the sensor.
One solution is a silicon rubber bulb. Another are filters on the air in and out of the bulb, though the latter must affect the strength of the blow, but needed if particles are from the bulb itself.

Hmm. I'll have to check mine to see whether they are rubber rather than silicon.

One of mine (HEPA Jet II) has a filter, but at least on the case of that one, the filter wouldn't help with the problem you are describing. The filter is at the base, where air is sucked into the bulb, not at the end where it is ejected from the bulb.