New Method for Cleaning CCD

[Magic]

Hi Guys,

I think I found a new way to finally clean my dirty sensor. Last week I was on vacation and shot everyday, and almost everyday I needed to use a new Sensor Swab to clean my sensor. I tried using a blower and that did not work, but did make it worse. Frustrated, my wife just purchased a garden sprayer that you pump up and I decided to give it a try. I pumped it up and blew all the dirt off my CCD. It is very mild compared to the cans of compressed air. For the first time in months I'm finally happy my images have no dust specs. I have enclosed a picture of the sprayer. She is not getting it back. It works like a charm!

Magic

[Igor]

Interesting. What pressure it generates? Can any moisture be produced from compressed air?

[sandman]

If it works for you fine .
but i'd be very carefull, water droplets due to condensation could develop overnight especially in humid climates .
What are you doing to have to clean your CCD daily .?
I use zooms and swap lenses frequently , but only have to clean every 2 weeks or so at the most , and thats in a windy and often dusty conditions .
not wanting to teach you to suck eggs , but i point the camera body down while changing lenses and turn off the camera .

Brian

[Magic]

Hi Brian,

I also hold the camera down and turn off the camera. It never used to have so many dust particles. It only started getting worse in the past few months. I notice it more now as I'm using my 55mm and 105mm Micro-Nikkor lenses. I tend to use more primes then zooms overall and do change quite a bit. This past week we spent several days on the windy beach. I actually did not make any lens changes on the beach itself. I did not think about the moisture, but as I take the top off every night I did not think it would be an issue. I also pump it up and do a trial spray before blowing on the sensor. It is really not much stronger than a hurricane blower, but it is more constant. Thank you for your comments. I will look out for moisture issues.

Magic

[Bill C]

Hi Brian,

I also hold the camera down and turn off the camera. It never used to have so many dust particles. It only started getting worse in the past few months. I notice it more now as I'm using my 55mm and 105mm Micro-Nikkor lenses. I tend to use more primes then zooms overall and do change quite a bit. This past week we spent several days on the windy beach. I actually did not make any lens changes on the beach itself. I did not think about the moisture, but as I take the top off every night I did not think it would be an issue. I also pump it up and do a trial spray before blowing on the sensor. It is really not much stronger than a hurricane blower, but it is more constant. Thank you for your comments. I will look out for moisture issues.

Magic
Maybe I'm just notice it more now then when I first had the camera, but I've had cases where the dust bunnies seem to appear with no lens change! Like you, I had it get worse with air blowing (compressed) .... it got so frustrating for me that I even tried the Scotch Magic tape cleaning method (Ok...go ahead everyone and make fun of me :) but it seems to work! - soft blowing, and a little magic tape ....clean as a whistle!)
Bill

[Tom V]

My S2 needed to be cleaned more frequently when new, and less often with age. I think most of the OEM dust has been cleaned out, and even shipping the camera back and forth across the country has not shaken that much dust onto the sensor. I haven't cleaned my S2 for some time.

My D70 was very clean from day 1, and after 5 months has only gotten 2 dust spots. I have never cleaned it.

Remember to clean the back of your lenses. If you look at used lenses, you can see that the lens mount gets worn down slightly. All that erosion results in dust that goes somewhere. Be careful with any blower that you don't blow dust into the lens guts.

Those tight rear lens caps that eventually loosen up also are eroding every time you use them. Blow the caps out.

I always turn my cameras off when changing lenses.

Vacuum out your camera bag once in a while too. No need to carry around your cameras and lenses in a dust-filled camera bag.

[Bujo]

Your cat's like your gear too...?