DSLR Sensor Cleaning – My Approach
Posted on 20 October 2007
(Updated August 25, 2011)
When I got my first DSLR I was very upset if I got any dust in a shot. I was also very paranoid about cleaning the sensor*, having read too many posts about how one can damage the sensor. Now that I’ve used DSLRs quite some time I’ve gotten over it and life is much, much easier.
Here is a summary of my approach** to dealing with sensor junk…
Rule #1: I don’t worry too much about a small amount of dust. I rarely can get a sensor clean enough to get perfect, dust-free shots at smaller apertures, and when I do the dust will soon return. Rather than worry too much I’ve found that it is easy to quickly fix most small spots in post-processing. Using one or the other tool, I can usually deal with most dust spots in a matter of a few seconds in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) or Photoshop. (My preference is to do this in ACR during the raw conversion process. This fits better with my workflow which relies on the use of smart layers in Photoshop.)
Rule #2: When the dust gets to the point that dealing with it in post is no longer efficient, I try the easiest thing first. When I notice a larger than usual speck or when the build-up gets to the point that post-processing cleanup is either taking too long or not working right, I use a blower to try to clean out the worst of the stuff. More often than not this is enough and I can go back to relying on rule #1. Point the tip of a good blower bulb into the chamber but keep the tip itself just outside. As you blow a few dozen puffs into the chamber and toward the sensor, change the angle of the bulb to ensure that you get full coverage. It is probably best to hold the camera with the open chamber facing down.
Rule #3: Sometimes rules #1 and #2 aren’t enough. At this point I try a static charged sensor brush, being _very_ careful to avoid letting the brush touch anything but the sensor* glass itself. Yes, the brush can pick up other stuff in the chamber, and I have learned from experience to avoid this. However, most often the brush is all I need to use to get my sensor back to “sufficiently clean” status. With care and a bit of luck the brush method can sometimes get the sensor absolutely clean. The whole task takes me just a minute or two. I rarely have to escalate past the “blower and brush” technique – probably not more than once or twice a year – and in nearly all cases I can get the sensor glass very clean this way.
Rule #4: On rare occasions rule #3 fails, too. If the contamination is adhering too firmly to the sensor surface I resort to wet cleaning with Eclipse fluid and PecPads. I can rarely get it right in one attempt, so I plan on having to work at this a bit. Be very cautious to not use pressure or “scrub” the sensor glass. Let the fluid loosen and/or dissolve the material and gently wipe it off with the pad attached to the “spatula” tool. Read the instructions for this cleaning method very carefully before attempting it. It isn’t terribly difficult but there are a few ways you could go wrong including: pressing too hard and damaging the coating on the sensor glass, transferring lubricants to the sensor from other parts of the camera chamber, leaving streaks on the sensor. Eventually I get a reasonably clean sensor with no streaks.
Rule #5: On very rare occasions a combination of methods is required. Often the wet cleaning works well for me but leaves a few spots of dust on the sensor. For this reason I frequently follow the wet cleaning with a quick once-over with the static charged brush.
From all of this, it might sound like I’m sensor-obsessed. I’m not. Remember rule #1 is the one I follow most. I usually go months between real sensor cleaning sessions.
*I’ll anticipate that someone might feel obligated to write, “You aren’t really cleaning the SENSOR! You are cleaning the glass cover over the sensor, you nitwit!” Yes, I know that. It is just easier to refer to the whole assembly as “the sensor.” :-)
Update #1: Since I the time when I originally wrote this, I acquired a Canon EOS 5D2 body which includes an automatic dust reduction system that vibrates the sensor when the camera is turned on and off, thereby dislodging dust from the sensor (AA glass) on a regular basis. After using it since late 2008, I find that the “dust shaker” system on this camera is actually very effective. I rarely need to do a manual sensor cleaning – although I used to do this more or less monthly with my previous Canon 5D. When a dust speck does show up occasionally, it usually disappears a few frames later after I switch the camera off/on. If this doesn’t do it, sometimes manually running a cleaning cycle in the camera will resolve the problem. I have only had to resort to a wet cleaning once since I acquired the camera.
Update #2: I often read that some people take their cameras to the shop or send them to the manufacturer for sensor cleaning. Some apparently even take their cameras in for sensor cleaning on a regular schedule, perhaps as often as every month. I’m not sure if this comes from being over-cautious about potential sensor damage, aspiring to a “perfectly clean” sensor, not wanting to spend the time on the process, or something else. Except in extraordinary situations, I don’t think this is necessary or a good idea. In my opinion, it is not necessary to fear the sensor cleaning operation as long as you are reasonably careful. Once you do it a few times it becomes quite quick and easy. Taking your camera to the shop or sending it to the repair facility is going to cost you a significant sum, take considerable time, and probably not result in a cleaner sensor in the end.
