Oil Drops on Canon 5D Sensor?

wxwax

Last time I used a Visible Dust brush on my 5D sensor, I smeared oil across it.

At the time, I blamed my own ineptitude. I assumed it happened because I'd touched other areas of the chamber with the brush, picking-up oil from the exposed mechanism.

However, I ran across this post today. Anyone else run into the problem?

I am not one to post negative stuff but I want to know if any other 5D owners have encountered this problem....

We are headed to Egypt on Friday so I wanted to make sure the 5D I bought as a lighterweight travel body was up to snuff. I checked the sensor and there were three or four specks on it. I dug out VisibleDust's Arctic Butterfly and gave it a quick brush.

On rechecking the sensor I now have an end to end oily smear across the sensor...this is a really ugly mess. The heart is now going pitter pat as I don't have any liquid sensor cleaner in the house. Now what?

I called VisibleDust in Edmonton and talked to Christine, a technician at their headquarters.

Christine tells me that the Canon 5D is known to have an issue with extra machine oils getting into the sensor box. What I thought were dust specks were actually oil droplets. By rubbing them with the brush I spread oil across the sensor.

The solution was to buy a wet-wipe kit and clean the sensor with solution. Took a great many passes. I think that's more due to my learning curve with the wet-wipes than the problem itself. Now the sensor is clean again.

DavidTO

Oy.

Not only the hassle of having to clean off the oil, but now that brush is all oily, and that thing ain't cheap. You going to clean it, or toss it?

The only upside here is you've got the wet thing down. That's a good thing to know and have in your arsenal no matter what, IMO.

pathfinder

Just never use an aperture smaller than f 4 waxyrofl

I am sure some of the grunge we see on our sensors from time to time comes from the mechanical moving parts of our cameras, and that certainly includes any lubricant used for the shutters and mirror assemblies.

I have not really seen any difference between the 5D and my other cameras myself. But then I tend to shoot with large apertures and do not look for grunge until I begin to be bugged by it when editing images. If I stop down to f16 I am sure it is there.

But unless it bothers me I try to ignore it. When I know I am going to be shooting landscapes, I clean more often.

DoctorIt

pathfinder wrote:

I am sure some of the grunge we see on our sensors from time to time comes from the mechanical moving parts of our cameras, and that certainly includes any lubricant used for the shutters and mirror assemblies.

How much lubricant do you think there is in there? I'm guessing little if any. While they're not using jewels (like watches) I bet most of the materials have been selected and designed to not require lubrication. Just a thought, do you know?

Glad things cleaned up, Waxy! (I didn't even know you had a 5D till now )

pathfinder

Does Canon bulid their shutters themselves?? Or do they purchase them from a vendor?

DavidTO

pathfinder wrote:

Does Canon bulid their shutters themselves?? Or do they purchase them from a vendor?

Yes.



(phew, one I could answer!)

sirsloop

never heard of oily 5ds...

can't you just use eclipse solution and one of those lint free wipes? eclipse is simply methanol...

JCDoss

http://www.prime-junta.net/pont/How_to/a_Brush_Your_Sensor/a_Brush_Your_Sensor.html

This article pretty much convinced me that those sensor brushes are a scam. I've never cleaned my sensor, save for using a bulb blower on it, but if I were to buy a brush for it I'd visit an art store first.

wxwax

DavidTO wrote:

Oy.

Not only the hassle of having to clean off the oil, but now that brush is all oily, and that thing ain't cheap. You going to clean it, or toss it?

The only upside here is you've got the wet thing down. That's a good thing to know and have in your arsenal no matter what, IMO.

Clean it, they say it can take soapy water, which I have plenty of.

Agreed re: learning the wet-wipe method.

wxwax

JCDoss wrote:

http://www.prime-junta.net/pont/How_to/a_Brush_Your_Sensor/a_Brush_Your_Sensor.html

This article pretty much convinced me that those sensor brushes are a scam. I've never cleaned my sensor, save for using a bulb blower on it, but if I were to buy a brush for it I'd visit an art store first.

I'm quite sure the price is over-the-top.

All I can say is that usually, the brush works fine. I've used them for a while now, and been happy with the results.

Having done both methods, I'd say the brush is easier. And the wet-wipe method is more like a thorough spring cleaning.

kdog

Sid,

I had a similar thing happen. I used my sensor brush which I'd gotten from the Copperhill (a good deal at under $20, btw.) It was my first use after cleaning it and having stored it away for some months. It left a big smear on my 20D's sensor. I don't know if it picked up camera lubricant, or maybe there was some residual soap or what. As in your experience, it took about 4 or 5 sensor swabs to get the smear off.

It's kind of soured me on the brush now. If I can't develop a methodology whereby I can clean the brush and use it, then blowing and swabbing might end up being the better way for me to go.

Cheers,
-joel

wxwax

I can understand that. I like the ease-of-use of the Arctic Butterfly, so unless this suddenly becomes a chronic problem, I expect it will continue to be my first choice.