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in a worst case scenario of a permanent blemish on the sensor does anyone have a guesstimate of how much and how long to have a sensor replaced.

two goes at wet cleaning (with fozzies help initially ) but what was a blob now looks like a donut! .

I hope this means it is gradually breaking down but it sure is stubborn. I have used 13 swipes so far

cant post pics now as away from home pc - will do so tonight.

thanx

R2

What model camera? I don't think there is anything wrong with removing dust and small spots from your sensor by yourself but I would highly recomend sending the camera back to the manufacturer for any major blemishes. I know with Canon you are dediicated about 3-4 free cleans a year. I believe this is for the whole range too. I have had them remove both 2 stuborn spots from my 20D and one really major gooey thing from my 1DMKIIn. If your camera is not too old and this is a possability. I'd say send it away with as little details as just "need's sensor cleaned"

Brad

Newidude wrote:What model camera? I don't think there is anything wrong with removing dust and small spots from your sensor by yourself but I would highly recomend sending the camera back to the manufacturer for any major blemishes. I know with Canon you are dediicated about 3-4 free cleans a year. I believe this is for the whole range too. I have had them remove both 2 stuborn spots from my 20D and one really major gooey thing from my 1DMKIIn. If your camera is not too old and this is a possability. I'd say send it away with as little details as just "need's sensor cleaned"

Brad

Brad,
Cleaning dusts and maintenance are our jobs, we cleaned and live with the dust bunnies in each day of our life, no drama and not need to send it back to Canon or Nikon Service Center. 5 minutes and you're cleaned.
Nikon only offer 1 free cleaning/ DSLR, the rest is user pays.

You don't need a wet clean if you care about your gears most of the time and use proper method to do the dry clean as we did same as other members.

I don't know if Canon offers free 3-4 free cleans/ year unless you're CPS or having a special agreement with Canon, otherwise they charge AU$150.00/ clean and Nikon charges $55.00/ clean.

Finally, rookie2, I don't think your CCD is gone, do it again and do it properly then it'll disappear.

What model camera?

D70s - still under warranty. havent used nikon to clean yet. is it worth the wait?

Finally, rookie2, I don't think your CCD is gone, do it again and do it properly then it'll disappear

I am doing it by the book and as shown by Fozzie but it is still my first go.

is it normal to have to do it over a dozen times?

advice to me is 'gentle as you go' - only 2 drops - VERY light pressure across sensor - new swipe each time etc etc

rookie2 wrote:

What model camera?

D70s - still under warranty. havent used nikon to clean yet. is it worth the wait?

Finally, rookie2, I don't think your CCD is gone, do it again and do it properly then it'll disappear

I am doing it by the book and as shown by Fozzie but it is still my first go.

is it normal to have to do it over a dozen times?

advice to me is 'gentle as you go' - only 2 drops - VERY light pressure across sensor - new swipe each time etc etc

Yes, if it's never cleaned by Nikon Service Center than it's worth to bring it back for them to clean it free for you, I've been told 15 minutes waiting in Adelaide, perhaps BBJ will tell you where is it?

First try to use the Giotto blower as much as you can with the camera mount facing down.

For the first timer, a dozen cleans (wipes) means nothing! more than dozen times but you'll learn and do it better next time.

birddog114 wrote:Brad,
Cleaning dusts and maintenance are our jobs, we cleaned and live with the dust bunnies in each day of our life, no drama and not need to send it back to Canon or Nikon Service Center. 5 minutes and you're cleaned.

All well and good but if you have something you have had over a dozen attempts at removing with no luck, wouldn't you recomend using that free clean? No point at risking damaging the sensor if he has been doing it right and it is just something that dosen't seem to want to budge. Especially when you have that free clean option.

Again, just my opinion.

Brad

Newidude wrote:

birddog114 wrote:Brad,
Cleaning dusts and maintenance are our jobs, we cleaned and live with the dust bunnies in each day of our life, no drama and not need to send it back to Canon or Nikon Service Center. 5 minutes and you're cleaned.

All well and good but if you have something you have had over a dozen attempts at removing with no luck, wouldn't you recomend using that free clean? No point at risking damaging the sensor if he has been doing it right and it is just something that dosen't seem to want to budge. Especially when you have that free clean option.

Again, just my opinion.

Brad

I also recommended Rookie2 goes for the free clean if he didn't use it in the past.
But then we have to learn how to do it by ourself, as said a dozen wipes for the first timer means nothing, could be more and more, but the second and third time will be only one or two wipes or will never use the wet clean method.
4 years having the D100, 2 years having the D2h and 1 year having the D2x, only used one wet clean on the D100, the rest just dry cleans with the Giotto Air Rocket.

I have giotto blaster via fozzie. probably need a ghetto blaster or bazooka for this one though.

