Review Dust-Aid, sensor cleaning that works.

Les McLean

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I've used a number of methods to sensor clean, probably the most used is the pecpads/Eclipse fluid combination and the visible dust brushes.

A neighbour of mine had just bought a 'Dust-Aid' cleaning kit, and he very kindly let me have a go on my camera.

(image from the dust-aid website)

Sclean8.JPG


The results , in my humble opinion, are very impressive, a far quicker/cleaner process than the other methods.

Results of cleaning.

All taken at 200mm @ F29

Before cleaning at 18% magnification (full crop)

sclean1s.jpg


After cleaning at 18%

scleans.jpg


Top left corner crop at 100% (before)

Sclean3s.jpg


After

sclean4s.jpg



top right crop at 100% before

sclean5s.jpg


After

sclean6s.jpg


After a careful scan of the after image, I can see 2 small spots remaining, which I can easily live with.

I won't go into using the application as these links will help:

A review of the application:
http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?new sID=3008

A video instruction
http://www.dust-aid.com/instruction_video.html

Compatibility list.
http://cameraclean.co.uk/main/technical/dust_aid_c hart.php

Dust-Aids Website
http://www.dust-aid.com/

However there is a sting in the tail, they are not cheap, in the UK they retail for around £36 for 12 pads, working out at £3 per clean.

And, as is in typical rip-off Britain, the same item in the states retails at $39, which is around £19
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Anyway, I'll definitely be ordering a kit, so highly recommended
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Didn't Janice champion these?

:D
 
Well this Dust Aid obviously works Les but the only reservation I have with this is..............

I really don't like the idea of "sticking" the pads to your sensor to clean it, I watched the video and you have to apply pressure one way to un-stick the pad from your sensor screen to remove it.

I havent used the application and certainly presume it does the job but "tearing" the pad from the sensor puts me off a little..:shrug:
 
Les it looks to work very well.

I did a bit of digging on the net and found this among other things

" PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 7:41 pm Post subject: EOS 5D Owners: Dust-Aid Warning Reply with quote
Just received this email from Dust-Aid:

Dear Canon 5D Users,

We have heard reports in the industry of problems with cleaning the sensor filter of the Canon 5D which has a tin oxide coating.

Although Dust-Aid has been tested and does not interfere with the tin oxide coating, we are in the process of conducting further testing on the Canon 5D.

If you have a Canon 5D we ask that you wait to use the product until we can complete our testing.

Please contact us directly if you have any questions or concerns.
_________________
E.J. Peiker
Sr. Technical Editor, NatureScapes.net
www.EJPhoto.com [/COLOR]"


Further reading also says this applies to 400D and 1Dmk3.

And also found several owners of 1Ds, 1Dsmk2 cameras who have cracked their AA filters using this method.

Having not tried the method myself (and not going to be, quite happy with Visable Dust brush's) I cannot comment on this, Just passing on the information I have found on the tinterweb, please do your own investigation and draw your own conclusions.
 
Les it looks to work very well.

I did a bit of digging on the net and found this among other things

" PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 7:41 pm Post subject: EOS 5D Owners: Dust-Aid Warning Reply with quote
Just received this email from Dust-Aid:

Dear Canon 5D Users,

We have heard reports in the industry of problems with cleaning the sensor filter of the Canon 5D which has a tin oxide coating.

Although Dust-Aid has been tested and does not interfere with the tin oxide coating, we are in the process of conducting further testing on the Canon 5D.

If you have a Canon 5D we ask that you wait to use the product until we can complete our testing.

Please contact us directly if you have any questions or concerns.
_________________
E.J. Peiker
Sr. Technical Editor, NatureScapes.net
www.EJPhoto.com <A href="http://"" target=_blank>"

Further reading also says this applies to 400D and 1Dmk3.

And also found several owners of 1Ds, 1Dsmk2 cameras who have cracked their AA filters using this method.

Having not tried the method myself (and not going to be, quite happy with Visable Dust brush's) I cannot comment on this, Just passing on the information I have found on the tinterweb, please do your own investigation and draw your own conclusions.

That's why I included a compatibility list with my thread, it clearly states the 5D is still being tested, and the 400d and 1DMK3 have their own mechanisms for dust removal, so are not applicable.
As for cracked AA filters, horror stories like this turn up whatever method is used, I remember reading how someone scratched the sensor using visible dust brushes (how I'll never know:shrug:)

I'm not suggesting you ignore them, just put them in perspective.

All I can say , it worked for me, on a 1Ds MK II sensor, using gentle pressure, at no time did I feel as though the sensor was under any stress or strain?
 
All I can say , it worked for me, on a 1Ds MK II sensor, using gentle pressure, at no time did I feel as though the sensor was under any stress or strain?


That's fine Les, Its alway nice to hear first hand reports on these items.

Your opinion is taken on board.(y)
 
That's why I included a compatibility list with my thread, it clearly states the 5D is still being tested, and the 400d and 1DMK3 have their own mechanisms for dust removal, so are not applicable.
As for cracked AA filters, horror stories like this turn up whatever method is used, I remember reading how someone scratched the sensor using visible dust brushes (how I'll never know:shrug:)

I'm not suggesting you ignore them, just put them in perspective.

All I can say , it worked for me, on a 1Ds MK II sensor, using gentle pressure, at no time did I feel as though the sensor was under any stress or strain?

Like I said in my post, see below

Having not tried the method myself (and not going to be, quite happy with Visable Dust brush's) I cannot comment on this, Just passing on the information I have found on the tinterweb, please do your own investigation and draw your own conclusions.
 
They're advertised in eos-magazine this month (last month?), and apparently from the site as well. If not exactly an endorsement it's got to say something about them.
 
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