No swabs to clean mirror, Alternative?

iLikeWaffles

Anyone have any experience with cleaning a DSLR mirror without the proper swab. I've a nice bird in flight shaped smudge on the mirror.

What I do have is IPA and normal cotton buds. I have no cleaning kit. I'm a bit reluctant to clean it without the proper swab.

Heebie

The mirror isn't the image sensor. It would be good to use something lint-free.
Since the mirror is just moved out of the way when shooting images, imperfections in cleaning won't translate into your photos. (Unless you have a Canon Pellix camera with a pellicle mirror) you'll see them in the viewfinder/diopter

Xertz

Cotton buds will very likely leave fibres and won’t clean it very well.

If you could find a very clean glasses lens cloth, the ones that are made from the very smooth, fine weave, lint free materials designed for coated lenses. It would be far safer. Just make sure it’s new and doesn’t contain any chemicals. Some of them are pretreated with glasses cleaner.

You can still probably buy lens cleaning kit online. Also a lot of opticians are available by phone and might be able to sell you a high quality lens cloth, the high end independent ones are usually a better place to start. Are any of the camera shops open online / by phone?

REPTILEDAN88

Yep Conns cameras are open online.

iLikeWaffles

Canon 1100d.

It seems to have fixed itself but the mirror is still dirty. The same mark on the mirror is in a few photos. I realise the mirror just reflects the image to the viewfinder or live-view respectfully, but it strangely is present in some photos and not in others taken around the same time, it could just be coincidence that it is the same shape as what is on the mirror and it was a small fibre on the sensor. The sensor does look clean but it is hard to tell, is there any sure way to test your sensor cleanliness.

CelticRambler

iLikeWaffles wrote: »

The sensor does look clean but it is hard to tell, is there any sure way to test your sensor cleanliness.

https://photographylife.com/how-to-spot-dust-on-your-dslr-sensor

https://digital-photography-school.com/sensor-dust-heres-check/

DaireQuinlan

iLikeWaffles wrote: »

it could just be coincidence that it is the same shape as what is on the mirror and it was a small fibre on the sensor.

It's a coincidence. There's no way for a mark on the mirror to appear on a shot, unless you have an SLR with a pellicle mirror, which your camera does not appear to have.

Heebie

iLikeWaffles wrote:

The same mark on the mirror is in a few photos. I realise the mirror just reflects the image to the viewfinder or live-view respectfully, but it strangely is present in some photos and not in others taken around the same time, it could just be coincidence that it is the same shape as what is on the mirror and it was a small fibre on the sensor. The sensor does look clean but it is hard to tell, is there any sure way to test your sensor cleanliness.

That sounds to me like gunk on or in a lens. When the depth of field or focus is just right, you see the whole sharp outline, sometimes it's blurred, and sometimes you don't see it at all.
That could also be dust inside a lens. If it was on the sensor, it would always be identical.
It could be a dust or thread or something hanging of the back of the mirror.
If it stays the same with different lenses it must be in the camera, if it's there with one lens but not others, it's on the lens.

iLikeWaffles

Heebie wrote: »

That sounds to me like gunk on or in a lens. When the depth of field or focus is just right, you see the whole sharp outline, sometimes it's blurred, and sometimes you don't see it at all.
That could also be dust inside a lens. If it was on the sensor, it would always be identical.
It could be a dust or thread or something hanging of the back of the mirror.
If it stays the same with different lenses it must be in the camera, if it's there with one lens but not others, it's on the lens.

Thanks, this makes so much sense and is very helpful! I'll definitely remember to troubleshoot it this way next time.

iLikeWaffles

Okay received a cleaning kit there today. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B081RJLZGQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Should I clean the mirror with a sensor swab?? Looking at different videos about this and there there is a lot of contradiction for doing so! I'd rather leave it if it will damage the mirror.

Sheeps

iLikeWaffles wrote: »

Okay received a cleaning kit there today. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B081RJLZGQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Should I clean the mirror with a sensor swab?? Looking at different videos about this and there there is a lot of contradiction for doing so! I'd rather leave it if it will damage the mirror.

Got something like this before. Essential camera gear.