I would like to share my experience of cleaning the sensor of the 5D camera which has a full-frame sensor. I have found that you whatever you do you are going to get dust eventually. Even if you do not change lenses regularly that some dust will appear on the sensor even after a shoot with no lens changes.
I have bought various cleaning items. I have tried various items including sensor swabs, lenspens, brushes and blowers, lens cleaning tissues and cotton buds. You are never going to escape dust so you may as well learn how to deal with it.
How to minimize dust:-
1. Switch off camera before changing lenses. This reduces charge on sensor which helps reduce dust attraction.
2. Hold camera downwards when changing lenses to stop heavier dust floating into the chamber.
3. Hold the lenses downwards after removing from camera for the same reason.
4. Put a dust cap on lens as soon as not in use.
5. Keep camera bag clean if you keep lenses in your camera bag.
6. If you keep lens caps in your pocket then do not attach them to body caps without dusting them first as this will eventually transfer lint and dust in your pocket to the sensor.
7. If you keep lenses in your pocket during a shoot then clean your pockets first.
8. Generally keep your gear clean. I wipe my gear clean with a damp cloth after each trip.
How to check if your full frame sensor is dirty:-
Please note that this test may make you unhappy! It may well be that you have a dusty sensor but it has made no difference to your shooting and now you find out you obsessively try to clean the sensor.
I find I cannot actually see the dust on the sensor and this is why a photograph is necessary. Dust tends to show up as small dark round patches in photographs. The smaller the aperture you shoot at the more they become obvious. Also they tend only to show up on light backgrounds. This means some people may not see them at all whilst others will. For example landscape photographers usually have the sky in the top part of the frame where dust will show up if in this area of the sensor.
1. Stick on a telephoto lens. Select f22 aperture. Select the maximum telephoto if a zoom lens. Focus to infinity.
2. Point the camera at a white wall. If no white wall try a clean piece of paper.
3. Let the camera select an auto shutter speed. It does not matter if you have camera shake, 0.5 to 2 seconds is fine. The idea is to have a blank subject and have the camera exposure meter turn this medium grey.
4. Transfer the photo to your computer. View the photo at around 1600 x 1200. You should see any dust and marks easily.
Please don't panic. Remember your camera is probably cleaner than most other peoples! Reference for good cleaning information:
Recommended sensor cleaning:
1. Wet clean
You should use wet cleaning when you have smears or blobs on the sensor. Smears are caused by skin oils, using too much cleaning fluid, using cheaper quality cleaning fluid, and by grease and oils sometimes coming from elsewhere in the camera.
I have found the trick with the 5D is to clean with two sensor swabs instead of only one and also clean carefully at the edges of the sensor.
On a cropped sensor you do not normally have to worry about the edges because the swab will overlap the sensor. With the 5D the sensor is fairly flush with the chamber wall making it hard to clean.
Because the 5D sensor is larger relative to the chamber you need to clean the edges. This is achieved by ensuring you swipe the edges, one edge on each sweep.
I contacted various sensor cleaning companies and I was advised that they use the 'Wet' method that is a swab and alcohol or methanol fluid.
Although an expensive method it is very useful to get the sensor spotless the first time it is used.
I found SensorSwabs from Photographic Solutions a good method used with Eclipse fluid also by Photographic Solutions. There are also other companies offering similar solutions. If these are too expensive then these can be made up more cheaply using the 'Copperhill' method by using 'PecPads' wrapped around a spatula.
SensorSwabs are expensive because they are produced in a 'Clean Room' free from airborne contaminates. Please note that Photographic Solutions do not promote the 'Copper Hill' method and say that their SensorSwabs use another material other than PecPads. However as SensorSwabs are so expensive about $5 each, some users prefer to roll their own.
Photographic Solutions guarantees that your sensor will not be damaged by using sensor swabs. They now also recommend use of the original Eclipse fluid on their website and not the new E2 Eclipse fluid.
Please note that Canon only recommend blowing, however with this guarantee from Photographic Solutions I am happy to use this method.
