New Member and Sensor Cleaning Issue

[pmk]

HI. Just wanted to google up info on sensor cleaning and I turned up at this site. That was lucky! So here I am. I am a keen bush walker and bird watcher and never go without my camera- Canon 50D with a 100-400 canon lens. I take thousands of photos, then go home and (groan), have to sort through them all to see if there's any worth keeping. I don't think I'll change though - it's the thrill of the chase (with birds).
So, it's back to sensor cleaning. I live in Cairns and there are no camera repair/service centres here I thought I would buy a cleaning kit and do it myself. Any advice on this course of action?

[William]

Welcome to AP , Have a look at this , May be of some help,

http://youtu.be/lpSi27u4azQ

[pmk]

Wow. That looks easy. I think I'll give it a go. Thanks.

[dannat]

I like the visible dust products, they also make some useful pdf's to look at, make sure battery is fully charged, I like to do it on a wooden table I have just cleaned with mr sheen so I know veryblittle dust around. Commercial swabs make it easy that are the exact size of the sensor, I can get pure methanol to use but the commercial fluids I'm sure would be very good.

[ricktas]

Remember that although it looks easy, if you damage the filter in front of your sensor (you actually clean a filter, not the actual sensor), then you are up for the cost of getting the sensor filter replaced. So do it yourself, if you have the skills, and it can be quite easy, but it is also fraught with possible issues that will cost you more in the long run.

[pmk]

Thanks for the tip off about the dust issue, it was worrying me. I like the Mr Sheen idea.

[pmk]

I t's a matter of necessity. I would prefer to have it professionaly done but that means having to send the camera away. Besides the added cost of postage, there is also the time factor of being without a camera. I had a recent experience of having to send a lens away for cleaning and being lensless for nearly 2 months.

[Duane Pipe]

It should not have to be done to often should it.
Every couple of years maybe, I have owned my camera for 12 months and am always swapping lenses and I haven't notest
any dust yet and if i ever do I will remove it when I presses my images, which isnt a hard job.
But if it is left on the sensor for too long can it become more of problem/ harder to remove

[Speedway]

I am in a similar situation as my nearest camera shop is over 200Km away. I purchased the Copperhill kit and have cleaned the sensor filter a No. of times in both my 400D and 7D I have only had to use the brush so far. If you follow the instructions provided with the kit you should have no problems. The 7D seems far less susceptible to dust than the 400D.
Keith.

[pmk]

That's interesting. I have a 50D camera which I've had for over 2 years. It has made the trip to Cape York a number of times as I was a tour guide. I have a small amount of dust. My partner has had his 550D for about 12 months and his is full of dust. Both have automatic sensor cleaning. It seems the more rugged build cameras are worth the extra cost.

[kiwi]

not really, my D3 is a dust hog and it doesnt get more pro and weather sealed than that. A lot has to do with technique and how often you change lens really

Auto dust cleaners are good though.