Sensor Cleaning Product Suggestions?

kcui

I'm was browsing for sensor cleaning supplies (brushes, solutions, etc..) but I was overwhelmed by the amount of choices. I'm relatively new to sensor cleaning so I don't want to drop $100 bucks on a nice kit only to find I could have got something that suits my need for half the price.

As far as cleaning goes, should I stick to dry brushes or go with wet cleaning (swab & solution)?

Can anyone recommend some products they've used?

For reference, I shoot on a 1.6x crop, and often change lenses when I'm out and about.

Thanks!

EDIT: Sorry, just realized I put this in the Camera board instead of Accessories!

EDIT 2: Upon further use of the SEARCH function (DOH!) I've discovered COPPERHILL. Wish I could delete my post : (

basflt

my own , recent experiences ;
as for my D60
you can use em all , it doesnt matter
see , the thing your looking at is not the sensor , but a plastic filter
the actual sensor is underneath it

i will tell you a story
my sensor was extreme dirty
i could not get it clean anymore
i took the D60 apart following this :
http://www.eyesopen.org/projects/ir/
then , i cleaned both sides of the filter with a old sensorswab and eclipse
then i wiped it with a Hama lens cloth
i cleaned the actual sensor with a new sensorswab and eclipse ,
using recommended procedure
every thing is fine now
only 2 spots left [ on back side of filter , unfortunately ]

Te Amo

The arctic butterfly is great for spot cleaning. Though I would suggest a properly sized sensor swab kit for full cleaning.

basflt

correct
but
never try to drop any fluid directly onto the surface
it may flow aside/ underneath the filter where it will stick , out of reach

i learned , the hard way

paddler4

I use the Copper Hill materials. I do it in this sequence:

1. use a blower I use a Rocket Blower)

2. If that does not work, use the Copper hill static brush.

3. If that does not work, do a wet cleaning with their materials.

In about 3 years of using dSLRs, I have reached stage 3 once (last week), and to be frank, the amount of dust remaining was small enough I probably could have skipped it. The static brush does quite a good job, and it is less nerve-wracking.

Art Scott

I have never used anything other than the Copper Hill Method (this link is to the tutorial).......
they were so friendly and helpful and it was actually dirt cheap......

the easiest thing to do is to just not shoot above F8.....when it shows at F8 then just raise to 5.6 or 4 :-}}}

nightowlcat

Check out this video as well.

kcui

Thanks guys. I spent about 50 bucks for a kit from Copper Hill and that should keep me all set for quite some time.

Art Scott wrote:

the easiest thing to do is to just not shoot above F8.....when it shows at F8 then just raise to 5.6 or 4 :-}}}

I like to shoot landscapes / nature shots, so I'm often changing lenses (between my standard zoom and UWA) and shooting fairly high DOFs (narrower than f/8) so any spotting is pretty apparently. Luckily I can take care of them pretty well in Lightroom but it can be time-consuming, especially when I start doing contrast tweaks and HDR shots.

Sam

One item I found that really helps the process is a VisibleDust sensor loupe.

You can see every speck of dust, smears, etc instantly without reattaching the lens running outside taking a photo of the sky and scrutinizing the image multiple times. Speeds up the processes.

Sam

Art Scott

Sam wrote: »

One item I found that really helps the process is a VisibleDust sensor loupe.

You can see every speck of dust, smears, etc instantly without reattaching the lens running outside taking a photo of the sky and scrutinizing the image multiple times. Speeds up the processes.

Sam

I can scrutinze a great many shot for the cost of that thing......it was selling for 100 bucks..but I do not run outside.......I just shoot my white ceiling......so we are talking a few seconds every 6-8 months or so.........but If you really like that is great......................