Also note that Canon may offer a free cleaning during the first year so do try this as an option.
A. Preparation
To start select sensor cleaning from the camera menu. This lifts up the mirror giving access to the sensor.
I hold the camera up and tilt the camera down so as to avoid collecting dust while cleaning.
Warning: Do not switch camera off accidentally whist cleaning or allow batteries to become dead, otherwise the mirror may flip down and it may be damaged.
Do not believe Canon technical support when they tell you that the SENSOR CLEANING menu selection will self-clean the camera. This is nonsense! All the menu selection does is lift up the mirror and turn off the sensor.
B. The Edges
The edges of the sensor are very hard to clean on the 5D and in fact many outlets offering sensor cleaning charge more for the full frame sensor. In fact some go so far as to take the camera apart to more easily get at the sensor.
Place only 2 drops (3 at most) of Eclipse fluid on a SensorSwab. Place on the tip which will be in contact with the sensor. More will cause streaking.
First use a horizontal sweep LEFT to RIGHT ensuring top edge is swiped. Then use same swab tilted the other way and use a horizontal sweep RIGHT to LEFT ensuring the bottom edge is swiped.
Second use a new swab and give the sensor a vertical sweep UP to DOWN ensuring left edge is swiped. Then use same swab tilted the other way and use a vertical sweep DOWN to UP ensuring the right edge is swiped.
The first time you clean the sensor yourself you may like to use a third swipe horizontally either using a new swab or reusing the second swab once more.
You may have heard from suppliers that the extreme left and right side edges of the swab do not clean efficiently because the material is not supported inside the swab. This is incorrect and it is actually these edges that are needed to clean the edges of the sensor in a full frame sensor. In a cropped sensor these SensorSwab edges float over the edge of the sensor and only touch air so it become less relevant on a cropped sensor compared to a full frame sensor.
To ensure the edges are cleaned you may find it useful to twist the swab slightly (around the vertical axis of the swab) during the sweep to ensure that the one corner of the swab is slightly forward at the end of the sweep and touches the edge and corner of the sensor. Remember the trick is to lift up impurities at the edges and not to push it into the corners and sides where it is hard to access.
I keep swabs and the eclipse fluid in a small wallet that came from Photographic Solutions.
C. Check
I then test the cleanliness of the lens. See 'How to check if your full frame sensor is dirty' above. I sometimes find one or two dust particles have arrived during cleaning or immediately afterward. In this case I simply give the sensor a blow as described below. Often a second blow is necessary if the first blow did not do the trick.
When blowing remember that the dust photograph is reversed left to right and inverted top to bottom in relation to the camera viewed from the back. So if for example you are looking at a speck on the top right of the photograph it will appear on the bottom left of the sensor when camera viewed from the back. This will appear on the bottom right if camera viewed from the front while actually cleaning. This is less necessary to know while swabbing as the whole sensor is cleaned when swabbing. With blowing you can concentrate where the actual dust is.
2. Large Blower.
For regular dust, and not smears, use a large hand blower.
This is recommended by Canon. Anything else may void their warranty.
I use the large black blower that came in a sensor cleaning kit from Lenspen. It has a small soft rubber snout to protect lenses and sensors and a double valve. The rubber part is four inches long and two inches diameter and the nozzle is an extra two inches.
To start select sensor cleaning from the camera menu. This lifts up the mirror giving access to the sensor. I tilt the camera down so as to avoid collecting dust while cleaning.
I stick the tip halfway into the chamber and blow by squeezing. I make sure not to touch the sensor.
I keep it in the soft leather case that came from Lenspen. I keep a smaller blower handy in the camera bag to blow dust away from the lens and lens caps.
I have found that blowing removes all loose dust. Sometimes I have to blow twice checking between each time.
3. Lenspen
I have tried Lenspen SensorKlear. I found it is excellent for dust but hopeless for removing the last of smears and grease etc.
