Vacuum Cleaning instead of blowing?

[AnzacPride]

Ive got a bit of dust on my sensor that doesn't seem to want to move using dry methods such as a brush.
Im considering getting some eclipse and the custom sensor swipes(cant remember who their made by) soon. So I checked out the link on this sight on how to perform the copperhill method.

Now most renditions of the copperhill method Ive seen involve blowing out the mirror box with a rocket blower or canned air(using canned air seems a contentious issue itself) before cleaning the sensor to minimize the chance of dust already in the camera falling on the sensor during cleaning.

This got me to thinking, Why couldn't I use my vacuum to suck the dust out rather than blowing? This to me seems to make sense as couldn't blowing just move the dust around the camera or further into those tiny nooks crannies and grooves rather than removing it altogether from the camera?

Please let me know if my logic is flawed before I get out the Dyson and do any damage

Cheers Dan

[Tommo1965]

ive done it before..with some common sense applied IMO its a good method to get dust out...just keep the nozzle out of the mirror box and limit the hurricane like suction a tad

mind you I dont get so hung up about dust anymore..I used to... but I now only really do anything if I can see it in the viewfinder as I find that annoying..if its a tiny dust speck on a image..clone it out

[fabian628]

your logic isn't fatally flawed but you need to remeber that the air inside the body has to be replaced by other air so air may be coming in from other gaps in the camera that may have dirt and dust already stuck in them thus bringin in more dust.

Personally I try to use the blower a few times till most of the dust is gone. My 1d3 had a very dirty sensor, I suspect it did not get cleaned its whole life. I cleaned it with the sensor swabs, I ended up giving it a good scrubbing becuase light swabing wasnt getting anything done. Overall it worked well.

[I @ M]

Have a look at the Green Clean (http://www.green-clean.at/en/camera/sensor-cleaning-system/) system, they have a canned air vacuum (http://www.green-clean.at/en/camera/suction-system-mini-vacuum/) designed specifically for the job.
It is a very useful pre clean before the wet swab wipe down.

[Kym]

Please read this; http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showlibrary.php?title=New_To_Photography:Camera_and_Lens_Care and the link highlighted !!

[AnzacPride]

thanks for the advice folks,I had already checked out the link Mum but still wasn't sure about using a vacuum.I will be ordering some Eclipse and sensor swabs soon.Can anyone recommend a good suppliers?

Cheers Dan

[AnzacPride]

Ooops, Thats meant to be Kym not Mum, I must learn to check my posts when using a device with auto correction lol

[Speedway]

I have used the vacuum cleaner in conjunction with a blower a number of times and it has removed some stubben dust effectivly.
Keith.

[Lance B]

I too have used the vacuum method with excellent results. I used a small tube, maybe 12mm in diameter and taped it into the end of the normal vacuum tube sealing it so that only the 12mm tube obtained suction and that way I could get into the shutter area being very careful not to touch the sensor or damage the sides!