Sensor: How often should you clean?

avemal Loc: BALTIMORE

How often should you clean?

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

avemal wrote:

How often should you clean?

As often as it gets dirty.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

That pretty well nails it.
--Bob

RWR wrote:

As often as it gets dirty.

Robert Bailey Loc: Canada

I check mine with a lighted sensor loupe every time I'm going out shooting.
About 50% of the time I have to clean it manually.
I use micro-fibre swabs.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

avemal wrote:

How often should you clean?

As seldom as you can. : )

If you have one or two minor spots, ignore them or correct them in post processing. When it gets to the point where cleaning them up in a picture is a chore, then it's time to clean the sensor .

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

I like RWR's reply. Basically, clean it if it needs to be cleaned, and don't change lenses in an environment that could result in a dirty sensor.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Robert Bailey wrote:

I check mine with a lighted sensor loupe every time I'm going out shooting.
About 50% of the time I have to clean it manually.
I use micro-fibre swabs.

Every day I look at pictures I've taken; periodically I inspect one carefully. I've never found a spot attributable to a sensor issue.

I am careful in how I hold the camera when I change lenses; I do not change lenses when something is obviously blowing in the wind. I have each {Pentax} camera set to clean sensor every time I turn it on.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

avemal wrote:

How often should you clean?

More importantly, do you use a body cap? Have you looked at the part of that cap that faces the inside of the camera? How about the rear lens caps? Changing your lens' in the field does not necessarily increase the amount of dust on the sensor. But dirty lens and body caps do. I clean my caps weekly. My sensor gets cleaned when the dust starts to annoy me because I am spending too much time removing the specs from my images - which is about every 6 to 12 months.

kymarto Loc: Portland OR and Milan Italy

I carry a squeeze blower and use it regularly. I only touch the sensor when the blower doesn’t work, which is not often. If I have to clean it I use a lens pen and breathe on the sensor lightly to moisten it. No sense using any kind of damp cleaner since it is much wetter than you will ever need.

mrjcall Loc: Woodfin, NC

Gene51 wrote:

More importantly, do you use a body cap? Have you looked at the part of that cap that faces the inside of the camera? How about the rear lens caps? Changing your lens' in the field does not necessarily increase the amount of dust on the sensor. But dirty lens and body caps do. I clean my caps weekly. My sensor gets cleaned when the dust starts to annoy me because I am spending too much time removing the specs from my images - which is about every 6 to 12 months.

Ever put double sided tape on the inside of both body and rear lens caps? Works like a charm! 😉

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Only when it is needed.

mrjcall Loc: Woodfin, NC

kymarto wrote:

I carry a squeeze blower and use it regularly. I only touch the sensor when the blower doesn’t work, which is not often. If I have to clean it I use a lens pen and breathe on the sensor lightly to moisten it. No sense using any kind of damp cleaner since it is much wetter than you will ever need.

Excellent! I do precisely the same using the 'filter klear' pen which is the flat one. Spoke at length with the LensPen Prez who indicated that this is ALWAYS what he does when he offers free sensor cleanings at photo expos... 👍

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Change lenses safely away from wind that may carry debris. Use a good rocket blower. And buy a good recommended sensor cleaner with fluid and swabs. Use as directed. A dirty sensor only needs cleaning.

Robert Bailey Loc: Canada

A friend of mine who repairs cameras and lenses (and cleans sensors) for a living tells me horror stories of:
sensors coated in oil (from internal camera leaks) (he showed me two cameras with this problem);
sensors with a concrete-like buildup of fine sand and condensation (extremely difficult to clean);
sensors with scratches from the coarse attempts of over-aggressive amateurs.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

camerapapi wrote:

Only when it is needed.