I have decided not to use this method as the Sensorklear tip is not designed to be cleaned by the user. My concern is that particles from a previous cleaning may be rubbed over the sensor. Instead the dust is removed by twisting the closed cap which moves the chamois on the tip onto a sponge in the cap and reintroduces non-liquid carbon compound to the chamois. The instructions say use only 50 times then dispose. However the Lenspen is simple to use and is marvelous for cleaning lenses.
4. Brushes.
This method works. The method uses positively charged brush hairs to gently lift dust by being in contact with the sensor.
I bought a sensor brush from Copper hill Images called SensorSweep II. This works by blowing a small jet of air, using the supplied battery operated blower, through the bristles of the brush. Note it is not the power of the blowing that increases the charge, but the bristles rubbing against each other building up static electricity, rather like rubbing a balloon on a jersey.
The brushes with many hairs work best. The Arctic Butterfly from Visible Dust seems a reasonable method on the go, however it has less bristles than dedicated brushes. In fact some cleaning service companies recommend this method to customers between their cleaning as it is fairly easy to use even for people afraid of cleaning their sensors.
I must admit as the blower method is working for me I have not bothered to continue the brush methods.
5. SpeckGrabber
This is a small stick with a man made washable permanently sticky end. You can lift off difficult to remove items without rubbing the sensor. You simply press down and lift. This was invented for mirrors and focus screens and lenses. It works OK on sensors provided it is kept clean. It comes in a small tube which I keep in a wallet with the sensor swabs. You can clean with soap and water or Eclipse fluid and a PecPad.
6. Cotton buds
I tried these and found they introduce specks to the sensor. Reference for good cleaning information:-
http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com
http://www.kinetronics.com
http://www.visibledust.com
http://www.kinetronics.com
http://www.lenspen.com/403/377/
In the next generation 5D maybe in 2008 I hope the chamber walls will be made slightly larger so that the sensor becomes easier to clean. They may also invent some method to prevent the charge on the sensor that attracts dust in the first place.
Full frame owners may like to know that most auto cleaning methods in other cameras do not work. Read Here: http://photography.about.com/b/a/257910.htm
I hope you find my experiences useful. Source : www.photos-of-the-year.com
I have bought various cleaning items. I have tried various items including sensor swabs, lenspens, brushes and blowers, lens cleaning tissues and cotton buds. You are never going to escape dust so you may as well learn how to deal with it.
How to minimize dust:-
1. Switch off camera before changing lenses. This reduces charge on sensor which helps reduce dust attraction.
2. Hold camera downwards when changing lenses to stop heavier dust floating into the chamber.
3. Hold the lenses downwards after removing from camera for the same reason.
4. Put a dust cap on lens as soon as not in use.
5. Keep camera bag clean if you keep lenses in your camera bag.
6. If you keep lens caps in your pocket then do not attach them to body caps without dusting them first as this will eventually transfer lint and dust in your pocket to the sensor.
7. If you keep lenses in your pocket during a shoot then clean your pockets first.
8. Generally keep your gear clean. I wipe my gear clean with a damp cloth after each trip.
How to check if your full frame sensor is dirty:-
Please note that this test may make you unhappy! It may well be that you have a dusty sensor but it has made no difference to your shooting and now you find out you obsessively try to clean the sensor.
I find I cannot actually see the dust on the sensor and this is why a photograph is necessary. Dust tends to show up as small dark round patches in photographs. The smaller the aperture you shoot at the more they become obvious. Also they tend only to show up on light backgrounds. This means some people may not see them at all whilst others will. For example landscape photographers usually have the sky in the top part of the frame where dust will show up if in this area of the sensor.
1. Stick on a telephoto lens. Select f22 aperture. Select the maximum telephoto if a zoom lens. Focus to infinity.
2. Point the camera at a white wall. If no white wall try a clean piece of paper.
3. Let the camera select an auto shutter speed. It does not matter if you have camera shake, 0.5 to 2 seconds is fine. The idea is to have a blank subject and have the camera exposure meter turn this medium grey.
