I need to clean my sensor - Firefly Sensor Cleaner

foodpoison

foodpoison

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So, I'm going to the lake district in a few weeks, and it's going to be my first proper photography with my 5D since I bought it back in March (shameful, I know) and I was looking at how much it would cost to have the sensor cleaned. Then I looked into this product called the 'Firefly Sensor Cleaner'.

Basically, it's a regular rocket blower, but with a little device that 'ionises' the air that it shoots, which makes the dust literally fall off your sensor due to the release of static charge (or at least that is my understanding of the product haha).

I don't feel confident using contact-based swabs etc to clean the sensor, as it is a second hand camera with no warranty and I want to prolong it's lifespan as much as possible, and so this seemed like a great product!

Catch? It's $200 new on their website.

So, back to square one, I need to clean my camera, and fast. I go in 2 weeks.

I'm based in southampton, anyone know of anything nearby or even a train journey away that can do in-house camera sensor cleaning?
 
Maybe I'm being skeptical, but if the product was that great everyone would be using them.
 
hzv5wk said:
LCE Southampton (High St) say they do DSLR sensor cleans.
http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Branch.asp?Branch_ID=10

Fixation in London (Vauxhall) do a while you wait service.
http://www.fixationuk.com/Fixation/Repairs.html
Click to expand...

I might pop in to LCE and ask. Last time I went in there (and, actually, the only time) I handed in a CV for a job there. Then I said I have experience in Camera sales as I worked in Jessops, they literally laughed in my face. I might pop down to the other shop and see if they're less rude.
 
check out these guys http://www.copperhillimages.com/

I bought their sensor cleaning kit, came with a sensor brush, swab holder stick, 100 pre cuts swabs, eclipse cleaning fluid, a bonus lens cleaning kit with retractable brush, lens cleaning spray, filter cleaning solution, lens tissues, lens microfiber cloth, other bits and pieces, a plastic slinky toy and a packet of lollies for 70 bucks US.

really good value and a nice system.
 
This still works for me :)

I cleaned the 5D that way and have cleaned the 5D2 equally well.

I don't believe anything that just disturbs dust can be a complete solution. Sometimes the 'dust' is something sticky like pollen and needs more than being blown with air to shift it.
 
Hmm, maybe I have forgotten too much from my degree days.

But to me, blowing an ionised gas at an insulator, would likely result in the insulator ending up storing some more of the ionised energy.

That said, I bought myself the Arctic butterfly. I have only used it a few times, however, the idea is similar. Except that you are dragging a charged insulator across the sensor. In theory, the sensor would be less, or equally as charged as the butterfly, and thus there is a better than 50/50 chance that the dust sticks to the butterfly.
It is a dry sensor clean, and seems to do ok.
 
coldpenguin said:
Hmm, maybe I have forgotten too much from my degree days.

But to me, blowing an ionised gas at an insulator, would likely result in the insulator ending up storing some more of the ionised energy.

That said, I bought myself the Arctic butterfly. I have only used it a few times, however, the idea is similar. Except that you are dragging a charged insulator across the sensor. In theory, the sensor would be less, or equally as charged as the butterfly, and thus there is a better than 50/50 chance that the dust sticks to the butterfly.
It is a dry sensor clean, and seems to do ok.
Click to expand...

The advantage of the butterfly is that you control where the dust goes.
 
RobertP said:
This still works for me :)

I cleaned the 5D that way and have cleaned the 5D2 equally well.

I don't believe anything that just disturbs dust can be a complete solution. Sometimes the 'dust' is something sticky like pollen and needs more than being blown with air to shift it.
Click to expand...

If I had a steady income and a warranty on my camera, I'd give this a go without a second thought.

I don't anticipate that I'll do any damage giving it a clean myself, but I don't want to make it worse. And I'm very impatient.

Fiddly electronics, small spaces and potential for the problem to become worse are all terrible news for me :p

Thanks for the link though, when I'm back into it I know I'll be giving it a go.

coldpenguin said:
Hmm, maybe I have forgotten too much from my degree days.

But to me, blowing an ionised gas at an insulator, would likely result in the insulator ending up storing some more of the ionised energy.

That said, I bought myself the Arctic butterfly. I have only used it a few times, however, the idea is similar. Except that you are dragging a charged insulator across the sensor. In theory, the sensor would be less, or equally as charged as the butterfly, and thus there is a better than 50/50 chance that the dust sticks to the butterfly.
It is a dry sensor clean, and seems to do ok.
Click to expand...

That looks like a lot more reasonably priced, and considering it's dry and has contact with the sensor I'd assume it would be more effective, I may have to give it a go, or at least see if I can find someone who has one I can borrow!
 
I have an Arctic Butterfly and most of the time it's fine for removing transient dust particles, but if it's used on a more contaminated sensor it tends to pick up contamination and smear on subsequent sensors. It then has to be wet cleaned which is not too easy and after which the only way to see if it is clean is to try it on a sensor. I have to say that the problem usually only arises when a friend borrows it. Just one swipe on a really dirty sensor and it's contaminated. So, if you do get one, use it on your own sensor(s) only and best to be sure you are starting off with simply dust contamination.
 
To see how bad a sensor is I use Visible Dust sensor loupe, and to be honest I wouldn't touch a sensor without using it. I brought the complete kit from www.visibledust.com which included the Artic Butterfly 724 bright view. The eclipse sensor cleaning fluid with swabs bought seperately. As long as your careful and don't rush it there is no mystery in cleaning sensors. I try and avoid using a blower as it can stir up dust from other internal parts of the camera .

Realspeed
 
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