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Sensor Cleaning with Lens Cleaning Wipes?
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Nov 15, 2018 15:37:54   #
Brian Hartnell Loc: Marinette WI
 
Bad idea to be putting your fingers inside with lens cleaning tissues. You would never be able to reach into the corners and may damage something or leave pieces of the tissue on a rough edge.

I first started cleaning my sensors around 2003 and used the cleaning liquid applied to the end of a lens cleaning squib. Was not very effective and always left residue that was seen in the image. I have since changed over to using the eyelead Sensor Cleaning Kit that costs $59 approximately. It has enough material to clean multiple sensors so it can be used many many times. This is by far the cleanest kit I have ever used. Even sending my pro level cameras to the Canon Factory Service center didn't come as clean as this and it cost me $200 for a technician to clean my sensor. I never made that mistake again. Don't be fooled into purchasing a cheaper Chinese knockoff of this product as it is not as good as the German product. It also comes in a nice small metal case to protect all the supplies and the cleaning stick. Bite the bullet and buy a terrific product that does a fantastic job. Just don't get your sensor so dirty again by being more cautious when your changing lenses in dirty environments. Turn the camera lens down when changing lenses. Dirt usually doesn't go up unless there is a lot of wind but very easily goes down.

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Nov 15, 2018 15:42:29   #
joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois
 
Handsome Hedgehog wrote:
I have a box of Zeiss Lens Cleaning Wipes which I occasionally use to clean my camera lenses. Could they be used on the camera sensor or would I be asking for trouble? I think it contains alcohol... hopefully close to 100% so it evaporates quickly.


I used them with a spatula device I made to match the sensor. Let them dry a little so they are not wet. They work at least as well as the over priced swabs. Never had a problem.

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Nov 15, 2018 16:36:52   #
farnsworth52 Loc: W. Pa.
 
Using a screwdeiver in place of a chisel, is just about as effective. I fear that all the people that make kits to clean sensors would agree. Do some research and you'll probably decide against this practice.

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Nov 15, 2018 18:13:48   #
agillot
 
that subject again !! , never did touch the sensor with anything , dust will seat on the sensor , dust is removed SAFELY with a household vacuum cleaner , use the attachment hose that come with most vacuum cleaner , or for $ 30 , buy a mini shop vac , also vacuum the lens end .

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Nov 15, 2018 19:17:29   #
rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona
 
This is the absolute best way to clean your sensor, camera, and lens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrdkFXsr5Us
--Bob
Handsome Hedgehog wrote:
I have a box of Zeiss Lens Cleaning Wipes which I occasionally use to clean my camera lenses. Could they be used on the camera sensor or would I be asking for trouble? I think it contains alcohol... hopefully close to 100% so it evaporates quickly.

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Nov 15, 2018 20:11:08   #
zug55 Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas
 
rmalarz wrote:
This is the absolute best way to clean your sensor, camera, and lens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrdkFXsr5Us
--Bob




I agree that this method is far superior to the Zeiss Lens Cleaning Wipes.

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Nov 15, 2018 20:59:55   #
gwilliams6
 
burkphoto wrote:
I have owned a mirrorless camera since 2015, and used it for lots of stills and video work in rough environments, with plenty of lens changes. I have yet to find any sensor spots that I can't blow off with a Rocket Blower.

I DO practice safe handling and lens changes! Either a lens or body cap is on my camera at all times, unless I'm quickly swapping lenses. I like to do lens changes indoors, in still air, or in a car with the windows up and the engine off. Otherwise, my back is to the wind. As much as is possible, I hold the body FLANGE DOWN when the lens is off. I keep my camera case, rear lens caps, and lens mounts spotless. It DOES help that my most often used lenses are weather-sealed with rubber gaskets.

Contrast that with the days when I used Canons and Nikons (dSLRs). I had to clean those bodies' sensors at least once a year, sometimes twice or three times, using Sensor Swabs and Eclipse. And THOSE were just training cameras that saw maybe 5000 shutter actuations per year, in my training classes.

The dSLR mirror chamber can be a nasty environment. That mirror is mounted on a mechanism that wears. It's lubricated. But over time, bits of metal, lubricant, and the foam dampener the mirror "bounces" off of, just below the focusing screen, come loose. The mirror acts like a giant fan, kicking that crap around until it lands on the sensor during exposure. Both the lube and the foam are sticky. The sensor is statically charged...

How do I know this? Well, when I was in the school portrait industry, we had hundreds of Canon dSLRs in the field. 98% of them used a single 28mm-75mm Tamron zoom lens that never came off during the school year, unless the sensor needed to be cleaned. Those cameras averaged around 400 exposures per camera per day, or 2000 exposures a week for about 15 weeks a year... or 25,000 to 35,000 shutter actuations per year. Even though the lenses seldom came off, the sensors got dirty, and when they needed cleaning, it was either professional cleaning, or Sensor Swabs and Eclipse in the hands of someone properly trained to use them.

