Arctic butterflies, which one?

[trapper501]

An important holiday coming up with a month of picture taking I need to think about the ancillary stuff.

Taking two bodies, a 350D and a 40D, I was thinking that we should be prepared to clean them if necessary and I keep reading about Arctic Butterflies.

Do we need one? If so which one, there seem to be options?

Can we, should we, buy secondhand?

Is there an alternative product?

 

[Craikeybaby]

No you don't need one, but they a bit better at sensor cleaning than a rocket blower, but not as good as a wet clean.

I've got the basic one, but would prefer to have got the next one up where you can change the brushes. I wouldn't get a second hand one, as if there is any grease etc on the bristles that will go onto your sensor.

 

[trapper501]

perhaps start with a rocket blower then? The 40D has done only a few hundred shots.

We are going to Namibia, renowned for being made of dust and sand.

I just don't want it spoiled by something daft.

 

[Wail]

Let me tell you, and you'll note where I'm at (very similar to Namibia I'm guessing). You will need an Arctic Butterfly, a Rocket Blower, and the wet swabs. Buy them before you leave; otherwise you may regret it big time. They're no where to be found in Saudi, so you can guess how easy / hard they'd be in Namibia :shrug:

It's a small investment which you will need for your kit anyway :shrug:

 

[trapper501]

Let me tell you, and you'll note where I'm at (very similar to Namibia I'm guessing). You will need an Arctic Butterfly, a Rocket Blower, and the wet swabs. Buy them before you leave; otherwise you may regret it big time. They're no where to be found in Saudi, so you can guess how easy / hard they'd be in Namibia :shrug:

It's a small investment which you will need for your kit anyway :shrug:

ah, well that's good advice then!

 

[Wail]

I did the ultra silly mistake of not bringing any of the liquid (for the wet swab cleaning) with me when I came back to Saudi. I thought they'd be plentiful here .. so, I just brought the swabs; as I read somewhere that the liquid from the wet swabs are illegal to post / ship Internationally, as it's flammable :shrug:

I've been out shooting around the country; you can guess, Saudi is sand all over the place. I got some dust on my sensor, blower cleaned most, but not all.

Now I can't do a wet clean! No Arctic Butterfly, no wet kit .. nothing! I am in such a spot that I am buying a new body tomorrow until my cleaning kit is sent to me from UK (should take about 10 days to get here, if at all :bang. The alternative is to send my camera to Nikon for a clean-up, which will take over a week :bonk:

Lesson to be learnt .. always buy all your cleaning kit and keep it handy.


That aside, have fun in Namibia