Sensor Cleaning: A month ago I had to pay $80.00 to have my sensor cleaned, luckly a local repair shop was able to do it in 24 hours, just before my trip to Oregon. I just got the...

MadMike Loc: SALT LAKE

A month ago I had to pay $80.00 to have my sensor cleaned, luckly a local repair shop was able to do it in 24 hours, just before my trip to Oregon. I just got the ECLIPSE Sensor Swabs and cleaned my sensor myself today. It worked great, and cost less than $4.00. Thanks for all the advice out there, and giving me the courage to do this myself. If you follow the directions, it is very simple, and quick. Best of all, inexpensive.

planepics Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs

Was it easy to do or was it tricky? I am seriously considering taking my camera to a shop for sensor cleaning. It would take a week and $60, but I'm not sure if I trust myself to do it (warranty issues if I screw up?) Look how bad it is...my A330 is nothing more than a paperweight!

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

planepics wrote:

Was it easy to do or was it tricky? I am seriously considering taking my camera to a shop for sensor cleaning. It would take a week and $60, but I'm not sure if I trust myself to do it (warranty issues if I screw up?) Look how bad it is...my A330 is nothing more than a paperweight!

TAKE IT IN!

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

planepics wrote:

Was it easy to do or was it tricky? I am seriously considering taking my camera to a shop for sensor cleaning. It would take a week and $60, but I'm not sure if I trust myself to do it (warranty issues if I screw up?) Look how bad it is...my A330 is nothing more than a paperweight!

I use a lenspen cleaning system and it made my camera new again... It is scary to do the first time but it is easy and it makes your camera new again.... Do a google search on sensor cleaning and you will see that it is becoming pretty common for people to clean their sensors on their own.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/LensPen-SensorKlear-Review.aspx

TchrBill Loc: Houston, TX

I posted this link a while back of Karl Taylor, professional photographer, giving instructions on how to clean the sensor.

http://www.takeabetterphoto.com/free-photography-tips/clean-camera-sensor/

Be careful if you use the canned air. Many people on this site advise against that because of the residue. They advise the use of a manual air blower instead.

MadMike Loc: SALT LAKE

I got the swabs that were already wet. Pulled out of pouch and did the job as instructed. I got 4 swabs for $13.00 from B&H . The package states NO DAMAGE GUARANTEE. Check your sensor size, My D5100 used the 17mm size. Follow instructions, do not keep going back and forth. Go one direction, then back the other and your done. If the first one doesn't totally clean it use a new one and repeat procedure. I hope this helps, as I was worried also, but not anymore. Good luck.

planepics wrote:

Was it easy to do or was it tricky? I am seriously considering taking my camera to a shop for sensor cleaning. It would take a week and $60, but I'm not sure if I trust myself to do it (warranty issues if I screw up?) Look how bad it is...my A330 is nothing more than a paperweight!

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

I found a few small, indistinct spots in the sky area of my landscape photos.

The owner of my local camera store, Tuttle Cameras http://www.tuttlecameras.com/camerarepair.html , used a special lighted viewer to find a few small particles on my sensor. Right on the glass countertop, he used compressed air, and finally a special swab to remove the offenders. He had me take my camera outside and photograph the sky (pre-focused to distance). We then magnified (+) image on LCD, and viewed every millimeter, which was clean. Total time: 5-minutes. No charge.

billypip Loc: nottingham England

I cleaned mine myself no problem but realised after doing so that it wasnt the sensor that was grimy , there was dust behind the focus screen !!! I released the screen and used the hand blower , now all is good.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

billypip wrote:

I cleaned mine myself no problem but realised after doing so that it wasnt the sensor that was grimy , there was dust behind the focus screen !!! I released the screen and used the hand blower , now all is good.

Dust associated with the focusing screen will not effect your captured image, only the view through your viewfinder.

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Nikonian72 wrote:

billypip wrote:

I cleaned mine myself no problem but realised after doing so that it wasnt the sensor that was grimy , there was dust behind the focus screen !!! I released the screen and used the hand blower , now all is good.

Dust associated with the focusing screen will not effect your captured image, only the view through your viewfinder.

Yeah... I have some pretty bad dust above the focusing screen on the Pentaprism... Mine is solid glass on the 50D and air has not been able to remove it but as badly as I want to clean it I have learned to live with it... I would like to sell that body though and I know that the dust is going to be a problem.

Jer Loc: Mesa, Arizona

I have the LED viewer, the swaps and the cleaning liquid. I didn't get the per-moistened ones. The sensor viewer was expensive but by the second cleaning, it's paid for itself and you virtually have no downtime waiting for a repair shop. However, READ and follow the directions. It's not hard to do.

billypip Loc: nottingham England

Thanks Nikonian72, this is why i love the Hog....always learning stuff.

peggyjom Loc: Pacific Northwest

jeep_daddy wrote:

planepics wrote:

Was it easy to do or was it tricky? I am seriously considering taking my camera to a shop for sensor cleaning. It would take a week and $60, but I'm not sure if I trust myself to do it (warranty issues if I screw up?) Look how bad it is...my A330 is nothing more than a paperweight!

TAKE IT IN!

Just sent my T2i in it was covered by extended warrenty. Something went wrong and they had to send to canon for repair. Better them then me sending to canon. I would send it in!

hangman45 Loc: Hueytown Alabama

It is not hard to clean on your own and is not as fragile as some believe you are not cleaning your sensor you are cleaning a glass filer in front of the sensor and it is not as easy to scratch as some want you to believe. I have cleaned all 3 of my DSLR's with no problems and it really is nothing to be scared of.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

hangman45 wrote:

It is not hard to clean on your own and is not as fragile as some believe you are not cleaning your sensor you are cleaning a glass filer in front of the sensor and it is not as easy to scratch as some want you to believe. I have cleaned all 3 of my DSLR's with no problems and it really is nothing to be scared of.

Again, correct. When I can get a local camera store owner to do it at no charge, using his lighted sensor-viewing loupe, then I don't mind spending a few shekels in his shop.