**Disclaimer: This report describes what I do, but I am not any sort of certified expert on these things – as I wrote, this is “my approach.” I strongly urge you to seek out and learn from other official sources of information on sensor cleaning and related issues. The inside of your camera contains fragile and sensitive electronic and mechanical components and it is possible to cause damage while working there. You should read and carefully consider warnings from the manufacturer of your camera and any accessories and tools you use on it. If you are not convinced that you are competent to do this work on your camera, you can always take it to a professional. I do not claim that my methods are the best or most appropriate, nor that they meet the standards of the manufacturers of the camera equipment nor do I recommend that you use my methods in place of manufacturers’ official recommendations.
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8 comments to DSLR Sensor Cleaning – My Approach
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G Dan Mitchell
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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, and night photography.
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Good post Dan. I agree with what you wrote. I have a few spots, but they only show up in the sky or water at f/16 or smaller. In other words, no need to spend $50 just yet to get it cleaned professionally. I do wet cleaning every few months, but not sure if it’s that effective. Dust still shows up regardless.
Thanks, Ivan. I finally had to do my first wet cleaning on my 5D2 after using it a lot over a period of more than a year and a half.
Dan
Great post, Dan. I wish the Nikon D3 had a dust-reduction system. D300 has it but D3 doesn’t :-(.
Here is something that happened to me….I bought a Visibledust Arctic Butterfly brush and tried cleaning the sensor. On my very first attempt, the brush picked up some grease from the sensor borders and I ended up with grease on the sensor. I know, horrible. I went to Keeble and Schuchat and they asked me to use a solution to clean the brush (plus, a solution to clean the grease off the sensor). I got the sensor cleaned and also cleaned the brush with the special cleaner. It now leaves a streak residue every time I use the brush. I invariably have to use the wet-cleaning method.
Why I mention this is, on one of my trips, I ended up with some really good compositions but have streaks on the sky area. I tried to use the healing/ clone tools but I am unsuccessful. These photos have some unique light. Is there a way to “clean” the sky now?
Ah, that’s no fun at all! I once had a similar problem when I first started using a sensor brush (a different one than you used) on my 5D. I managed to drag a small amount of something that seemed like oil onto the sensor, and It took careful multiple wet-cleanings to get rid of the smear.
I try to avoid wet cleaning as much as possible. Even with the 5D, which was a dust collector, I tried every other method before resorting to the wet cleaning, reserving that for only the worst stuck-on dust. My sequences was to first learn to live with a little dust (fixing it in post is easy), then to escalate to a blower alone, and then to do a “dry” cleaning with an air charged sensor brush. The latter method would be the sensor very clean as long as the problem was not stuck on “stuff.” Once I learned this, I rarely did a wet cleaning – certainly no more than twice per year.
If I recall correctly – and I’m not certain I do – the “oil on sensor” problem necessitated a series of wet cleanings. One wasn’t enough, and I had to repeat the process a few times to get rid of the mess. In one case, I found it useful to use a brush after doing the wet cleaning. I wonder if that might help in your situation?
Also, I suspect that it might just be a good idea to pay someone to clean this for you. If they could get it back to a good baseline, you could probably keep things reasonably clean after the initial fix.
As far as fixing the photo goes, this sounds like an opportunity to do some careful work with the clone tool.
Dan
Thanks for the reply, Dan. I use the blower first and if it doesn’t look clean, only then will I resort to other modes of cleaning. I tried getting the D3 professionally cleaned a few times. Given that it is a dust magnet (D300 is amazing for some reason – no dust), I figured I will have to pay quite a bit to do that regularly.. So, the only option is to clean it myself. I guess I have to get the brush cleaned professionally or get a new brush !!
Vidya.
I had my own dust issue while in Death Valley this past week. I was picking up a spot that was noticeable even in the LCD – fortunately very near the edge of the frame where I could crop if necessary. I decided to clean it there while “on the road.” Death Valley is not exactly a dust-free “clean room” environment. (The understatement of the century, right?) So I gathered my camera, my brush, and my blower and got in the front seat of my car and waited for things to settle. Fortunately, a couple shots of air from the blower followed by a couple of iterations of the “clean” cycle on the camera, and the spot went away.
I get my Nikon models confused, but the D3 is full frame, right? We had the same issue when the 5D became so popular. It seemed like a regular dust magnet compared to some of the earlier cameras. My theory is that it is primarily just that the full frame sensor has more surface area and is therefore that much more likely to acquire dust. I became very adept at sensor cleaning when I owned the 5D!
I wonder if you could clean the brush with some alcohol or similar? I suppose it might be worth a try, though getting a new brush might be the safer bet.
And don’t worry, once you start doing your own cleaning and succeed a couple times, the whole idea becomes a lot less daunting. (Witness my willingness to try it in Death Valley!)
Dan