Dust Doctor

Anyone that shoots digital knows that it’s tough to keep your camera’s sensor dust-free, regardless of how careful you are with your equipment. There are numerous products for cleaning your sensor, but in doing so, you run the risk of doing permanent (or costly) damage that will not be covered by your camera’s manufacturer.

If you are worried about destroying your sensor, leave the cleaning to the professionals but if you are comfortable taking the liability of your camera’s sensor into your own hands  proceed with care.

I decided it was time for me to take the risky leap,  after researching all the ways people clean their sensors I felt comfortable with a few approaches.  My carefully selected choices were, bulb blowing (not compressed air) which I had tried in the past with limited success, the Sensor Swab by Photographic Solutions, Inc. with their optic cleaning solution, and Visible Dust’s Artic Butterfly.

 
Using a bulb type blower to dislodge dust

Since I had tried the bulb-cleaning had helped but not solved my problem in the past, I knew I was going to need something more that would gently remove the dust, so I looked for a swab cleaning kit at my local photo shop. (More on these methods after the jump)

I discovered that the sensor actually has a thin protective coating over it, which eased my mind a little.  I set my camera on a tripod to keep it stabilized while I cleaned. My Canon has a menu selection for cleaning, so check your manual for instructions to see if your camera does, too.  With the camera ready I put three drops of the solution, which came out pretty quickly, on to the end of the swab.  The swab was sized specifically for my sensor.  I carefully wiped left to right in one motion and turned the swab over to use the clean side wiping right to left in one motion.

I was surprised by how far I had to put the swab in to actually touch the coated sensor but was amazed at how simple it was to clean my sensor. I applied very gentle pressure, which got the job done and I now feel much more comfortable cleaning all my sensors. I took some shots of the sky at around f/22 to check for dust I might have missed and remembered that what shows up on the image is actually flipped upside down on the sensor gave it another cleaning which left my sensor mostly dust free.  If you are inclined, cleaning your sensor is something you can do easily do. If you’re at all concerned about messing it up, let a professional do it.  I take no responsibility for anyone’s sensor but my own.  For a visual how to, check out this you tube video I first saw on Strobist of Thomas Hawk and how he cleans his sensor.
—Melissa Macatee
Contributing Blogger

Comments

[Dave]

Melissa,

Thanks for the info.

By the way, a good way to check for dust on the sensor is to use an expodisc (a great white balance tool). Set your lens to manual focus and shoot towards a light source. The end image will be a grey background with any remaining dust spots.