DSLR Sensor Cleaning

About a week into using my DSLR, I noticed dust specks on images; it likely already had some and I hadn’t noticed.

Blowing the dust out with air didn’t help. After reading about comprehensive methods for cleaning digital cameras site down at time of posting, I decided to go with a popular method and got some PEC*PADs and Eclipse methanol. It should be about the same as doing what this guy did.

This picture was taken at F/20, more than enough for visible dust.

PEC*PADs and Eclipse cleaner

I will be fabricating a cleaning spatula, but I will still probably delay cleaning. It’s still early on, and I don’t think I should risk destroying my camera just yet.

Should I be happy and bear with not being able to use smaller apertures without having to touch up photos? Or just go ahead and clean it. Hmm…

Update

I had bought the cleaning stuff and proceeded with my interpretation of the Copperhill Method. So much for waiting :X

I carved a makeshift cleaning stick out of basswood, and sanded down the head into a 14mm wide “V”-like “U” shape.

Here’s another shot at F/20.

Makeshift wooden cleaning stick

The specks I circled are hardly noticeable. I managed to remove most of the smaller dust specks but it is well improved. At least I can happily stop down some more now.

I will likely modify my cleaning stick to be smaller so that I think I can have more control around the edges. My technique is poor because most of the bigger dust specks were pushed to the edges but not picked up. Maybe I should just get a proper, pre-made sensor wand.

05:47 PM | 3 Comments | Tags:

Comments

  1. You had no luck already having dust on your sensor … i got dust like after one and half year and it was because i was changing my lens too much … :(

    I had it cleaned at a shop because i was too scared to do it myself … but i doesn’t seem that hard . But doing it and cleaning ALL the dust is really hard and doing it yourself can make you finish with even more dust than before repairing …

    So i would say to ask a shop or staying like this for a while … but i know it’s a real bother having dust on the pics …

    James on

  2. @James: hehe I made a decision already.

    And you’re right about it being difficult to remove all dust! I need to improve my technique, but I definitely feel more confident about cleaning it myself after this first experience :>

    nanu on

  3. It’s way better now ! glad to see your cleaning worked nicely :)

    James on