I will take up the nikon free clean offer and then hopefully wont have to wet clean again now that I am more aware of the sensitivities of dslrs!

the digital learning curve is enormous - luckily I have the good good guys at dslrusers for free and unbiased advice!

thanks

R2

birddog114 wrote:I also recommended Rookie2 goes for the free clean if he didn't use it in the past.

I had not seen that post yet.

birddog114 wrote:But then we have to learn how to do it by ourself, as said a dozen wipes for the first timer meant nothing, could be more and more, but the second and third time will be only one or two wipes or will never use the wet clean method.

I am in the same boat as Rookie2 atm. I have to have the task of doing a pretty full on clean myself.

Have always cleaned my own sensor with just blowing and always made it a point to give the blower a few squeeze's before giving the sensor any squirts, although on this ocassion obviously not enough squirts. I have my wet/dry kit on its way and hopefully it will get here tommorrow, as I would like to be able to get it done nice and quick myself this time round and any for all future needs. Hopefully will just be able to pick the garbage up with a few small strokes from the sensor sweep if the new blower dosen't get them off. I gave the sensor about another 10 mintues with my current blower but it just wont budge. I think I will make it a point to also keep my new blower in a zip lock bag.

Yes, if it's never cleaned by Nikon Service Center than it's worth to bring it back for them to clean it free for you, I've been told 15 minutes waiting in Adelaide, perhaps BBJ will tell you where is it?

I posted the above before your previously post.

Newidude
It depends on what type of air blower you have, they are not the same, some models suck the dusts and blow them back to the CCD or the air blower is not strong enough and spreading dusts around the CCD.
The Giotto Air Rocket which I use and other members have is a good tool and superb blower with more than adequate air to blow the dust bunnies out of the chamber.

birddog114 wrote:

Yes, if it's never cleaned by Nikon Service Center than it's worth to bring it back for them to clean it free for you, I've been told 15 minutes waiting in Adelaide, perhaps BBJ will tell you where is it?

I posted the above before your previously post.

I started my reply before your comment had been posted so as i said. "I had not seen that post" Sheesh

rookie2 wrote:I will take up the nikon free clean offer

When I got my free clean from Nikon I ended up with a few more free dust bunnies.

Still, I guess they will get any bigger/stickier spots off.

When I got my free clean from Nikon I ended up with a few more free dust bunnies.

Still, I guess they will get any bigger/stickier spots off.

that fills me with confidence!!

i'm taking it in tomorrow.

They did a good job on mine.. They even cleaned the outside. I'd like to know how they did that cause it was better thna new .

MATT

rookie2
Don't give up on that sensor! I had one and it took about 25 wet cleans to repair! I think I picked up a bit of lubricant inside the camera as I was putting the swab in. Don't be afraid to 'scrub' the area in little circles. Oh...and don't fall for the line that the blob is on the opposite side of the sensor as shown on the monitor. It is not. The blob is on the sensor and not being recorded by the lens therefore it is on the sensor in the same position as shown by your monitor. (I think)

Matt,

Matt. K wrote:Oh...and don't fall for the line that the blob is on the opposite side of the sensor as shown on the monitor. It is not. The blob is on the sensor and not being recorded by the lens therefore it is on the sensor in the same position as shown by your monitor. (I think)

Far be it for me to suggest that you're wrong, but ...

The blob is on the sensor and not being recorded by the lens

While that statement is true, the fact remains that the blob will be located in the same location within which it is rendered when you see it on your monitor.

Thus, if it appears to be in the sky in your image, it will be in the location where the sky would be projected by the lens onto the sensor.

Which I believe would probably be in the lower section of the sensor, presuming that the sky is actually towards the top of the image.

wookie2,
like Matt I have had a couple of monster cleans the first two times, well over 13 goes. The one clue I can give is my bottle works best giving out 1 drop, 2 drops tended to wash the sensor and leave a film.

If worst comes to worst and you have done some damage, it is acutally a glass filter not the sensor.

Region of a few hundred to replace I think.

pippin88 wrote:If worst comes to worst and you have done some damage, it is acutally a glass filter not the sensor.

Region of a few hundred to replace I think.

But it's too hard to damage the glass filter, the way he described in his initial post, I imagined: the streaks or some residues were left behind.

thanks Matt

I'll go with the one drop. makes sense that a bit drier might actually lift some of the gunk off.

also what level of pressure do you use? I only just skim the surface very lightly

- tho the temptation is to use a bit of downward pressure like you would use with a stubborn spot on your pots and pans...oooops I mean with polishing the duco on the car.

not sure about this [

b]Don't be afraid to 'scrub' the area in little circles. [/b]

-

seems to go against the basic rule of 'steady as she goes with the sensor'

thanx all for your input btw the blob is clearly visible to the naked eye on the sensor

To clarify the question of where the dust is, consider that the image projected by the lens onto the sensor is inverted, left/right as well as up/down. Thus a bird in the upper right of the frame will be projected onto the sensor in the lower left. Inversely, a dust blob on the lower left of the sensor glass will appear in the upper right of the image.
But that's when "looking at" the sensor from behind. Turn the camera around so that you're looking into the lens mount (but still with the viewfinder hump on the top) and the dust blob will be located in the lower right.

