Sensor cleaning - Copper Hill still the way to go?

Pupator

I've been shooting DSLR (Sony A100) for about 5 months now and haven't cleaned the sensor yet. A while back a started noticing this speck on shots:

At first I thought it was the lens, but now I see it appearing on shots no matter which lens I use and always in the same spot. I did a search on Dgrin for sensor cleaning, read lots of info, and settled on Copper Hills wet/dry kit. Has anything changed since the threads I read were written?

jww

Pupator wrote:

I've been shooting DSLR (Sony A100) for about 5 months now and haven't cleaned the sensor yet. A while back a started noticing this speck on shots:

At first I thought it was the lens, but now I see it appearing on shots no matter which lens I use and always in the same spot. I did a search on Dgrin for sensor cleaning, read lots of info, and settled on Copper Hills wet/dry kit. Has anything changed since the threads I read were written?

Yup.. you have a sensor spot! No biggie.. Copperhill will clean it just fine.

Nope nothing has changed.. unless you found an older thread. There are two Eclipse formulas (Eclipse and Eclipse E2) Make sure you get the proper fluid as well as sensor swipe for your camera. Lots of great info on the Copperhill site.

Dogdots

Does it matter which Eclipse you use on your lenses?

ShebaJo

Dogdots wrote:

Does it matter which Eclipse you use on your lenses?

I have read that E2 should not be used on glass (lenses or glass sensors) just on tin oxide sensors. The Photographic Solutions site doesn't say "not to use E2" on lenses/ glass... but they do say to use Eclipse on lenses, glass filters, and E2 on tin oxide sensors. imo, if it were a big problem, they would post it on their website. But, others that sell Eclipse do have warnings posted about E2 & glass.

Manfr3d

The best and cheapest way to do it is to buy a small bottle of Eclipse solution and some Sensor Swabs (tm).

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-SLR-Sensor-Swabs-Type/dp/B000BDCE1Y
http://www.amazon.com/Photographic-Solutions-Eclipse-Cleaner-Instantly/dp/B0000AUR1I/ref=pd_sim_p_1

Make shure to follow the instructions and that you buy the right sized swabs for your sensor.

Scott_Quier

Copper Hill is what I use and have had great succes with for a (small) number of years. It's easy and sure. Rather than use the pre-manufactured swabs as indicated in Manfr3d's post, I use a small rubber spatula and Pec Pads - much cheaper and just as sure.

The warning about the Eclipse vs. E2 Eclipse solution is spot on for sensors.

I have never used either on my glass and have done no research so I have no opinion either way

tsk1979

I have 99.9% pure ethanol(lab grade), can I use that instead?

jww

Scott_Quier wrote:

I have never used either on my glass and have done no research so I have no opinion either way

Just an fyi..

I started using Eclipse on my glass this year with incredible results. Over the years I've used many different lens cleaners, but I have never had anything work so effortlessly and so quickly.

Scott_Quier

tsk1979 wrote:

I have 99.9% pure ethanol(lab grade), can I use that instead?

Probably, but it has a higher heat of varporaization - meaning it will evaporate more slowly the will MethOH

KED

Pupator wrote:

I've been shooting DSLR (Sony A100) for about 5 months now and haven't cleaned the sensor yet. A while back a started noticing this speck on shots:

At first I thought it was the lens, but now I see it appearing on shots no matter which lens I use and always in the same spot. I did a search on Dgrin for sensor cleaning, read lots of info, and settled on Copper Hills wet/dry kit. Has anything changed since the threads I read were written?

I am a CopperHill user, but it just so happens that I had a spot just like yours that I tried to eradicate today, and after THREE attempts it's still there. I swabbed the hell out of that sensor to the point where I felt like I needed to take some test shots afterwards to make sure I hadn't left chisel marks in the sensor. No reason not to "go for it" with CopperHill; if they can't fix it nobody but your authorized factory repair shop can. PS: it's daunting reaching into that sensor with a CopperHill swab the first time, but I am comfortable with their advice that if you are reasonably careful you can't do any harm. PPS: (1) Spots like that are easily nuked in LR or PS. (2) Forget the spot -- great shot!

Pupator

KED wrote:

(1) Spots like that are easily nuked in LR or PS. (2) Forget the spot -- great shot!

Thanks! I don't mind cloning them out in PS, but I'm going on one of my trips next week (I do 4 of these a year) where I'll take about 1000 shots, including ~400 father/son or grandfather/son portraits. I'd really love to not have to clone spots out of those!

Richard

Pupator wrote:

Thanks! I don't mind cloning them out in PS, but I'm going on one of my trips next week (I do 4 of these a year) where I'll take about 1000 shots, including ~400 father/son or grandfather/son portraits. I'd really love to not have to clone spots out of those!

Usually, dust spots are only visible in the sky or clouds when you are shooting at a narrow aperture. So I wouldn't worry about it too much. Nevertheless, I too recommend Copperhill for sensor cleaning. Blowers of any sort just move stuff around inside the camera, and can't budge anything that's sticky. Copperhill actually removes stuff.

