clean sensor with compressed air?

[hark40]

DO NOT use compressed air from a can. As mentioned the propellant can be rather nasty to a camera's sensor. Fortunately I have not done it myself, but someone I know did, and the camera had to be sent off for repair - $$$s.

A Rocket blower, or those type of devices are far better as only air is used. If that fails to clean the sensor, then a wet clean can be done and a number of sites have already been mentioned that cover that. I have used the Copper Hill system on my 350D with no problems. Newer bodies with self cleaning systems should not need a wet clean as much, if at all.

[arthurking83]

I've heard that the propellant in canned air can be bad for the inside of your camera.

....

apart from one mishap, where i did shake the can before use(that was my first ever use of canned air in my camera) the propellant is not an issue.
Just be sure to never shake the can before use... it'll say so in the directions on the can!!
(which of course I didn't read either )

if you forget and spray the stuff on any part you don't want sprayed, the white-ish residue is easily cleaned off with Eclipse(more elbow grease is required without Eclipse) and there is no damage done. it doesn't eat away your sensors filter pack, as some folks may have you believe, and it has never damaged any delicate parts in the mirror box.
note that if you do shake the can before you use it, all you need do is spray out the propellant with a quick 1-2 second burst. you will easily see the propellant being expelled, and then immediately the jet spray disappears.. ie. the system is now clean pure air.
I have to turn the can upside down to get a continuous stream of propellant (for testing purposes mind you) so that a pretty extreme set of circumstances to get any residue in your camera. It simply shoudl never happen unless you're doing something wrong.

I've been using it for a few years now, and both D70s and D300 are working as well as they did at the start.

I do have to say too tho.. in all my replies as to the validity and usefulness of UV/protective filters(which I'm against the use of).. I haven't ever mentioned that they can be useful in some aspects.
I've tested the propellant expelled by the canned air, on an (otherwise useless) UV filter I have, which doesn't fit any of my lenses(I think.. I may have to check again)..

if I can figure out how to hold the filter steady, I want to try document the non existence of any danger in using canned air in your camera.

[kiwi]

With all due respect to my friend ak.....unless you know what you are doing, do not use compressed air. It's just not worth the risk when there are other methods more widely used and accepted

[gje38752]

I find one easy way, if the sensor cleaning on the camera doesn't clean sufficiently then I take it to my camera shop who will do the job for $30, no risks.

[arthurking83]

With all due respect to my friend ak.....unless you know what you are doing, do not use compressed air. It's just not worth the risk when there are other methods more widely used and accepted

remember all those uses we used to think of for protective UV filters.. well I just found another!

I deliberately sprayed the UV filter, which is in very good, perfect, unused and immaculate condition, with the goop that comes out as the propellant(it looks worse than propellant actually!), but I deliberately shook the can, and then as the propellant hardly did anything at all, i then turned the can upside down to expel more propellant than air! .. Well, ok, i may be silly, but at least it worked.
now the UV lens is completely covered with the white frosty looking goop.. and I'm still spraying(I wanted to be sure, y'know!)
cleaning the white frosty propellant is a trivial matter with Eclipse fluid on a pec pad.. almost instant and leaves no streaks and if there is any damage to the filter, you need a nano scope to see it.
Yes! I realise that UV filters are made of glass, whereas the filter pack on the front of a digital sensor may not be... but i think I'm sure they are(glass that is).. glass is one of the best UV blocking filters.
no streaks no mess no blown up AK household later and I did it all again( to be 200% sure, I'm putting that UV filter to good use) but this time i wiped the propellant off without the help of Eclipse fluid.
Just a bare dry pecpad. It took a lot longer(as in a minute, instead of a few seconds) with a few different motions, but once again, it came back clear and undamaged(no obvious signs of scratching and stuff)
if I can figure out a way to capture clear clean glass with a macro lens to show the condition of the glass, i'd post up the results.

I understand the reasoning behind your cautioning, and for the most part I'm not a tech, but when something looks relatively safe, and done carefully there should be no serious implications.

I find one easy way, if the sensor cleaning on the camera doesn't clean sufficiently then I take it to my camera shop who will do the job for $30, no risks.

problem is that they probably use the same methods as most self help consumers would.. whether wet or dry cleaning the risks are always the same.. makes no difference as to who is actually doing it.
But if the owner is not confident of doing it themselves, then you are partially correct... the risk is much reduced, possibly to the point of null.

[Kym]

I find one easy way, if the sensor cleaning on the camera doesn't clean sufficiently then I take it to my camera shop who will do the job for $30, no risks.

No risks? So many have reported more issues after 'pro' cleaning than before. Not all shops are that good. (Many are, but be careful)

I'd rather do it myself with one of the safe known methods