CCD cleaning

[squid]

When Camera Electronics (just north of Perth CBD) gave me a quote for D70s & D50, they told me that they'll throw in one free CCD cleaninig worth $55. They also told me that cleaning is required every 3 months. Another shop, PRA, told me that depending on how often I would change the lens. A CCD cleaning may be required every 3 to 6 months.

My question to the forum is that what is your experience with CCD cleaning (i.e. how often) and do you clean it yourself?

Many thanks.

[gstark]

None of the above.

Your sensor might require a cleaning within a week of having it done, because of the conditions under which you're shooting.

Or it might go for months and be just fine.

But $55 for 3 minutes' work? Sounds like a great deal to me.

Do it yourself. It's dead easy. And it's a whole lot cheaper than $55 per.

Please use the search facility here to find out all you need to know about this task, and then some. If you can't find enough information through that means, you're simply not trying.

[sheepie]

I've done one in about 1 and a half years - depends on three things:

how careful you are
how many times (and in what environment) you change lens
and how lucky you are

so far, I've only had the one set of dust bunnies that had to be removed with a bit of force Other than that, it's been the blower doing the trick each time

[squid]

I know there are many ways to DIY and some of them are questionable.

As a camera servicing company too, Camera Electornics, just want to sweeten the deal with something that cost them very little. Obviously they'll hope that you'd take your camera in for service every 3 months.

[gstark]

I know there are many ways to DIY and some of them are questionable.

Which is precisely why I suggested that you search our archives.

This has been discussed many times, and a search will tell you which methods are good, and will also lead you to find exactly where you may obtain the materials you need in order to DIY.

As a camera servicing company too, Camera Electornics, just want to sweeten the deal with something that cost them very little. Obviously they'll hope that you'd take your camera in for service every 3 months.

How much of a sweetener is it when they're lying to you from the outset? Telling you that it's worth $55 for three minutes work?

I'd like to earn that rate too.

[birddog114]

Squid,
Three year with the D100, only with one wet cleaning.
Nearly two years with the D2h, only one wet cleaning.
Nearly one year with the D2x no wet cleaning.
Only dry cleaning with a blower, and DIY wet cleaning.

[Glen]

Squid, I second Birddy's advice above

[Matt. K]

It seems to me that the message is...send it to the drycleaners!

[jethro]

Iv'e had my digi for a year and realistically have never cleaned the sensor. I treat my D70 as any cam iv'e had in the past and thats not real kindly. I change lenses in some appaling conditions and don't seem to have a problem. Most of you know I shoot a lot of Footy and Soccer in Winter and its windy and dusty. I genuinely find if the mirror is clean and no smears, no problem. If I get some Dust bunnies I lock the mirror up and blow the sensor with the blower brush. Problem fixed.

jethro

[birddog114]

It seems to me that the message is...send it to the drycleaners!

[Aussie Dave]

Squid
some excellent advice above.

Perhaps, THIS POST will be of interest to you.....and they are in W.A. !

[Dug]

I clean mine with alcohol.

First I have a big glass of vodka then I clean my sensor.


Due to the conditions I work in and the way I mistreat cameras cleaning them myself becomes a necessity.

It is no great problem or so far so good

[Matt. K]

jethro
It does not matter if your mirror is greasy filthy smudged dirty scratched or even cracked. It moves out of the way when you take your photo and has no affect on image quality whatsoever. But hey...you knew that anyway didn't you?

[Matt. K]

Dug
Correct procedure.

[Zeeke]

Dug, want to clean my sensor??? i'll supply the vodka

Tim

[Mal]

Dug, want to clean my sensor??? i'll supply the vodka

Tim

Hey maybe that is why the Camera place charges $55 to clean the CCD. They buy a bottle of good quality Vodka each time they do it!

[squid]

Thank you everyone for your input.

I'd definately need a stiff drink or two before I'd clean the CCD.

Thanks Aussie Dave for info of a "local" cleaning kit supplier.

[katweazl]

Anyone want to do mine?

I have a dust bunny plague of biblical proportions!!!!!!!!

This is a white sheet of printer paper....and it is clean.





I must clean it!!!