4. Transfer the photo to your computer. View the photo at around 1600 x 1200. You should see any dust and marks easily.
Please don't panic. Remember your camera is probably cleaner than most other peoples! Reference for good cleaning information:
Recommended sensor cleaning:
1. Wet clean
You should use wet cleaning when you have smears or blobs on the sensor. Smears are caused by skin oils, using too much cleaning fluid, using cheaper quality cleaning fluid, and by grease and oils sometimes coming from elsewhere in the camera.
I have found the trick with the 5D is to clean with two sensor swabs instead of only one and also clean carefully at the edges of the sensor.
On a cropped sensor you do not normally have to worry about the edges because the swab will overlap the sensor. With the 5D the sensor is fairly flush with the chamber wall making it hard to clean.
Because the 5D sensor is larger relative to the chamber you need to clean the edges. This is achieved by ensuring you swipe the edges, one edge on each sweep.
I contacted various sensor cleaning companies and I was advised that they use the 'Wet' method that is a swab and alcohol or methanol fluid.
Although an expensive method it is very useful to get the sensor spotless the first time it is used.
I found SensorSwabs from Photographic Solutions a good method used with Eclipse fluid also by Photographic Solutions. There are also other companies offering similar solutions. If these are too expensive then these can be made up more cheaply using the 'Copperhill' method by using 'PecPads' wrapped around a spatula.
SensorSwabs are expensive because they are produced in a 'Clean Room' free from airborne contaminates. Please note that Photographic Solutions do not promote the 'Copper Hill' method and say that their SensorSwabs use another material other than PecPads. However as SensorSwabs are so expensive about $5 each, some users prefer to roll their own.
Photographic Solutions guarantees that your sensor will not be damaged by using sensor swabs. They now also recommend use of the original Eclipse fluid on their website and not the new E2 Eclipse fluid.
Please note that Canon only recommend blowing, however with this guarantee from Photographic Solutions I am happy to use this method.
Also note that Canon may offer a free cleaning during the first year so do try this as an option.
A. Preparation
To start select sensor cleaning from the camera menu. This lifts up the mirror giving access to the sensor.
I hold the camera up and tilt the camera down so as to avoid collecting dust while cleaning.
Warning: Do not switch camera off accidentally whist cleaning or allow batteries to become dead, otherwise the mirror may flip down and it may be damaged.
Do not believe Canon technical support when they tell you that the SENSOR CLEANING menu selection will self-clean the camera. This is nonsense! All the menu selection does is lift up the mirror and turn off the sensor.
B. The Edges
The edges of the sensor are very hard to clean on the 5D and in fact many outlets offering sensor cleaning charge more for the full frame sensor. In fact some go so far as to take the camera apart to more easily get at the sensor.
Place only 2 drops (3 at most) of Eclipse fluid on a SensorSwab. Place on the tip which will be in contact with the sensor. More will cause streaking.
First use a horizontal sweep LEFT to RIGHT ensuring top edge is swiped. Then use same swab tilted the other way and use a horizontal sweep RIGHT to LEFT ensuring the bottom edge is swiped.
Second use a new swab and give the sensor a vertical sweep UP to DOWN ensuring left edge is swiped. Then use same swab tilted the other way and use a vertical sweep DOWN to UP ensuring the right edge is swiped.
The first time you clean the sensor yourself you may like to use a third swipe horizontally either using a new swab or reusing the second swab once more.
You may have heard from suppliers that the extreme left and right side edges of the swab do not clean efficiently because the material is not supported inside the swab. This is incorrect and it is actually these edges that are needed to clean the edges of the sensor in a full frame sensor. In a cropped sensor these SensorSwab edges float over the edge of the sensor and only touch air so it become less relevant on a cropped sensor compared to a full frame sensor.
To ensure the edges are cleaned you may find it useful to twist the swab slightly (around the vertical axis of the swab) during the sweep to ensure that the one corner of the swab is slightly forward at the end of the sweep and touches the edge and corner of the sensor. Remember the trick is to lift up impurities at the edges and not to push it into the corners and sides where it is hard to access.
