Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

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tjlmicro
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Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by tjlmicro »

Although I realize this topic has probably been covered in other posts on this forum (and a search provided some information), I have a question about removing dust from the sensor on my Canon 1300D camera. This camera is used exclusively for photomicroscopy. I have it attached to the phototube on a Zeiss Photomicroscope III. The methods I have used so far are to use the manual clean function on the camera to expose the sensor and blow away any dust on the sensor using an air blower. The one I use is a VSGO Imp Air-Blower. It has a little filter on it so no new dust is introduced. Since this did not remove all of the dust, I then tried using sensor cleaning swabs. The ones I used are from the UES Sensor Cleaning Kit. I wetted the swab with a drop of the supplied solution (it says it is non-alcoholic and is a purified water-based cleaner) on each side of the swab and then swiped the swab across the sensor. All the instructions and YouTube videos say to hold the swab at about 60 deg but I could not do this when I reached the other end of the sensor where it was more vertical (don't know if that is an issue, but wanted to provide all the details). I turned the swab 180 deg and swiped again in the same direction. I tested to make sure that the dust was actually on the sensor each time by rotating the camera to see if the specks move with the camera and they do. I have not been completely successful at removing the dust specks from the sensor and would appreciate any further advice/guidance/suggestions on what to do. Thanks in advance for your help!

Tim

blekenbleu
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Re: Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by blekenbleu »

Once fluid gets involved, dust not removed is liable to be glued in place when fluid evaporates.
Generally, a good approach is to dust removal is with surface to clean over your head, facing down:
  • gravity helps loosened dust fall out
  • less dust in higher air to get reintroduced
  • use magnification to see and specifically remove stuck dust particles, instead of random swiping
When Rocket Air Blaster fails,
good cotton swabs are my preferred contact cleaning approach, slowly twirling while moving
to pull potentially abrasive particles away from the surface, rather than drag them along.
Metaphot, Optiphot 1, 66; AO 10, 120, and EPIStar 2571
https://blekenbleu.github.io/microscope

Ramos Kenneth D
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Re: Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by Ramos Kenneth D »

For what it is worth, here is what I do. I take a small clean cosmetics brush, one usually made from fine hair such as rabbit, take a can of compressed gas (e.g. air) that can be purchased from most office supply outlets like Staples and gently blow any dust from the fibers of the brush. Do not tilt the can of gas but keep it upright, freezing liquid can be produced if not and will leave residue. With the shutter open, I breath gently into the lens cavity fogging the sensor with my breath and then using the cosmetics brush, I gently twirl or move it back and forth across the dampened sensor surface until it is dry. Then I close the shutter, put a lens in place and set the ISO at around 125, shutter speed at 1/125 sec. maybe a bit higher, say 1/200, stop down until the indicator in the viewfinder is one to two markings from the left of the screen when pointed at the sky, preferably a clear blue sky or if not a gray sheet of cardboard lit by a flood lamp works fine. The lens need not be focused because you are looking for specks across the sensor surface, so trip the shutter, download, and take a good hard look. I usually take about 5 to 10 frames for comparisons. Watch for any specks or blemishes that move as you cycle through the images. If I should note any, I usually, very gently, dry wipe the sensor with the rabbit brush once more but only after having it gently blown clean and dry with more of the compressed gas (air) each time. If so repeat the process until they are gone. What ever you do, do not put solvents that contain alcohol or any other on that sensor! Just a thought . . . :) Note: You do this at your own risk!

rjlittlefield
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Re: Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by rjlittlefield »

I have moved this topic from the image galleries into technical discussions.

--Rik

RobertOToole
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Re: Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by RobertOToole »

tjlmicro wrote:
Fri Jan 27, 2023 1:19 pm
Although I realize this topic has probably been covered in other posts on this forum (and a search provided some information), I have a question about removing dust from the sensor on my Canon 1300D camera. This camera is used exclusively for photomicroscopy. I have it attached to the phototube on a Zeiss Photomicroscope III. The methods I have used so far are to use the manual clean function on the camera to expose the sensor and blow away any dust on the sensor using an air blower. .......
Hi Tim,

Hope I can help with some advice.

Dust Issue
First make sure you have a dust issue by taking a out of focus photo or use something like a sensor scope but I have to assume you already know you have an issue.

Cleaning
For cleaning I would recommend against using a fluid (wet method) since I've helped many people remove the mess left by people trying to use fluid to clean a sensor. I've been cleaning camera sensors since My Canon D30 in 2001 and I have never had to use fluid or the wet method once. I've also been cleaning other photographers sensors at workshops and other meetings and have always been able to help without any issues. For the last 10 or 15 years I've been using a Lenspen SensorKlear pen with 100% success and without one single problem.

Tools
Sensor Scope+LensPen SensorKlear+Rocket blower.