Art Scott

FYI...to those of you asking which Eclipse......Here is what I did....to CopperHill.......emailed them with camera model and told them if they sent the wrong chemical and swabs it was on them........they replied with correct kit to order,,,,,,,,,,.......has worked fine ever since .....
COPPER HILL bowbowthumb

KED

Art Scott wrote:

FYI...to those of you asking which Eclipse......Here is what I did....to CopperHill.......emailed them with camera model and told them if they sent the wrong chemical and swabs it was on them........they replied with correct kit to order,,,,,,,,,,.......has worked fine ever since .....
COPPER HILL bowbowthumb

Hey Art -- I know you dig Copper Hill, and you turned me on to them, but am wondering what your advice would be for a spot like the OP's that just, apparently, CANNOT be swiped off? Back to the factory, or is there an Art Scott Nuke It Special that I could try before being deprived of my baby for a couple of weeks?

PS I'm going off the grid for a week after tonight, so if you reply and I don't acknowledge, you will understand why; man, I can't wait to get off the grid!!! Especially since I'm going shooting!

Scott_Quier

KED wrote:

Hey Art -- I know you dig Copper Hill, and you turned me on to them, but am wondering what your advice would be for a spot like the OP's that just, apparently, CANNOT be swiped off? Back to the factory, or is there an Art Scott Nuke It Special that I could try before being deprived of my baby for a couple of weeks?

PS I'm going off the grid for a week after tonight, so if you reply and I don't acknowledge, you will understand why; man, I can't wait to get off the grid!!! Especially since I'm going shooting!

If it truely couldn't be removed with the wet technique, then I think a trip to the manufacturer service center might be called for.

But, looking at just this one photo, I'm thinking that it should be quite easy to get rid of it. I've had some pretty sticky stuff that took a couple, or more, applications of the technique before they were history.

Disclaimer - YMMV. If you follow the following steps, any damage you may cause is on you I've successfully performed this "operation" more than once with no consequences. You may not be able to. You have been warned!

I have found a spot or two that were quite stubborn. In the end, I had to get a little more aggressive about it than is recommended by the folks at Copper Hill. An extra drop of the MethOH and a little light scrubbing and it disappeared. I can hear it now - "scrubbing"? On the sensor? OK, just take a deep breath and remember that you aren't touching the sensor but are, in fact, cleaning a glass filter that sits on top of the sensor. Glass isn't scratched by clean, soft fabric. By the time you might get to the "scrubbing" stage, you've already removed ALL the grit on the sensor and your PEC Pad is clean (you're not reusing them are you?). Sticky stuff isn't grit - it's usually lubricant.

How often have I had to resort to scrubbing? Just twice - same camera. No issues.

Richard

Scott_Quier wrote:

If it truely couldn't be removed with the wet technique, then I think a trip to the manufacturer service center might be called for.

But, looking at just this one photo, I'm thinking that it should be quite easy to get rid of it. I've had some pretty sticky stuff that took a couple, or more, applications of the technique before they were history.

Disclaimer - YMMV. If you follow the following steps, any damage you may cause is on you I've successfully performed this "operation" more than once with no consequences. You may not be able to. You have been warned!

I have found a spot or two that were quite stubborn. In the end, I had to get a little more aggressive about it than is recommended by the folks at Copper Hill. An extra drop of the MethOH and a little light scrubbing and it disappeared. I can hear it now - "scrubbing"? On the sensor? OK, just take a deep breath and remember that you aren't touching the sensor but are, in fact, cleaning a glass filter that sits on top of the sensor. Glass isn't scratched by clean, soft fabric. By the time you might get to the "scrubbing" stage, you've already removed ALL the grit on the sensor and your PEC Pad is clean (you're not reusing them are you?). Sticky stuff isn't grit - it's usually lubricant.

How often have I had to resort to scrubbing? Just twice - same camera. No issues.

I will meekly confess to having scrubbed a couple of times as well, also with no problem. Once you get the gunk off, you should give it one final pass using the Copperhill recommended motion.

Scott is right that by the time you are frustrated enough to give it a try, all the grit should be gone, but there is always the chance that some grit is stuck to the gunk, and scrubbing could scratch the filter. So it's a gamble: in the best case you solve the problem yourself immediately; in the worst case, you have to send the camera in and pay for a more expensive service charge to replace the filter instead of just a cleaning charge. Feeling lucky, punk?

ziggy53

The only additional comment I would offer about "scrubbing" the sensor filter is that some of the newer cameras employ a very thin coating on the filter designed to receive an electrical/electrostatic charge in order to repel dust.

Supposedly this coating can be damaged by either using an improper cleaning solvent (and the reason there are now more than one solvent) and abrasion. Since the coating is only a few molecules thick that would seem plausible.

Be "very" careful cleaning the newer sensor filters with the dust reduction feature.

