How to keep a sensor clean

dory

Hello everyone,

I'm really enjoying photography at the moment, but the bane of my life is keeping the sensor clean. Is it just me? I had to go to Dublin in July and paid €100 to get it cleaned, and it has dust on it again. I bought a bigger blower than the one I had, and it still won't shift a spot or two. I've two cameras and they both need a clean.

Will I just have to learn how to do a wet clean? Is it something people just have to learn and do or am I doing something wrong that I'm getting dust in it every few months. I don't change lens too often, and never outdoors.

Thanks

b318isp

How is your technique of changing lenses? Do you do it in a relatively dust free area, keeping things as horizontal as possible?

Maybe one every year or two I use a Visible Dust swab to do a clean. I never do a dry or blow clean.

I get the odd dust thereafter, but nothing that can't be touched up in software.

CabanSail

Dust on sensors for me is a bit like a buses. None for ages then three in close succession.

Many years ago I invested in a good sensor cleaning system. It has a sensor scope, vacuum and many swabs. It has paid for itself many times over if I had to get others to clean my sensors. Having said that with just some fluid and swabs and doing test shots a good result is easily obtained.

fixXxer

What cameras are you using out of curiosity? When I had Nikon cameras I never had dust issues. I switched to Fujifilm mirrorless and now every time i change a lens its terrifying.

Heebie

Look for products from a company called "visible dust" if you're thinking of cleaning it yourself.
They have a full line of stuff specifically for cleaning sensors.
There are off-brands of probably all of it, but be sure to check on the quality before buying any of it.

dory

fixxxer wrote: »

What cameras are you using out of curiosity? When I had Nikon cameras I never had dust issues. I switched to Fujifilm mirrorless and now every time i change a lens its terrifying.

I have two Song mirrorless cameras.

Thanks for all the feedback. I must look into how I'm changing the lenses. Maybe I'm doing it wrong. I definitely can't keep paying €100 a go. I might invest in a sensor cleaning system.

OldGoat

For €100 you could probably buy a cleaning kit AND a second hand camera body to practice on.

fixXxer

dory wrote: »

I have two Song mirrorless cameras.

Thanks for all the feedback. I must look into how I'm changing the lenses. Maybe I'm doing it wrong. I definitely can't keep paying €100 a go. I might invest in a sensor cleaning system.

Your camera should have an option for the sensor to self clean at start up and or shutdown, maybe give that a go? I don't know how effective they are but it should be better than nothing. I have mine set to clean at power off only as I didn't want to affect start up times.

Heebie

Another thing that can contribute to dust getting in and into the sensor is moving from a dry place (like an air conditioned house) to a humid place. (Outside) or from a warm place to stay cold place... then not waiting long enough for the camera body to adjust to the new temperature/humidity level before swapping lenses.
Going from dry>humid or warm/hot> cold causes condensation on all surfaces. Any moisture already in the camera body will sort itself out and stabilise in 15-20 minutes... as soon as you open the camera you suddenly introduce air that has more moisture, or is cooler, and water droplets form on surfaces. They can be too small to see, but can still cause dust to stick to the surfaces instead of just blowing through.

CamperMan

€100 sounds very expensive to me.. I have got dust on the sensor a couple of times and I bought a sensor cleaning it on Amazon for about €40, enough swabs to clean 10 sensors...

copperhead

dust is a real pain
dirty lens will introduce alot of dirt and dust especially dirty mounts
when changing lens switch off power
keep camera body facing down and limit time lens is off
wet cleaning a sensor is easy enough
plenty of tutorials on youtube,
best of luck

dory

Thanks all. I have an older, smaller camera so will work away on that before I try it out on the big fella.