Sensor cleaning - how far do you go?

[User.82148]

I cleaned the sensors on two old DSLRs, one FF one APS-H today using a Pentax cleaning stick which is dry not wet and a magnifying glass and a torch. First time I have cleaned sensors. I checked the results by taking pictures of a white sheet of paper at f22 using manual focus to get the results out of focus. Viewed the results in Lightroom using the spot fixing tool set to visualise the spots. The cleaning has definitely removed most of the dust but some remains but other than the odd spot is not visible on the sensors.

Do you need perfectly clean sensors or just accept their will be some spots, most of which will not be visible at the f stops I normally use?

Do sensors deteriorate with age, hot spots or the equivalent of dead pixels?

 

[GTG]

It is luck if it works with dry only. I do them myself and thank god dry worked every time so far but I have a Nikon FF now I just got and the sensor is absolutely filthy so I am trying in the next half hour dry only.

 

[Keith W]

@Cobra does a very through job of cleaning his, just ask him

 

[Cobra]

@Cobra does a very through job of cleaning his, just ask him

Lenses too

 

[realspeed]

get what is called a "Loupe" makes checking a sensor easy

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=c.....69i57j0l2.6671j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[Lensflare]

Scrub it till the colour comes off - very clean and shiny then.

 

[GTG]

Best I could do dry. Can still see some but this is acceptable I think considering I did it for almost free with cheap dry Chinese sticks with a pad on from a very dirty sensor.

 

[a1ex2001]

Test it at an f-stop you actually use on a blue sky if you can't see anything it's clean enough obsessively cleaning it so f22 shots of white paper are spotless is a waste of life unless of course your normal shots are of s***e paper at f22!

 

[snerkler]

With a loupe, rocket blower and sensorklear pen I can get it spot free, but it takes several attempts and very much tries your patience.

Mine's ready for another clean. I've never known a sensor get as dirty as the D750. It's like I've left it in a dust storm with the mirror up and the body cap off

 

[realspeed]

I find these or similar do a good job against the blade type as the tips are flexable and also cleans a smaller area it that is all that is needed

https://www.crookedimaging.co.uk/td...=d53fd3d714ce9df8864d4d8c8e32f9a5&fo_s=gplauk

Not keen on rocket blower as I find they tend to stir up dust within the camera body. I also use an Arctic Butterfly to attract dust off a sensor

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=A...rome..69i57.1716j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

It is battery powered and spins at high speed to create static electricity (not in the camera body obviously), then switch off and hold it over the sensor and brush lightly

in bad cases then the only answer is a wet wipe as a last resort with special sensor cleaning fluid. if I have to use this I find it best to put a drop on a desk and dip the blade or stick into it. That way you don't soak either and make it harder to clean off

 

[DG Phototraining]

In the Wedding season - now - I never shoot anything higher than f5.6 and I'm mostly at f2.8 or below - so dust spots are all but invisible

Shooting landscapes I sometimes go as high as f11 (though most are f4 or below) and f11 on a 20mm lens is a nightmare for dust lol - that's when I clean it using a loupe and Arctic Butterfly, I've not yet needed a wet stick

Dave

 

[User.82148]

Best I could do dry. Can still see some but this is acceptable I think considering I did it for almost free with cheap dry Chinese sticks with a pad on from a very dirty sensor.

Looks pretty good to me.

 

[User.82148]

Thanks for the advice guys, well most of it anyway.