I keep swabs and the eclipse fluid in a small wallet that came from Photographic Solutions.
C. Check
I then test the cleanliness of the lens. See 'How to check if your full frame sensor is dirty' above. I sometimes find one or two dust particles have arrived during cleaning or immediately afterward. In this case I simply give the sensor a blow as described below. Often a second blow is necessary if the first blow did not do the trick.
When blowing remember that the dust photograph is reversed left to right and inverted top to bottom in relation to the camera viewed from the back. So if for example you are looking at a speck on the top right of the photograph it will appear on the bottom left of the sensor when camera viewed from the back. This will appear on the bottom right if camera viewed from the front while actually cleaning. This is less necessary to know while swabbing as the whole sensor is cleaned when swabbing. With blowing you can concentrate where the actual dust is.
2. Large Blower.
For regular dust, and not smears, use a large hand blower.
This is recommended by Canon. Anything else may void their warranty.
I use the large black blower that came in a sensor cleaning kit from Lenspen. It has a small soft rubber snout to protect lenses and sensors and a double valve. The rubber part is four inches long and two inches diameter and the nozzle is an extra two inches.
To start select sensor cleaning from the camera menu. This lifts up the mirror giving access to the sensor. I tilt the camera down so as to avoid collecting dust while cleaning.
I stick the tip halfway into the chamber and blow by squeezing. I make sure not to touch the sensor.
I keep it in the soft leather case that came from Lenspen. I keep a smaller blower handy in the camera bag to blow dust away from the lens and lens caps.
I have found that blowing removes all loose dust. Sometimes I have to blow twice checking between each time.
3. Lenspen
I have tried Lenspen SensorKlear. I found it is excellent for dust but hopeless for removing the last of smears and grease etc.
I have decided not to use this method as the Sensorklear tip is not designed to be cleaned by the user. My concern is that particles from a previous cleaning may be rubbed over the sensor. Instead the dust is removed by twisting the closed cap which moves the chamois on the tip onto a sponge in the cap and reintroduces non-liquid carbon compound to the chamois. The instructions say use only 50 times then dispose. However the Lenspen is simple to use and is marvelous for cleaning lenses.
4. Brushes.
This method works. The method uses positively charged brush hairs to gently lift dust by being in contact with the sensor.
I bought a sensor brush from Copper hill Images called SensorSweep II. This works by blowing a small jet of air, using the supplied battery operated blower, through the bristles of the brush. Note it is not the power of the blowing that increases the charge, but the bristles rubbing against each other building up static electricity, rather like rubbing a balloon on a jersey.
The brushes with many hairs work best. The Arctic Butterfly from Visible Dust seems a reasonable method on the go, however it has less bristles than dedicated brushes. In fact some cleaning service companies recommend this method to customers between their cleaning as it is fairly easy to use even for people afraid of cleaning their sensors.
I must admit as the blower method is working for me I have not bothered to continue the brush methods.
5. SpeckGrabber
This is a small stick with a man made washable permanently sticky end. You can lift off difficult to remove items without rubbing the sensor. You simply press down and lift. This was invented for mirrors and focus screens and lenses. It works OK on sensors provided it is kept clean. It comes in a small tube which I keep in a wallet with the sensor swabs. You can clean with soap and water or Eclipse fluid and a PecPad.
6. Cotton buds
I tried these and found they introduce specks to the sensor. Reference for good cleaning information:-
http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com
http://www.kinetronics.com
http://www.visibledust.com
http://www.kinetronics.com
http://www.lenspen.com/403/377/
In the next generation 5D maybe in 2008 I hope the chamber walls will be made slightly larger so that the sensor becomes easier to clean. They may also invent some method to prevent the charge on the sensor that attracts dust in the first place.
Full frame owners may like to know that most auto cleaning methods in other cameras do not work. Read Here: http://photography.about.com/b/a/257910.htm
I hope you find my experiences useful. Source : www.photos-of-the-year.com
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