How clean should a sensor be after a shop has cleaned it?

Pookeyhead said:
Why the hell do people insist on paying £30 or £40 to have some numpty do what you can do yourself?


Please people... just do a bit of research, buy some swabs, and do it yourself. It's not difficult, or dangerous.. and there's no skill required.

http://www.cameraclean.co.uk/Sensor_Swabs.php

As they say though.. you may have to actually read your camera's manual... so that's clearly a barrier to some people :banghead:
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And here on talkphotography http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/sensor-cleaning-my-copperhill-style-cleaning.9766/

There is no need to take the camera to a shop to have the sensor cleaned they will only do what you can do yourself or most likely not even that. It is really easy once you have done it.
 
Pookeyhead said:
I don't need to. Logic tells me it's gonna be full of fail.
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Clearly, you do need to check the links. Incredibly, they've thought about this problem and there's a gel cleaning stage after each application.

FWIW, if I didn't have wet cleaning swaps to last me for the next couple of years at least (and I don't use Sony), I'd be getting one of those gel jobbies. Seems very easy and efficient. My only question would be, does the gel retain the exact level of stickiness (as that's the key to success) after a few years sitting in a drawer?
 
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I've seen examples of files by people who's used it. It seems to be something that works well for a while, then just becomes a bigger problem than the one you're trying to cure... therefore not really economical. Once it starts to degrade, it seems to add more than it removes.

The thought of pressing a sticky gel against the sensor just seems like a bad idea from the outset to me. Once you've taken the trouble to prep the camera, clear a workspace and actually get on with this job, just wipe it properly with the correct swabs and fluid for a perfectly clean sensor every time. This just strikes me as laziness. I fail to see how it can improve upon a perfectly clean sensor, and that's what I get doing it with swabs... so failing to see the point.
 
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Pookeyhead said:
I've seen examples of files by people who's used it. It seems to be something that works well for a while, then just becomes a bigger problem than the one you're trying to cure... therefore not really economical. Once it starts to degrade, it seems to add more than it removes.

The thought of pressing a sticky gel against the sensor just seems like a bad idea from the outset to me. Once you've taken the trouble to prep the camera, clear a workspace and actually get on with this job, just wipe it properly with the correct swabs and fluid for a perfectly clean sensor every time. This just strikes me as laziness. I fail to see how it can improve upon a perfectly clean sensor, and that's what I get doing it with swabs... so failing to see the point.
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I agree that sensor cleaning is not really a big deal, though just last week I used three swaps to get it 99% clean. Good enough :)

I like the idea of the sticky gel and don't share your concerns. Back in the days of audio LPs, I think I tried every cleaning device known to man and the only one that worked 100% was a sticky roller :thumbs:

And now that I've read the very recent link from Ed below about maintaining tackiness of the gel, I think I'll give it a go when I run out of wet swaps.

Ed Sutton said:
Don't know about years, but apparently washing it restores stickiness. http://www.moosepeterson.com/blog/2014/07/22/sensor-gel-unbelievable/
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Why don't we actually see Moose cleaning a sensor with it? Bit extravagant to use this to clean a polarising filter... just use the end of your t-shirt for that! :)
 
HoppyUK said:
Not tried one of these, Eyelead gel sticky thing, but it looks rather good http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0046VBEE0/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_8?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AFADE2CQKBW5A

Review here http://petapixel.com/2014/02/03/sensor-gel-stick-safely-clean-sensor-like-service-center/
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I have one, love it.

And pookeyhead, no it doesn't build up forever. You use a 2nd stickier source to remove the crap from the gel onto the paper. You can see it build up on the paper.

Took 3 passes on my D700 the first time as it was revolting but my D7000 was a 1 pass job. Took a bit of getting used to how to handle it but I was getting pretty fast by the end. It's starts of VERY sticky but it takes a pass or so to bed in. After that it's far more manageable.

Haven't had to use it again yet but it was cheaper than paying for 2 sensor cleans in a shop so I am already up.
 
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