Dust Removal from Sensor: Use UV pen.

flyingdutchieflyingdutchie Registered Users Posts: 1,286 Major grins
edited July 28, 2006 in Cameras
From dpreview i picked up this little tip:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1021&message=19342176

It describes how to make dust particles very visible using a cheap UV light, that is normally used to detect fake money.

It seems to make it much easier to check if you CCD/CMOS (still) has some dust-bunnies stuck to it. :D
-- Anton.
I can't grasp the notion of time.

When I hear the earth will melt into the sun,
in two billion years,
all I can think is:
    "Will that be on a Monday?"
==========================
http://www.streetsofboston.com
http://blog.antonspaans.com

Comments

  • KA0TVOKA0TVO Registered Users Posts: 164 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2006
    Sounds good, but how much for the kit?
    Bob
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2006
    Thanks, Anton!
    I ordered mine from United Nuclear... :D
    $10 + $6 s/h - not bad for a chance to see them bunnies..:-)
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • wxwaxwxwax Registered Users Posts: 15,471 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2006
    Or you could just take a piccie at f22 against a bright background. ne_nau.gif
    Sid.
    Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
    http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
  • flyingdutchieflyingdutchie Registered Users Posts: 1,286 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2006
    wxwax wrote:
    Or you could just take a piccie at f22 against a bright background. ne_nau.gif

    While your mirror is up.... and no lense on the camera? :D

    It's just so easy to spot the dust-bunnies, use the bulb-blower and check if they're gone right there and then, for example...
    I can't grasp the notion of time.

    When I hear the earth will melt into the sun,
    in two billion years,
    all I can think is:
        "Will that be on a Monday?"
    ==========================
    http://www.streetsofboston.com
    http://blog.antonspaans.com
  • flyingdutchieflyingdutchie Registered Users Posts: 1,286 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2006
    KA0TVO wrote:
    Sounds good, but how much for the kit?
    Those pens cost around USD 10,--, more or less.
    I can't grasp the notion of time.

    When I hear the earth will melt into the sun,
    in two billion years,
    all I can think is:
        "Will that be on a Monday?"
    ==========================
    http://www.streetsofboston.com
    http://blog.antonspaans.com
  • wxwaxwxwax Registered Users Posts: 15,471 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2006
    flyingdutchie wrote:
    While your mirror is up.... and no lense on the camera? :D

    It's just so easy to spot the dust-bunnies, use the bulb-blower and check if they're gone right there and then, for example...

    Bit of a hijack, but a bulb blower simply hasn't worked for me.

    The air in the bulb comes from somewhere, it usually seems to have dust motes in it too, and all it ever does for me is scatter motes around, not remove them.
    Sid.
    Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
    http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2006
    Sid,
    wxwax wrote:
    Or you could just take a piccie at f22 against a bright background. ne_nau.gif

    f/22 is, of course tried and true method, but this UV one seems to speed things up dramatically.
    No need to go get another shot
    (translation: power off, put the lens back, power on, take a shot, fiddle with zoom on LCD or, even worse, upload the image to the Big Screen, find out that you missed a couple, take the lens off - each time exposing its back - go Cleaning mode, etc.), instant visual feedback, all is done in ONE sensor cleaning session w/o going back and forth for the verification...
    And all this for the price of what, $10..$16?
    I'd say, it's hard to find a dslr accessory that costs less (I only know of lens cloth and lens pen, that's it).
    Considering the usual amounts of moolah we spent on our toys, paying $15 to ensure real-time that your precious sensor is dust free...
    I say, it's worth it. But it's just me:-)
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2006
    We are all different, I guess
    wxwax wrote:
    Bit of a hijack, but a bulb blower simply hasn't worked for me.

    The air in the bulb comes from somewhere, it usually seems to have dust motes in it too, and all it ever does for me is scatter motes around, not remove them.

    For some reason, bulb blower works wonders for me ne_nau.gif
    Maybe it's a quality of a Southern California air (jokes apart - the air sure is clean down here), maybe something else - all I know it works... :):
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • wxwaxwxwax Registered Users Posts: 15,471 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2006
    Anton, I may have to try this, if only to see how well it works!
    Sid.
    Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
    http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2006
    Or you can wait..
    wxwax wrote:
    Anton, I may have to try this, if only to see how well it works!

    Once I get mine (ordered already), I will try to post some piccies and feedback. Worst-case scenario - one of my daughters will get a cool UV light key-chain :D No biggie..
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • Red BullRed Bull Registered Users Posts: 719 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2006
    Wouldn't you be able to get the same result from a blacklight?
    -Steven

    http://redbull.smugmug.com

    "Money can't buy happiness...But it can buy expensive posessions that make other people envious, and that feels just as good.":D

    Canon 20D, Canon 50 1.8 II, Canon 70-200 f/4L, Canon 17-40 f/4 L, Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro, Canon 430ex.
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 28, 2006
    Uhm, Steven...
    Red Bull wrote:
    Wouldn't you be able to get the same result from a blacklight?

    "Blacklight" is a street name for the ultraviolet (UV) light. :D
    However, traditionally "blacklight" devices were bulb-based, fragile, rather bulky and required a lot of power to use.
    These new UV emitters are LED based, hard to break, watch-battery powered and are highly portable.

    Other than that - yes, they should give pretty much the same results...

    HTH
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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