Disconsolate Sensor cleaner person :-(

[Mitzyboy]

Well, my 5D needed a sensor clean, £65 at the local camera shop ....... then I thought I'd have a go myself as I have two cameras, and how hard can it possibly be!!!? I mean, it all sounds so simple.

I bought a dust wand kit and a Dust Aid Platinum silicone cleaner for the grand cost of £49 ... special offer!

I followed the instructions to the letter. Silicone cleaner first to get any loose grit off that might scratch the sensor. Gentle dabs, flat surface, not too much pressure.
Then I carefully built my swab, stuck the appropriate amount of liquid on it and made two sweeps, one on one side of the swab, one on the other. I'd watched the you tube videos you see! Nothing left to chance.

Proud of my care and dilligency I retired to the office and took two or three test shots at f22 of a very clean light wall.

The results ....... YES! .... you guessed it. It's worse than it was before I started.

I've been through that now four times. I've been close to insterting the giottos rocket in places it really shouldn't go at times, but have now admitted defeat

Is it just me? I have no understanding how with all the care I took that the sensor could be worse than it was when I started. I didnt expect to get it first time, but now all I'm doing I think is moving the dust around

I guess I'm off to Calumet tomorrow but I wont be telling them of my dismal efforts!

 

[4wd]

This is what I use if a rocket blower won't shift it.
It's rare to need two.
http://www.digipad.co.uk/epages/es1...117943_es123460326978/Products/10PACKECLIPSE4
Not sure what you have used, if it needs 'building' it sounds like a good way to accidentally get bits on it.

 

[Mitzyboy]

Its supposedly a well recommended way of doing it .... but clearly not.
How much pressure do you put on when cleaning it. I know it's difficult to quantify but I only applied light pressure, not firm

 

[sk66]

The biggest thing I have issue with is using too much liquid... it can then leave a residue.

 

[Suvv]

I follow RobertP's advice https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/tutorials/sensor-cleaning-my-copperhill-style-cleaning.50/
an oldie but a goodie, make sure you read both parts
One thing I do before I start using a blower or swabs is to put the camera on a tripod facing down with the lens off and blow out the mirror box, leave for a few minutes and then blow it out again, if the mirror box is dusty then you will just shift the dust onto the sensor.

 

[Canon Bob]

How much pressure do you put on when cleaning it. I know it's difficult to quantify but I only applied light pressure, not firm

It's not fragile and you can apply as much pressure as you would reasonably apply when cleaning the LCD's for example. The part that you're attacking is the hot mirror overlying the sensor and not the sensor directly.

Bob

 

[JohnM100]

This is what I use if a rocket blower won't shift it.
It's rare to need two.
http://www.digipad.co.uk/epages/es1...117943_es123460326978/Products/10PACKECLIPSE4
Not sure what you have used, if it needs 'building' it sounds like a good way to accidentally get bits on it.

I was thinking about these but saw a significant minority of comments (minority yes, but enough to raise a flag) about these leaving lint behind.

Have you ever found this as an issue?

 

[4wd]

It can happen but it's rare. When it's dry the odd fibre left behind might blow off.