ppage Loc: Pittsburg, (San Francisco area)

I am having a problem with lots of spots in my photos. I l cleaned this lens and my sensor before leaving for this trip and I still got them. Am I missing something. Anywhere else I should be looking? Sensor dust balls usually have fuzzy edges. These look like stains. Should I send my camera out for a cleaning? This has been going on for awhile now. Notice all the spots in the blue sky portions of this photo. It is starting to be a concern. It takes longer to clone all these than it did to edit the photo.

Thanks,

(Download)

Bill_de Loc: US

Sure looks like a dirty sensor to me. How did you clean it?

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MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

I second that and I’m the “queen of dirty sensors”. Fortunatey I bought the cleaning gear, learned how to use it (scared me half to death the first time). It seems to me that you could be missing a critical step or 2. Could you let us know what camera you have as well as the specific, step-by-step method you use to clean it?

ppage Loc: Pittsburg, (San Francisco area)

I wrapped an optical cloth like the kind my wife gives me from where she works in optometry around the tip of a pencil eraser, sprayed a little lens cleaner on it that she uses to clean glasses and rubbed it around the sensor with the mirror locked up. It is a Canon T5i.

Bryan55 Loc: Gold Country CA

Did you take a photo of a white wall or blank sheet of paper after cleaning? This showed my sensor spots!

Bill_de Loc: US

Send it out to be cleaned. I think you may have caused all the spots.

Nikon has something called Dust Off Reference to help cleaning up dust spots from images. check to see if Canon has something similar.

Just to see what I'm talking about:

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/technique/expert_advice/dealing-with-sensor-dust-on-your-nikon-dslr-60698

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Einreb92 Loc: Philadelphia

I second the dirty sensor diagnosis. There are kits that come with a special swab and solution that works wonders for me. In addition, after using it, you are directed to take a clean one and go back over the sensor, check, and repeat if necessary. Others will no doubt, chime in. Nice shot, by the way.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I'm with Bill and Einreb92 on this one. Now that I read your response, that was the wrong thing to do. Only use sensor cleaning tools. Do a bit of research to determine which are better than others. Delkin makes both a sensor scope, which will help you see the dirt, and cleaning kits. They are well worth it.
--Bob

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

It’s likely you moved the spots around—or perhaps left some small drops of cleaner. Swabs are flat to fit the size of the sensor.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. You cannot clean a sensor as described, you can only potentially scratch it.

Send it out to be cleaned.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Not a good method.
I think you should find a place to do yours.
The SF area should have plenty of shops that can do this.
I do my own, there aren't m/any places around Kansas City and I when I need mine done, I can't wait.

It's possible to ruin your camera if you're not careful.
A friend tried to do his and the shutter ate his cleaning swab and killed itself in the process.
Use sensor swabs designed for cleaning your size sensor.
Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5N9Fvep3lM


My method of checking for spots does not include the computer.
After shooting a blank, out of focus piece of paper or wall at a very small aperture, I zoom the image in on the LCD and scroll around for UFO's.

Joe Blow

Those look like dust spots. However, do a quick test.

Shoot a blank, light or white wall. Do it at minimum, middle, and maximum apertures. If you have other lenses, try one of them at the same settings. Then compare the results.

If the spots are the same on both lenses at all apertures, then you have dust on the sensor.

If they only show on one lens, then you have dust on the rear element.

If the spots change with the aperture then look at a sensor problem.
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Spend a few bucks on a "Rocket Blaster". It's a very efficient air blaster, good for cleaning dust. Hold the camera with the screen up and hole doown as you blast out the dust.

Also an alcohol swap, optical (eye glass) cleaning swab, or a cleaning pen may be used to GENTLY wipe off any dust. Do not use water or a water wet cloth. Alcohol only and don't scrub. If this doesn't clean the sensor you will need professional help.

That though should be after you have used the camera cleaning cycle. Follow the manual to use the sensor cleaning and lock the mirror up.

Good luck.

Joe Blow

As others have said, NOOOoooooo.... Let's hope you haven't damaged the sensor. Cloth holds dust in a sandpaper like grip. That can scratch the sensor. Second, don't put pressure on the sensor, it can break. I understand your frustration and desperation here, but remember this is an extremely delicate part.

Alcohol swabs, especially the eye glass cleaning swabs, work best. Wet the swab with alcohol to lubricate it, but don't leave it dripping. 70% isopropol alcohol works very well.

chaman

You could have well caused irreparable damage to the sensor. Send it out or search You Tube for proper methods of cleaning.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

The blank white wall or a clear sky is commonly referred to when describing the technique to take test shots looking for spots on your sensor. I would like to note that the wall doesn't have to be white. It just has to be a uniform color without much structure which could produce areas of shading that could be interpreted as spots.

Personally, when I'm getting ready to check my sensor for spots I do everything at my desk so if I have spots I can clean them right there. The wall by my desk isn't a uniform color so I use what I consider a more convenient technique.

Set the aperture to a large number (small aperture). Set the camera to manual focus and put the lens at infinity. Bring up a page on your word processor (they're usually white). The monitor screen has a bit of structure with small R,G,B dots but that's not too important in this case. Put the lens right up against the monitor (maybe not touching, to avoid scratching the monitor). Since you're focussed at infinity, the screen will not be in focus so you won't resolve the dots. Press the shutter. ISO is not important (although you don't want it to be so high that you'd have inherent noise). If the camera takes a second or ten to make the exposure, no problem. You're not taking a photo of an image that would show motion blur. The sensor spots move with the camera so they will not be affected by camera motion.

This way, when you get the shot you're sitting at your desk with your sensor cleaning stuff right at hand.