Dust on sensor?

"phk" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been reluctant to switch to DSLR because of the potential problems
with dirty sensors caused by the ability to remove the lens.

Is this a real problem with DSLRs, or not as bad as it seems. It
appears that Canon recommends use of a hand-held blower for dust
removal, but I wonder whether that actually works. Dust is often
tenacious and bonds itself to surfaces in ways that are resistant to
simple blowing. Maybe the best example is my eyeglasses. Once they
get dusty, only windex will clean them thoroughly.

Dust on a sensor is not a huge problem but it is a problem. I clean my
sensor with a nylon makeup brush, only costs about $ 10.00 as oppossed to
about tentimes that much for a nylon brush from VisibleDust. A blast of
compressed air gives the brush a static charge and then I wipe it across the
sensor and it lifts the dust off.

Is this a real problem with DSLRs, or not as bad as it seems. It
appears that Canon recommends use of a hand-held blower for dust
removal, but I wonder whether that actually works. Dust is often
tenacious and bonds itself to surfaces in ways that are resistant to
simple blowing. Maybe the best example is my eyeglasses. Once they
get dusty, only windex will clean them thoroughly.

In the case of your glasses, you have dust and a humid environment
due to your breathing. The sensor won't be subjected to that
humidity and so the dust should bind less to its surface.

On Wed, 2 Nov 2005 18:16:16 -0500, "Peter A. Stavrakoglou"
wrote:

"phk" wrote in message
roups.com...
I've been reluctant to switch to DSLR because of the potential problems
with dirty sensors caused by the ability to remove the lens.

Is this a real problem with DSLRs, or not as bad as it seems. It
appears that Canon recommends use of a hand-held blower for dust
removal, but I wonder whether that actually works. Dust is often
tenacious and bonds itself to surfaces in ways that are resistant to
simple blowing. Maybe the best example is my eyeglasses. Once they
get dusty, only windex will clean them thoroughly.

Dust on a sensor is not a huge problem but it is a problem. I clean my
sensor with a nylon makeup brush, only costs about $ 10.00 as oppossed to
about tentimes that much for a nylon brush from VisibleDust. A blast of
compressed air gives the brush a static charge and then I wipe it across the
sensor and it lifts the dust off.


$100 brush? This dust elimination market is really a scam, which is
no suprise in the photo market. Methanol based cleaners at $10+
for about $0.10 worth of alcohol. Specilized q-tips at $40-$50/pack.
People should realize that the front of a sensor is the same as a lens
and you don't have to be hyper-paranoid about it's treatment, just
cautious. Blow off what you can, then use a brush and finally,
clean it with fluid if it needs it. Do not use circular or long
strokes so you don't accidentally drag any grit across the entire
surface. Much of the dust in the air is sand, or quartz-based and
harder than glass or coatings and can scratch them.
-Rich

"phk" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been reluctant to switch to DSLR because of the potential problems
with dirty sensors caused by the ability to remove the lens.

Is this a real problem with DSLRs, or not as bad as it seems. It
appears that Canon recommends use of a hand-held blower for dust
removal, but I wonder whether that actually works. Dust is often
tenacious and bonds itself to surfaces in ways that are resistant to
simple blowing. Maybe the best example is my eyeglasses. Once they
get dusty, only windex will clean them thoroughly.

Forget your glasses. They are always in the open and pick up a lot of
moisture from your eyes. I use a large hand blower first, and if that
doesn't work I use a Pec Pad and Eclipse. Just follow the directions you'll
find on the Net, don't be afraid, and you'll find you can clean the sensor
(or actually the filter) in just a few minutes after some practice. Brushes
never worked for me, but some people swear by them.

Don't let the dust problem keep you from getting a DSLR. It's not that big
a deal.

phk wrote:

I've been reluctant to switch to DSLR because of the potential problems
with dirty sensors caused by the ability to remove the lens.

Is this a real problem with DSLRs, or not as bad as it seems.

Olympus dSLR's don't have this problem, everything else does.
--

Stacey

OK, I know this is bad, but I use a high pressure air aerosol. Have done so
on more than 20 occasions. No problems yet.


"phk" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been reluctant to switch to DSLR because of the potential problems
with dirty sensors caused by the ability to remove the lens.

Is this a real problem with DSLRs, or not as bad as it seems. It
appears that Canon recommends use of a hand-held blower for dust
removal, but I wonder whether that actually works. Dust is often
tenacious and bonds itself to surfaces in ways that are resistant to
simple blowing. Maybe the best example is my eyeglasses. Once they
get dusty, only windex will clean them thoroughly.

Rich wrote:
On Wed, 2 Nov 2005 18:16:16 -0500, "Peter A. Stavrakoglou"
wrote:

"phk" wrote in message
roups.com...
I've been reluctant to switch to DSLR because of the potential problems
with dirty sensors caused by the ability to remove the lens.

