Help - Sensor disaster

Rojo

Ahh I'm raging, I'm always so so so careful when changing lenses (350D) but somehow a spec of dirt and a tiny hair has managed to end of up on my sensor!

I know from reading here, it's a big NO to clean it yourself without a kit etc. but is there anywhere in town I could take it to get it the sensor cleaned? I wouldn't like to be left without the camera too long either though!


Thanks in advance!

Dimy

I suggest you try it with a blower first, you should be able to buy those for about 10 euro in every camera shop. I have the same camera and it's pretty easy to do, just go to the Clean Sensor option in the menu and remove your lens. Then you can use the blower to clean the sensor, switch off your camera and switch it back on again.

eas

I've been successful getting dust a few times by just blowing on the sensor -

Oriel

Take off the lens, put the camera into manual mode, set the shutter speeed to 30 seconds and blow gently.

Enygma

If you do that the sensor will be charged and will attract dust. There is a clean sensor mode in the EOS cameras which opens the mirror without charging the sensor.

A hair should shift fairly easily. I'd recommend a clean blower (pump it a few times before you use it on the camera to make sure there's nothing inside it), I would never blow on a sensor myself.

bigred

Dimy wrote:

I suggest you try it with a blower first,

Would definitely NOT recommend this approach. Often the blower is full of minute particles of dust , etc. and it just messes the sensor up even more (happened to me with my old 10D and hour before a shoot). Get yourself some Sensor Swabs from warehouseexpress.co.uk and latex gloves to avoid depositing grease. Read up on the web - there's loads of great tutorials. Dial your lens up to f22 and take a photo of a sheet of paper and you'll really see what's sitting on your sensor.
Just remember...be VERY careful - scratched sensor = duff camera

rymus

bigred wrote:

Would definitely NOT recommend this approach. Often the blower is full of minute particles of dust , etc. and it just messes the sensor up even more

Get a new blower then and resist the urge to wipe it across the kitchen floor before you use it. You'll be grand with a blower; get a rocket blower if you can get your hands on one. If the crap doesn't shift after that, get a proper cleaning kit.

Rojo

Thanks for all the advice guys!!


I'll let you know how it goes...