[Glen]

Katwaezel, get the Giotto Rocket for $20?, I believe Cricketfan has one still up there in Qld.

[katweazl]

Yeah I got one off him.....these are welded on!!!!

[gstark]

Yeah I got one off him.....these are welded on!!!!

What technique are you using for the camera's blow job?

Please be detailed and explicit.



Seriously, please describe fully the steps you're undertaking; most of these seem to me to be blow-awayable.

[leek]

katweazl, Are you sure that the fibre is on your sensor? It looks too sharp to me.

Does it show up if you swap lenses? It could be on one of your lens elements.

[katweazl]

Yeah I got one off him.....these are welded on!!!!

What technique are you using for the camera's blow job?

Please be detailed and explicit.

Seriously, please describe fully the steps you're undertaking; most of these seem to me to be blow-awayable.

Well Gary,

I put the camera on bulb setting and fire the release and then put the rocket as close as I can to the sensor then blow!! And I don't know if it makes any difference but I try to hold the camera as upside down as possible so the dust falls down and out.

[katweazl]

katweazl, Are you sure that the fibre is on your sensor? It looks too sharp to me.

Does it show up if you swap lenses? It could be on one of your lens elements.

Yeah Leek.....it is always there. I took the reference shot above with the kit lens and the one of the sea urchin at the bottom of this thread with the 50mm 1.4

Joel

[gstark]

Joel,

Ok, your technique sounds fine.

From the statin' the bleedin' obvious pile of questions, are you blowing in the correct area? Remember that the location of the dust, as shown in the image (BRH corner for one of those pieces) is not going to be where you see it in the image, because of the way that lenses flip and reverse the the image onto the sensor.

So ... this piece of dust will actually be at the top of the sensor, and in fact, I'd be somewhat surprised if you could not even see it, were you to open the shutter and, under a reasonable sort of desk light, actually the sucker.

Looking at your test image, there's a couple of other major bunnies, but otherwise nothing too severe, btw.

I'm seeing lots of speckles, but I'm not too sure that I'd be overly concerned because they're so small.

[katweazl]

Hey all,

Since my last few posts I have decided to do a wet clean on my sensor. I didn't want to fork out for eclipse fluid though (tight budget....buying first home).

Knowing it is methanol I remembered reading an article on making bio-diesel. You need methanol when making bio-diesel from vegetable oil. I tracked down the site I was looking at and they said you can sometimes source it from car model stores cos some motorised model cars run on methanol.

So I call my local hobby store and they sell it for $2 a litre!!!

So i guess what I want to know is.....are methanols equal? Is the methanol you get in the eclipse fluid the same as the stuff from the hobby store?

For 20c/100mL compared to $20 odd US for eclipse sounds like a good deal to me!!!!

[Matt. K]

They are not the same but I think they are both suitable for CCD cleaning as they are both alchohol based. But...I am not sure on this point and you must get further information before you start swabbing.

[Mal]

But...I am not sure on this point and you must get further information before you start swabbing.

Matt. K - should that read that you are sure on this point?

[gstark]

Mal,

I thnk that what Matt is saying is that not all methanols are equal in purity, and thus he is strongly suggesting that you check what you can get before you get it.

Those in Sydney are blessed in that we have a ready supply available just for the asking.

[Dug]

You supply the Vodka, I will do the clean, No problems!

Alcohol the cause and solution to most of life's problems

Try to obtain medical quality alcohol I have about 4 LT that someone nameless further refined for me.

Unfortunately I am not keen on posting it. Are you near brisbane or the sunny coast?

In desperation I have used medical alcohol wipes from chemist shop.

They work if you have no other options.

Anything you use check on clear clean glass before you use it to make sure there is no oil in the mix.

[tasadam]

All I know is if my sensor looked like that I would be using alcohol (preferrably red - Shiraz or Cabernet work well), a spatula, a pec pad, and eclipse fluid.
I have not used a blower since I borrowed one from a camera developing store and it infected my sensor with about 10 times as much dust as it had before I went in. First and last time for me, dunno what the hell they do with their blower.
Wet sensor cleaning works well for me, but would more accurately be called "damp" - too much alcohol leaves streaks... but all that's been said before.