Cleaning
Put camera in clean mode.
Use Rocket blower.
Use lens pen.
Use Rocket blower a second time to remove any clinging dust.
Done.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Robert

Marcepstein
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Re: Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by Marcepstein »

Years ago I bought a sensor cleaning brush that was specific to digital cameras. It's a battery operated brush with very soft fine hairs that will attract dust to it. My model must be one of the first that came out as they have really sophisticated the product. It works and I have not had any issues as a result of using the brush on my cameras (just when necessary). I just looked at their website and they have several products now, plus a lot of information about dust and how to clean sensors.

https://visibledust.com/

This the type that I have but much older model.
https://visibledust.com/products/arctic ... l-cameras/

Marc

RobertOToole
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Re: Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by RobertOToole »

Forgot to mention something. I've met and spoken to the management that ran LensPen and they told me one of their biggest customers was Nikon USA and Canon USA to use in their customer service centers (they would buy custom pens with the corp logo and sell them). They would literally charge customers $50 to clean sensors, something that takes 2 minutes. Also camera stores would change the same. I wonder what the current sensor cleaning price is? Imagine that?
Marcepstein wrote:
Mon Jan 30, 2023 9:01 pm
Years ago I bought a sensor cleaning brush that was specific to digital cameras. It's a battery operated brush with very soft fine hairs that will attract dust to it. My model must be one of the first that came out as they have really sophisticated the product. It works and I have not had any issues as a result of using the brush on my cameras (just when necessary). I just looked at their website and they have several products now, plus a lot of information about dust and how to clean sensors.
VisibleDust products are very expensive, $150+USD for something that needs batteries to work when a $11-14 USD tool will work just as well or better and doesn't need batteries. I would recommend something more simple and cost effect and not recommend anything like that (my experience being in the professional photo industry for something like 20+ years). Both might work but I like to keep things simple and cost effective when I can.

Best,

Robert

RobertOToole
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Re: Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by RobertOToole »

FYI this is just ridiculous, like $35 for one 81mg aspirin at the hospital #-o

Got this from google so take it with a grain of salt as the saying goes!

Nikon charges start at $59 and go to $150 to $225 and 7 weeks to clean a sensor and the outside of the camera. Mirrorless cameras are less at $99!

Canon? $69-139 depending on the amount of dust. yes, they charge per spot but you get a discount for multiple spots. #-o

Best,

Robert

Scarodactyl
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Re: Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by Scarodactyl »

My local camera store cleans sensors free but they had a newbie do mine and she used too much fluid and left it worse than it started. Fortunately the one use swab kits have worked great for me.

AlP
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Re: Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by AlP »

RobertOToole wrote:
Mon Jan 30, 2023 9:25 pm
Forgot to mention something. I've met and spoken to the management that ran LensPen and they told me one of their biggest customers was Nikon USA and Canon USA to use in their customer service centers (they would buy custom pens with the corp logo and sell them). They would literally charge customers $50 to clean sensors, something that takes 2 minutes. Also camera stores would change the same. I wonder what the current sensor cleaning price is? Imagine that?

VisibleDust products are very expensive, $150+USD for something that needs batteries to work when a $11-14 USD tool will work just as well or better and doesn't need batteries. I would recommend something more simple and cost effect and not recommend anything like that (my experience being in the professional photo industry for something like 20+ years). Both might work but I like to keep things simple and cost effective when I can.
Up here locally $70 for a sensor clean. I just did four cameras this weekend. On a whim I purchased sensor swabs off of Amazon last week. I looked at the grunge on the sensors with a stereo microscope. I tried Visible Dust swabs, American Recorder swabs and the AAWipes swabs (Amazon purchase). The one that worked best for me was the AAWipes. It left the least amount of fibres behind. I was curious as to why they were better (in my opinion). Under the microscope at 5x the AAWipes had the tightest weave, the worst, American Recorder. I also have the Visible Dust Arctic Butterfly (bought it when they were manufactured locally a long time ago) and it has lost its lustre to me as it doesn't pick up minute particles but is good with larger "specks". I also agree with you in wet swabbing, it makes more of a mess than when one started with. I'll check out the LensPen SensorKlear as another option. On a side note, I am shocked at what swabs sell for here, American Recorder, 6 swabs $19.95, Visible Dust, 2 tiny vials of liquid with 5 swabs $41.95, AAWipes (Amazon) 20 swabs $14.99.

Scarodactyl
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Re: Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by Scarodactyl »

Wet swabs definitely leave a mess if you use the tiniest bit too much fluid, but they have worked great for me after I figured that out. Then again your mileage may vary at higher MP or larger sensors, I'm just using a canon t7.

AlP
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Re: Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by AlP »

Scarodactyl wrote:
Tue Jan 31, 2023 8:42 am
My local camera store cleans sensors free but they had a newbie do mine and she used too much fluid and left it worse than it started. Fortunately the one use swab kits have worked great for me.
Maybe they were trying to sell you a new camera (winky eye). On a side note. A couple of months ago, a buddy sent his Nikon D3 in for minor repair (one of the buttons went wonky), Nikon replied "unrepairable" but offered a $150 credit towards a new Nikon Z9.

ray_parkhurst
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Re: Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by ray_parkhurst »

There are also "gel" type pads that work pretty well. Just dab the pad onto the sensor surface and the dust sticks to it. They are a little bit sticky but not enough to be a concern IMO. So far I have not needed to do this on my A7Rm4, as the Rocket has worked well enough. My environment is pretty dusty, and I change lenses often, so I need to clean it quite often. It's important to get dust off the surface ASAP since the longer it stays the more likely it is to stick.

tjlmicro
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Re: Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by tjlmicro »

Thanks very much everyone for all the helpful information!

Tim

lothman
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Re: Cleaning dust from a camera sensor

Post by lothman »

for picking up particles is use a putty used in watchmaking like this or this. Shape a tiny sharp tip by rolling between the fingers and pick up dust particles. Not only on the sensor but on all areas inside the camera. As others mentioned a stereo microscope helps finding even the tiniest particles.

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