Is the Sensor Salvageable?

[FallingHorse]

Ha ha - thanks Arthur, this sensor has curled up worms, exotic hairs, dirt etc - the only thing it's missing is the twigs. I wonder if the Camera shop guy will find some in there. I think for this initial clean I will get the pro's to do it but I am definitely going to learn to do it myself. Not only will it save $ at the camera shop but the travel is near 200km round trip. I have saved this into my faves for ease of finding but thank you very much for sharing your knowledge on the subject Reminds me why this is such a great site

[selaw]

Ha ha - thanks Arthur, this sensor has curled up worms, exotic hairs, dirt etc - the only thing it's missing is the twigs. I wonder if the Camera shop guy will find some in there. I think for this initial clean I will get the pro's to do it but I am definitely going to learn to do it myself. Not only will it save $ at the camera shop but the travel is near 200km round trip. I have saved this into my faves for ease of finding but thank you very much for sharing your knowledge on the subject Reminds me why this is such a great site

Good luck with your clean Jodie & glad you have gathered some confidence for self cleans in the future. I was appalled at the number of bunnies I found on the sensor of my 1D3 when I started shooting long exposures & narrow f/stops. I read a lot of useful posts by those above & others in relation to self cleaning and decided to give it a go. I ordered the Copperhill kit (including eclipse fluid), followed the directions and walla!! ... post processing cut down by 30% ... It really is easy and the results are incredible.

[FallingHorse]

Hey Kevin - I think the little bunnies were breeding in that sensor The pub certainly has character though Charlie isn't alive anymore, the stuffed him and now he lives inside

[FallingHorse]

Hi Roy,

Well I got the camera back and checked it - all good. I used it to shoot the races over the weekend and I am really happy with the quality of the images I am going to find the Eclipse gear online as our 1 and only store did not stock it. Was going to order through them but I changed my mind when I over heard the shop assistant try to sell some woman a 16-35mm lens as a portrait lens I really felt like butting in because for what she wanted her 18-200mm lens would have done well enough (she was after something for portraits that would also make a good 'walk around lens' ) anyway, I have decided on elsewhere but determined to give the sensor cleaning a go myself, saves a 3 hour round trip at the very least.

Edit.... where are my manners! Thanks for all those knowledgeable people who responded to my post, you put my mind at ease and I sure learnt a thing or two

[arthurking83]

And if the 50D has a self cleaning function in camera, use it.

I've set the D300 to clean on start up and shut down and have found it hardly ever needs cleaning compared to how much the old D70s did.

Whether it's due to some less sticky filter or the self cleaning function isn't fully clear, but it stays cleaner and that's all that matters!

[FallingHorse]

Thanks Arthur, I have the auto clean function on. By memory, I think it does it on shutdown.