Thus when you're looking at the sensor when cleaning it:

• dust on left of image => left side of sensor
• dust on bottom of image => top of sensor

By the way, it's not actually the sensor you're cleaning: it's the filter glass on top of it. For most intents/purposes the difference is moot, as the filter is extremely expensive to replace (it's a combination of IR-cut filter and anti-alias filter). Depending on the camera model it can be 1/2 to 2/3rds the 2nd-hand value of the (unmarked) camera.
However, if you do end up with a camera with a damaged filter, you can get it converted to an infrared camera (either to keep or to sell). In that conversion the filter is replaced with different glass. Consider that some people buy new cameras and then remove that filter, and you'll realise that there's a (admittedly-small) market where you could sell your camera for almost new replacement value...
I happen to run one of the few IR conversion operations in the world, so drop me a line if you get to that stage.

birddog114 wrote:But it's too hard to damage the glass filter, the way he described in his initial post, I imagined: the streaks or some residues were left behind.

I'm pretty sure I've scratched my filter doing a wet clean.

Haven't wet cleaned it since then though, so it could be a very light streak.

Nick, more likely a streak I've been brutal in some of my early cleans through frustration and still no scratches

Gary.
Blob is not where Confuscious dream?

Last thing I want to do is to confuse the members of the forum

Matt. K wrote:Gary.
Blob is not where Confuscious dream?

Last thing I want to do is to confuse the members of the forum

Matt, no. See Dave's explanation too.

Hi all,

when I first discovered dust bunnies on my D70 sensor I tried a few
not recommended procedures such as sticky tape and what not.
Nothing had damaged the filter that sits in front of the sensor.
I then eventually tried wet cleans with ECLYPSE and PEC PADS.
The first result of doing that rendered a worse amount of bunnies and muck on the sensor.
I was not happy and concerned that something had gone awfully wrong.
I relaxed and persevered and it finally worked.
The amount of pressure that I use when cleaning is probably similar to the amount of pressure I apply with a pencil (HB) when drawing a line or writing. You can go a little bit harder than that.
I now usually get the job done with two wipes.
The Giotto blower also helps alot (less wet cleans)

HTH,
CD

christiand

I trust you dont work for nikon repair co. ltd

with your words of wisdom fresh in mind I will approach my next wet clean with renewed confidence.

thanks for the reassurance!

cheers

R2

Took me exactly 12 times my first wet clean, more than a year ago for my D70. And that was my only wet clean so far...

Alex

To reiterate what others have said: DON'T PANIC

Firstly, you are not actually cleaning the sensor, but a piece of glass in front of it. Secondly, you can actually really lean on that sucker if you need to. It's hard to quantify how much pressure to use, but as an example I've used the equivalent pressure one would use to cut a piece of steak to remove stubborn bunnies with no ill effect.

Hope that helps.

with a little elbow grease I finally have a clean sensor

just the extra pressure needed (and a drier swab)
Thanks all for the encouragement!

Today I also received the extra bits for my SB 800 from Kris after a few hiccups so am fully kitted for flash now

one happy camper loooking forward to heading OS on tuesday for 10 days of R'n'R


Thanks all for your help getting through this 'trauma'..all you old hands just think back to how you felt the first time you had a go at cleaning your sensor and you'll appreciate how relieved I am that no damage done!

R2

"that which doesnt kill us (or our D70) makes us stronger"

Soooo stoked to hear.
We all new Birdy was right all along now didn't we
Hope the trip lets you relive all that tension and the images that come back with you are bunny free

And please wish me some luck for my Wet/Dry kits should turn up tommorrow

best wishes for your wet clean - as promised it does all work - just a matter of time.

to think this all started when I was about to hand over $80 to local camera shop (and surrender the D70 for 2 weeks) to get it cleaned!!

thanks to Fozzie and forum advisors I now have a far greater appreciation of not only cleaning my camera, lenses and filters but also how to keep them cleaner to start with.

what I had was no dust bunnie - it was a giant hare - so you can imagine my relief.

at one stage I thought something was burnt onto the filter (its not a sensor I am now informed) or a globule of melted electrics (caused by the K virus)

now with a clean camera and a few reds under my belt I can drift off into blissful sleep.

Happy cleaning.

Cheers

R2

R2,
Something new to learn and never be afraid or giving up till you try all the methods and resources.
You'll be more happier next time when come to cleaning CCD.

rookie2/Damian - Well done. You now qualify as a Professional CCD Sensor cleaner
I have also responded to your PM.