Mirrorless cameras eliminate most of the sources of internally-generated sensor dust. But no camera can keep dust out if you stupidly leave the lens or body cap off, or lose your body cap.
I have owned a mirrorless camera since 2015, and u... (show quote)



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Nov 15, 2018 21:22:21   #
JD750 Loc: SoCal
 
Handsome Hedgehog wrote:
I have a box of Zeiss Lens Cleaning Wipes which I occasionally use to clean my camera lenses. Could they be used on the camera sensor or would I be asking for trouble? I think it contains alcohol... hopefully close to 100% so it evaporates quickly.


No. You would be asking for trouble.

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Nov 16, 2018 07:27:44   #
hookedupin2005 Loc: Northwestern New Mexico
 
Handsome Hedgehog wrote:
I have a box of Zeiss Lens Cleaning Wipes which I occasionally use to clean my camera lenses. Could they be used on the camera sensor or would I be asking for trouble? I think it contains alcohol... hopefully close to 100% so it evaporates quickly.


You could...but you will most likely be sending your camera in the have the sensor replaced, or buying a new camera.

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Nov 16, 2018 14:38:34   #
sbohne
 
Gary Box from OK gave a tip that I have used: they make a small attachment kit for ShopVacs that can be used to suck particles off the sensor. Do NOT touch the sensor! Do NOT get the tip of the attachment too close to the sensor! Do NOT use the small brush attachment in the kit to wipe or brush the sensor (it is not of lens brush quality). Do NOT use the 20HP shop vacs--use one of the lower powered portables! I have used it once. Evidently, I don't get a lot of dust on my sensors. I change lenses in my car if I am doing photography outdoors. Indoors, I cover the camera body once I have removed the lens. The biggest mistake most photographers make is that they remove the lens with the camera body facing up. This permits debris to fall onto the sensor. Hold your camera as if you were going to take a photograph when taking lenses off OR putting lenses on. You will experience a marked decrease in "sensor spots."

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Nov 18, 2018 01:10:06   #
JD750 Loc: SoCal
 
sbohne wrote:
Gary Box from OK gave a tip that I have used: they make a small attachment kit for ShopVacs that can be used to suck particles off the sensor. Do NOT touch the sensor! Do NOT get the tip of the attachment too close to the sensor! Do NOT use the small brush attachment in the kit to wipe or brush the sensor (it is not of lens brush quality). Do NOT use the 20HP shop vacs--use one of the lower powered portables! I have used it once. Evidently, I don't get a lot of dust on my sensors. I change lenses in my car if I am doing photography outdoors. Indoors, I cover the camera body once I have removed the lens. The biggest mistake most photographers make is that they remove the lens with the camera body facing up. This permits debris to fall onto the sensor. Hold your camera as if you were going to take a photograph when taking lenses off OR putting lenses on. You will experience a marked decrease in "sensor spots."
Gary Box from OK gave a tip that I have used: they... (show quote)


Good advice about changing lenses but a shop vac for cleaning? Rocket blower not sufficient? Most shop vacs pump a lot of fine dust into the air not to mention the wind blast stirring up the air uprooting more dust. Far from a clean room environment.

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Nov 18, 2018 01:12:30   #
JD750 Loc: SoCal
 
I recall a recent from a few months ago, where counterfeit sticky-gum sticks were causing damage by actually pulling chunks of the low pass filter (LPF) off the sensor.

So the LPF is relatively delicate.

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Nov 18, 2018 07:42:23   #
martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida
 
AAAAAAAAA lot of mis information here.. I'll share my experience with you. My first real camera a nikon D7000 needed a sensor clean. I bought one of the Expensive sensor cleaning kit and the bottle of Cleaning solution had all but evaporated Had enough for one cleaning. This little bottle was expensive just by itself. So I took matters in my own hands. Why not use a Lens Cleaning solution. Using the pads from the cleaning kit I applied the lens cleaner and applied to the sensor. One my first full swipe across the sensor the solution immediately dried leaving a smudge across the entire sensor. I instantly broke out into a sweat thinking I had ruined my $1200.00 camera. Now would have been a good time to use my sensor cleaning kit, but I didn't have any cleaning solution. I went to the store and bought a bottle of distilled water and a package of good q-tips. It took over an hour to dip the q-tip in the water and gently wipe across the sensors to remove the smudge and to completely dry off the sensor. Went through about a dozen q-tips and a cap full of water. Not a Smart way to clean my sensor, but it was Spotless and Not Damaged in any way. They must have some sort of protective cover, but Clearly Not the proper way to clean. If you Want an adventure I would say Use the lens wipes, see if they work... If not so adventurous, send out for a cleaning..............

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Nov 19, 2018 01:54:11   #
JD750 Loc: SoCal
 
martinfisherphoto wrote:
AAAAAAAAA lot of mis information here.. <snip> .............


Yes there is.

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