Camera cleaning

Somehow I managed to get an immovable speck of dirt on the back of the viewfinder, above the 'mirror' withing my camera yesterday. Not wanting to risk damage I took it into our local camera shop today to see if they could remove it. After several attempts with a cotton bud and blower the chap there managed to shift it but it has left a tiny mark which they suggested would where off possibly in time. The difficulty was, that the viewfinder glass has slight grooves in it which the speck had lodged in.

My question now being, has anyone any tried and tested ideas for removing this sort of problem please without damage.

 

Thanks Armandii. The chap in the shop said the glass is made with very slight grooves in it, not that I could see it. I'll check the camera tomorrow to see if it's gone. Mine's a Canon and he said that the camera is self cleaning for the sensor, like yours.

I'm usually very careful when I switch lenses, but unfortunately there's always the chance of something sneaking in.

 

Of course you're right, but most of the time I'm either at home or in the car when I change them. It's so annoying!

 

I have used Eclipse cleaning fluid and pec pads for this job before now, I use a cotton bud wrapped in a pec pad with a drop of eclipse on it and just touch the mark, which should remove or at the very least change the mark you can see through the viewfinder, if it removes or decreases in size then start again, with a clean pad but never be tempted to brush at the mark. If it remains or does not change then you either put up with it or send it off to Canon to be serviced.

Due to anti shake feature of my canon I have never had to clean the sensor on this one, but on my previous canon I did and you can buy specialist sensor swabs for the job, which you again use with the eclipse fluid. If you do buy some eclipse make sure you buy the right one as there are two versions, one for older sensors the other for the more modern.

Dont be tempted to blow inside to try and move dust either, that just adds moisture which will watermark your mirror, instead invest in a Rocket Blower for the job.

Eclipse fluid lasts for years and I use it to also clean my lens's so is a sound investment.

Hope this helps somewhat and good luck!

Steve...

 

Thanks Steve, I was looking at the rocket blowers in the camera shop, so will invest in one.

I was trying to find a smaller blower to take out with me as the rocket blower would take up to much space in my case, but I could only find ones with a brush attached and to my mind they defeat the object. Surely the blower will blow dust off the brush into the camera. Any ideas please?

 

Just what I was thinking.
Any comment Steve - you're the resident expert

 

I never lay my camera on its back when changing lens as there's then less chance of dust dropping into it. I've got UV filters on all my lenses so the front elements never get dust on them, the filters do but I use a blower brush and lens tissue if needed, and I've never yet touched the rear elements as they are only exposed to the environment for a couple of seconds. Now approaching something in the region of 10,000 shots with my original Canon kit lens and, touch wood, no problems with dust.

 

I just have a rocket blower at home Sheal and I do not use brushes on the cameras internals, although I do use a brush on the outside of the camera body and lens to remove particles such as dust or pollen, before swapping a lens over.

Looking at the warehouse express cleaning page I see that the rocket blower now has a friend in the Q ball blower, also by Giotto, it spec states its 2 inches smaller than the Rocket, although I have neither seen or used one I would be confident it would be just as good as the Rocket due to its air valve.

Warehouse Express Cleaning page. http://www.wexphotographic.com/cleaning/c2018
You can also read about and/or buy eclipse fluid and Pec Pads there.

Steve...

 

Like Dave, I swap lens's speedily and hold mine at around 45 degrees facing down, to limit particles falling in.

I hold the camera with one hand and have my bag open and next lens stood on end with the camera end of it sticking up, the cover is loose and just sitting on top.

I remove the existing lens from the camera and place it next to the other in the bag, swap the lens cover to removed lens and pick up the new lens and fit to the camera, return to the removed lens and tighten the cover and I'm done. I find this more expedient for me.

Whats this like Dave, I've never used it before..is it moist?

Steve...

 

Thanks Steve, I'll probably go for that.

 

I don't lay mine on it's back either Dave, I always put the lens back end down until I attach it too. I really don't know how the speck of dirt got into the camera, but as Armandii says it doesn't matter how careful you are, these things find their way in somehow.

 

Armandii is quite correct, we have all seen shafts of light coming through a window and in that light the thousands of airborne dust particles spinning around in all directions.

Its a miracle we can take photos at all with all that dust getting where it should not.

I've often wondered too, if a sensor has an anti dust system that vibrates dust off the sensor....where the heck does it then go to?

Steve...