Art Scott

Quote:
Originally Posted by KED
Hey Art -- I know you dig Copper Hill, and you turned me on to them, but am wondering what your advice would be for a spot like the OP's that just, apparently, CANNOT be swiped off? Back to the factory, or is there an Art Scott Nuke It Special that I could try before being deprived of my baby for a couple of weeks?

PS I'm going off the grid for a week after tonight, so if you reply and I don't acknowledge, you will understand why; man, I can't wait to get off the grid!!! Especially since I'm going shooting!

Scott_Quier wrote:

If it truely couldn't be removed with the wet technique, then I think a trip to the manufacturer service center might be called for.

But, looking at just this one photo, I'm thinking that it should be quite easy to get rid of it. I've had some pretty sticky stuff that took a couple, or more, applications of the technique before they were history.

Disclaimer - YMMV. If you follow the following steps, any damage you may cause is on you I've successfully performed this "operation" more than once with no consequences. You may not be able to. You have been warned!

I have found a spot or two that were quite stubborn. In the end, I had to get a little more aggressive about it than is recommended by the folks at Copper Hill. An extra drop of the MethOH and a little light scrubbing and it disappeared. I can hear it now - "scrubbing"? On the sensor? OK, just take a deep breath and remember that you aren't touching the sensor but are, in fact, cleaning a glass filter that sits on top of the sensor. Glass isn't scratched by clean, soft fabric. By the time you might get to the "scrubbing" stage, you've already removed ALL the grit on the sensor and your PEC Pad is clean (you're not reusing them are you?). Sticky stuff isn't grit - it's usually lubricant.

How often have I had to resort to scrubbing? Just twice - same camera. No issues.

This is my NUKE it Method and Scott outlined it very well, so it is actually Scott's Advanced Nuke it Method:D.....I did once use Zeiss "pre-wetted" Lens cloths to do just this and was a little more than squirmish about it....then re washed with Copper hill.....the Zeiss cloth was wrapedaround the end of MY FINGER:D.....I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS.....IT WAS MY CAMERA AND I WOULD HAVE HAD TO "B" SLAP MYSELF INTO UNCONCOUSNESS IF IT HAD DAMAGED THE CAMERA.

Pupator

I GOT IT!

First I tried a dry only method - no go - the spot remained.

Then I sucked it up, followed the instructions, and wahhooo - it's gone.

Art Scott

Pupator wrote:

I GOT IT!

First I tried a dry only method - no go - the spot remained.

Then I sucked it up, followed the instructions, and wahhooo - it's gone.

Kewl....now you won't need to worry any longer....just do it every couple of months and that should keep it clean enuff fo most shootin' !!:Dthumb

Scott_Quier

Art Scott wrote:

Kewl....now you won't need to worry any longer....just do it every couple of months and that should keep it clean enuff fo most shootin' !!:Dthumb

It might be better to do it only when you need to. If you don't see them in the photos, then cleaning the sensor can only increase the chances of problems.

For example, in preparing to do a wedding, I know that I won't be shooting at anything more than f/8 (as an example). So, I test at f/11. If they don't show up, then they can't cause a problem. If they do, then I need to clean it.

ziggy53

Scott_Quier wrote:

It might be better to do it only when you need to. If you don't see them in the photos, then cleaning the sensor can only increase the chances of problems.

For example, in preparing to do a wedding, I know that I won't be shooting at anything more than f/8 (as an example). So, I test at f/11. If they don't show up, then they can't cause a problem. If they do, then I need to clean it.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Rhuarc

Just stumbled on this thread and I'm glad I did! I have a couple of spots on my xTi that look exactly like that. I've had the camera for a year and a half and ahven't cleaned the sensor once, so my guess is that it is about time! I'm making my order to Copperhill right now!

Pupator

Rhuarc wrote:

Just stumbled on this thread and I'm glad I did! I have a couple of spots on my xTi that look exactly like that. I've had the camera for a year and a half and ahven't cleaned the sensor once, so my guess is that it is about time! I'm making my order to Copperhill right now!

You won't be disappointed. While you're waiting for it to arrive - go to the drug store and buy some tweezers (you'll want a clean pair that you only use for this) and perhaps some latex gloves (depending on how much you trust yourself). The good news is that when mine came they had already attached one pec pad to the wipe - so I didn't have to do the hardest part.

jrmyrnsm

I just did a sensor cleaning on a 30D I bought off ebay and it made a world of difference. I ended up using a sensor swab from Wolf Camera, it cost $20, and came with 3 sets of swabs. Its a little nerve-racking sticking somthing down into the mirror box but its worth it, definately worth it. Good luck!

Scott_Quier

jrmyrnsm wrote:

Its a little nerve-racking sticking somthing down into the mirror box but its worth it, definately worth it. Good luck!

- the first time or three it is very nerve wracking. But, like anything else, once you've done it a few times, it becomes easy - as it should.