Sensor Cleaning XT

Barefoot and Natural

Hi all,
I have a question about the sensor cleaning feature on my Rebel XT.
1st would you recommend that I use it or do it manually
2nd if i do use this feature, my instructions say nothing about having a lens on it or not? Do I keep a lens on my camera or take it off and just put the cap on? Or does it matter?

Thanks for your help.

Heather

cmason

Barefoot and Natural wrote:

Hi all,
I have a question about the sensor cleaning feature on my Rebel XT.
1st would you recommend that I use it or do it manually
2nd if i do use this feature, my instructions say nothing about having a lens on it or not? Do I keep a lens on my camera or take it off and just put the cap on? Or does it matter?

Thanks for your help.

Heather

The "sensor cleaning' in the XT simply raises the mirror. It doesn't clean anything, is puts the camera in "sensor cleaning mode". YOU do the cleaning.

Yes you have to take the lens off to clean the sensor...since you and your cleaning method of choice, are doing the cleaning.

Note that the XTi indeed does clean the sensor.

Barefoot and Natural

THANK YOU for that....So glad I asked......I would have been waiting for the stupid thing to start doing it's thing!! I'm scared to clean it myself....should I take it in and have it done?

Heather

cmason

Barefoot and Natural wrote:

THANK YOU for that....So glad I asked......I would have been waiting for the stupid thing to start doing it's thing!! I'm scared to clean it myself....should I take it in and have it done?

Heather

I have not had it done myself, but I have read others who say that Canon basically uses a blower, with mixed results. I would suggest you read about the "Copperhill Method", which gets rave reviews. He sells a line of supplies and instructions, which you can read here:

http://www.copperhillimages.com/index.php?pr=tutorials

I am sure others around these parts will chime in with other options or recommendations for Copperhill.


EDIT: of course, generous use of search here at DGrin is useful too:

http://www.digitalgrin.com/showthread.php?t=8350&highlight=sensor+cleaning

http://www.digitalgrin.com/showthread.php?t=49593&highlight=sensor+clean

andymillson

Search the forums, as suggested above, for sure, lots of help out there on this very topic.

I use the coppperhill method myself, and have used it on both a Maxxum 7D and the Canon 5D, with great results. No need to e worried, just read the intructions through s couple of times, find yourself some space away from interested spuses/kids/pets..... and go for it.

I have a friend here at work who had some specs on his sensor. He sent it to Canon for cleaning, and it came back just as bad as when he sent it off. He has since bought the copperhill solution as well and is a lot happier

Hope this helps

Andy

evoryware

I used a blower on my XT. The XTI cleans itself. Beautiful thing.

Scott_Quier

Heather,

Read the thread in the Hall of Wisdom (the second link provided by cmason) pick your poison ... err ... method of choice and go for it.

To help you calm your nerves just a bit, take a huge slug of JD (two if you need it) yeah that'll help.

Seriously, if you understand that when you are cleaning your "sensor" you are really cleaning the IR filter (does this piece of glass do anything else?) in front of the sensor and, like I mentioned, it's a piece of glass. It's not the senor.

The first time you do the cleaning job, you may need to apply your method of choice a number of times to get all the dust bunnies and gunk. After that first time, the successive cleanings tend, at least for me, to go easier.

Like many here, I've done it a quite a few times. I've even taught my brother to do it. The first time can be a little nerve wracking. But, once you do it one time, it turns into a case of "what's the big deal?"

wxwax

We have a tutorial on the brush technique.

claudermilk

cmason wrote:

I have not had it done myself, but I have read others who say that Canon basically uses a blower, with mixed results. I would suggest you read about the "Copperhill Method", which gets rave reviews. He sells a line of supplies and instructions, which you can read here:

http://www.copperhillimages.com/index.php?pr=tutorials

I am sure others around these parts will chime in with other options or recommendations for Copperhill.


EDIT: of course, generous use of search here at DGrin is useful too:

http://www.digitalgrin.com/showthread.php?t=8350&highlight=sensor+cleaning

http://www.digitalgrin.com/showthread.php?t=49593&highlight=sensor+clean

Chime! I use the Copperhill kit and it works wonderfully. Just read the instructions & take your time. After the first cleaning, you will wonder what all the fuss was about.

ivar

claudermilk wrote:

Copperhill

Small hijack, but what do the non-american dgrinners use in lieu of this?

Scott_Quier

ivar wrote:

Small hijack, but what do the non-american dgrinners use in lieu of this?

I'm an American, but my brother has a similar situation as he lives in Alaska. Can't ship the Methanol from the 48 states to either Hawaii or Alaska. He can, however, buy the MeOth locally and buy the rest of the kit through the mail. Cooper Hill does sell the kit, less the MeOth.

I'm thinking non-American should also be able to find a local source for clean MeOth. You really don't need much. Ten ml will last a very long time as you only use a drop or two per cleaning swipe. Granted, you may swipe the sensor 5 or 10 times the first time (but that count drops to just a few after that), still 10ml will last for at least 5 to 10 cleaning sessions.

andymillson

ivar wrote:

Small hijack, but what do the non-american dgrinners use in lieu of this?

I guess technically I fall into this category, tho I do live in Iowa

Sorry, couldn't resist

ivar

andymillson wrote:

I guess technically I fall into this category, tho I do live in Iowa

Sorry, couldn't resist

Rephrase.... What do the people who do not live in the us use for wet-cleaning?

ivar

Scott_Quier wrote:

I'm an American, but my brother has a similar situation as he lives in Alaska. Can't ship the Methanol from the 48 states to either Hawaii or Alaska. He can, however, buy the MeOth locally and buy the rest of the kit through the mail. Cooper Hill does sell the kit, less the MeOth.

I'm thinking non-American should also be able to find a local source for clean MeOth. You really don't need much. Ten ml will last a very long time as you only use a drop or two per cleaning swipe. Granted, you may swipe the sensor 5 or 10 times the first time (but that count drops to just a few after that), still 10ml will last for at least 5 to 10 cleaning sessions.

Thanks.

I know there are several kinds of wet-cleaning kits available around here, I just would like to hear some experiences before I ruin my camera

cmason

You could always just look on this list, and order the solution thru a local vendor.

http://www.photosol.com/world_dealers.htm

Of course, to be fair, you can order the brush and 'spatula' from Copperhill...

wxwax

ivar wrote:

Thanks.

I know there are several kinds of wet-cleaning kits available around here, I just would like to hear some experiences before I ruin my camera

I know you're kidding, but seriously, about the only ways you could ruin your camera would be to pour all of the liquid onto the sensor, or lean on it so hard with the swiper that your camera falls apart.

ivar

wxwax wrote:

I know you're kidding, but seriously, about the only ways you could ruin your camera would be to pour all of the liquid onto the sensor, or lean on it so hard with the swiper that your camera falls apart.

Yeah, I was kidding, and I know. But I still would like to hear some experiences