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Want to get the sensor cleaned before selling current (Canon) body on, few specs of skank and something on sensor (almost like a smudge) which while doesn't fuss me, might the next buyer.
Anyone know someone that does this work (i.e willing to strip down sensor if required), without sending it off and knows what they're doing? Leeds radius preferred, but will travel or even post for good recommendation.
Not getting shafted for a blow of air would be a bonus 😀
Thanks, Rich
Gunk and a stiff brush. It'll be reet
This might help.
Unlikely to be on the actual sensor.
[url= http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/sensor-cleaning.shtml ]http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/sensor-cleaning.shtml[/url]
Thanks Richpips but the 'smudge' definitely is on the sensor as I can see it! I will give that article a proper read ta, but as it appears to be a 2003 article and I have a later 5D with an 'apparently' easily damaged sensor.....I'd rather not!
On a 5d or MkII you can't get to the actual sensor to damage it.
Worth a try, the article though old that article has principles that still apply.
Have a search on [url= http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/ ]talkphotography[/url] for a repair shop near you though, that's the best place for info.
Put a well charged battery in the camera then find the clean sensor/mirror up option in the menu
Hold camera upside down and give few puffs with a rocket blower
Next is get correct size swab for your sensor [url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Visible-Dust-Sensor-Cleaning-Solution/dp/B003D08GKU/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1358318447&sr=1-6 ]Swabs[/url] and put on one or two drops of sensor cleaning cleaning fluid. Wipe over sensor once then discard, new swab/fluid and wipe back in opposite direction
Take picture of white piece of paper with small aperture and check for dust bunnies, if needed do again
That's all the shop will do for forty or fifty quid, just be sensible with it and save yourself some cash now and in the future
I've had to clean my sensor on quite a few occasions and fully agree with what TT says. I use a blower and a Lenspen sensorklean rather than a wet method and although it's scary the first time you do it, it's not that hard a job to do.
Blue sky is also good for checking sensor cleanliness, if you can find some that is.
It is a bit stressful first time around, but the only person I know who has a sctratched sensor got it when he gave his camera to the official Canon service centre for cleaning.
Check by taking photo of blue sky, as above, and crank up the contrast in Photoshop to highlight blobs.
Thanks TT, I'll do that then - would hate to think of Canon damaging as it's a immaculate example with under 10k.
No problem Rich, it's not the actual sensor you are cleaning just the low pass filter that sits in front of it.
Just be careful and use a sensible amount of force when wiping across with the swab.
Always worth checking after you have given it a puff out with the rocket blower, might have shifted it, but does sound like yours needs a wet clean
The original 5D seemed to be bit of a dust magnet, but the later mkII model seems much better, guess the sensor clean gadget does some good.
Only use a swab once and don't try to wipe it back the other way, just drags any crud back across
Completely concur with everything TT has said. 8)
Only thing to add re the check pictures is set the aperture to f16 or smaller and defocus the lens. - You're taking an image of the [u]sensor[/u], not the blurred background.
If you havent got a rocket blower, I use a foot pump for an air bed, gives it a good blast.
Slight.update, bought rocket blower & wipe things. Done the deed with minimal stress but dust remains...!
All I can think is that it's the eyepiece viewfinder thing.
Has anyone taken the back off a 5D before, or replaced the viewfinder? Google not of any use that I can find.
Thanks, Rich
Hmmm. Is it visible on the photos, or just when you look through the view finder?
If the former, it's definitely the sensor. If the latter, perhaps it's crud on the focussing screen?
Just taken some snow shots (yawn!) so will report back...
I've got dust on the mirror of my D7000, shows up in view finder, but not in photos. I just ignore it.
Yup, showing up on photo of snow at F22.
EDIT: The particles move slightly out of sync with the focus points, which probably definitely means it's sat on sensor?
More than likely just need to repeat the cleaning process, not guaranteed to shift stubborn crud with one go
Dust in the view finder never shows up on images, just a bit annoying until you get used to it
If you use a magnifying glass or loupe you might be able to see the muck on the sensor, don't forget it's position will be transposed on the image.
Few dust bunnies wouldn't usually put a prospective buyer off, can be cloned out easily enough if they don't fancy a sensor clean
Ok, thanks again TT - there's a couple of small bits of thread on there as well, which I found odd weren't shifted by cleaning. They don't come out on pics though so maybe a mixture of both sensor & focusing screen.