Help my sensor is dirty

[HelenClaire]

After seeing a grey UFO in too many photos and the fact my 450D is 3 years old I think my sensor needs a good clean. I am too nervous to do it myself. Different articles I have read on the subject have left me feeling it would be safer getting it done professionally. Can anyone recommend a place? Or alternately is there anyone who would be willing to show me? I live in Adelaide.

[Bennymiata]

Doing it yourself is easy and quite painless.
Don't forget, there is a glass filter on top of the sensor itself, so you won't actualy be touching the sensor itself.
You'll need to get a sensor cleaning kit, and these can be bought for around $40 from a discount camera store, but some stores can charge up to $80 for a kit.
You can also get them off the web.

Search Google for videos on how to clean your sensor, and there are dozens of them.
Here's one for you to go on.
http://mansurovs.com/how-to-wet-clean-your-dslr-sensor-in-less-than-5-minutes

[OzzieTraveller]

G'day Helen

As Benny ^ says - it's okay to get a cleaning kit
The first time I used mine, I didn't get all the muck off the sensor, [test pix showed some still there] but after a second go, it was all removed

Since then I have needed to clean the sensor 2-3 times as junk on the sensor would not shake off via the self-cleaning option

Regards, Phil

[Speedway]

If you are going to do it yourself get a Copper Hill kit, this is the one area I wont skimp. The kit comes with full instructions and there is an instruction video on their site. The process is fairly simple. But I would start by using a blower or canned air, don't do what I did the first time I tried this, I locked the mirror up but forgot to open the shutter and I couldn't work out why I was getting nowhere, Quite often a good blow out will do the trick without going to the expense of the kit, but the kit will never go astray, I have used mine a number of times over the years and have just added a sensor view to the kit after having a particularly stubborn dust spot on the 7D sensor.
Keith.

[Mark L]

Thanks to arthurking, you should check this out http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?53283-Sensor-cleaning-the-Copperhill-way

[Losos]

I'm also a fan of the copperhill kit. Quite easy to use, works very well.

[gerry]

Really if your only going to do it every 2-3 years, just take it to a camera shop and get them to do it, less heart ache.

Otherwise, pec-pads, suitable cleaning fluid and a correctly sized spatula work fine, expect more than 3 separate swipes with clean swabs before seeing anything close to clean.

[crafty1tutu]

I took my camera to Canon and they did it whilst I waited - easy peasy. I would be too nervous to do it myself.

[HelenClaire]

Thanks to all your replies. Dare I say it. I chickened out and took it to a reputable camera store to be cleaned professionally. It was actually cheaper than the kit and it comes with a 90 day guarantee. The only downside is that it had to be sent away so at the moment my mobile is the only camera I have on hand. Actually it takes some damn fine snapshots :cool:

[kiwi]

A kit lets you do lots of sensor cleans though, and it only takes 10 minutes....


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[Speedway]

I would have thought a reputable camera store would have been able to clean it in house.
Keith.

[HelenClaire]

What I had done was a total clean of the camera and lens, not just the sensor. Felt it would be a good idea as my husband and I are going to Alaska soon for a holiday. So the camera was sent away for the service. However next time the sensor needs a clean which I am sure it will, I'll buy a cleaning kit.