Is this a real problem with DSLRs, or not as bad as it seems. It
appears that Canon recommends use of a hand-held blower for dust
removal, but I wonder whether that actually works. Dust is often
tenacious and bonds itself to surfaces in ways that are resistant to
simple blowing. Maybe the best example is my eyeglasses. Once they
get dusty, only windex will clean them thoroughly.

Dust on a sensor is not a huge problem but it is a problem. I clean my
sensor with a nylon makeup brush, only costs about $ 10.00 as oppossed to
about tentimes that much for a nylon brush from VisibleDust. A blast of
compressed air gives the brush a static charge and then I wipe it across the
sensor and it lifts the dust off.


$100 brush? This dust elimination market is really a scam, which is
no suprise in the photo market. Methanol based cleaners at $10+
for about $0.10 worth of alcohol. Specilized q-tips at $40-$50/pack.
People should realize that the front of a sensor is the same as a lens
and you don't have to be hyper-paranoid about it's treatment, just
cautious. Blow off what you can, then use a brush and finally,
clean it with fluid if it needs it. Do not use circular or long
strokes so you don't accidentally drag any grit across the entire
surface. Much of the dust in the air is sand, or quartz-based and
harder than glass or coatings and can scratch them.

Good advice. Dust in the air MAY be sand or quartz based, and harder
than coatings, but glass is usually (almost always) harder than the
dust. Circular strokes just tend to re-deposit dust.

I've got all the specialized expensive stuff, but...with one or two
exceptions, my sensor cleaning has all been done with a brush. Spending
$100 for a brush is, IMO, insane. Get a make up brush of the
appropriate size, wash and rinse at least twice in distilled water and
dry in a dust free environment. Store in a clean plastic bag. When
clean-up time comes, spray the brush fibers with canned air to create a
static charge. Then stroke down or across the filter covering the
sensor. 999 times out of 1000 that does it.

If I change lenses in poor conditions a lot, I might have to do my
sensor cleaning job every week or two. If not, a month or six weeks,
and sometimes two months or more, go by without a need to clean things
up.

This is really a non-issue that continually gets promoted to problem
status. Anyone who doesn't have 10 minutes a month to check and care
for SLR gear probably shouldn't buy the SLR.

Charlie Self wrote:
Rich wrote:

On Wed, 2 Nov 2005 18:16:16 -0500, "Peter A. Stavrakoglou"
wrote:


"phk" wrote in message
egroups.com...

I've been reluctant to switch to DSLR because of the potential problems
with dirty sensors caused by the ability to remove the lens.

Is this a real problem with DSLRs, or not as bad as it seems. It
appears that Canon recommends use of a hand-held blower for dust
removal, but I wonder whether that actually works. Dust is often
tenacious and bonds itself to surfaces in ways that are resistant to
simple blowing. Maybe the best example is my eyeglasses. Once they
get dusty, only windex will clean them thoroughly.

Dust on a sensor is not a huge problem but it is a problem. I clean my
sensor with a nylon makeup brush, only costs about $ 10.00 as oppossed to
about tentimes that much for a nylon brush from VisibleDust. A blast of
compressed air gives the brush a static charge and then I wipe it across the
sensor and it lifts the dust off.


$100 brush? This dust elimination market is really a scam, which is
no suprise in the photo market. Methanol based cleaners at $10+
for about $0.10 worth of alcohol. Specilized q-tips at $40-$50/pack.
People should realize that the front of a sensor is the same as a lens
and you don't have to be hyper-paranoid about it's treatment, just
cautious. Blow off what you can, then use a brush and finally,
clean it with fluid if it needs it. Do not use circular or long
strokes so you don't accidentally drag any grit across the entire
surface. Much of the dust in the air is sand, or quartz-based and
harder than glass or coatings and can scratch them.


Good advice. Dust in the air MAY be sand or quartz based, and harder
than coatings, but glass is usually (almost always) harder than the
dust. Circular strokes just tend to re-deposit dust.

I've got all the specialized expensive stuff, but...with one or two
exceptions, my sensor cleaning has all been done with a brush. Spending
$100 for a brush is, IMO, insane. Get a make up brush of the
appropriate size, wash and rinse at least twice in distilled water and
dry in a dust free environment. Store in a clean plastic bag. When
clean-up time comes, spray the brush fibers with canned air to create a
static charge. Then stroke down or across the filter covering the
sensor. 999 times out of 1000 that does it.

If I change lenses in poor conditions a lot, I might have to do my
sensor cleaning job every week or two. If not, a month or six weeks,
and sometimes two months or more, go by without a need to clean things
up.

This is really a non-issue that continually gets promoted to problem
status. Anyone who doesn't have 10 minutes a month to check and care
for SLR gear probably shouldn't buy the SLR.

If you have pets, a lot of the dust will be dander from their fur...

In article ,
Bruce Coryell wrote:

If you have pets, a lot of the dust will be dander from their fur...

Get pets without fur. Works for me.

Chris Brown wrote:
In article ,
Bruce Coryell wrote:

If you have pets, a lot of the dust will be dander from their
fur...

Get pets without fur. Works for me.

Me, too.
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