Digital SLR Camera Cleaning

[brettbimmer]

Greetings All:

With all of our professional and amateur photographers here, I wanted to ask if anyone knows a good place to get a camera cleaned? I have tried it myself, but I am still getting shots which have dirt in the photos. I swapped lenses thinking that was the problem, but to no avail. I have a Nikon D-70 that I use for work and play. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I will post a few photos so that you can see the dirt that I am talking about. Thanks in advance for any help with this!

[brettbimmer]

Seems to be primarily in the top half of the photos:

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[C Withers Media]

Not a big deal at all Brett, just find a local camera shop that does cleaning. It typically costs around 75 to 125 to have the machine cleaned up and they will get the dust and grime off of the sensor. This is routine maintenance for your camera. Like a an oil change that you only have to do once a year.

[brettbimmer]

Thank you Casey! I much appreciate the info. Now if I can find a good camera shop around the area... Not sure why I never realized that this would be an annual maintenance item, but it does stand to reason. G/L with the upcoming photo shoots!

[C Withers Media]

Annual is just kind of a guideline. If you don't have dust particles in your shots, hold out until you do.

[brettbimmer]

Casey, if I have to send it out for this, is there someone who you trust? I am located in Maryland, but I can use UPS if needed. :)

[brettbimmer]

Or I could send it back to Nikon, I suppose. Thank you again for the help & advice!

[kayger12]

Add one of these to your equipment list.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00017LSPI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=zhpcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00017LSPI

Works great. Used to use mine all the time before I had the, "self cleaning" sensor.

As a matter of fact, if I can find it, I'll send it to you.

Might save you some $$.

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[M0nk3y]

Not a big deal at all Brett, just find a local camera shop that does cleaning. It typically costs around 75 to 125 to have the machine cleaned up and they will get the dust and grime off of the sensor. This is routine maintenance for your camera. Like a an oil change that you only have to do once a year.

Wow...good info here.

Do they usually clean the bodies or do they do lens, if you send them in...just wondering if I ever get dust there on the inner side of the lens...where it connects to the body


Add one of these to your equipment list.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00017LSPI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=zhpcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00017LSPI

Works great. Used to use mine all the time before I had the, "self cleaning" sensor.

As a matter of fact, if I can find it, I'll send it to you.

Might save you some $$.

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

Care to explain the self cleaning sensor?


Sent using satellite technology

[kayger12]

Canon sensors in most of their newer cameras have an ultrasonic vibrator that vibrates any particles off of the sensor.

It functions automatically every time you turn the camera on or off.

I've never had a dust spot on a sensor equipped with it.


Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[UdubBadger]

This is how I roll...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I2WN00/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=zhpcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000I2WN00


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpSi27u4azQ

[johnrando]

You can also get a can of compressed air but be careful to not spray it DIRECTLY on the glass and only in short bursts.

[az3579]

You can also get a can of compressed air but be careful to not spray it DIRECTLY on the glass and only in short bursts.

Why not directly? If you're careful, it should only be air coming out... ?

[danewilson77]

Why not directly? If you're careful, it should only be air coming out... ?

Ok....directly works on your camera BP.

[C Withers Media]

Im not going to say that Seth or John are wrong, I am just going to say if you are asking this question on a car forum, take it somewhere and have it cleaned.



"It's already in motion. You can't stop it now." - Sent using Tapatalk

[danewilson77]

Im not going to say that Seth or John are wrong, I am just going to say if you are asking this question on a car forum, take it somewhere and have it cleaned.



"It's already in motion. You can't stop it now." - Sent using Tapatalk

I thought the photographic advice here was "trusted"

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[UdubBadger]

I'd rather have someone else do it too... I do a light cleaning myself once or twice a year though.

[C Withers Media]

I thought the photographic advice here was "trusted"

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

This isn't a trust issue, it's a risk mitigation issue. While probably capable of doing it myself, I am not willing to risk damage to equipment. Quite simply, if I screw up the sensor cleaning it, it costs me $2,800. If the camera store screws up a sensor while cleaning it, it costs me $75 to $125.


I'd rather have someone else do it too... I do a light cleaning myself once or twice a year though.

[danewilson77]

Thanks for clarifying.

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[kayger12]

Casey-- do you think the Giotto is safe to use as a dust remedy, or would you steer clear of this as well?

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Agree. I won't clean that stuff on my own. When I get back from San Francisco, my gear is going to the shop. I want a pro to clean the sensor.

[danewilson77]

Casey-- do you think the Giotto is safe to use as a dust remedy, or would you steer clear of this as well?

This is a car forum KG. Answering this would make him liable (not really)

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[kayger12]

This is a car forum KG. Answering this would make him liable (not really)

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

Hehe-- I'm just looking at it from the perspective of-- you just paid $125 to get your sensor cleaned. A week later, you're swapping lenses and get a dust particle on the sensor. Is it ok to try to dislodge it with the Giotto, or is there a risk in doing that?

Again, not so much an issue for me, but I recommend the Giotto to friends and don't want to unwittingly give them bad advice because I'm ignorant about something.

I trust Casey's opinion with this stuff-- just looking to educate myself.

[C Withers Media]

Keith, are you referring to the air rocket. I use mine regularly. Take lens off, hold body with opening facing down toward ground, blast air and let gravity do it's job.

Another tip to help keep your sensor clean is to never switch lenses with the camera turned on. Electromagnetism will suck dust in like crazy.

[C Withers Media]

http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com/cleaning.html

[UdubBadger]

Keith, are you referring to the air rocket. I use mine regularly. Take lens off, hold body with opening facing down toward ground, blast air and let gravity do it's job.

Another tip to help keep your sensor clean is to never switch lenses with the camera turned on. Electromagnetism will suck dust in like crazy.

such a boneheaded obviously thing when you think about it. when you're in a rush you easily forget but once I stopped switching with the camera on I noticed I wasn't cleaning as often.

[kayger12]

Keith, are you referring to the air rocket. I use mine regularly. Take lens off, hold body with opening facing down toward ground, blast air and let gravity do it's job.

Another tip to help keep your sensor clean is to never switch lenses with the camera turned on. Electromagnetism will suck dust in like crazy.

Yed, sir- the air rocket.

Thanks for the info.

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[kayger12]

such a boneheaded obviously thing when you think about it. when you're in a rush you easily forget but once I stopped switching with the camera on I noticed I wasn't cleaning as often.

Yep, certainly done it many times myself.

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[brettbimmer]

Thank you Casey and everyone else for the feedback. Casey, I asked this question on this (non-special car) forum because I know we have a few pros, a few amateurs, and a few clowns with cameras (ie-me)! Awesome advice, and while I enjoy detailing the interior of my car, the camera interior is best left to the pros. Given my location, I plan to UPS her out for a good cleaning. :cool:

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[brettbimmer]

Make that a non-special car forum with some very special people! AKA the Family!

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[C Withers Media]

Yes, and please understand that my original post wasn't intended to slight any of the members or the information here. I can only speak for myself when I say I am not comfortable cleaning my own sensor because I cannot afford it when or if I make a mistake.

[UdubBadger]

thats a really damn good point CW.

[johnrando]

Completely logical, put the risk for your expensive equipment on someone else who does it professionally.

[danewilson77]

Completely logical, put the risk for your expensive equipment on someone else who does it professionally.

Could say that about our cars ad well.

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